There are a wide variety of excellent resources available to students enrolled in the Faculty of Media, Art & Design. To assist in the access and appropriate use of these resources, MAD has friendly, expert staff available to help with technical issues, equipment sign-out and colour printing. 

Meet the staff:

• Conner Pulis……………… Software/Server Specialist (Mac support)
• Oliver Fernandez………… Photo/Video Support Specialist
• Megan Pickell……………. Student Support Technician – Media Loans & Print Services
• Keir Broadfoot……………. Sound/Fabrication Support Specialist (Windows support)

Our support staff can be found in our Tech Office (C225) or in the Media Loans Office (L123). Please note: This year we are using a new form of software licensing for Adobe products in our computer labs which require you to have an Adobe ID. You are not required to buy anything from Adobe so please do not purchase a subscription.

1. Media Loans – Room L123

To support MAD student learning, an equipment lending service is provided. To borrow equipment, students must visit signout.mad.durhamcollege.ca, create an online account and agree to our terms of agreement, reserve equipment as needed and then present a valid student ID card to staff in L123, which is scanned along with the asset tag on the item being signed out.  Available equipment includes: DSLR cameras, lenses, tripods, flashes, digital video cameras, graphic tablets, microphones and more. For details, please visit L123.

2. Due Dates

Because this equipment is a resource shared by students in multiple programs and classes, reasonable return dates for equipment have been established. Each student must abide by the rules in the borrower agreement and will be responsible for College equipment in their possession. Failure to return equipment by the due date and time will result in a progressive restriction of borrowing privileges. For details on current policies, please visit room L123.

3. Sign-Out Procedure

MAD Media Loans hours of operation are posted in L123. Students are required to present a valid student card to borrow equipment. Equipment cannot be signed out without a Faculty of Media, Art & Design student card.

4. Lost or Damaged Equipment

Lost or damaged equipment should be reported to MAD Media Loans staff immediately. If equipment cannot be returned by its due date please e-mail Megan Pickell (megan.pickell@durhamcollege.ca) or call 905-721-2000 x3672 to avoid restrictions on your signout account.

5. Colour Printing – Room L123

Colour laser printing is available weekdays during regular scheduled Media Loans office hours. The procedure for obtaining colour prints is as follows:

• Students must have an online account through our signout system, signout.mad.durhamcollege.ca
• Colour print credits are purchased (minimum quantity of 5) from Megan Pickell in L123 but only using a debit or credit card, no cash accepted. Select programs offer additional print credits that are included in their academic fees. These credits are added to student accounts automatically. Please inquire in L123 for more details.
• Once payment has been made, the number of prints purchased will be recorded in our database and assigned to the student’s signout account.
• Files to be printed can be sent to the colour printer from any computer on the network. Student’s wishing to print from their own laptops must add and install the print drivers, before sending their file. Once a file has been sent over the network, students must visit L123 and present a valid student card to pick up the print. Staff will record each print to update our database and keep track of the number of remaining print credits. Additional print credits can be purchased as required from L123 during regular scheduled hours of operation.
• Prints are NOT accepted by email, USB, or Apple AirDrop.
• The MAD colour printer supports letter 8.5 x 11, tabloid 11 x 17 and tabloid oversized 12 x 18-inch sizes — paper is supplied. Paper stock subject to change. Please see our support staff in L123 for further details.

6. Macintosh Desktop Labs

Our support staff are experts in the setup, operation and maintenance of Macintosh hardware. Our Mac labs are L101, L108, B110 and B113. Our goal in selecting the operating system and applications we install is to ensure maximum stability and functionality. If you have questions about specific software versions, please visit our support staff. 

7. Our computers are in high demand, but MAD students have reasonable access to the desktop computer labs. Please be courteous to other lab users. Students who need access to a lab when a class is in progress must seek approval from the professor in the lab. Students who are given guest access must respect the wishes of the professor. Lab access policies also apply in the evening when Continuous Learning may have scheduled classes. Specific hours/policies for access are subject to change. Check with your professor or technical staff and look for details posted in the labs.

8. Desktop Login Procedure

Students should use their student ID and network password to login to our desktop systems. Please use a good password in order to protect your data. This will prevent the potential loss or theft of data. For access to our servers, check your DC Mail or ask your professor. Students should review the ITS Acceptable Use Policy in the student handbook. Password and account issues and questions are answered by the ITS Service Desk in the Learning Commons, room SW100. MAD servers (Animation/Game Art, Design and Video) are administered by Conner Pulis.

9. Backing Up Your Data

Students are responsible for their own data and backups. Complete details about the College’s information systems policies can be found in the student handbook. If your data is worth creating, it is worth having a backup copy. Important data should be backed up to removable media, such as a USB Flash drive, or external hard drive. Students also have access to 1TB of OneDrive storage which can be accessed online using your DC Mail account. Check with our support staff or your professor for assistance. We are always happy to help students with backup needs.

10. Laptops in Desktop Labs

Students are discouraged from bringing laptops into desktop labs because there are no Ethernet ports available for laptop connection to the network and limited wireless coverage where computer labs are located. Please do not disconnect network cables from the desktop systems in order to use the network on your laptop. Various laptop rooms, the Learning Commons and common areas are available for laptop users. Students who need assistance transferring data from laptop to desktop or vice versa should seek our help in C225.

11. No Food or Drink, Please

No food or drink is permitted in the Macintosh desktop labs, although drinks with a lid are tolerated. As a courtesy to others, please eat or drink in the common areas such as the cafeteria rather than bringing food and drink into a Mac lab. Every year keyboards and sometimes computers are damaged due to spills. In addition, food odours may disturb other lab users. Please treat the labs and other lab users with respect.

12. Preserving Your Data

Every year students come to use with notebook computers that have been dropped or had drinks spilled into them, or with drives that have failed. In some cases, we can recover your data. It is much better for all concerned if you back up important data to protect yourself from accidents and hardware failures. Please see us for help on how to back up your data. Consider adding your notebook computer to your insurance policy.

13. Photography, Video and Audio Studios

Students enrolled in Media, Art & Design programs have access to our visual (photo and video), and audio capture studios. Students need to follow the booking procedures online through our sign-out system. Please contact the staff in L123 if you have questions or need support. 

Our Doors Are Open

Our support staff are here to help. Please feel free to approach us with your questions and concerns. We’re here to ensure your success in the Faculty of Media, Art & Design.