Audio Bulletin Board hopes to get message across
by Terry Day
The Student Government Association’s Communications Committee is implementing a trial program this semester called Audio Bulletin Board. The objective of Audio Bulletin Board is to facilitate the distribution of information on SECC’s Cumberland campus.
Audio Bulletin Board will include the same sort of information normally found on the regular print bulletin boards already located throughout campus.
It is the Student Council’s hope that, this method of information delivery will not only help those with reading difficulties, but also, those students that don’t have the time nor inclination to read the existing bulletin boards.
The basic premise of Audio Bulletin Board is to play taped messages three times a day outside in the common area on campus, at a high enough volume to be easily heard by students moving between classes.
While on the surface this may seem to be a simple matter, once the task is begun, one finds that there are good many things that must be done between the inception of the idea and the actual playing of the messages.
The first step of the process involves collecting all the information from the various sources, such as clubs, staff offices, etc. The information must then be organized into either a public service type announcement or a radio type commercial. Once the writers have turned the bare facts into an announcement or dialogue a director must pull together the necessary voice talent to do the actual recording.
After the recording is completed, it is time to decide what if any sound effects will be added. Once the final product is assembled the tape then goes to the Content Review Panel where it is checked for any potentially offensive content. Once the final product has the approval of the CRP it is time to find enough people to actually set up the recorder outside and load and play the tape.
The biggest problem is getting enough people together to complete the tasks involved in the entire process. Anyone interested in helping make this program a success is encouraged to contact Terry Day at the SGA office located in room 201 in the Appalachian Center or call ext. 2120 and leave a message including your name, where and when you can be reached and which aspect of the program you are interested in helping with.
The program is always in great need of writers, voice talent, someone to do "leg work" and people to play the messages. If you wish to become involved with this much needed project, please don’t hesitate; there will be plenty of work to go around.
by Brent R. Deal
The Southeast Community College Writers’ Guild will present “Creative Writers Day” on Sat., March 21 in the Appalachian Center on the Cumberland campus. This is a day for people to share their writings, whether their specialty is fiction or non-fiction, poetry or songwriting skills.
SECC assistant professor of English Robin Pennell and writer-in-residence Jenny Collins are coordinating the event.
Sessions will start at 9:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. Free coffee and donuts will be served, and an optional brown bag lunch is needed if you want to bring one.
According to Pennell, there will be several types of writing covered throughout the day: James Goode will be discussing poetry; Jenny Richardson will be covering the creative non-fiction section for the day; Dock Frazier is in charge of the songwriting section. Frazier will also conduct a panel discussion about live music and publishing songs; other panels will be held during the day as well.
Finally, Angelyn De Bored will be hosting a play and a performance later that night. The performance, “Lessons On Becoming a Woman” will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box theater in the Appalachian Center.
Pennell strongly encourages participant to bring any of their work with them for discussion. The event is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Pennell at (606)589-2145 or 573-9654, ext. 2059, or Collins at ext. 2070.
Writing Center can assist with various assignments
by Brent R. Deal
Are you befuddled by writing? If so, there is now help in the Academic Support Center (ASC) on Southeast Community College’s Cumberland campus.
The Student Support Services has announced the opening of the Writing Center. The Center is staffed by Amy Sexton, the Writing Skills Specialist with Student Support Services, and several peer tutors.
These staff members are dedicated to helping students become better writers and not just getting by, according to Sexton.
Tutors are available to not only proofread your papers but also to help with any aspect of the writing process.
“When you come in, bring any preliminary work - drafts, outlines, etc.- with you and be prepared to think and talk about your writing,” said Sexton. “It is mandatory that you participate in a two-way conversation with your tutor.”
The staff is prepared to help you with any paper in any course, not just English course. For example, they can help you with writing tasks such as resumes and job applications; this service can be useful for nursing students, business majors, and anyone else who may be graduating soon and looking for a job.
“We are here for everyone, and it’s free,” said Sexton. The Writing Center is open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the ASC in 116 Chrisman Hall. Tutors are available at various times during these hours. Other services available include one-on-one tutoring, regularly scheduled workshops, group instruction, a comprehensive selection of reference books and materials, and instructional handouts.
Faculty members are encouraged to assist the center by referring students or by scheduling an appointment for a classroom presentation.
The Writing Center also has a new web site at http://www.uky.edu/CommunityColleges/Sou/02_wrctr.html. If you have any questions, contact Sexton or any available tutor by calling 589-2145 or 573-9654, ext.2080, or by e-mail at assext0@pop.uky.edu.
Trust program educates tomorrow's leaders today
By Debra Deal
Southeast Community College is one of three colleges in the state that participate in the Robinson Scholars program.
The University of Kentucky, through the Robinson Trust, has developed this program to assist young people in furthering their education and to increase their opportunities for future economic success, according to Paul Whitaker, SECC Regional Coordinator.
Robinson Scholarships are based on the intent to make a substantial impact on high school students in hopes of improving college-going rates in Eastern Kentucky, according to Whitaker. The program addresses the needs of students as they complete their high school educations, helping to prepare them for college life and encouraging them to be successful throughout their college careers.
Whitaker said that, each year, eighth grade students from 29 Eastern Kentucky counties will be selected for the program and will be mentored throughout high school. Students are chosen based on academic potential, essays and interviews.
The program targets students who would be first-generation college students in their immediate families and would most likely not be able to attend college without the program's assistance. Upon successful completion of the program, a Robinson Scholar will receive the following: a full scholarship, including tuition and fees to the University of Kentucky, or to one of the community colleges; funds for books, dining, personal expenses, housing and in some cases, transportation. According to Whitaker, these awards will continue for each semester of enrollment, providing the student maintains the expected grade point average and other expected criteria of the program. The Robinson Scholars program is sponsored by the E. O. Robinson Trust, which is funded by royalties from coal and timber from the Robinson Forest in Perry, Knott, and Breathitt Counties. The trust is designated for programs that benefit the people of the mountain region of Kentucky, according to Whitaker.
Other sites for the scholars program are Hazard and Prestonsburg Community Colleges. For more information, contact Whitaker at SECC.