From time to time we offer a digest of information from one of the chief information officer (CIO) constituent group discussions that takes place through the EDUCAUSE Web site. This particular compilation was put together by Kathy Gates of the University of Mississippi. We're grateful to Kathy for not only posing the question to group members, but for assembling the information that appears below.

The CIO discussion group is just one of many active discussions that take place through the EDUCAUSE Web site. If you would like to join or monitor this or other group discussions, check out the Constituent Group site at:
http://www.educause.edu/cg/.

TOPIC:

I am interested in finding out about schools which require students to purchase computers. I would like to know about the arrangements -- how are computers purchased/assigned/distributed to students, whether you consider the program to be successful, and so on.

Kathy Gates
User Consultant & Chair, Web Design
University of Mississippi

SUMMARY:

Many thanks to those who responded to my request for information on student computer requirements. Here is the summary as promised. Included in the responses were URLs for two surveys -- one general and one on law school computer requirements (the URLs are given below). There were several pertinent articles in Change and the Chronicle of Higher Education. In addition, the Chronicle had an ongoing discussion via letters to the editor. The comments are summarized below under the headings "Benefits" and "Issues." References are also provided. Finally, the e-mail responses to my posting are attached.

Surveys

Notebook Colleges and Universities http://www.vcsu.nodak.edu/offices/itc/notebooks/other.htm

Mandatory Computer Ownership at Law Schools: A Survey http://www.siu.edu/offices/lawlib/survey.htm

Benefits

• Standardization of hardware and software make support easier.
• Software can be obtained at reduced prices with a site license, but some licenses require that the computer be university rather than student owned.
• Cost of the computer can be calculated into "demonstrated need" for financial aid.
• Universal availability eliminates contention among faculty for access to teaching labs.
• Can recover lab space.
• Creates equal opportunity for all students with regard to computer access.
• Some claim that computers encourage more, not less, contact between faculty and students.
• The experience gained can enhance the student's marketability.
• It is less expensive to support laptop spaces in classrooms with a power supply and network connection at each seat than to support desktop-based classrooms.
• Flexibility of a laptop vs. desktop

• If laptops are required, then classrooms must be converted to provide a power supply and network connection at each seat.
• Need to train students to use the computers - some schools added a computer literacy requirement.
• Faculty development -- must train/re-train faculty to use new technology. One writer claims that student labs and personal ownership are sufficient and that the missing piece is the lack of an incentive for faculty to pursue a technological direction.
• Who owns -- student or university? Lease or buy? Fee built into tuition or separate invoice?
• If computers are university-owned, then need a policy to protect against damage or loss.
• What is the impact of the additional computers on the computer/network infrastructure?
• Does the university (a) issue standards and then let the students choose the platform or (b) purchase identical units and resell or lease to the students?
• Need to plan for a receiving/staging/configuring distribution point if (b) above. Need a plan for returning/upgrading/scrubbing/storing computers at the end of the term if (b) above. How often to roll over if (b) above?
• Need to plan for computer repair.
• How to handle software upgrades? Possibly will need to train students and faculty to do their own upgrades.
• Laptop noise -- some students complain about the clicking and clacking of multiple laptops in classrooms and libraries.
• The computer requirement adds another cost to an already expensive education. What options are there for students who cannot afford the added cost?
• One writer reports that public labs are growing in spite of the laptop requirement at his university. He says that the students get tired of carrying their laptops and prefer to work at a desktop.
• Need to provide secure places where students can store their laptops during the day.

