Smartsheet users… I have hit a speedbump and need some help. I am trying to move data from two sheets to an entirely different third sheet. Neither the Smartsheet help section or ChatGpt has helped, everything ends up “unparseable.” Any help would be appreciated.

Cross-posting. with Ops Comm of Practice

Hi Sara!

Not hardware-based, as you had requested, but the automatic captions / subtitles feature in Microsoft’s PowerPoint is pretty impressive, and there are guardrails you can put in place easily around usage of the data. You can find out about the tool here…

Read more

Hi all! We are hoping to find a simple hardware-based device for live captioning that would operate similar to a stenographer in real time. However, it seems everything is AI based. Our concern is whether anything software-based would record/store content knowingly or unknowingly. As a result, we would have to obtain permission from every…

Read more

You have some great suggestions from others.

Just wanted to chime in that there are some real risks of data theft using public USB chargers. It’s called “Juice Jacking” and people replace or tamper with the usb cables with cables to install malware or steal your personal data.

Contactless charging stations are a much safer option, and has the…

Read more

Thanks so much, all!

Hi Aaron,

Here at Kent we have a few charging lockers from GoCharge (I linked their website down below). We have four of their “Atlas” models that were put in before I was even a student here in 2016. We’ve updated cables over time and have replaced batteries, and the lockers are holding up well. They do have our branding on them as well.…

Read more

Hi friend!

We purchased ours from Kwikboost(now owned by Luxor) back in 2017. We purchased 6 and all still work. Only problem is that you need to replace cords every so often. I have a GA working on replacing them this summer. You can buy your own replacements or buy direct from the company.

They do customize, and we have ours done with our…

Read more

Hi Aaron,

I have utilized Trooh

Home

which is a free service that provides phone charging and free campus ads. The catch is the display will run targeted ads. However, the majority of the ads are targeted at college age consumers. I was able to upgrade from a tethered cable charging station to a contact charging model. I was…

Read more

Hi all, I hope you’re having wonderful days.

I am the Assistant Director of A/V and Technology at Russell House University union at USC in South Carolina. Our Union is old, and I am looking to improve as much technology as possible.

But charging bays for mobile devices are way out of my wheelhouse. Can anyone provide some recommendations? I’d…

Read more

Hi Scott,

The introduction of a main stage curtain has the possibility of significantly altering the acoustics of your performance space. I would discourage purchasing a new sound system without having an acoustician evaluate the space, or at least hiring a company to do an actual system design. Many PA speakers have digitally steerable…

Read more

Hi Everyone,

I’m trying to initiate the process of replacing the PA system in our main campus auditorium. It’s a multi-use space that hosts concerts, dinners, lectures, dance parties, roller skating, etc.

For reference our current PA is an EAW 650 rig (5 highs, 4 subs a side) run off Crown Macro-tech amplifiers.

We recently installed a…

Read more

Our student tech staff fluctuates between 12-16 people. Shifts is quite limited so I only use it to communicate the shift name, when the shift is and what type of shift if it. We do green for load in, B]blue for event, red for load out and purple for other – meetings, shop, office, training. The students have all found their preferred way…

Read more

Hey Michael,

It really does sound like we’ve both been down the same roads. I wish there was a product like Rentman that integrated with EMS via API or similar. Our office did a trial of Deputy scheduling that promised it syncs to EMS, but that feature wasn’t piloted and it quickly fell off.

A performing arts facility across campus has had luck…

Read more

Hey Geoff,

It sounds like we’re in the same boat with some different picks. I’ve heard good things about Mazevo.

A roundtable to share experiences with whoever’s interested would be great!

(Cross-posted to Facilities & Ops)

Hello!

We are looking to offer some portable device charging options, with checkout at our front desk. I’m wondering if anyone has used a product like the linked one below. We do not want a standalone unit for many reasons, and would like to manage it from our Information Desk with tap card checkouts through…

Read more

Sounds like we have had a lot of the same/similar experiences. I have consolidated to two ecosystems – neither are perfect but its the best compromise Ive found. EMS acts as the actual reservation for events. We have a generic version of our A/V inventory in EMS and do estimates, bill, and generic customer communication through EMS. Then I…

Read more

Hi JT,

We don’t have one consolidated solution, but instead rely on a couple of different platforms across the departments in our SU.

We are using Mazevo for building services / events asset management, having made the switch from EMS in March. It’s early days, with little activity since end of fall term, but I have not heard any complaints from…

Read more

Hey Folks!

What software platforms/web based solutions is everyone using for staff scheduling and inventory management? We’re currently reevaluating our platforms after trying to work through some pain points the past academic year and would love to hear what everyone else uses (and if you like it).

