SGA’s Monday, April 27, meeting saw the unanimous passing of two reserve fund requests as well as the passing of two commendations in support of Auburn faculty.
Brock Hendon, senator for the Harbert College of Business, discussed a reserve fund request that will bring a NewTek Tricaster 460 to the Eagle Eye TV newsroom. The request, which passed unanimously, will allocate $16,995 to purchase a piece of equipment Hendon said is vital to Eagle Eye’s production.
“Eagle Eye uses this as, like, a big control board,” Hendon said. “It allows them to produce their shows and their live TV on it. Anything they want to produce comes through this piece of equipment similar to a computer.”
Carter Palek, station manager for Eagle Eye TV and junior in political science, was in attendance at the senate meeting and echoed Hendon in expressing the importance of the NewTek Tricaster and the benefits it has on the students who work for Eagle Eye.
“It is hardware and software all in one,” Palek said. “Basically what that means is it records video, mixes it together, it adds the effects and then compresses it to put it on the channel or live on our website. Simply put, it is the most important piece of equipment that we have.”
Eagle Eye has used the same tricaster since moving into the Student Center nearly six years ago. Palek said while the tricaster they have has helped numerous students learn the ins and outs of television, changing technology has brought smarter tricasters that students need to learn to operate.
“Our main point at Eagle Eye is to try and prepare students for training in the field which is something we do really well,” Pollack said. “At this point people are working on a machine that is obsolete so they know how to do it but then they get into the field and it doesn’t really work out.”
Many senators took the time to express their support for the request, many of whom have worked for Eagle Eye TV during their time at Auburn. One of those supporters was Benjamin Arnberg, senator for the Graduate School, who reminded his fellow senators of funds that have been spent for other things in the past.
“Just a few weeks ago we approved a request for $2,000 for the involvement awards,” Arnberg said “If Eagle Eye has to keep this tricaster another seven years, that’s $14,000 we likely spend on 7 dinners for 7 involvement awards. This piece of equipment is vital to find internships and jobs. Without it, it is very difficult to even interview for an internship.”
According to both Palek and Hendon, there are more expensive tricasters on the market but NewTek Tricaster 460 is a mid-range model most suited for Eagle Eye’s needs.
In other SGA news:
* A comednation of Susan Kiechel passed unanimously. Kiechel played a pivotal role in the establishment of women’s soccer as a varsity sport at Auburn in 1993.
* A commendation in recognition of Dr. Joseph Kicklighter’s career as a professor of history passed unanimously. Kicklighter has been an award-winning professor at Auburn for 40 years.
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