Video
Continued from Page 1
The tapes provide informa
tion not only for academic
departments (such as the
Departments of Dance,
Psychology, and Sociology and
the Schools of Law and jour
nalism. to name a few), but for
student life such as the Greek
system and the services of the
Health Center The tapes expose
the student to what the Univer
sity has to offer at large.
“The tapes give them a per
sonalized look at the University
. . . they provide a sense of ex
citement about the University.”
Safarri said.
This “sense of excitement”
has helped to solve one more
problem encountered by
University officials in the area
of student recruitment. With the
student attrition rate at a na
tional average of 20 percent dur
ing freshman year, the Universi
ty has managed to lower and
maintain its rate at 9 percent. As
well, the Carnagie Council on
Higher Education Studies has
predicted only a 90 percent
enrollment in the 1990's — a
situation that many universities
suffer from. The tapes are help
ing to alleviate that problem at
the University.
“The main concern of college
recruiters is to bring students to
campus, but once the students
get to campus, not enough at
tention is being given to them.”
Safarri said, adding. "When the
students get to college and
realize that it's not all here for
them, they come to resent the
campus and probably drop out.
And. they share the negative at
titude with others."
In the case of the University,
however, the videos have
helped "enhance student reten
tion and minimize student attri
tion rates." according to Saffari.
Saffari has received lots of
positive feedback for his pro
ject. not only from the Universi
ty community, but nationwide
as well. After stories about the
videotape project appeared in
the ‘‘Chronicle of Higher
Education” and "Spotlight" (a
publication that circulates
among Career Planning and
Placement departments). Safarri
was besieged by letters and
phone calls from over 200
universities to begin the same
project on other campuses.
"In this case, imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery," one
letter read
"The project has gained na
tional recognition because it's a
unique project, and it gives a
diverse look at the entire
University,” Safarri said.
To produce the tapes, Saffari,
with the help of students as pro
duction assistants, inter
viewers, editors and camera
operators, must edit several
hours of rough footage into a
10-15 minute overview. Once a
tape is edited, it is viewed by
the University Dean. Vice
Provost. Director of Student
Photo by liM lUgS’fty
Mahmoud Safarri is the creator of academic videotapes designed to better acquaint current and
prospective students with the University as a whole.
Development. Director of
Academic Ad visingStudent
Services, a representative from
admissions and the specific
dean and department head for
the respective department, so
that the tapes are accurate
before they are distributed
Hecause the project is a large
one. Safarri would like anyone
interested in the production and
promotion uf the tapes to con
tact him He sees the project as
"a good way to get hands-on
experience."
With the need for students to
"gain a Mnw of the University
— to become academically and
stxdally involved," according
to Safarri, it appears that the
need has indeed been met.
Saferide
Continued from Page 1
from peak ridership levels from
winter term. She expected
Saferide to be better-used as the
year wears on and more women
discover the service.
But if no one can be persuad
ed to take Meehan's job by Mon
day. Saferide could be in trou
ble. Meehan said that although
she will be available to help her
successor, she will not take
responsibility for the program
after Monday.
Meehan said the prospect
worries her, but with enough
drivers to fill-out the week and
with the radio dispatchers in
place, she said that the program
can run on its own steam for a
while, even without a director.
Correction
The airplane/pyramid
scheme described in Mon
day's Oregon Daily Emerald
in no way involves airlines,
ticket brokers or the travel in
dustry in general. The
Emerald regrets any confu
sion this may have caused
WE DELIVER
to campus
CALL
343-9999
Meehan said. She conceded
that running without a director
could only be a temoporary
solution.
Mike Sistrom. ASUO pro
grams coordinator, suggested
two possibilities if no director is
found: bringing the program
back under the responsibility of
the ASUO Executive; or
dissolution of the program. But
he added it was still to early to
predict what actions the Ex
ecutive would take
Sistmm said he would prefer
to keep Saferide running as an
independent student program,
as it is now
Both Sistrum and Meehan
agreed that lack of applicants
does not necessarily mean lack
of interest in the program
Sistrom noted that there is a dif
ferent* between interest in us
ing the service and interest in
running it.
Meehan said that Saferide is a
"huge protect*' and that runn
ing it takes “a lot of time." She
said that it is essential to have
both a director and assistant
director to run the program
pruperly.
"I think that there's someone
out there who would enjoy it
(the job)." Meehan said.
*4 ' o
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