Comm 226 draws mixed reviews

As Annenberg Dean Kathleen Hall Jamieson taught her Communications 226 students how television affects viewers' perceptions yesterday, about 80 of them experienced it firsthand. The 3 p.m. class began the closed-circuit broadcasting of the class, as students who could not squeeze into the Annenberg 110 lecture hall were directed to seats in front of a large television screen next door. The overflow was a result of higher than expected enrollment in the core communications class and Jamieson's promise not to keep sophomores out of her lectures. Over 50 students arrived half an hour early to assure themselves an opportunity to see Jamieson in the flesh, and the main room was filled to capacity by 2:50 p.m. Before the class began, enrolled students said they were generally optimistic about the set-up, adding that they were happy just to have the chance to take Jamieson's course. "I really don't care how I see her," said College junior Jami Osiecki. "I'd sit in the other room if I had to, just to take her class." Other students were not as cheerful about the prospect of the dual-classroom idea. "I'm here early, so I can get a seat in the main room," explained Amy Stuhlberg, a College freshman. "I'd hate to be in the other room, though." The students in "the other room," Annenberg 111, said they were bothered by the broadcast's poor sound quality and periodic lighting problems. Many voiced their concerns before, during and after the class. Some expressed their disgust by walking out before Jamieson finished lecturing. "You feel alienated in the other room," said College senior Shoba Krishnan. "It's just like Dr. Jamieson wants to pat herself on the shoulder by showing how many students she can have taking her class." Other students blamed the situation on a lack of foresight. "This is crazy," complained College sophomore Alisha Berger. "There is no way that this should happen. It's just stupid." Berger circulated a petition in the overflow room, which was signed by more than twenty students, calling for a more acceptable solution to the overenrollment problem. After class, Jamieson met with students to receive the petition and discuss alternatives to the existing situation. She explained that she had planned to use room 102 in the Chemistry Building until she discovered that not all students could be adequately accomodated. "By the time we found out that Chemistry 102 was inadequate, the two-room solution seemed best," Jamieson said. "Now we'll have to look for even better solutions." Jamieson thinks the best alternative is to control who is allowed to watch her in person and when they are allowed to do so. "We'll rotate people in the live lecture by what TA they have," explained Jamieson. "That way, everybody will only be in room 111 for one-third of the lectures. We also hope to have our audio problems solved by Thursday's class." The solution is still inadequate, Jamieson acknowledges. "We had no idea that this many students would register for the course," said Jamieson. "The solution we have is really not great but it's the best we can do under the circumstances." Most students seemed satisfied with the modified plan. "I think that the new solution is a great improvement," said Mike Nadel, a College freshman. "It really helps people like me who would always be stuck in the little room because of scheduling problems."