Equipment Use Policy

The Media Teaching Lab has been commissioned by Academic Affairs for undergraduate and graduate instructional use.

It is against University policy, and is forbidden, to use Media Teaching Lab-managed equipment for any commercial purpose, including any activity where the photographer or other user of the equipment is paid for their work.

You are legally and financially responsible for all equipment you check out. You will be billed for any loss of equipment or damage due to negligence.

To register, students must complete the online form linked via “First Time Registration” at http://medialab.ucsd.edu.

Note: Online registration is not instant. Please allow up to 2 business days for the process to complete. If you need equipment sooner, you can visit MCC 111 in person during operating hours and ask to speak to a staff member.

What equipment you have access to and at what time may be restricted by your course enrollment. Additionally, certain equipment such as Advanced Cameras may require you to attend a Media Lab workshop before access is granted. Please contact us with any questions regarding equipment checkout privileges and exception requests.

Reservations are made on a first-come-first-served basis. Visit http://medialab.ucsd.edu to make a reservation, or come to MCC 111 in person during operating hours.

You may reserve equipment up to one week in advance for 2 business days. Weekends are exempted, meaning Thursday – Monday and Friday – Tuesday constitute 2 days.

Every effort will be made to ensure that equipment will be available to you on your reservation date. If, however, the equipment subsequently breaks down or if a previous user fails to return it on time we may need to provide you with alternative equipment options to suit your needs.

Equipment is held for three hours from the reservation start time. After three hours your reservation is void and the equipment becomes available to other students. First priority goes to students that have been unable to obtain reserved equipment due to late returns or breakage.

The person who checks out the equipment is responsible for that equipment and its prompt return. Students are not authorized to exchange equipment with other students and are discouraged from returning equipment on behalf of other students in case of questions due to loss/breakage.

In coordination with the Office for Students with Disabilities, appropriate accommodations may be considered for students with AFA letters. Please visit osd.ucsd.edu for more information or ask to speak with a staff member.

As available and not under contention for course-related use, media faculty and TAs may check out equipment for brief periods to familiarize themselves with equipment relating to course curriculum. Availability is at the discretion of the Media Teaching Lab staff. We are required to prioritize expected demand for course assignments above other requests.

This equipment is not intended for faculty or research staff use for research or other non-instructional purposes.

It is your responsibility to check and test your equipment before you leave the Media Lab. Ask the attendant to make note of any discrepancies on your equipment reservation form before you sign it.
When you sign the form, you are assuming complete financial responsibility for the equipment and affirming that it is all there and in working order.

All equipment must be returned to Checkout in the same condition it was in when it left. Pay close attention to how the equipment is packed in its case. You will be asked to rewind any cords and repack any items that are not correctly returned.

If you are not sure how to operate a piece of equipment, please ask! The Checkout staff is there to help you.

Allow time on your return day for you and the attendant to inspect each piece of your equipment together. Your equipment return will not be considered complete until you both agree upon the condition of the returned equipment.

Do not leave Checkout before your equipment return is fully complete and logged in the system. Otherwise, it is considered a late return and you will be penalized accordingly.

If a piece of equipment does not work properly, or if you even suspect that something may not be working correctly, please notify the Checkout staff when you return the equipment. 99% of the time the problem is due to simple wear and tear of equipment and not something for which you will be charged.

If equipment is lost or stolen, report it to the UCSD Police Department immediately at 858-534-HELP (4357).

You are legally and financially responsible for all equipment you check out and you will be billed for any loss of equipment or damage due to negligence.

If you plan to travel with Media Lab equipment, we encourage you to obtain personal insurance to cover any loss, damage or theft that may occur. For travel on university business/projects, please see the travel accident insurance options available via Concur.

Because of the high demand for equipment and the fact that late returns often irreparably inconvenience your fellow students' productions, late returns are regarded very seriously. Notify the Checkout Desk by calling 858-534-4635 or texting 619-894-6112 as soon as possible if you are unable to return your equipment on time.

Regardless of notification, a student returning late may have their checkout privileges temporarily suspended at the discretion of a staff member. Subsequent late returns may result in long-term loss of checkout privileges up to and including the remainder of the quarter or permanently if staff deem it necessary.