Franklin College Cultural & Academic Events Program

"Blue Card" Program

The Franklin College of Arts & Sciences Cultural & Academic Events Program is designed to offer Franklin College students the opportunity to participate in educational experiences beyond the classroom. The intent of the program is to encourage students to choose from a wide variety of cultural events, supplemental to their course requirements, which will enhance and enrich their college and life experiences.

All Franklin College students, including Pre-Business and Pre-Journalism majors, are eligible to participate in the program. Although the program started as an initiative of the Franklin College Residence Hall Advising Group in 2001, it is now open to all Franklin students, living both on and off campus.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be granted early registration for the following term. Students must still be advised to be cleared for registration.

The program is also referred to as the “blue card” program because of the blue cards students receive and turn in at the events to track participation in the program. We will also be piloting the use of UGA ID scanners this term. Please remember to bring your UGA ID to each event.

What?

• Students must attend ten CAEP events from those listed on our CAEP events calendar. There are a variety of events available including lectures, concerts, panels, workshops, films, and theatrical productions. Students are expected to vary the types of events they attend. No more than three events can be chosen from those listed as “Residence Hall” events. Students should have at least one fine art event; one lecture, panel, reading, or forum event; and one personal enrichment event.
• Students must complete the CAEP contract on eLearning Commons prior to attending their fourth event. Please e-mail Richelle Gamble at caep {at} uga dt edu to be added to the eLearning Commons class.
• Students must submit reaction journal entries on eLearning Commons for each of the ten events. Each journal entry should be at least 250 words in length.

How?

• Event attendance will be recorded either by scanning your UGA ID at the door of the event, both before and after the event or by receiving a “blue card” from the event host before the event, completing the card, and returning the “blue card” to the event host when the event has ended. Look for the event host at the door.
• Both the contracts and the journal entries can be submitted on eLearning Commons. Please e-mail Richelle Gamble at caep {at} uga dt edu to be added to the eLearning Commons class
• Students can track their progress on SARA or eLearning Commons.

When?

• Events will start at the beginning of the term.
• Students who complete the program by the early registration date in October (for fall) or March (in spring) will be able to register early. Students must still be advised before being cleared to register. You should schedule your advising appointment early in the term. You can schedule your advising appointment on SARA
• The program will end on November 1st in fall and April 1st in spring.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get into a ticketed event?

Ticketing information will be listed on the event description. Tickets for many events are specially priced for UGA students. You are required to show your UGA card at the box office to qualify for student ticket prices. To get CAEP credit for ticketed events, please bring the ticket stub AND a written critique to our advising office in either Memorial Hall, Brumby Hall, Creswell Hall, or Russell Hall within one week after the program was held.

What should I write in my reaction journal?

This should not be a summary of the event, but rather a description of how the event affected you. Was the information or repertoire new to you? Did it make you think differently about something? Perhaps the event raised more questions, helped you, or challenged you? On the other hand, perhaps you did not enjoy the event, either the content or the quality of the presentation. If so, what did you dislike? It is helpful to jot down some initial impressions of the event immediately after attending, rather than waiting until you have completed all of the ten events.

What is expected of me at events?

When attending these events as a CAEP participant, you are representing the Franklin College. Some general rules should be followed by all participants:

• Do your research. Is this an event that interests you? Does it require a ticket? Is there a limit to the number of CAEP participants?
• Arrive early. Look for the host.
• Turn off your cell phone and do not use it during the event.
• Be attentive.
• If attending a performance, follow the lead of experienced audience members. If you watch carefully, you will learn when to clap and when to remain silent.
• Stay for the entire event. Look for the host when the event has ended.

Participation and early registration are privileges, not rights, and your continuation in the program is contingent upon appropriate behavior at the events.

What happens if an event is cancelled?

This is rare. If we know ahead of time that an event will be cancelled, we will make a notation on the online calendar, so be sure to check it before you attend. Occasionally an event will be cancelled at the last minute through no fault of the Cultural and Academic Events Program and/or without our knowledge. You will not receive credit for such events just because you showed up.

What if I don’t finish everything by the early registration date?

CAEP events will continue until November 1st in fall and April 1st in spring. Students will be cleared for registration two work days after all requirements are completed.

Can I get credit for an event in which I am a participant?

Yes, bring a copy of the program, listing your name, to Richelle Gamble or Amber Fetner in Brumby Hall.

Additional Questions

Additional questions? Contact Richelle Gamble or Amber Fetner at caep {at} uga dt edu

Submitting an Event

To submit an event, please e-mail Amber Fetner at caep@uga.edu with your event title in the e-mail subject line. Please include the following information:

• The date, time, duration and location of the event
• A brief description of the event that will help students decide if they would like to attend
• The department, program, or organization that is sponsoring the event*
• If pre-registration or a ticket is required for the event
• If there is a limit to the number of the “blue cards” that will be distributed, either because of the size of the room or to allow room for non-CAEP participants
• The faculty, staff, or graduate student who will function as the event host. All events must have a host to track student participation in the CAEP program.
• What is required of an event host? The event host must be a faculty or staff member, or graduate student who will be responsible for distributing the “blue cards” before the event begins and collecting completed cards after the event has ended. The cards can be picked up from either the Memorial Hall or Brumby Hall advising office, Monday through Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. The cards should be returned to either advising office no later than two days after the event.

*Events hosted by departments, programs, or organizations outside the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences will be sent to the Dean’s Office for approval. If your event is approved for the program, it will be included on the CAEP calendar. Please inform Amber Fetner at caep {at} uga dt edu of any changes in the event, particularly cancellations, changes in time or location.

Host Procedures

Student participation in the Franklin College Cultural and Academic Events Program is recorded by the event hosts. To maintain the integrity of the program, event hosts must follow these procedures:

• The event host must be a member of faculty, staff, or a graduate student.
• Attendance can only be recorded by using the ID scanners or current blue cards. Lists of names will not be accepted. Old blue cards that ask for the student’s social security number will not be accepted.
• The event host can check out the ID scanner or current blue cards from the Memorial Hall advising office, Monday through Friday, 9:00-4:00 pm. This can be done as early as one business day before the event. To check out the scanner or receive blue cards, the host will need to bring a signed copy of the host contract and a picture ID. The staff person in Memorial Hall can demonstrate how to use the scanner.
• The scanner or cards should be returned to the Memorial Hall advising office the business day following the event.
• If using the scanner, the host should scan each student’s UGA ID (using the plus button) before the event has started and after it has ended. Students who arrive after the event has started or leave early will not get credit for the event and should be not be scanned in or out respectively. It is important that students are scanned both at the beginning and the end of the event for the student to receive attendance credit.
• If using the blue cards, the host should distribute the cards before the event has begun and collect them after it has ended. Cards should not be distributed or collected during the event.
• If a student is being disruptive, the host can take their blue card or, if using the scanner, erase their ID scan (using the minus button).

If there are repeated hosting inconsistencies from a department or organization, future events from this unit will be removed from the event calendar.