POLICY

The Visible Futures Lab is dedicated to providing graduate students of the School of Visual Arts with the tools and support necessary to fabricate work across a broad range of materials and methods.

Consisting of a makerspace, wood shop and digital fabrication facilities, the VFL’s tool inventory ranges from traditional hand tools and wood shop machinery to advanced 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC routers, and 2D printers for a variety of media.

The VFL supports creative practitioners in varied areas of professional study to explore the boundaries of contemporary art & design and to create work that advances real change.

To support current graduate students (and their staff and faculty) with the exploration and fabrication of assigned and independent projects.

To support alumni of SVA MFA programs with the development of post-grad projects and professional start-ups.

To maintain and offer the state-of-the-art in fabrication tools and techniques as they support the needs and ambitions of SVA MFA programming.

To raise the bar of production possibility for SVA MFA programs and to offer cutting edge courses via the SVA Division of Continuing Education.

To demonstrate the potential of an education at the School of Visual Arts.

The VFL conforms to the policies set forth in the SVA Handbook and adheres strictly to the Student Code of Conduct. Access to the VFL is ultimately at the discretion of VFL staff. Any behavior deemed by staff to be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct may result in an individual losing access to the VFL. Per the Code of Conduct, a process of resolution will be followed in cooperation with the VFL director and the Office of Student Affairs. For more information on the Student Code of Conduct, go to sva.edu/handbook.

The VFL is open to faculty and staff of SVA and all students of SVA graduate programs. Exceptions can be made at the discretion of the director. Alumni access is available. Please see the alumni access page.

The VFL is a self-service facility. It is not a service bureau. Is it central to the pedagogical mission of the VFL that individuals be expected to train in basic procedure and safety and then practice the craft of making in order to execute projects with autonomy. VFL staff are available to ensure safety and may be available to advise with regard to tools and technique. However, VFL staff can neither be expected to teach individuals during appointment times nor to execute projects on behalf of individuals at any time. Individuals requiring guidance on design or fabrication may contact the VFL and request a consultation. Individuals and departments who identify need or opportunity for further instruction at the VFL are invited to contact the VFL director, Sinclair Smith, to explore additional programming.

Use of the VFL for freelance jobs or projects on behalf of outside businesses is prohibited except with the written consent of the director.

Guests may visit the VFL, subject to standard SVA security clearance, but are not allowed to use tools or equipment, without exception. Guests must observe all policy regarding safety and attire. Guests may be asked to leave the VFL at the discretion of VFL staff.

Access to the VFL by students, staff and faculty requires training and certification. This process involves taking a training course, passing an online quiz and receiving a certification sticker. Individuals who have not been certified to use certain tools will not be allowed to use those tools, without exception.

Training sessions are offered for the wood shop, Shopbot (CNC gantry router), laser cutters, 3D printers, and digital embroidery machine and range from 1 to 3 hours. At the discretion of VFL staff, individuals who do not pass the online quiz may or may not be allowed to retake it without retaking the training session. No training or certification is required for general access to the makerspace or the 2D specialty printers.

Individuals who have taken a training course and become certified will not need to repeat certification again, for example after returning from Summer break. Certification is honored for the remainder of the individual’s time at SVA with two major exceptions: (1) new machinery is procured that requires additional training and (2) VFL staff observe work habits that are deemed unsafe and in need of additional training. Anyone who feels that taking training again would benefit them is encouraged to do so.

Note: The VFL’s appointment system does not communicate with its certification system. Individuals who make appointments without becoming certified will be turned away upon arrival for their appointment.

All users must have an appointment before accessing the VFL. To book an appointment, visit the appointments page.

Be mindful that the VFL is a shared space and that time booked might be time that someone else also needs. Consider the community– schedule only the time you need and cancel the time you don’t. Email reminders for appointments are sent two hours before the appointment. If you are unable to make an appointment, please cancel or reschedule the appointment to allow others access to the machine or space. “No shows” who demonstrate a tendency to book appointments and not arrive for them risk losing access privileges.

“Walk-ins” can be accommodated if there are no upcoming appointments for the desired machine. A VFL staff member can assist in scheduling an appointment upon arrival. Walk-ins will be accommodated at the discretion of staff and are not guaranteed.

Someone else may have an appointment immediately after yours. Begin cleaning up well in advance and allow access for the next VFL user immediately when your scheduled time has ended. If there is not another appointment after yours, additional time may be booked at the discretion of VFL staff.

Maintaining a clean shop is the shared responsibility of all VFL users. Individuals must completely clean their work area when their appointment is over. Sweeping and vacuuming are the most common activities at the VFL. Individuals who demonstrate a tendency to leave the VFL without thoroughly cleaning up after themselves risk losing access privileges.

VFL users are responsible for ensuring that tools and workspaces are left in good condition and tools are returned to their proper place. If a tool is damaged or working improperly please let staff know so they can fix it or run the appropriate maintenance. If a machine or tool is damaged due to user abuse, compensation may be required at the discretion of the VFL.

Daily appointments end 15 minutes before the VFL closes to leave time for a complete clean up of the shop. If you are present in the VFL during the last 15 minutes of the day, you must assist in clean up by fully cleaning your project area.

The VFL closes at scheduled closing times. Under no circumstances may non-staff remain in the VFL past open hours.

