"Arizona Idols" may not produce the next pop-star, but the video is receiving international attention.
The nine-minute video is a parody of the popular show "American Idol" and is meant to take a humorous look at disruptive behavior in UA classrooms.
According to the Dean of Students office, 26 universities from around the U.S. and two universities in Canada have contacted the UA to receive copies of the video to use on their own campuses.
"It's just taken off," said Terry Holthusen, program coordinator of judicial affairs for the Dean of Students office. "We really didn't think we would have had so many requests for this off of campus."
The Dean of Students office is selling the video to schools as a $140 package. Along with "Arizona Idols," the package includes
suggestions from UA faculty, students and staff and survey information compiled by the Dean of Students office.
The video cost $7,000 to make and was partially sponsored by Pepsi-Cola Company.
The survey, which was conducted between the spring semesters of 2002 and 2003, was given to several general education classes.
More than 700 students and 60 faculty members responded to the survey, citing students who arrive late and talk during lectures as the most common disruptions.
Thomas Savage, an animal sciences professor at Oregon State University, said that he plans on showing the video to his classes next fall.
Savage said that students who talk during class isn't a common disruption in his classroom, but he feels that educating students on disruptive behavior is especially important for incoming freshmen.
"High schools are so lax now," said Savage, about what he believes is a decrease in high schools around the country teaching etiquette to college-bound students.
"Lots of times students have no idea what the guidelines are," Savage said. "But when we can give people a standard to begin with, they can be successful."
Ashley Gilmore, a psychology freshman, said that she didn't watch the video because she didn't believe she would learn anything from it.
"It's common sense," said Gilmore, about behaving properly in class. "I don't need to be lectured about being respectful to my teachers."
But Elizabeth Towles, a dance freshman, said she felt the video was useful in helping her become aware of UA guidelines.
"I didn't learn anything new, but I think it was good to reaffirm some things," Towles said. "It wasn't a total waste."
Sociology professor Celestino Fernandez, who teaches a general education course as well as an upper division course, said that he has shown the video to both of his classes.
"I think it's important for freshmen to be socialized directly," said Fernandez, "but upper classmen are also in need."
Fernandez blamed the rise in disruptive behavior on how society has become increasingly casual over the past few years.
"We don't think of respect for others in the general environment and certainly not in the learning environment," Fernandez said.
Holthusen said the video isn't meant to serve as a wagging finger to students. Instead, Holthusen said she hoped the video would help inform students of what's expected of them in a lighthearted way.
"We're not condemning anybody," Holthusen said. "We're making everyone aware of what the school expects. The film was a lighthearted way of doing it."
The Dean of Students office implemented policies on dealing with disruptive and threatening student behavior earlier this semester, after a disgruntled student who had a history of threatening behavior, gunned down three professors in the College of Nursing last year.