Alumni Usage of Labs at MIAD

MIAD is proud to be one of the few art and design colleges that provides its alumni community continued access to its Institutional Labs. We welcome alumni to use lab facilities in support of their continued creative and professional growth. Having alumni in our labs, working along with our current students, helps MIAD cultivate and enrich a culture of diverse practices in our community.

The MIAD student population is growing rapidly, needing access and first priority to the labs. This lab request policy helps ensure that lab access is fair, equitable, and sustainable to all that use them.

How requests are reviewed:

Each request is reviewed by a Lab Technician relevant to the requested lab usage. These requests are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Safety: Based on your experience and technical proficiency with the lab equipment.
• Lab capacity and Scheduling: Considering student priority usage of the labs.
• Staffing: Amount of staff support needed for the project request.

Conditions of usage:

• It is expected that you arrive with technical proficiency in the processes you are intending to use.
• Prior to usage of the lab, a safety and lab usage orientation can be scheduled with the appropriate lab staff.
• Storage of works in progress is limited and should be arranged before the project begins.
• A list of materials and supplies available for incidental use can be provided upon request to Lab Staff.
• Commercial and/or Production use of the labs is allowed under specific circumstances as determined on a case by case basis.
  • Types of appropriate use could include, but are not limited to:
    ▪ Use of the labs to create work for exhibition.
    ▪ Supplemental use by an alumni working as an independent contractor to occasionally expand the capabilities of their studio-
    (for example, using a laser cutter as a part of a prototyping project).
    ▪ The creation of a single prototype before committing to production.
    ▪ Testing a process.
  • Types of use that cannot be accommodated include, but are not limited to:
    ▪ Using the labs to provide discounted services to an employer.
    ▪ Using the labs to engage in production work (creating significant numbers of multiples for direct sale).
    ▪ Making regular use of the labs in lieu of maintaining an independent studio or workspace.
    

How fees are determined:

• The alumni lab access standard fee is $25 annually, which is a donation that directly supports Alumni Senior Thesis Awards.
• Additional fees may be required for consumables, materials, or equipment usage, and will be determined based on the scope of each request. These fees will be paid with the Institutional Labs separately and are outlined in the request forms.
• In some cases, additional supplies can be purchased in the labs during the duration of the project.

How to complete a lab request:

• Read and complete the Liability Waiver, Release and Indemnification Agreement.
• Submit a request to all the labs relevant to your proposed project:
• 3D Lab
• Digital Media Lab
• Emerging Technology Center
• Photography Lab
• Printmaking Lab
• Sculpture Lab
• Textiles Lab
• Once the request is submitted, a Lab Technician will review the project and will reach out to schedule access if the project is approved.
• Once approved, the department of Institutional Advancement will notify you about an annual donation and will issue an alumni ID.
• You will then have lab access for the duration of the project as agreed upon in the request.
• Additional or different use of the lab requires another proposed project request.

This guidance is put in place as recognition that the primary role of all MIAD labs is that of education, and to support growing the skillset of the MIAD community. MIAD’s labs cannot sustainably subsidize economic support of commercial enterprise. If any alumni are looking to enter into a commercial relationship with MIAD, they are encouraged to reach out to MIAD’s Lubar Innovation Center to explore options.

Failure to follow this policy, or the instructions provided by any member of MIAD’s lab staff may result in an immediate revocation of lab access.

Contact alumni@miad.edu for any questions.