PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY POLICY

Purpose

To limit the non-work-related use of personal technology (such as smart phones, tablets and laptops) backstage, in rehearsal, in the shops, and on show calls.

Scope

This policy applies to all Performance and Production students when they are engaged in officially scheduled activities connected to the rehearsal, build/set-up/strike or performance periods of their show-specific curriculum.

This policy is based on the following guiding principles:

Classroom/Lab Management

• All show work performed as part of class, for marks, is subject to workplace procedures and conditions established by Faculty, enforced by staff, and noted in course outline

Privacy

• All students have the right to expect absolute privacy when performing work in class – the classroom experience extends to rehearsal halls, dressing rooms, shops, and the stage

Health, Safety and Security

• All students have to right to expect that their personal work habits and personal schedules will not be shared for others to see

Intellectual Property and Copyright

• All work created for class belongs to the University and as such cannot be photographed and shared without permission. All works subject to rights and royalties cannot be photographed and shared without permission

Professional Boundaries

• Courteous, respectful and appropriate behavior is part of the theatre workplace environment – when “on the clock” for pay or marks, one’s sole focus is the work

Personal Responsibility

• It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure personal technology is used for work-related purposes only during work periods. Breaks are the appropriate time to use personal technology for social and non-work reasons

Student Creation and Enforcement of Terms and Conditions

• Faculty and Staff are not communications police. Each production’s student managers will create and enforce show specific rules that conform to the Policy’s Guiding Principles

Procedures and Implementation

• This policy will become part of the course outline for each class where there is performance/production-based marking

• The policy will be addressed by an appropriate Faculty or Staff member as close to the beginning of the semester as possible, in class or at a company meeting

• Once the policy has been reviewed with the students, it is the responsibility of the student managers on the show to enforce adherence to the intent of the policy by creating show-specific terms and conditions.

• IN ALL CASES, THERE WILL BE NO PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY BACKSTAGE WHEN UNDER PUBLIC PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS. Work-related technology will be allowed when necessary

• These “best practice” terms and conditions will include:

• times when personal technology is allowed and when it is not

• what technology, if any, is allowed in the workplace
• who has the final say over what is appropriate use at any given time (this will change based on the type of activity)
• consequences of non-adherence

• For Production students, failure to adhere to the terms and conditions of the Policy will result in progressive discipline measures

• For Performance students, failure to adhere to the terms and conditions of the Policy will result in a formal letter written by student managers to the appropriate Faculty Director of Acting or Dance to be used in course evaluations

• When the production is in Dress Rehearsal and Performance periods, all Actor and Dancer personal technology will be considered “Valuables” and will be collected at the half hour by Stage Management. These items will be locked up and guarded by a crew member or usher for the duration of the show call. A sign-in and sign-out procedure will be employed to ensure tracking. All phones will be turned off or put on silent while in lock-up

• In terms of equal treatment, crew members’ personal technology may/will be collected and guarded in the same manner

• UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY BE COLLECTED AND LEFT UNGUARDED

• All students have the option to come to the workplace with no personal technology – having stowed it in their locker or some other secure place

• If a Performer or a crew member is expecting an urgent call during a non-use period, they will inform the appropriate student manager and their personal technology will be held separately by that manager or a designated third party for messages

• The School will not be responsible for any loss or damage to personal technology