Fairfield University CD Handbook Receives Award

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield University’s 2003–04 Student Handbook, produced for the first time as an interactive CD-ROM, recently received the Crystal Award of Excellence from the Communicator Awards. The CD, produced by John Ur of Fairfield’s Media Center, was produced at the request of Mark Reed, dean of students.

Designed and coded with Macromedia Flash (MX), the handbook provides students with everything from how to connect a computer to the university network and activate the phone line in their dorm rooms to an interactive tour of the rules, policies, and procedures they need to know. In addition, the CD contains two video components: an introduction by the university president and a 30-minute history of the university’s buildings. Nearly 3,300 undergraduates received the CD at the beginning of the fall 2003 semester.

The Communicator Awards is an international awards competition that recognizes outstanding works in the communication field. Entries are judged by industry professionals who look for companies, individuals, and institutions whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serve as a benchmark for the industry. There were 2,876 entries from 48 states, the District of Columbia and 11 other countries.

The Communicator Awards also recognized Fairfield University’s DVD of the 53rd Commencement and Baccalaureate Mass with an Award of Distinction. Since 1983, the University has videotaped the baccalaureate Mass and commencement exercises. More than 12,000 graduates this year were offered a DVD copy, produced by using a BETA, multicamera remote, editing on an Apple Final Cut Pro system, and final postproduction with Apple DVD Studio Pro.