HANOVER PARK, Ill., October 14, 2002 — As part of the company’s commitment to the graphic arts industry and to the students who will soon be colleagues, Fujifilm’s Graphic Systems Division has donated a PictroProof digital proofing system to five universities and organizations across the country. Each of the organizations has dedicated coursework in graphic communications and the PictroProof will be used to introduce students to the newest technologies in the industry and ensure that they have the skills needed to enter the job market. In its commitment to education, Fujifilm donated one of its popular PictroProofs to Appalachian State University, California Polytechnic State University, Clemson University, the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). "We’re pleased to be able to provide each of these schools with equipment they can use in educating those who’ve chosen to pursue a career in the graphic arts industry," says Don Schroeder, senior product development manager for color proofing at Fujifilm’s Graphic Systems Division. "Fujifilm has a strong commitment to education and to the advancement of our industry." "The support we get from the industry is invaluable," states John Leininger, professor of graphic communications at Clemson University in South Carolina. "The state continues to cut our budget year after year after year. If it weren’t for the support we receive from the graphic arts community, we couldn’t survive." And Clemson’s program isn’t just surviving. It’s the largest graphics program in the nation, with 480 undergraduate students and 24 graduate students. Clemson began its program in 1968, adding a degree program in 1982 and a master’s program in 2000. "The PictroProof is so clean and so sharp. When we’re running it full time, it’s definitely going to be our main proofer," reports Leininger, who’s currently using the PictroProof in a limited capacity until a new RIP arrives. Leininger also added that he sees no problem in using the PictroProof as a contract proof. "I’ve never been a dot worshipper. If you are a dot worshipper, then you’ve got to have a proof with dots," he continues, "but more and more people are beginning to accept continuous tone proofs and it’s largely because of color profiling. If you can profile it, it will work fine." Cal Poly was founded in 1946 and the department currently has approximately 300 students in the program, making it the largest graphic communication program on the West Coast. "We have one of the largest lab facilities in the country as well – nearly 33,000 sq. ft. of lab space," reports Professor Mike Blum of Cal Poly. "Our school’s philosophy is, ‘learn by doing.’ Students here learn the theory of color in the classroom and then put it into practice in our labs with state-of-the-art equipment. That’s why we’re happy to be working with Fujifilm again. We have their ColorArt and FirstProof proofing systems, so we’ve used several generations of Fujifilm proofing technologies." The installation of the PictroProof was a partnership between Fujifilm and Xitron, which donated the RIP that Cal Poly will use to run the Fujifilm digital proofing system. Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. also received a PictroProof from Fujifilm and has had it running since late July. "It’s wonderful," comments Dr. Robin Williams, program coordinator of the Thomas W. Reese Graphic Arts and Imaging Technology Program. "It’s great because now we actually have a proofing capability." Before installing the PictroProof, Williams says, students were soft proofing off of the screen or settling for a color laser proof. "In the past, we’ve had to go off campus and pay for proofing, which was a very big expense and we couldn’t always afford it. Now, we have the opportunity to see what our projects should look like, rather than having to guess. "The PictroProof has been very easy to use and very easy to incorporate into our courses," continues Williams, whose students are using the two-page proofer in both prepress and color classes. Michael Riordan, program chair, Graphic Media at the Rochester Institute of Technology, said RIT is also incorporating their new PictroProof into several courses. "Most of our courses require color output and the Pictro joins our other digital proofers both as a comp proofer and contract (for SWOP) proofer," he explains. "For some projects, the proof is the final output. For others, it is the proof that leads to the final press job." Riordan said both he and the students have been impressed with the quality and speed of the PictroProof. "I’m also impressed by its close visual match to the ColorArt’s SWOP proofs," he says, adding that they’ve had no trouble with either the machine or the RIP. "The prints have been very consistent. Most of our student work is centered around a two-page proof and the PictroProof fits nicely as a simple and accurate two-up proof." RIT has been teaching courses in print media since 1937 and currently has more than 300 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled. Headquartered in Hanover Park, Ill., the Graphic Systems Division of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. offers a full array of high-quality products and services including: Saber, the world’s fastest platesetter in its class; Dart and the Javelin Series, cost-effective thermal platesetters; Sumo, the world’s fastest imagesetter; the Brillia line of thermal and visible light digital plates; FINALPROOF, a digital halftone dot contract proofing product; PictroProof, a dye-based digital color proofing system; Quattro, the award-winning flatbed color scanner; and ColourKit color management software. Fujifilm’s line of color electronics equipment includes a complete range of imagesetters, RIPs, flatbed scanners and computer-to-plate systems. In addition, Fujifilm has a full line-up of film products and aqueous-based conventional subtractive plates.