Seton Hall University’s on-campus television studio is due for an upgrade.
This summer, the TV studio in Fahy Hall is getting a major $1.8 million renovation, according to William Pace, faculty associate of Visual and Sound Media, program coordinator for Visual and Sound Media and faculty advisor for Pirate TV. Students and faculty are excited to see and use the new studio.
The renovation was announced via email by University President Joseph Nyre, who said that the funds were approved by the Board of Regents.
The TV studio has been “needing a mass renovation for a while,” executive producer of Pirate TV and senior visual and sound media major, Rob Ruszkowski, said.
Ruszkowski said that while he was leaving Seton Hall at the end of the semester it was important to “build a foundation for next semester, next year, even beyond that.” That is what this renovation aims to do.
“The facility and equipment upgrades will transform the studio into a cutting-edge space with HD capabilities,” Deirdre Yates, Dean of the College of Communication and the Arts, said.
This means that the renovation will include more than just new cameras. “It’s a very thorough … replacement,” Pace said, pointing out the rennovation will include cameras, computer systems, a lightboard and fiber optics.
One issue with doing such a large-scale revamp of anything on campus is the amount of time that the renovation will take. Since students use the cameras throughout the school year.
Pace said, “As soon as the last class is held in the studio, which would probably be in May, that first Monday in May,” renovation will begin. As projected, the renovation would be completed by September 2020.
The renovation means big changes to the TV studio, and Ruszkowski is not the only student excited about the rapidly approaching upgrade. Sophomore visual and sound media major Christian Gardner said, “I’m really excited for this studio update because it was way overdue. This allows us to do even more within the studio and grow as students as a whole.”
“I think it is going to be a great learning experience to get our hands on some modern equipment,” Veronica Gail, a sophomore visual and sound media major said.
While the studio is open to use for classes, the staff of Pirate TV is particularly looking forward to getting access to the new equipment. Pirate TV is a student-run and student-managed news station operating on campus, open to students of all majors and all levels of experience.
“[Pirate TV] is a great organization and a great thing to be a part of,” Ruszkowski said, adding that students of any year or major could find a place in the TV studio. According to Ruszkowski, students could have the opportunity to be on air just a few weeks after joining the Pirate TV crew.
But Pirate TV is not the only group planning to use the new studio and equipment. Classes will also have the opportunity to work with the renovated studio and state-of-the-art equipment.
“Being able to really explore students’ creativity” is a perk of the renovation, Ruszkowski said. Another perk is the opportunity it presents for future recruitment. With the upgraded TV studio, Seton Hall becomes “more attractive for [incoming students],” Ruszkowski said.
Seton Hall is also uniquely located for students who are interested in visual and sound media or similar courses of study. Danielle Clements, executive director of marketing and enrollment, said, “Seton Hall University’s close proximity to New York City has a tremendous impact on our visual and sound media students, as well as students in many other majors.”
“The opportunities for internships with major media outlets, the benefits of networking with alumni in professional organizations – and even the simple ability to take a short train ride into the media capital of the world is invaluable,” Clements said.
All in all, the renovation is highly anticipated by Pirate TV staff, faculty, and students alike. And Seton Hall students are excited to make the most of this opportunity. As Gardner said, “I can’t wait to see what great shows we can start putting together with the all new equipment.”
Marie Louise Leone can be reached at marie.leone@student.shu.edu.
