FAQ
1. How do I join? Are there any sign-up fees?
All you have to do to join is sign your name on the sheet that we leave on the front table of lecture room E.
Joining the service is absolutely free.
2. What are the benefits of joining?
We have all been caught at times either not paying attention, late to class, or unable to keep up with the pace
of the lecturer and missed important information. By joining the program, you will receive highly detailed,
concise, and organized notes from every lecture, even on days that you missed class.
In addition, there is also the potential to make a good deal of money if you are a member of the service (to be
discussed further below).
3. What responsibilities do I take on by joining?
When you sign up to join the service all that we ask is that you serve as a scribe or editor to produce transcripts
periodically. However, depending on the number of people who sign up, you may only be asked to perform this
task once per module or possibly even only once or twice per semester. Once again though, this is heavily
dependent on the number of people who join; the more people in the service, the less each individual has to
contribute.
One other responsibility you take on by joining is that when you are asked to serve as a scribe or editor is that
you do your job well and up to the standards that we have set in order to guarantee that the transcripts that we
produce and deliver remain at the highest possible quality. While there is no fee for joining, doing a sloppy job
will result in you being fined a predefined monetary amount that varies according to the severity of the infraction
(see “fines” attachment). However, as long as you are diligent in producing a good script, you shouldn’t be
worried about fines.
4. What if one of my friends wants to join the service but I don’t? Can’t I just get the scripts from
him/her?
To put it simply: no. Not only is it unfair to everyone in the service for other people to get the scripts without
putting any work in, you are actually stealing by doing this. Since the scripts remain the property of the
transcript service (not the individual scribe or the individual consumers of this service), getting scripts without
authorization is essentially the same as copying someone’s notes off their computer without their permission.
THIS IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE HONOR CODE and we honestly do not want this to become an issue,
but if you are found to have a script that you are not supposed to have in ANY form (digital, borrowed, copied,
printed, etc.) we will be forced to report you AND whomever provided you with the script to the non-academic
or academic misconduct committees (whichever the case happens to fall under).
I can’t stress this enough, we, under no circumstance, want this to happen. We would much rather just have
everyone participate, share in the work, and all have access to the scripts.
5. But you don’t understand. I have a busy life, and I REALLY don’t want to have to write scripts. Surely
there is some way I can get scripts without writing scripts?
Actually, yes. If you join and simply can’t stand writing scripts, you can pay another member to do it for you. All
you have to do is post that you want to sell your duty of transcribing or editing for the day on the UASOM
Transcript Exchange Facebook page. A buyer will then comment listing their bid and, if you agree to their
terms, the buyer will contact the committee Secretary and your Quality Assurance Manager (QAM) for that day
with your name, the buyer’s name, and the amount of transaction.
However, this isn’t cheap. While a buyer can demand however much they want for the job on any particular day
(for instance, days leading up to a test cost a lot more to get rid of than a day in the middle of a testing cycle),
we have a minimum price set for each job. The minimum price for a scribe is $35 on a non-test week and $40
on a test week. The minimum price for an editor is $30 on a non-test week and $35 on a test week. We can’t
allow jobs to be sold for under this because it would undervalue the amount of work that is required.
Also, you may be wondering if you can secretly work out a lower price with a buyer under the table, but we ask
that you please don’t try. If you’re reported to be doing this, we’ll either fine you a hefty amount or will remove
you from the service. Once again, we don’t want anything like this to happen, so just don’t do anything to force
our hand, especially when you have the option of just setting aside the time to do the script.
6. I can’t write very fast, so I don’t know if I could transcribe the whole lecture as the instructor says it.
How does this exactly work?
You don’t have to transcribe while in lecture. While we suggest you take notes during class to make the
process easier, you will be provided with an audio recording of the lecture after class from which you can do
your actual transcribing.
For more extensive information on the logistics of being a scribe or editor, see the “process and guidelines”
attachment.
7. What if I am fined and I don’t want to pay it?
If you are fined by the QAM and are upset: first, think about whether you actually deserved it and whether the
amount is reasonable. Most fines levied are due to laziness on the part of the editor or gross negligence on the
part of the scribe. If you think the fine is reasonable, you simply contact the Treasurer (Bhavika Patel) and pay
the fine. If you don’t agree with the fine, however, you can appeal it by contacting the President, (Andrew
Prince), by email and detailing the infraction, the amount of the fine, and why you’re upset within seven days of
notice of the fine (lack of payment of a fine for longer than seven days results in a fine every week until it is
paid). He will then talk to the QAM, review the script, and determine whether to waive the fine, lessen it, or
require you pay it in full. We hope that this will all be handled very professionally and without incident.
However, if you choose not to pay the fine we will be forced to immediately remove your access to all future
scripts, until such time that the fine (and all additional “lack of payment” fines) are paid in full.
8. How is what day/time I have to be a scribe/editor determined?
It is done semi-randomly, typically on some variation of alphabetical order. However, the Secretary (Alice
Zhang) will do her best to make sure people aren’t repeatedly scheduled to be a scribe/editor on test weeks
(not to say you never will have to, but we’ll try to make sure it isn’t often).
MSTP students will only have jobs given at times they will be in lecture.
9. I want to join now, can I ever leave? I don’t want to join now, can I join later?
Joining and leaving can only be done at the beginning and end of a module without incurring penalties. The
deadline to join for Fun I will be this Thursday and the next open period for joining/leaving will be after the last
test of Fun I before Fun II.
11. One of the instructors mentioned hating the transcript service; will it look bad for me to be a
member?
Instructors only dislike the transcript service because it enables people who don’t pay attention to still get their
notes. However, in the end, they hate students not paying attention, not the actual transcripts. These scripts
are meant to help us all learn more effectively. If you don’t want to be associated with the stigma of being lazy,
just pay attention, take notes, go home, and supplement your notes with scripts.
12. Where is the website to get the scripts and audio? How do I access the website?
First, like the UASOM Transcripts 2018 page.
The URL for the actual website: Coming soon!
You must use your computer lab ID and password to log on.
If you have trouble with accessing it, try your ID with “students\” in front of it. If that doesn’t work try another
browser. If that still doesn’t work, contact MEIS at meis@uab.edu to reset your password (this will change
your password to the computer lab too).
For the first week, we will be using a shared Dropbox account and it will be open to the public.
13. What if I find an error in the script?
Contact the QAM responsible for that lecture and we will post a confirmed correction on the facebook page.
More info on this later.
14. Who do I ask if I have more questions?
Feel free to ask any of the committee members and we’ll either answer you or direct you to a committee
member who knows the answer.
President Andrew Prince
Treasurer Bhavika Patel
Secretary Alice Zhang
Webmaster Corey Duke
QAM 1 Naveed Farrukh
QAM 2 Claire Bourgeois
QAM 3 Annie Lenox
QAM 4 Whitney Hudman
QAM 5 Hieu Duong
Web guru 1 Evan Zeiger
Web guru 2 Dhruv Patel
Web guru 3 Laura Crocker
Web guru 4 Cameron Parker
Web guru 5 Malissa Pynes