For context, our Production Services department…

Read more

Join us tomorrow from Noon?1 p.m. Eastern for a chance to touch base with other?Technology?Community of Practice?members!?

Use?this link?to join the meeting!

If you can’t make it to #ACUI25, check-in so together we can plan out an exciting year of?virtual?engagements. What do you want the?Technology Community to focus on? What can our…

Read more

Join us on Thursday, March 6, 2025, from 12:00 PM to1:00 PM EST for a chance to touch base with other Technology CoP members! ? If you can’t make it to #ACUI25, check-in so together we can plan out an exciting year of virtual engagements. What do you want the Technology CoP to focus on? What can our community do to bring value to your career… Read more

We have LED pars and LED batten lights.? The pars are $11 per fixture for student orgs, $18 for departments, and $28 for university guests.? The battens are $14/$23/$35.? Then we have recommendations of how many lights to use depending on which event space is booked.? Clients also pay for AV Tech labor for setup/strike.? We don’t allow any of…

Read more

Hi,

Our uplights are $21 each for external clients, with Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and University departments receiving a 75% discount off this rate. There are additional charges assessed if we need to set them up to be DMX or WDMX controlled or placed on truss.

We do allow equipment rentals outside our building through our…

Read more

For student groups in our 2 buildings they are free however they have to pay for an AV Tech to set/strike them which is $15/hr with a 2 hour min. ?For departments they are $10/ea plus the AV Tech @ $30/hr. ?I can’t remember what we charge for non affiliated groups. ?If events are outside of our building everyone pays for equipment and…

Read more

Hello,

Here in the Kent State Student Center, we have two cases of uplights we use by client requests for events. Each case contains 8 lights. As of right now, there is no additional charge to use them, but I wanted to see if other AV departments are doing anything similar. A department recently asked about renting them for an event outside of…

Read more

Thank you all very much for all the examples! This is very helpful.

Thanks,
Jason

——————————
Jason Longan
Assistant Director, University Center and Event Services
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville TN
(931) 221-6474
——————————
——————————————-
Original Message:
Sent:… Read more

Hello Jason!?

At Wayne State all of our rooms are set up for BYOD. We have two small conference rooms with Mersive Solstice pods (not our fav) in them and the rest provide an HDMI connection to the in-room monitor or projector(s). This has worked out well for us on the whole, but the issues presented have often been due to faulty adaptors…

Read more

Hi Jason,
Our larger bookable spaces also include hard-wired computers with limited access login accounts for guests. For other spaces, during the reservation process an A/V requirement questionnaire provides an opportunity to request a notebook (which is preconfigured to our wifi network). These are by far the simplest and most… Read more

Hi Jason,

 

Our conference rooms all have installed PCs as well as HDMI ports to connect laptops brought in by individual users.  Students/fac/staff can all sign into those PCs with their campus credentials giving them access to all associated network drives as well as their university onedrive account.  The PCs also have a guest account…

Read more

Hi Jason!

Unfortunately I don’t have solutions but I do have solidarity — we have the exact same issue, mostly sparking from being a Microsoft campus and Microsoft stepping up their security/wanting everyone to use their own account for security purposes. We have event laptops that can be used in any of our rooms with local accounts and…

Read more

Hi Jason – depending on the room in both of our Student Centers at Temple University, we have in-room PCs or smart podiums that are brought in. Those all have a a unique generic login. Our IT group is doing away with that capability but we were able to get an exception given as we have non-TU people using the spaces and this was the best way…

Read more

We used to have “Smart Podiums” when I first started here 8 years ago. ?We were taking them out of service right as I started and I’m glad we did. ?They had a Mac Mini, keyboard, mouse, vcr/dvd combo, monitor, and document camera. ?It was all controlled via a small Crestron panel. ?The biggest issue was moving them in and out of rooms, updates…

Read more

Hi everyone,

Our IT security policies have recently become much more restrictive, and I’m curious how others are managing similar situations.

Currently, we have a computer in every meeting space and we have a generic login account that allows us to sign into university-owned computers in our ballroom and meeting rooms. This setup has worked…

Read more

Hi there,

The attached AV & Technical Services Coordinator position description sounds like a similar position to what you are planning.? Happy to answer any questions!

Jason

——————————
Jason Rogien
Director, Event Services
Colorado State University
Fort Collins CO Read more

Hi Jennifer,

We don’t have an up-to-date Production Manager job description, bu the attached Assistant Manager role should give you a good place to start, based on your brief description.

Good luck with your recruitment.

——————————
Geoff Pimlatt
Senior Manager, Information System
University Students’ Council
University of… Read more

Good morning,

If you have one/any, can you please share (grossmjb@jmu.edu) a position description for a production manager or the like?? We are looking to shift a position to provide technology support for our student centers and production support for our theater, recreation space that has a small stage, and to build out the resources.

