In the heart of the information age, colleges and universities across the country are doing all they can to keep up with technology, and one strategy being used to keep pace with the speed of change is to include personal computing in more aspects of college life.
A majority of colleges provide computer labs and other technology to students, but within the last decade, some schools have transferred the responsibility of computing to students by requiring them to own a computer.
Michigan State University is one of several institutions considering policies to require students to own a personal computer.
"We want every student to be able to own a computer, not just the two-thirds (of students) who are able to afford it now," said Paul Hunt, vice provost for libraries, computing and technology at MSU.
By requiring MSU undergraduate students to own either a laptop or desktop computer, the cost of the computer could be added to the student's tuition bill, thereby allowing the cost of the computer to fall under financial aid.
Originally, the program called for all students to own laptops, but student and faculty complaints allowed for the option of either laptop or desktop computers, Hunt said.
After a year of ironing out the kinks, the program is now being reviewed by MSU's committee on academic policy, and it could possibly go in front of the school's board of trustees for a vote by January.
If passed, it would probably be implemented for the 2001 fall semester.
Hunt said the reasoning behind that date is that "by 2005 the expectations of employers will probably be for students to be versed in using laptop computers."
Hunt also said that in today's business
10-21-99
| Previous Article | Next Article |
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |