Photo Editors: Apple computer deliveries will take place Aug. 24-25. Gateway computer deliveries will occur Aug. 27-30. For times and locations call Deborah Keyek-Franssen at (303) 492-2403.
Having your own computer in college is not just a necessary tool for writing papers and checking the Web. It's become a sign of social acceptability.
That's what one student said last year in an evaluation of CU-Boulder's Computer Loan Program, now in its third year.
"This computer actually helped me socially. It made me feel like I belonged with this group of people," wrote a male science major. "I had to use Excel every week of the year. Having the computer in my room made it easier to learn and use this program. I just don't know how to explain how great your program is," he wrote in the evaluation.
This fall the Boulder campus will loan computers at no cost to 125 students, bringing the total number of students in the computer lending program to more than 400, according to Deborah Keyek-Franssen, who oversees the program. About 40 of the computers are Apple iMacs and the rest are Gateway units.
Both brands are high-speed models and come equipped with Microsoft Office and anti-virus software. The iMacs run Virtual PC software, which allows students to work in a Mac or Windows environment.
Both the Microsoft Corp. and McAfee, a division of Network Associates, donated 125 copies of their software programs to CU-Boulder for the loan program, providing significant and generous savings to the university, Keyek-Franssen said.
The equipment is delivered directly to the students' rooms by technical teams that install the computers so they are ready to use, taking advantage of CU's high-speed network either from residence halls or from off-campus housing.
"The Student Computer Lending Program has been a great success," said Bobby Schnabel, associate vice chancellor for academic and campus technology and chief information officer for the Boulder campus.
"We're delighted with the university's commitment to continuing this program so we can ensure that all CU-Boulder students have the computer support that is so essential to succeeding in higher education," he said.
The program, which has a budget of $150,000 this year, is funded entirely by the CU-Boulder administration.
Training classes for participating students are offered on the basics of computer care and maintenance, and on the operating system software and Microsoft Office. Representatives from Apple and Gateway will teach the classes. Â鶹ÒùÔº also are encouraged to attend the free sessions offered through the campus's Information Technology Services unit. The ITS classes give students basic and in-depth training in a range of computer applications and uses.
The percentage of students who own computers continues to rise on the CU-Boulder campus. Last year 93 percent of freshmen had computers - up 8 percent from the previous year. The Student Computer Lending Program attempts to raise that percentage even further for low-income students.
Overall computer ownership for the entire student body is estimated to be at least 90 percent. Â鶹ÒùÔº are identified as eligible for the computer loan program with the assistance of the Office of Financial Aid. About 50 percent of the students who are eligible for the program opt to participate.
Â鶹ÒùÔº keep the computers for the extent of their academic careers at CU-Boulder.
For more information contact Keyek-Franssen at (303) 492-2403.