Thank…

Read more

The day isn’t over yet-there’s still time to nominate deserving individuals for the following awards:

• Don Rohel Scholarship
• Chester A. Berry Scholar Award
• Gretchen Laatsch Grant & Scholarship

These scholarship awards provide an incredible opportunity to recognize outstanding achievements and support future growth. Don’t miss this chance… Read more

I have seen a few examples of student unions adapting or creating their own AI Policy. To my mind, these tend to be too restrictive — setting limits or requiring a review / authorization process before any kind of AI can be used. I like to think that our existing Acceptable Use Policy covers off the worst of the potential “gotacha” concerns,…

Read more

Hey Travis,

Our story involves a movie theatre in our community centre. The approximately 400 seat venue was used for over two decades screening “second run” films — our license allowed us to show most new movies a few weeks after they premiered. We began experiencing some declining revenue / attendance as movies moved more quickly from…

Read more

Hi Travis,

At the Lory Student Center, we have a 500 seat theater and have had a similar history.? Our theater was used by the community and music/theater/dance programs until the university built a new performing arts center.? Now we primarily host student org events and department lectures/films.? We have always billed all groups for…

Read more

Hello!?

I am looking for fellow union professionals who are also responsible for running/booking an on-campus theatre.

In 1951, Shippensburg University(approx. 5000 student pop) opened a large 650 seat theatre/auditorium. For years it was the school’s home for music/theatre arts. In the early 2000s, the university opened a large 1400…

Read more

We also use the Shure ULXD rechargeable batteries.  Most of our spaces have the mics dedicated to them so we have docking stations for them.  In our multipurpose room we have the 8 bay charger because we have 8 handhelds and 4 lavs.  Since 4 of the handhelds are shared with the 4 lavs it made more sense to be able to use 1 battery instead… Read more

I just bought the rechargeable batteries designed for the Shure ULX-D and SLX-D units, there is an investment but you charge the Mics in docks when not in use.?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/849151-REG/Shure_SBC200_US_DUAL_DOCKING_CHARGER_WITH.html

Lester Stewart?(He, His, Him)

Associate Director, Event Services
Event Services
MSC 379,…

Read more

Hi All

I am retiring and am trying to assist my department in their search for someone who can replace me as the main go-to person for events at the Dartmouth College student center (Collis). I have spent over 25 years as a student life professional here developing student organization events with a focus on enhanced audio, staging, lighting…

Read more

Hi everyone,

Here in the Kent Student Center we’ve been using Clickshares in meeting rooms so customers can broadcast their laptop to the screen in that room. The Clickshare models we have’s shelf life will be ending this year. I was wondering what technology your buildings use to do something similar? We don’t know if we’ll stick with…

Read more

Good morning, Yakima.

 

Here at Ohio State University (Columbus Campus) our setup for staffing is as follows:

(1) Senior Audiovisual Coordinator (Me) – I report to the Director of the Ohio Union and Student Activities

(2) Audiovisual Coordinators (professional staff) – Report to Senior Audiovisual Coordinator

(1) Audiovisual Production…

Read more

Hey Yakima,

At UNC Charlotte, we have me the Assistant Director of Technical Services & Audio Visual (pro staff), then it’s my Audio Visual Coordinator (pro staff), then it’s Audio Visual Technician Lead (student), and Audio Visual Technician (students). ?I report to the Associate Director of Operations and they report to the Director for…

Read more

Hello Everyone,

?For those of you who have professional staff dedicated to audio/visual services in your student unions or on campus, I am hoping you can provide insight on the following questions:

• What titles do these staff members hold (e.g. Assistant Director, Coordinator, etc)?
• Do they have student and/or other professional staff…

Read more

Hi Kait,

 

I’ve been getting rechargeables from batterjunction.com.  Specifically:

 

https://www.batteryjunction.com/batteries/shop-by-type-batteries/rechargeable/combo-md1600-16aa-opt with the Tenergy brand batteries.

 

We can usually get at least an academic year out of them before they start to show reduced runtime or charger errors.

 

… Read more

Hello!

Does your campus use rechargeable batteries for wireless microphones?? If so, could you let me know which ones you use and how you manage them?? Spending $100+ on new batteries every couple of months is hitting my budget hard.

Thank you!

All the joy,

Kait

——————————
Kaitlyn Howarth
Manager, University… Read more

We are planning to migrate to Accruent’s EMS Cloud hosting. We are looking for feedback from specifically from universities that are:

1. not allowing EMS direct access to ports to retrieve active directory groups
2. using a custom data field in the HR toolkit ?to map web app users to their active directory groups to assign the appropriate…

Read more