They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard
If the title above means nothing to you, then you probably won't be able to make much sense out of the 2007 ITS Halloween video.

Perhaps a primer is in order. Before watching the UAS version of "They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard," it is strongly suggested that you watch the original Youtube video first: They're Taking the Hobbits to Isengard.

For their big, floppy feet, ITS won "Most Unique Department or Costumes."

That's Cirigliano's
In 2006, IT Services decided not only to dress up the department like an old Italian restaurant, but also to have a spaghetti feed for anyone that happened to be passing by. More than 80 bowls of pasta were served, none of which contained lobster.

Willy Wonka
On October 31st, 2005, Oompa Loompas invaded UAS.

Post-ITS II
It's the beginning of the end (or is it the end of the beginning?) for the Post-IT Note mosaic in IT Services.

Post-ITS
While the cat's away, the mice shall play.

Michael Ciri, Director of Information Technology Services (DITS), happened to be in Orlando attending Educause when National Boss Day rolled around in October 2005. The department chipped in to make him a little something before he got back.

The music, which was selected more for its tempo than its lyrical content, is by the inestimable Jonathan Coulton.

SPAM!
In order to promote the rollout of new anti-spam software (and to generally just annoy everyone on campus), ITS dressed up as e-mail spam in 2004.

This was the first year that the winning department's name was permanently engraved on a fancy Chancellor-commissioned plaque.

It was also the first year that ITS lost the competition.

Pirates!
For the increasingly popular UAS Halloween contest in 2003, the ITS department's theme was Pirates of the Caribbean. Once again, the computer center crew pulled out all the stops by turning cardboard, colorful rags, and duct tape (they always use duct tape) into period costumes and accessories. Once again, their efforts paid off as they won Best Group for the fourth year in a row.

In order to generate hype, a video teaser (below) was created before the music video and circulated around campus a couple weeks before the 2004 Halloween contest.

The Men in Black
In the fall of 2002, the University of Alaska, Southeast Information Technology Services embarked upon a quest to win their third consecutive Halloween contest.

This is their story.

(In video form!)

In 2001, Computing Services decided on a BattleBots theme and paraded around campus on Halloween drumming up support for their department. Since I wasn't competing in this year's costume contest (having no idea how to best my previous year's entry), I was asked to tag along for a little bit and videotape some of the action. I was only able to gather 28 minutes worth of footage before the competition was over and the awards handed out -- Computing won "Best Overall" but Academic Programs beat them on "Best Department."

This music video was put together (and subsequently mastered on DVD) at Media Services for Michael Ciri, Barney Norwick, and Joe Nell -- all Computing staff members who happened to be absent the day of the competition.

Craig's Chain Gang
In the summer of 2002, Rotary district 5010 sponsored a trail-buiding project for their Youth Exchange Program. Many high school exchange students from all over the world spent a day at UAS clearing a path, digging trenches, and spreading gravel to create the trail to the gazebo we have today.

Media Services was on hand to videotape the entire day's work and was able to edit together an 8-minute music video for the Rotary conference the next morning.

"Craig's Chain Gang" is a 10-minute, polished version of that original 8-minute program.