Ashland University
Information Technology Update
2008-2009 Academic Year
On behalf of the staff and students working within the Office of Information Technology, we wish you a safe and enjoyable summer and look forward to your arrival in August. The Office of Information Technology (IT) provides many services to our residential and commuter students and we are always looking for new ways to enhance the technology offered at the university.
Ashland University recommends students bring their own portable (laptop/notebook) computers to campus. A majority of students now bring their computers but you will also have access to the fixed and mobile computer systems at various locations throughout the campus as well as having 24x7 access to the main student computer lab in Patterson 200. Having your own computer system will not only benefit your academic experience but enhance your ability to communicate with family, friends and classmates anytime and complete class assignments in the comfort of your room, in the Student Center, Recreation Center, or at any number of wireless enabled places on campus (see the campus wireless coverage map at (http://tech.ashland.edu/wirelessnetwork.html).
To support the recommendation to bring a portable computer system to campus, we have established arrangements with Dell and Apple to carry systems tailored to the needs of our students at preferred university prices through the Personal Computing Purchase Program
(http://tech.ashland.edu/pcpurchase.html). This site is updated quarterly and carries the following systems:
-
Mid-Range Laptop or High-End Laptop
-
Desktop PC
-
MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and iMac
Students are encouraged to select the system that best meets their current and anticipated needs based on their program of interest. For instance, an English or Education major may wish to opt for the Mid-Range Laptop or Mac, while a Computer Science or Finance major may wish to opt for the High-End Laptop. Additionally, some students will find that a laptop purchased at the start of their first academic year will last them the full four years of their academic program. Others may find their needs surpass the functionality of their laptop after their second or third academic year.
Additional Considerations - The systems AU has identified are designed to provide students affordable choices that meet their personal computing and communication needs. Additional things that should be considered when purchasing a computer for use in a campus environment include:
Minimum Requirements: The recommended systems are configured with the minimum requirements. Systems may be customized based on your requirements (additional memory, larger hard drive, etc.). Students are encouraged to use these specifications when shopping for systems offered by other vendors.
Highly Recommended Items: Ad-Aware/Malware removal software, Accidental Damage Insurance (through Dell or Apple), a high quality laptop locking device, Theft Protection Insurance (typically an addition to a homeowner's insurance policy), and a Printer (typically inkjet). See information below concerning Microsoft Office Suite and Anti-virus software.
Options: Carrying Case, Headphones, Speakers
Supplies: The AU Bookstore carries many computer related supplies such as paper, storage media, patch cables, flash drives, USB cables, etc. and other supplies can be ordered upon request.
During the semester, it will be important to take the following actions to ensure your computer is operating efficiently and is free from spy-ware:
- Update your computer with the most current Microsoft Windows Update(s)
- Perform an Ad-Ware/Malware scan to remove unnecessary files acquired from the Internet
Some free tools include:
-
Lavasoft Ad-aware (http://www.lavasoft.com/)
-
Spybot - Search and Destroy (http://www.spybot.com/)
-
Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)
Other Student Computing Initiatives:
-
Gmail for Students - All AU students have Gmail accounts. More information can be found at http://tech.ashland.edu/gmail.htm.
-
Cisco Clean Access Requirements - To gain access to the campus network, student systems will be required to have anti-virus software and the latest software updates from Microsoft installed. The FAQ can be found at http://tech.ashland.edu/training/faqmain1.html.
-
Anti-Virus Software - AU can provide Trend Micro anti-virus to full-time students who authenticate through Clean Access at the main campus.
-
Microsoft Office Suite - AU has licensed Microsoft Office Suite for all students. MS Office 2007 is available for PC users and MS Office 2008 is available for Mac users (http://tech.ashland.edu/MSOfficeMedia.html).
-
Ruckus Music Service - AU has evaluated online music service providers and will be offering this service to full-time undergraduate students this fall through Ruckus Network Inc. (http://tech.ashland.edu/RuckusMusic.html).
Other Computer Resources - If you choose not to bring a computer to campus you may use the systems available in the Library, Patterson 200, or use the laptops available for checkout from the Book Store or Safety Services located in the Hawkins-Conard Student Center. The laptops may be checked out for 2 hours at a time and have access to the wireless network anywhere in the building. It should be noted that students with personal laptops with 802.11b/g (or compatible protocol) wireless cards can also use them in the Student Center to connect to the AU network and the Internet. The Patterson 200 computer lab is accessed via your EagleCard (card swipe reader on the door). This lab contains 51 desktop PC's and 3 Apple desktop computers. Black and white laser printing is available in the lab as well as color printing. Items printed in color can be picked up at the Help Desk in 100 PTC (there is a $0.10 per page charge for color printing).
Network/Internet Access - All rooms in the residence halls have network connections available. In order to connect, you will need to have a patch cable (this physically connects your computer to the network jack in the wall) and a 10/100 Ethernet network card. Almost all portable (notebook) computers come with an Ethernet card already installed while patch cords are available at most electronics stores. The first time you connect to the Internet, you will be prompted to register your computer via Cisco Clean Access. After you have registered and rebooted, you will be free to access the AU computing resources and the Internet.
Wireless Access - Wireless access is available in many locations on campus and wireless access is available in the common areas of the residence halls.
Resources Available to Students - All students receive an ashland.edu GMail account with over 6 GB of storage as well as a network account with 200 MB of storage as part of their personal H:/ drive which includes webpage storage. A full list of resources is available at the IT web page (http://tech.ashland.edu/). All students are expected to be familiar with the Acceptable Use Policy and other policies governing the use of technology at AU (http://tech.ashland.edu/pol-accept.html).
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the Information Technology Help Desk at 419-289-5405 x1 or email help@ashland.edu. We look forward to seeing you in the fall!
Curtis White, Vice President of Information Technology