UNC Media and Instructional Support Center

The Media and Instructional Support Center was established in 1976 to promote the development and use of audio-visual materials in university classrooms. Eventually the Center became responsible for developing course materials and training faculty in their use; acquiring, installing and maintaining equipment; photographic processing; storing and providing bibliographic control of campus holdings of audio-visual materials; and operating two-way television facilities. In 1986 the Media and Instructional Support Center was divided into two, separate administrative units: the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Classroom Technologies Service Center.

The Media and Instructional Support Center grew out of a July 1973 proposal by humanities and social sciences faculty for an agency to promote the development of and wider use of audiovisual materials in campus classrooms. The Provost's office acted favorably on the proposal, and the General Assembly approved a 1974-1975 Change Budget request for such a center. While a faculty committee searched for a director of the center, Ken McIntyre, Director of the Bureau of Audiovisual Education, was given control of the approved supply, equipment, and other nonpersonnel funds. Late in 1975, the search committee reported to the Provost its selection of School of Journalism Professor Donald L. Shaw for the position of director of the center. This selection was approved by the campus administration and the UNC Board of Governors to be effective on 1 March 1976. On 1 July 1976, the Media and Instructional Support Center became a functioning reality with administrative offices in Dey Hall.

Originally under the supervision of the Bureau of Audiovisual Education, the center was assigned administrative responsibility for the Foreign Language Laboratory in December 1976. Over the next decade, the center's range of activities came to include faculty development (improvement of teaching methods and performance); non-print collection storage and bibliographic control of the campus audiovisual holdings; instructional development (materials design and production support); equipment and technical services (procurement, maintenance and operation of audiovisual equipment); operation of the photographic laboratory (providing a wide range of still photographic processing); and telecommunications development (installation and operation of two-way television facilities for class use).

In the fall of 1986, the Media and Instructional Support Center was divided into two administrative entities--the Classroom Technologies Service Center and the Center for Teaching and Learning.