ITD buys computers

When students return from spring break, they will find all new computers in the Angell Hall Computing Site. The efforts are a part of the University's plan to upgrade its campus computing resources - a project totaling more than $2 million.

Provost Nancy Cantor has allocated money from the University's general fund for the upgrade due to students' dissatisfaction with current resources, said associate Provost Paul Courant.

"There has been a lot of student demand for upgrading the sites," he said. "We hear it all the time."

After all of the expenses were totaled, Chief Information Officer Jose-Marie Griffiths said she was pleased with the amount of money the University saved.

Jeremy Menchik /Daily LSA senior Caroline Walker uses the computing site at Shapiro Undergraduate Library yesterday. ITD plans to upgrade more than $2 million in computers during the Spring Break this week.

"We realized we've gotten a pretty good discount, even over the educational discount we would have gotten automatically," said Griffiths, who is coordinating the program.

After first considering computer labs on campus, Griffiths said she was eager to extend the bargain prices to faculty and other University staff members. A similar initiative under discussion would allow students and other members of the University community to purchase laptops at a discounted rate, Griffiths said.

Dino Anastasia, manager of Information Technology Division Campus Computing Sites, said $1.4 million will go directly to campus computing sites. Students will see benefits from the project, he said.

"The $1.4 million allowed us to purchase over 600 new computers to be employed in sites around campus," Anastasia said.

The remaining 1,400 computers will go to various faculty departments and schools. The University purchased all the computers under deals made with four vendors - IBM, Dell, Apple and Compaq.

The University has an existing agreement with IBM called a strategic alliance program. Teaming up benefits both the University and IBM, Griffiths said.

"We agree we are looking at areas of mutual interest so we are not just a customer and they are not just selling a product," she said, adding that some of the program's goals include reassert projects that both organizations will develop together.

LSA sophomore Susan Lee, who often uses the computers in Angell Hall, said keeping technology updated is imperative to students' success.

"At the University level, you need to have the newest technology to go with changing times," Lee said.

She added that with thousands of students using the resources, making things more convenient is a question of quantity, not just quality.

"My main concern is that they should put in more computers," she said.

But Business junior Kumar Rao said the University should not be so quick to spend its money.

"I think most of the computers are OK right now - minus the ones in the (Shapiro Undergraduate Library) that are horrible and the ones in the (Michigan) Union that never work," he said. "I don't think the are that behind (on technology) at this point ... the money could be spent on other things."

About 60 percent of the computers purchased for the computing sites will be IBM compatible and 40 percent will be Macintosh, Anastasia said.

The ratio of Macintosh to IBM compatible computers on campus has changed in the last few years, Anastasia said. Before an upgrade last winter, only 30 percent of computers at campus computing sites were IBM compatible. The proportion is now more evenly split, with 55 percent Macintosh and 45 percent IBM compatible.

IT began purchasing less Macintosh computers to provide more options to students, Anastasia said.

The department is "shifting the ratio a bit to be a little more in line with what students bring in to the University," he said. IBM compatible computers "are more likely what they're familiar with."

02-26-99