MacLaggan Hall screen gets some TLC

March 13, 2012

The newly formed Classroom Services was recently put to the test.  This term a number of Faculty members noticed an issue with the screen in the large lecture theatre in MacLaggan (N105), but they did not know whom to call.  Eventually Dr. Stephen Heard from Biology contacted our Classroom Services Hotline to get help; and help he found!

For a classroom instructor that has planned a lecture using the document camera or a PowerPoint presentation, it is a real emergency when the screen doesn’t work. Or imagine trying to develop a complex physics concept in the blackboard when half of the blackboard is blocked by a malfunctioning screen.

Within hours of hearing of the problem, our support team was in the lecture theatre up on scaffolding to put a temporary fix in place. Our support staff determined the issue resided with the motor that raises and lowers the large projector screen in the room.  The very same day Dr. Heard contacted Classroom Services the screen was secured in place where it would not block the chalkboard.  This allowed both the use of the projector and blackboard for classes immediately, while a replacement part was ordered for the motor.  The part came in and the screen was repair to full working order about two weeks later.  Our Classroom Services technicians also noted a number of smaller maintenance issues within the room (a broken armrest and a rubber strip peeled from the stairs), which they quickly escalated to Facilities Management to be restored.