Editorial: Syllabi must match media lab provisions

The new restrictions on streaming movies on course Web sites is the latest addition to a growing list of compromises to our education UCLA is being forced to make.

The restrictions, prompted by a legal threat from the Association for Information Media and Equipment, is a huge disruption for the hundreds of students and professors who rely on services such as Video Furnace to host movies for class on password-protected course Web sites. AIME has accused UCLA of violating copyright laws by streaming the videos online.

Students are now forced to purchase the videos, visit the Instructional Media Lab, or resort to illegal methods to obtain the films. To make matters worse, the Instructional Media Lab has, due to budget cuts, recently reduced hours on weekdays and is now closed on weekends. Students already burdened by the cost of textbooks and tuition don’t need another fee.

Reacting to the policy, some professors have opted to cut films from their coursework, not wanting to cut into instruction time.

This is not only a detriment to courses that use films to supplement their existing curriculum, but absolutely cripples UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television which relies the most on the services provided by Video Furnace. If professors don’t want to cut into instruction time and can’t host a screening outside of class, they should make the films optional or omit them altogether.

It is unfair to expect each student to watch films at the media lab between classes. Many of us have part-time jobs and extracurricular activities on top of full course loads, or commute during the limited hours of the media lab.

The fact that current fair-use laws don’t specify a stance on this particular situation demonstrates that copyright law needs to be revised to keep up with technology. But the quality of course curriculum should not suffer as a result of unclear copyright laws, and professors should not be forced to change their syllabi to comply with them.

However, instructors should be looking for alternative means of instructing so the burden does not fall entirely on students. Students should not be the only party to make compromises, and professors should have realistic expectations.

This issue, if unresolved, may also result in increased frequency of media piracy. If students are unable to find time to watch required films in the Instructional Media Lab they may turn to illegal downloading of movies, perpetuating the same unfair use of media that AIME is attempting to curb. UCLA streams films for educational purposes and should be permitted to continue.

As long as the university remains in legal limbo, students are forced to endure yet another disservice. The university should make resolving this issue a priority, or education will continue to suffer.