"Assessing the Notebook Initiative" in Change by Kathryn Holleque and G. Phillip Cartwright (http://contract.kent.edu/change/articles/novdec97.html)

"Three Years and Eight Days" in Change by G. Phillip Cartwright (http://contract.kent.edu/change/articles/julaug97.html)

"Student Computer Ownership at Georgia Tech" (http://www.sco.gatech.edu/)

"The Computer Ownership Requirement: Information for the Class of 2001" (Dartmouth) (http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/new-info/)

"NOTEBOOK Colleges & Universities" by Ray Brown (http://www.vcsu.nodak.edu/offices/itc/notebooks/other.htm)

"Mandating Computer Ownership At Law Schools: A Survey" by James E. Duggan (http://www.siu.edu/offices/lawlib/survey.htm)

"UF Computer and Software Requirement" (http://www.circa.ufl.edu/computers/)

"UNC-CH will require freshmen to have laptop computers in 2000" (http://www.unc.edu/news/newsserv/univ/feb98/elaptop.html)

"Fall 1998 Freshman Requirement" (Va Tech) (http://www.compreq.vt.edu/)

"U of North Carolina Criticized for Plan to Require Students to Own PC's" in The Chronicle of Higher Education by Jeffrey Young (May 22, 1998) (http://chronicle.com/)

"Requiring Students to Own Laptop Computers: Curricular and Technical Issues" in The Chronicle of Higher Education (January 16, 1998) (http://chronicle.com/)

"Invasion of the Laptops: More Colleges Adopt Mandatory Computing Programs" in The Chronicle of Higher Education by Jeffrey Young (December 5, 1997) (http://chronicle.com/)

January 1998 (Volume 41, Number 1) Communications of the ACM -- full issue devoted to "Computers across Campus."

Responses

Here in Georgia, Clayton College and State University (http://www.clayton.edu/) and Floyd College (http://www.fc.peachnet.edu/) -- the first is 4 year, the second is 2 year -- are both requiring a technology fee of around $600 per year and are distributing a standard notebook computer to every student. All classrooms are outfitted with Ethernet drops at each seat, multimedia, etc. I can't say if the experiment, which began last fall, has been a success. I don't even know how the balance sheet looks regarding their financial circumstances as a result of the program.

Other than these two schools, nobody else has been permitted to levy technology fees of this magnitude in the state system (34 schools) and nobody else has made such an accross-the-board requirement for universal computer ownership.

Len Fisk
Asst. VP for Technology
Armstrong Atlantic State University

See response from Gordon Wishon

I write the Technology column for CHANGE magazine. Recently I did two columns on the subject of mandatory access to computers by students.

The articles are posted at my CHANGE web site:
www.contract.kent.edu/change

The titles to look at, both in 1997, are:

"Three Years and Eight Days"
"Assessing the Notebook Initiative"

G. Phillip Cartwright
Associate Dean for Information and Education Technology
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

We do not require students to buy a computer at present. However, we only allow students to connect to the network IF they purchase a computer from the college. We can purchase 200MMX computers with 32MB RAM and 2.5GB hard drive for less than $990. We sell these computers to students at our cost and charge them a $100/semester technology fee. Students can bring their own computer and use it in their room but they cannot connect to our network.

Paul Southgate
Director of Information Services
Asbury College

Here at Concordia University, St. Paul, we require students to use laptops.

The laptops are leased by Concordia and the fees built into the students tuition and fees. So far, it has been an overwhelming success. We are in the first year, but are expecting largest freshman class, and highest retention rate ever.

We are planning a 3 year roll-over cycle for the machines.

Eric E. LaMott
Associate Dean of Information & Technology
Concordia Univeristy

Check out this URL -- http://www.dartmouth.edu/comp/new-info/ -- it has information that was sent to our incoming students last year.

At Dartmouth, students are required to come to campus with a computer. We recommend a basic system and then provide higher-end and laptop options as well. To date, these recommendations have always been for Apple computers; most of the incoming students -- at least 90% -- opt to buy at least one of the recommended systems from us.

The software that comes pre-loaded includes: Apple system software, Microsoft Word, BlitzMail (Dartmouth's e-mail application), DCIS Navigator and Online Library for accessing information resources at Dartmouth, and Internet access tools such as Fetch (an FTP client developed at Dartmouth) and Netscape Navigator.