Some tools may be checked out of the VFL at the discretion of staff. The type of tool, the condition of the tool, the general behavior of the student and the student’s previous record of returning tools in a timely and caring manner will be considered when a tool checkout is requested.

Tool Checkout terms are as follows:

Checkout may not exceed a 24 hour period. Individuals who keep a tool for more than 24 hours without written consent run the risk of being charged for the replacement of the tool.

Tools must be returned to a staff member and the return must be acknowledged by the staff member. Individuals who return tools to the VFL without the acknowledgement of a staff member, even if they are returned to their proper place, risk being charged for the replacement of the tool.

Lost, broken and stolen tools will result in replacement or repair charges.

Fill out the tool checkout form here.

Access to the VFL is included in the cost of tuition for matriculated students and free for staff and faculty. (Alumni should refer to the alumni access page.) However, material costs may be incurred depending on the machinery used and the kind and quantity of materials consumed. VFL users are responsible for all charges incurred and should arrive for appointments with a debit or credit card in order to complete payment at the end of their appointment. The VFL does not accept cash.

Occasionally, students will be assigned specific course work to be done at the VFL and the assigning department may provide a stipend for material use; in such cases, the VFL will document the student’s expenses and bill the department directly. Communication by an assigning department must be cleared by the VFL director or operations manager in advance to avoid a student being charged personally.

Similarly, departments wishing to send students to the VFL to make departmental assets such as event or exhibition signage must notify the director or operations manager in advance.

Students who expect payment to be made by anyone but themselves must make this clear at the start of their appointment or they risk being charged personally.

VFL management makes departmental payment agreements that cover student fees easily accessible for VFL staff members to record fees. If VFL staff cannot locate such an agreement, the burden of proof falls on the student to produce authorization from a departmental chair, admin or instructor via phone or writing. Absent proof of an agreement, payment will be the responsibility of the student. If the student will not make payment, the completed work will remain under care of VFL staff until a resolution is reached.

The VFL is a prototyping and learning space. Experimentation, failure and unsatisfactory results are expected to be part of the process. We generally refer to this as “user error”. Students are financially responsible for their mistakes and materials consumed, regardless of satisfaction with the outcome.

Exceptions to this include “machine error”. If a machine malfunctions during an appointment, users may not be charged for their material use. If using personal materials, the VFL does not compensate for damage that may occur due to machine error. If a 3D print fails due to a machine error, a reprint may be issued free of charge. In this age, the line between user error and machine error is thin. The staff of the VFL have the authority to determine if an error was the result of the user– such as a design flaw– or the machine and to charge or compensate accordingly.

The VFL does its best to keep materials in stock and available but bears no responsibility if inventory runs low. Prices can be found on our Price List.

The VFL’s first priority is safety. Ask a staff member for help if you feel unsure or unsafe using any of the tools. Be sure to follow any instructions given by a VFL staff member.

Responsible use and stewardship of the facilities is a condition of working in the VFL. Unsafe use that may result in damage to property or injury to oneself and/or others will not be tolerated per the Student Code of Conduct.

Woodshop machinery and laser cutters may never be left running while unattended.

Use of some materials may be prohibited or discouraged in the VFL. Please check with a staff member before using new or outside materials on a machine.

Weapon and Weapon Facsimile Production:

The possession of a weapon is a clear violation of the SVA Student Code of Conduct and will be met with a response as indicated in the SVA Student Handbook. The fabrication of an artifact that performs as or only resembles a weapon will be treated similarly. The staff of the VFL do not have the capacity to navigate the complexities of the right to free expression when it comes to weapon facsimiles. If a student makes or attempts to make any object resembling a weapon, regardless of its capacity to function as a weapon, VFL staff have the right to prevent or confiscate the work as a potential violation of the student code of conduct. The matter and the student involved will be referred to the VFL Director for consultation. Any resistance on the part of the student at the time of confrontation by VFL staff will result in security being called to the VFL immediately.

Appropriate attire must be worn in the VFL at all times. Open-toed shoes are not allowed in the VFL. Loose garments/accessories cannot be worn in the woodshop or makerspace. Long hair must be securely tied back when working anywhere in the VFL. Eye protection must always be worn in the woodshop; spectacles do not count as eye protection unless they are specifically manufactured for shop safety. The VFL is equipped with wrap-around goggles that are designed to cover spectacles. Face shields must be used when using the lathe, sanders and grinders. Other forms of protection such as ear protection, respirators, and lab coats are highly encouraged. VFL staff are authorized to restrict VFL use due to any attribute of dress or personal style that is deemed a threat to safety.

Per the General Policy section above, the VFL conforms to the policies set forth in the SVA Handbook and adheres strictly to the Student Code of Conduct. Access to the VFL is ultimately at the discretion of VFL staff. Any behavior deemed by staff to be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct may result in an individual losing access to the VFL. Additionally, any behavior deemed by staff to be in violation of the policies set forth in the sections above may result in the loss of access privileges.

The VFL uses a “three strikes and you’re out” system to warn individuals of violations of policy and to provide an opportunity to correct behavior. If an individual accrues three strikes, they will lose access to the VFL for the remainder of their time at SVA or until a resolution is reached with their department head and/or the Office of Student Affairs. The VFL will keep track of strikes and will alert both the individual and their department head upon each infraction.