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 “ITS Media Teaching Lab Reservation System Self Registration,” at http://medialab.ucsd.edu.

Note: Online registration is not instant. Please allow up to 1-2 business days for the process to complete. If you need equipment sooner, you can visit MCC225 in person during operating hours.

Eligibility alone does not constitute full equipment checkout privileges.
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 the Media Lab with any questions regarding equipment checkout privileges.

Reservations are made on a first-come-first-served basis. Visit http://medialab.ucsd.edu to make a reservation, or come to MCC111 in person during operating hours.

You may reserve equipment up to one week in advance for one 48-hour period. You may not reserve the same equipment for consecutive 48-hour periods. Weekends are exempted, meaning Thursday – Monday and Friday – Tuesday constitute 48 hours.

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 be unable to fill your reservation.

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. Second priority goes to students whose names are on the waiting list located in the Equipment Checkout Room.

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.

In coordination with the Office for Students with Disabilities, appropriate accommodations may be considered for students with documented limitations due to a disability.  Please visit MCC225 for more information.

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. 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 area. Ask the Checkout 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 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, ask!!! The Checkout staff is there to help you. Check out an operating manual for the equipment you are going to use.

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! 858-534-HELP (4357).

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.

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 checkout (858-534-4635) as soon as possible if you are unable to return your equipment on time. But, regardless of notification, if a student is late in returning equipment and another student does not get equipment previously reserved, the student returning late will lose all checkout privileges for two weeks. If a second infraction occurs, privileges will be suspended for five weeks. A third time will result in privileges being permanently revoked. Additionally, if, on the last two Fridays of a quarter, equipment is not returned in time for weekend checkout, the offending student's access code will be removed from all Media Lab facilities for the remainder of the quarter.

These penalties will carry over into a new quarter. They remain with you for your entire UCSD media career.