New FCMS program matches student computing stars with faculty in need

New FCMS program matches student computing stars with faculty in needMarch 11, 2004Judy Holmesjlholmes@syr.edu

Much like the village matchmaker in the play “Fiddler on the Roof,” a new Faculty Computing and Media Services (FCMS) pilot program seeks to match talented Syracuse University students with faculty who want to integrate technology into their curricula but lack the time or technological skills to make it happen.

The new Student Academic Resource Support (STARS) initiative provides faculty with up to 30 hours of student help to develop instructional materials for each proposed project. Projects might include basic Web page creation, image creation or editing, digital photography, flatbed and slide scanning, converting audio/video from analog to digital, uploading materials to Blackboard, and basic PowerPoint development.

“Our student workers generally have sophisticated technological skills,” says Michael Morrison, faculty liaison and manager of Faculty Academic Computing Support Services (FACSS), a division of FCMS and the University’s Computing and Media Services. “The STARS program provides students with opportunities to become involved in projects above and beyond their normal responsibilities, and faculty with opportunities to jump-start projects they may have been putting off because of a lack of time or resources.”

The program is free, and there is no limit as to the number of project proposals faculty may submit to FCMS. However, each project is limited to six hours per week and a maximum of 30 hours of student assistance. Students will be assigned to projects based on their specific skills and availability. There are currently four undergraduate and two graduate students available to work on faculty projects. FCMS staff members will coordinate the projects, act as liaisons between the students and faculty, and be responsible for the administration, operation and evaluation of the projects.

STARS applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year to enable faculty to apply for the program at the time in which they need assistance. Applications have been distributed to academic department chairs throughout the University and are also available at http://www.fcms.syr.edu/facdev/stars.htm or by calling FCMS at 443-1814. Further information about the program is also available by e-mailing Morrison at memorr02@syr.edu or FCMS director David Tiedemann at tiedeman@syr.edu.