Academic Computer Refresh Program (ACRP) AKA “Faculty Refresh”

Information Technology is beginning the fourth year of the Academic Computer Refresh Program (ACRP). The purpose of the ACRP is to ensure that all fulltime faculty and staff within each college are equipped with a computer that is less than five years old. Starting in December, approximately one quarter of all computers assigned to fulltime faculty and academic staff is refreshed. Historically computers refreshed were determined by the age of computer regardless of who they were assigned to. Due to recent improvements with the centrally managed asset management database, refresh decisions will be based off of the computers that are assigned to each fulltime faculty and staff member within each college. A list of fulltime faculty and staff members will be provided to college Deans or their delegates to verify that all fulltime faculty and staff are identified. After the list is approved, Information Technology will compile a refresh list based off of the newest computer assigned to each fulltime faculty and staff member within each college. All computers on the list purchased prior to Fiscal Year 2007 will be selected for refresh this year. Information Technology will email all faculty and staff on the list and survey them to identify a computer which best fits their needs based off the selected standard hardware configurations.

The Standard Computer Hardware Configurations are selected annually by a committee consisting of representatives from Information Technology, NHS, HHS, MCB, PVA, University Libraries, UNC Foundation, Auxiliary Support and The Office of Academic Affairs. The goal of the committee is to select a computer configuration which meets the needs of faculty and staff while remaining fiscally responsible. The standard configurations this year feature upgraded memory and hard drive storage space. Monitors will be excluded from all Windows based desktop computers. Information Technology conducted research and found that based off of an average usage of 8 hours per day, a standard LCD flat-panel monitor should last 10 to 15 years. Follow this link http://www.unco.edu/bearlogic/PDFs/Computer_Refresh_FY10.pdf to a website outlining this year’s standard configurations. If a faculty or staff member deemed for computer refresh feels that the standard configuration does not meet their needs, they will work with Information Technology technicians to design a system that meets their special requirements and also be fiscally responsible. The cost of any upgrades to computers will be the responsibility of the department.

Once a computer has been refreshed, Information Technology will work with each college to reassign the computer to any part time faculty, graduate assistant, or student employee. This allows the oldest computers within a college to be replaced with four-year-old trickledown computers.

Information Technology’s Annual Report for Fiscal Year 08-09 is Available Online

Information Technology has published an annual report for FY 08-09. The report is meant to provide information about Information Technology’s activities that took place in FY 08-09. Within the report there is information on Information Technology’s strategic plan (which was guided by the university’s academic plan) and completed projects for the fiscal year that support each goal. Also, one will find articles highlighting a few of the new technologies that had been implemented. These articles describe what the technologies are, how they are used, and how they benefit the campus. Lastly, the annual report illustrates, with helpful graphs, Information Technology’s funding and expense sources, BearLogic’s (UNC’s technology retail store) revenues and expenses, received Technical Support Center (TSC) calls by category of support, a break-down of most frequently used applications (Word, Excel, SAS, SPSS, etc.) used in the computer labs, and much more! Please check Information Technology’s annual report at http://www.unco.edu/it/aboutus/IT_annualreport.pdf and find out how IT has been benefiting the campus over the past fiscal year.

Information Technology will move your Computer for Free!

The subject of a recent blog pertained to the transition of tracking computers from Asset Management to Information Technology. Information Technology is now tracking all computers and printers less than $5,000 and will be coming by each department to do a physical inventory (please refer to the Inventory: Coming Soon to a Computer Near You blog for details). Because Information Technology is now tracking these computers, we ask that you do not move them to another location without contacting the Technical Support Center, (970)351-HELP; so we can assist you, at no charge. Information Technology asks this for three main reasons. First, we can make sure that the computer is set up properly for you and so that you continue to have available access to the parts of the network that you need. The second reason is that of security. There may be information on your computer that is sensitive and should be removed prior to being transferred to someone else within your department. The final reason is so that Information Technology can keep an accurate inventory; this also helps when it comes time to have your computer replaced within the faculty/staff “refresh” program. Again, please call (970)351-HELP if you need to move your computer to another office or do not need it anymore, Information Technology would be happy to move it for you, free of charge.

Innovative Technology Committee Evaluating Windows 7 and Apple OS 1.6 “Snow Leopard”

Information Technology, the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) and other academic representatives have assembled technical staff and trainers to test and evaluate new software in a controlled environment prior to campus wide deployment. This assembly is referred to as the Innovative Technology Committee. Two software programs that they are currently evaluating are Windows 7 and Apple OS 1.6 “Snow Leopard”. The evaluation of both of these software are in Phase 2 – Detailed Testing and Compatibility. There are four phases that encompass the evaluation process; Phase 1 – Technical Overview and Research, Phase 2 – Detailed Testing and Compatibility, Phase 3 - Early Adopters (pilot group that uses the software in everyday business), Phase 4 – Campus Deployment. The initial testing of Windows 7 indicates improvements from Windows Vista. The committee will continue to test and identify any problems with the operating system. ITC will move to Phase 3 after Windows 7 has been officially released from Microsoft. As far as “Snow Leopard is concerned, ITC is testing to verify that there are no compatibility issues within our Apple enterprise environment. At this time, Bear Logic will not sell upgrades to UNC Faculty and Staff until the committee has completed Phase 2 testing and is prepared to fully support the upgrade. If you are interested in becoming an Early Adopter of Apple OS 10.6 please contact the Technical Support Center at 351-4357. To follow the evaluations of these software through the phases, please visit www.unco.edu/it/aboutus/innotech; also there, are more detailed explanations of what each phase entails.

Inventory: Coming Soon to a Computer Near You

Information Technology is now tracking all technology assets (computers and printers) less than $5,000 on campus. This responsibility used to belong to the Property Control department. Soon, representatives from Information Technology will be scheduling appointments with each college to do a physical inventory. After each physical inventory, Information Technology will update the existing information and send a report back to a designated contact in the college. IT will then ask that the updated information be reviewed to make sure that it is accurate; IT will also ask that the list of staff and faculty members be reviewed and updated; in order to better accommodate the faculty/staff computer “refresh”. The “refresh” program is a four year refresh program aimed at keeping the technology current. IT will not track any non-computer items, those items will still be accounted for by Property Control.