Have you Heard?

As a dedicated computer lab assistant, last issue’s editorial sincerely discouraged me.
True, the Arts & Sciences computer lab has been experiencing problems lately. However, we (the whole staff) have been trying to isolate and fix the problems. I spoke to my boss on this matter.
On the day that article came out, my boss and the whole staff checked every computer in the labs and found no problems. He also asked approximately 60 students if they had experienced any problems in the labs, and they all replied with no.
The computers in Arts and Sciences run 24 hours for your convenience, and they are bound to get tired. Therefore, sometimes there are kinks to fix. I’m sure you get tired after running for 24 hours straight, and these computers are only machines.
One of the problems that the article referred to was with the printers. Some students have been abusing the privilege of free paper. That is the main reason that color printers were removed from the labs.
In Atkinson, it was costing the college $150 per week to keep the color printer running, which is a large chunk of the departmental budget. Since the departmental budget pays for printing and printing is rather expensive, the library charges students for print jobs to lower the amount of printing expenses.
However, that editorial left some questions unanswered. For instance, where are the technology fees spent? Well, I performed research on this matter. Here’s how they were spent for 2002, so far:
Estimated budget per academic year $ 390,614.00
On reserve 20% -$78,122.80
Salaries -$99,944.00
Wireless -$20,000.00
Quark Lab Pak 24 hour lab -$814.67
Quark User License 24 hour lab -$2,257.50
Adobe PhotoShop 24 hour lab -$1,875.00
Computer purchase 24 hour lab -$30,725.00
Software 24 hour lab -$13,075.00
Security System 24 hour lab -$1,134.22
Software Academic 24 hour lab -$799.00
Microsoft office student 24 hour lab & other labs - $6,010.20
Adobe PhotoShop Atkinson lab -$12,620.00
VCR Electronic classroom -$142.91
VCR Electronic classroom -$119.68
Proxima Electronic classroom -$18,492.00
Nova Desk Electronic classroom -$1,043.00
Computer purchase Electronic classroom - $1,433.00
Lexmark lab printer -$958.15
Another point that the article brought up was the checking of ID’s. We check ID’s to ensure that only GC&SU students have access to the facilities that they pay for. There has also be a large amount of theft going on in our labs.
We are trying to make the labs more secure for the students. I’m sure you would agree that you wouldn’t want someone who didn’t pay a technology fee to use those computers, so bring your ID when you come to the lab and show it to the assistant on duty.
I also did some research on the future of our labs. Color printing will be implemented in the summer or fall terms depending on when we figure out a way to prevent it from being abused.
We plan to upgrade the networking equipment to all GC&SU labs, allowing faster access to the Internet, and, more importantly, providing management tools that will further increase our ability to maintain stable computers.
I did like the idea of having a door that would only open with a valid ID. It would help the security and allow the lab assistants to be more available to answer questions. However, it would cost a lot, meaning our technology fees would increase.
I would also like to mention some recommendations to the students. Please show your ID when you enter the lab. Save your work after each paragraph. Make sure your printer is connected to the correct printer before sending a print job. Don’t send a print job larger than 25 pages.
Try to limit what you print to less than 200 pages a semester. Also, there is a new lab in Arts & Sciences 141. This lab is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Other labs are in Health Sciences and Mayfair.
The Arts & Sciences Computer Labs in rooms 254, 255 and 271 are now open 24 hours during the week. There are also two CD burners and a new scanner in Arts and Sciences for your convenience.
Lab Assistants are also there at all times to help you, but we may not know everything, and we do our best to solve the problem even if we have to call someone else about it.
Erin Semple

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Apr 5 2002. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry