ITD changes allocations

The Information Technology Division is again revamping its computing package to meet students' changing computing needs.

Starting this Friday until the end of April, students will not be charged for dial-in access between midnight and 3 p.m. and will receive 180 additional pages on their printing limit, bringing the total for each individual to 300 pages.

ITD made the changes to accommodate students' increasing end-of-term workloads, said Jose-Marie Griffiths, the University's chief information officer and ITD executive director.

"We don't want to impede the students at this point in the year," Griffiths said.

Students with heavy workloads can thank the Office of the Provost for funding the computing package enhancements.

DANA LINNANE/Daily RC junior Meredith Pierce leafs through several papers at a printer in the Angell Hall Computing Site yesterday.

"I'm ecstatic," said MSA representative Barry Rosenberg, an LSA senior who worked with ITD to make the policy changes. "This is going to be tremendously helpful for students."

At the beginning of this semester, ITD switched from the allocation system to the basic computing package - resulting in the loss of students' ability to allocate funds to specific computing services, such as printing or dial-in access, but increasing overall access to computing services.

While ITD officials found that most University students said they were satisfied with the package, others were not happy with the loss of flexibility from previous systems.

"The previous computing package allowed you to allocate your funds to specific services," said Al McCord, ITD director of operations management.

"But it was very expensive to maintain," he said.

Griffiths described the basic computing package as a "compromise driven by ITD's need to bring its expenditures in line with its budget. It would never be our policy to reduce services."

ITD is working with MSA representatives, the Rackham Student Government, ITD's Student Advisory Committee and other groups to further revise the basic computing program for next year.

"We're looking to meet approximately 95 percent of all students' needs," Griffiths said.

ITD's main goal for future policy changes is to make sure computing services for students are not reduced.

"We want to provide as much service as we can with our funding," McCord said.

04-16-98