Tensions in the School of Communications have been high following the accidental release of an internal memo that Dean Terri Brooks called "nasty in tone."

Brooks said the memo, which was sent to her by Associate Dean Dan Pfaff, detailed complaints aired at an unsuccessful bridge-building meeting between film and broadcast/cable faculty.

The memo was meant to be filed, she said. But a secretary accidently distributed the memo to department members, Brooks said. The memo trickled down to the students, creating an angry response.

After the memo's release, rumors spread quickly that the film department was being eliminated and fliers calling for Brooks' removal were hung in Carnegie Building last week.

Brooks refused to comment on the fliers, adding that the department was not facing elimination. Instead, film is the only program that had a tenure track added to it during recent University budget cuts, she said.

The memo reflected the personal views of one or two faculty on equipment distribution, she said.

Pfaff refused to comment on the memo or the tensions within the school.

The two-page memo, titled "Notes on meeting with Production faculties 1-31-94," stated that, "The selfish/superior attitude of film needs to be confronted."

The memo stated that the film faculty members are passive and "do not seem to be well informed on matters about which they should know." Communication between lab coordinators and faculty also came under fire.

Claims that film students deserve access to high-end equipment because they spend extra money were also refuted. These claims, made by Tom Keiter, professor in charge of film and video, were "flawed in an environment where students deserve equitable treatment within the boundaries of available resources."

When film students learned of the charges made against their department, tempers flared and two meetings were held last week to ease tensions.

On Wednesday, Brooks met with about 40 film students, and the Student Film Organization's Thursday meeting also focused on the memo.

Brooks said the memo "showed ill will" and reflected problems that had to be addressed. The dispute is a faculty issue, she said.

"You don't know how sorry I am that you were dragged into this and implicated," she said to the crowd Wednesday night.

The 40 students at that meeting -- almost half of the department's enrollment -- were seeking answers. During the 90-minute meeting they listened attentively to Brooks and fired back, demanding to know what was going on.

But Andy Biscontini (junior-film) disagreed with Brooks' claim that the tensions were a faculty issue.

"It seems like you're saying it's none of the kids' business when the parents are getting divorced," he said at the meeting.

Thursday night, the Student Film Organization met to discuss the previous night's meeting with Brooks, in which "nothing got accomplished," said SFO President Simon Tarr.

"We attempted to be productive, but the dean kept changing the subject -- pinning things on the faculty," he added.

Brooks said competition for limited equipment between film and broadcast/cable lay at the "intersection of the conflict."

"Tom (Keiter) and the film faculty would like you to have full and complete access to equipment," Brooks said. "Broadcast/cable wants the same thing for their students, and there is just not enough equipment to go around."

Maria Cabrera-Baukus, professor in charge of broadcast/cable, said the memo doesn't accuse film students of hogging the equipment, just that they don't have priority over other students.

"We have to define who can use what and when," she said. "There's no clear guidelines. (Equipment use) should be equitable between the students."

The memo also criticized the school's purchasing committee, the Technology Task Force, for not ordering enough microphones to accompany new equipment. Microphones are among the items disputed between film and broadcast/cable.

Keiter said the students' response upset Brooks, adding that they want to clear up the tensions.

Brooks said tensions within the school have quieted down since the meetings, adding, "If this is a huge fight over mikes and lights, it's truly sad."

But Cabrera-Baukus said she doesn't see tension between the faculties.

"I think there's a perceived notion that there's not enough equipment," she said. "We need to look at the numbers before we can call that a fact."

But Mike DeBelle (senior-broadcast/cable) had problems sharing equipment in the past. Last semester, he signed up for a camera and tripod the first day he was allowed. When he came to pick up the equipment a week later, DeBelle said a student working on a film project had scratched his name off the list.

"I was first on the list and he wrote his name right on top of mine," DeBelle said.

Gwen Harter, who works in the school's equipment room, said the school only owns five CP-16's, the most popular camera, so students have to sign up for equipment two or three weeks in advance.

Brooks said purchasing new equipment may relieve some pressure. The school plans to spend $100,000 on new equipment next year, she said, adding that the purchasing committee could use the funds to buy additional microphones and lights -- items shared between film and broadcast/cable.

The school will hold a meeting to address conflicts raised by equipment use and will also start using a spreadsheet to monitor the flow of equipment, Brooks said. Assignment schedules may also be adjusted to spread out production deadlines, she said.