Cal Poly supports the graphic arts, and industry leaders reciprocate
California Polytechnic (Cal Poly) State University’s Graphic Communication Department is no stranger to industry partnerships. The San Luis Obispo-based school has enjoyed equipment donations from Heidelberg and Kodak for decades. The department currently runs a four-color Speedmaster CD74 and uses two Kodak platesetters. And, Cal Poly does not take these donations and other forms of industry support lightly.
Because of these types of partnerships, “[students] are immediately productive upon entering the industry and require less training than the average new person entering the industry,” said Harvey Levenson, department head of the Graphic Communication Department. “In fact we have encountered situations where our graduates enter companies only to be consulted on how to make immediate improvements.
Over the summer, Graphic Communication Institute at Cal Poly (GrCI) received 64 licenses of FlightCheck Professional Version 6, donated by Markzware. The solution provides both native file and PDF preflight checking. “We use Markzware FlightCheck Pro to teach undergraduates about the complexities and requirements needed to prepare a job for print,” said Jon Sehmer, technician for the Graphic Communication Department’s electronic printing and publishing labs.
Around the same time, MAN Roland became a contributing partner to Cal Poly’s GrCI, by making a Gold Partner donation. “GrCI does research, testing, product evaluations, and consulting, and conducts industry seminars and workshops,” said Levenson. “Its existence relies on providing services to the industry and on industry support.”
The Institute was founded by the Graphic Communication faculty and the department’s advisory board in 2001. Its main mission is to promote print as the most effective form of mass communication, and reinforce that message among advertisers, marketers, print buyers, businesses, and the general public.
“We can achieve this by making sure that those in our field have the technological, management, and overall operational know-how to project the printing industry as the best for disseminating advertising and information,” Levenson said. “The programs and services provided by the GrCI help do just that. Students, faculty, and industry experts are involved in this effort to promote and improve the printing industry.”
The GrCI currently has two initiatives in the works:
• An endowment program where supporters can have a perpetual presence and industry-wide visibility through named endowments as people and companies truly interested in supporting the continuation of the type of education provided at Cal Poly. The 2006–2007 year was the 60th anniversary year of Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department, and the endowment program helps establish the future financial strength of the program.
• A partnership program for individuals and companies wanting to support the growth and development of the GrCI at Cal Poly. There are five levels of support and the GrCI is offering research white papers and a partnership plaque to supporters.
Levenson says that these initiatives positively impact the graphic arts by preparing future professionals with the help of leading industry experts.
“It is absolutely essential that our students at Cal Poly be exposed to the technology that they will encounter when entering the industry upon graduation,” said Levenson. “We have heard numerous times that because of the ‘learning by doing’ philosophy of Cal Poly, our students are years ahead in understanding applications, production, and methods of managing technology efficiently. When they leave the university, they are not afraid of technology. They understand it.” pP
