With spring break a week away, thereís only one thing on the minds of all the Wooster seniors ó turning in their I.S. As students schedule their last meetings with advisors, work on finishing their final chapters and begin proofreading, the process surrounding binding, copying and turning in I.S. has kicked off into full swing.
For most of the students, the two-week vacation is a much-needed break. As some students jet off to exotic locations, others, especially the seniors, may still be on campus putting the final touches on their I.S. The bookstore, copy center and registrarís office (the three most important stops en route to independence) will all have extended hours over spring break to accommodate the seniors.
The copy center, which is located in Lowry, is hoping to assist more seniors this year in making copies of their I.S. ìIím just hoping we get more students in here,” said Joyce Heitger, the Supervisor of Office Services, ìI think students need to know we are available for them.” During spring break and up until 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday, seniors can come to the copy center and either download their I.S. from their email, flash drive, CD or even bring a hard copy and those working at the center can make copies for students before they go upstairs to the bookstore to get their projects bound. The copy center also has coil binding for students if they prefer different bindings for all the copies of their projects.
Heitger, along with Rogera Flack, the Assistant Director and Book Department Manager of the Bookstore, also stressed that, for students, coming to the copy center can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Compared to prices at larger industrial copy centers, the 5 cents a copy and .39 cents for full color copies that the center charges are quite a steal and students are able to use their copy account to pay for their cost. Also, the high speed of the copiers at 110 pages a minute and the convenience of being on-campus are more incentives for seniors looking to make more than two copies of their I.S. Last year, only 41 seniors utilized their services during I.S. Sunday and Monday, and this year theyíre hoping for more. Over break, the center will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 21 and 22.
The Bookstore, where seniors can have their I.S. bound, also has a number of suggestions for those already thinking about this process. One tip Kathy Jerisek, the Assistant Director and General Merchandise Manager of the Bookstore, has for seniors is to remind them that they are always able to come to the bookstore, drop off their I.S. to get bound, leave their name and pick them up later. Since March 21 and† 22 are dedicated to binding, there are times when the process becomes backed up because there is only one machine available for binding. Jerisek emphasizes that it does depend on time and day, but sometimes students could be waiting in the bookstore for up to 15 or 20 minutes, so with this option, sheís hoping to lessen the stress for seniors.
Vinyl binding, the most popular choice for students will cost $2.95 or for $1.95 students can get a heavier stock binding with a different cover. Over break, the bookstore will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday. Saturday, March 20 they will be open 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., March 21 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and I.S. Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Registrarís Office is the final stop for seniors, where they turn in two copies of their bound I.S., receive their button, Tootsie Roll and have the chance for a photo-op with the giant, inflated tootsie roll hanging over the registrarís desk. ìItís important for faculty to know as well about the logistics of getting I.S. done,” said Registrar Suzanne Bates. The Registrarís office hours over break are the same as their regular business hours ñ 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, March 21 the office will be open 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and until the deadline of 5 p.m. on I.S. Monday.
In keeping with this 60 year tradition of I.S., Bates will be dressed in a tootsie-roll costume, as she has done every year while she congratulates the students. ìThe students come first,” said Heitger.