Rules & Regulations

A copy of these rules complete with a signature page is made available in PDF format. If you intend to make use of the Recording Studio, please indicate your understanding of and agreement to these rules and regulations by printing that document, signing the signature page - which is the last page - and turning it in to the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees. Full details are available on the signature page itself.

  1. Eligibility
    1. Any registered student, full-time or part-time, that is in good standing according to The Volunteer State Community College Student Handbook rules and regulations.
    2. Any full-time or part-time faculty member, professional staff, and staff, of Volunteer State Community College.
    3. Any graduate or previously enrolled student, of the Recording Industry Management curriculum, or the General Business Administration Commercial Music Business Concentration, as long as there is prior approval from The Commercial Music Studio Coordinator.
  2. Governing Authority
    1. The governing authority of the Commercial Music Studio includes but is not limited to, the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees, the Resident Engineers, the Chairman of the Communications Department, the Dean of Humanities, and all relevant governing bodies associated with Volunteer State Community College and the Tennessee Board of Regents.
    2. The Commercial Music Studio Coordinator's designees include but are not limited to:
      1. The Resident Engineers.
      2. The COM 295P Practicum Students either during or not during an Academic Calendar year.
      3. Any Recording Industry Management student of Volunteer State Community College that has been designated by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator.
    3. A list of the Resident Engineers can be found on the Staff page of Recording Studio website.
  3. Precedence of Usage
    1. The precedence of usage is at the sole discretion of the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator, and/or his/her designees.
    2. During the normal Tennessee Board of Regents academic calendar year, the precedence of usage will generally be as follows, unless directed differently by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees.
      1. Vol State Visual and Performing Arts Department, including but not limited to the Commercial Music Ensemble and the Music Department.
      2. Vol State Recording Industry Management and Commercial Music Business students, with priority to the following pertinent courses:
        1. COM 295P Recording Practicum
        2. COM 271 Introduction to Recording and Sound Reinforcement
        3. COM 270 Audio for Media
        These classes are subject to name and number change at any given time within the academic year
      3. Vol State New Media students, with priority given to students participating in COM 299* Capstone Experience. * This course has not been developed as of the conception of these regulations, but will be valid to the COM course number when established by Vol State
      4. Any active enrolled student, faculty, or staff, that is full or part time.
      5. Any alumni, graduate, or past student, of Vol State.
  4. Studio Scheduling Procedures
    1. The scheduling of studio time for the Commercial Music Studio will be determined solely by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees.
    2. All student scheduling requests will be emailed to: volstatestudioscheduling@gmail.com
    3. Any Vol State Visual and Performing Arts, Commercial Music Business/Recording Industry Management, and New Media project scheduling will be done through the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees.
    4. Student scheduling will be on a first come first serve basis. A Master List will be generated by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees to determine which student or project, other than listed in paragraph 3.C., will have priority.
    5. All non-Industry related students, other than those listed in paragraph 2.B.1 and 2.B.2.a-d, will be subject to last minute changes, and/or "bumping" from the schedule, for those students or projects with the "higher priority". The Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees will make a reasonable effort to reschedule a student or project of lower priority as long as the rescheduling does not affect another higher or lower priority student or project. A lower priority student or project will not and/or may not "bump" another lower priority student or project in any form unless preapproved by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees.
    6. Any non-Industry related student and/or project will have a maximum time limit of eight (8) hours of studio time per day. This time limit includes setup, any recording and/or mixing, tear down and copying of material. In addition, any non-Industry related student and/or project will have a maximum of 4 days of consecutive studio time. In other words, a student and/or project can book up to 4 days in a row, at eight (8) hours per day. Any additional time or days must be then "rebooked" through the email address, volstatestudioscheduling@gmail.com. The present non-Industry related student and/or project will be placed at the end of the queue of the Commercial Music Studio Master Scheduling List.
    7. Any changes and/or additions to studio time or days must be approved by The Commercial Music Studio coordinator only, any designee of the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator will not be able to override any changes.
    8. All engineering duties will be carried out by Resident Engineers, Student Practicum engineers, and/or Industry related engineers assigned by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees. If a student requires that the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator be the lead engineer, a Resident Engineer and/or a Student Practicum engineer must be present in order to validate the use of the free studio time available to all students, faculty, and staff of Volunteer State Community College.
    9. All decisions made by the Commercial Studio Coordinator, either scheduling, "bumping", rescheduling, banning either temporary or permanent, authority decisions, and, any or all other decisions are and will be considered final. Any appeals to any decisions made by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator will be based on the Volunteer State Community College Student Handbook.
  5. Studio Conduct Policy
    1. All students, faculty, staff, projects and their associated members, including any individual directly or indirectly related with the project or session, are subject to the Commercial Music Studio Policies listed below. Any infraction of these policies will result in a temporary or permanent ban from the Commercial Music Studio, which will be determined solely by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator, the Chair of the Communications Department, and the Dean of Humanities, in accordance with the Vol State student handbook.

Studio Conduct Policy

  1. It is strictly forbidden that any student, faculty, or staff be allowed to act as a recording engineer for any part of any session or project unless preapproved by the Commercial Music Studio Coordinator.
  2. Students will keep the studio neat and orderly. Food and drinks are allowed, but at the discretion of the Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees.
  3. While in the Commercial Music Studio, please be careful not to disturb any project or session that is ongoing. If there is a session ongoing at that time, there will be a "Session In Progress" sign on the console. Please do not touch anything!
  4. No smoking is allowed in the studio, hallway, or near the outside doors of the Ramer building. Please smoke in the designated smoking areas. If you do smoke please do not litter.
  5. Please be respectful to the engineering team working on your project. Any students, faculty, and/or staff that are disrespectful will be asked to vacate the premises immediately. The studio is a learning environment and certain aspects of the project or recording will or may take longer than expected. "To earn respect, respect must be given."
  6. Any theft of property either directly related to or indirectly related to the Commercial Music Studio and/or any equipment from any project or session within the studio or any outside project or session related to the studio, will be prosecuted at the full extent of the law.
  7. Each student is responsible for their own equipment including any quest's equipment. The Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees will make every reasonable effort to insure that all equipment is protected. In the event of a natural disaster and/or catastrophe, Volunteer State Community College will not be held liable for any student or guest gear or equipment inside or adjacent to the Commercial Music Studio.
  8. The Commercial Music Studio and its associated gear are the highest quality and most up-to-date gear in the industry. Any student, faculty, or staff dismantling, abusing, marring or damaging any piece of gear or any part of the studio will be asked to vacate the premises immediately and will be subject to a temporary or permanent ban from the use of the studio, plus any other fines and/or penalties in accordance with the Volunteer State Community College Student Handbook and if applicable Tennessee State Law.
  9. Any student and/or guests disrupting or making undo disruptions that are asked to be quiet repeatedly by The Commercial Music Studio Coordinator and/or his/her designees, will be asked to leave. If that student and/or guests refuses to leave the premises they will be escorted off the premises by Campus Security and subject to a permanent ban from the use of and/or visitation of The Commercial Music Studio.
  10. The use of alcohol and/or any illegal substances whether for use in recreation or as a medication is strictly forbidden in The Commercial Music Studio, in accordance with the no alcohol and drug policy in The Volunteer State Community College Student Handbook. Any infraction of this policy will be a permanent ban from the use of The Commercial Music Studio, and be subject to the laws of Volunteer State Community College and the State of Tennessee.