Technology Fee Proposal

Last week, I was assigned to cover an article about the technology fee. Like most fees, students pay a $60 technology fee each semester. The fee is used for computer lab maintenance, software, and programs. Which is what you expect, right?

What I did not know about the fee is that students, faculty, and staff could send in proposals and request some of the money. Granted, the money must fund a project on campus, such as a smart classroom in Gamble Hall, but the fact is that students could submit proposals is pretty neat.

I will admit when Dash first assigned me the story, I didn't think there was much of a story there, because I did not see the technology fee any differently than any other fee students pay. But, when I found out that students could submit proposals, I was intrigued.

The first person I spoke with was Engineering Professor, Dr. Wayne Johnson. He told me to speak to Physical Therapy Professor, Dr. Anne Thompson and to Mrs. Windy Marshall, who is in charge of the technology in the education department. However, when I spoke to Windy Marshall she told me to speak with Dr. Johnson and Dr. Thompson, because she did not feel like she should be the spokesperson for the article.

At this point, I am nervous that there won't be an article, because it was already Wednesday and I was going out of town Friday. I also work and attend classes, so the only free time I had was Thursday afternoon. I e-mail Dash and tell him I keep getting the runaround and will try to write this story the best I can.

So that night, I tell both Dr. Johnson and Thompson what Mrs. Marshall said and both agree to sit down with me. I was able to ask them all the questions I needed and also consulted the website for my technical information. The article ended up working out and was printed above the fold in the next issue.

Not to much was changed, just a little tightening up of sentences. I am pretty proud of the article and I am excited to write my next one.

Here is the final product:
http://www.theinkwellonline.com/news/technology-fee-committee-seeks-student-proposals-1.2654680#.TqQiSN52Ivk