Our Computer Store, working closely with our Consulting Group, handles distribution. The margin of the Store pays for the effort associated with opening each box and pre-loading the software (yes, we open each box!). I've been pushing for an install CD because of the cost of doing this, given our shrinking margins; the truth is, I'm not sure how much longer we can sustain this level of service. The up side is that each student starts out at the same place, and we catch the DOAs -- the student picks up their computer, takes it to their dorm room, plugs into the network, and they're in business.

My memory's a bit fuzzy, but I believe Dartmouth instituted its computer requirement in Fall '90.

Betsy McClain
Director of Fiscal & Auxiliary Services -- Computing Services
Dartmouth College

Georgia Tech is entering the second year of an institution-wide mandatory student computer ownership policy. You can find information about our program at the following location: http://www.sco.gatech.edu/

Gordon D. Wishon
Associate Vice President and Associate Vice Provost for Information Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology

Following is a response to Len Fisk

You've overlooked the program here at Georgia Tech, which in fact provided much of the encouragement for Dr. Skinner to propose his program at Clayton/Floyd to the Chancellor (the result of several conversations between Wayne Clough, president at Georgia Tech, and Dr. Skinner). The Tech effort began in 1995, with policy development occurring in 1995-1996, and implementation beginning in Summer 1997. We implemented our technology fee program at the same time. Students now pay $50 per quarter ($200 per year), which is planned to rise to $400 per year over the next two years. A significant difference, though, is that none of this goes towards the purchase of student computers. Students are required to buy their own machines. Students are given the choice between desktops and laptops, and elect desktops by an overwhelming percentage. This is most likely due to the availability of direct network access in all dorm rooms, fraternities, and sororities.

The current ownership program and technology fee programs at Tech and Clayton/Floyd are the "pilots" one often hears referred to in discussions at the ACIT. To the best of my knowledge, no other school has been permitted to implement a technology fee program, pending review of these pilot programs.

Gordon D. Wishon
Associate Vice President and Associate Vice Provost for Information Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology

Hartwick College provides every incoming full-time student with a notebook PC, printer, network card, and software as well as Internet, campus network, video and voice services. We've been doing this since 1993. Cost of the program has been built into cost of attendance. We think the program is successful -- though it is time to do a little tinkering with it to better keep pace with technology.

There is also a web site with "notebook campuses": http://www.masu.nodak.edu/adminst/vpaa/ThinkPadU98.html#Hartwick

Ellen F. Falduto
Chief Information & Planning Officer
Hartwick College

The University of Hong Kong doesn't require students to purchase a computer but we are in the process of beginning a new programme this fall in which all incoming students will be strongly encouraged to purchase a subsidized notebook computer. If you are interested, you might want to take a look at http://www.vcsu.nodak.edu/offices/itc/notebooks/other.htm. This site, put together by Valley City State University in North Dakota, lists around 50 colleges and universities with notebook computer initiatives. IBM has the ThinkPad University programme http://www.hied.ibm.com/ThinkPadU/, Toshiba has a programme for K-12 schools http://www.toshiba.com/tais/csd/products/education/header.htm, and so does Acer. I think MicroSoft is sponsoring a new notebooks for schools programme, too, and one of the University of Texas campuses has partnered with Dell.

Craig Blurton
Associate Professor
Adviser on IT in Education
University of Hong Kong

I did this survey last year (and haven't had a chance to update it yet). The URL is:

http://www.siu.edu/offices/lawlib/survey.htm

James E. Duggan
Director of Information Technology and Associate Professor
Southern Illinois University School of Law Library

Don't forget that you can join a discussion group by visiting the following site: http://www.educause.edu/cg/.

See summaries of CIO discussions previously posted:

Charging for Printing in Student Labs, posted June 15, 1998
Group Discusses Networking in Residence Halls, posted April 6, 1998
E-mail Addresses: Maintaining Privacy, posted March 30, 1998
To Lease or Purchase?, posted March 23, 1998
Network vs. Desktop Printers: Waging War?, posted February 2, 1998
Ownership of Files on College Computers, posted January 26, 1998
Microsoft/CIO Group Discuss Licensing, posted December 15, 1997
Web-Based Student Directories, posted December 1, 1997