 Click on a question to see how CWU technology measures up.
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What you pay for and what you get |
There is a strong connection between the quality of technology services and the associated costs. There is also a wide variation in the ways campuses charge for these services. To evaluate the benefits you will receive and to compare costs, you'll need answers to these questions.
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What, if any, technology fee is charged by the campus? What does it cover?
CWU currently has a $25.00/quarter technology fee for full time students. The fee is prorated for students that are less than full time. The majority of the fee is used to pay for students who assist in the numerous open computer labs across campus, but it also provides for student web space, email services, printing in the labs, and much more. $50,000 of the fee is used annually to help replace older computers in the open labs, and an additional $50,000 is available for student approved technology projects and initiatives which support the general student population. More information is available at the technology fee website at www.cwu.edu/~techfee/.
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Will you be required to purchase you own computer equipment and software?
Students are not required to purchase a computer, although having your own computer is highly recommended. Labs and other resources are available for students who do not have their own computer. Students are required to purchase their own software, if it is to be loaded on their personal computer. The Wildcat Shop (bookstore) has great discounts on personal computers (PCs and Macs) and a variety of software products and operating systems. In 2006, approximately 98% of the incoming students had their own computer, and nearly 95% of these were PCs. Recommended hardware and software configurations can be found at www.cwu.edu/~its/recommended.html. To maximize mobility, the number of students choosing laptops or tablets over desktop computers is increasing steadily, with about 50% of students choosing laptops at this time.
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Does the campus make computing and network access financially accessible? Is special student pricing offered for computers and peripheral equipment?
Technology access if very financially accessible at CWU. Usage of the open labs is included in the $25.00 technology fee, and there is no additional fee for Internet access on campus. The CWU Bookstore (Wildcat Shop) has great discounts on many popular brands of PCs and Apple computers, as well as Microsoft software and other products. Check it out at www.cwu.edu/~store.
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What hardware and software standards, if any, does the campus require, recommend, and/or support?
The CWU Information Technology Services (ITS) Department, in conjunction with the various departments on campus, has published a recommended configuration for computers on campus. These recommendations are available at www.cwu.edu/~its/recommended.html, and are updated as technology requirements change across the University.
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What kinds of support services (help desk, training, troubleshooting) are provided by the campus, and when are they available?
CWU's ITS Office maintains a Helpdesk which is available 5 days/week from 8AM to 5PM. This office provides support services for students, faculty and staff. In addition, ITS has staff dedicated to supporting students living in the Residence Halls primarily for assisting them in gaining access to the Internet and utilizing the technology resources available to them. CWU staff is not authorized to work on (repair, upgrade, etc.) personally owned computers. ITS will provide resources to assist students in setting up their computer for automatic virus updates, Microsoft patch updates, and will provide assistance in configuring laptops to access the University's wireless and wired networks. For repairs or upgrades, students are referred to several shops in Ellensburg which provide these services.
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Does the campus have a plan for keeping its hardware and software current, and if so, what is the replacement cycle?
CWU has a technology plan for assuring that our technology remains current. Currently, the replacement cycle is approximately 4 years for all computers, although the ITS department makes sure that computers in critical areas are replaced every 2 to 3 years, and the older computers are located in areas where the latest technology is not a critical requirement.
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If you bring your own computer to school, what kind of technical support can you expect from the campus?
CWU has staff to assist students with using the technology available from the University, and other IT services such as email, file services, and more. CWU personnel, however, are not authorized to work on personally owned computers brought to the University by faculty, staff or students. This includes upgrades, repairs, etc. Several businesses are located in Ellensburg (many adjacent to the campus) which provide excellent service. For students connecting their computers in the Residence Halls, IT personnel are available to assist with configuration changes and other support necessary to get the computers operational on the Residential Network (RESNET).
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How does the campus support printing for students, and is there a charge for this service?
Printing is available in all open computer labs on campus including printing from the wireless laboratories in the SURC and Library. These computers/printers are only accessible to personnel with a valid CWU network account. The cost of printing in the labs is currently covered by the $25/quarter student technology fee. CWU highly recommends that students have their own printer for use at home or in the Residence Halls, as the labs are not open 24x7.
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Does the campus provide wireless network coverage? If so, how much of the campus has wireless connectivity?
CWU has a very secure and extensive wireless capability in the main portion of the campus (academic, student services, and administrative buildings), and many outdoor areas throughout the campus. Information on how to connect to the wireless network, where coverage exists, and more is available at www.cwu.edu/~wireless. Currently wireless does not exist in the Residence Halls, but there is a high-speed wired "port per pillow" in all Residence Halls. Plans are being made to implement wireless in the Residence Halls in the near future.
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What security measures are provided by the institution's IT department and what will be the student's responsibility (for example, antivirus software)?
CWU has numerous security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access to the Campus network, student information, and more. Students are required to have current anti-virus software loaded on their computers, and have their systems configured to accept the latest Microsoft Security Patches. It should be noted that the Administrative/Academic Network and Residential Network are totally separate. More "freedom" is allowed in usage of the Residential Network, therefore more responsibility is placed on each student to assure that their system is protected from viruses, spyware, and more. CWU does not restrict where students can go on the Residential Network.
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Does the campus include the cost of technical accessories (for example, a technology-enable note-taking pen that provides an interface to a CMS) in its technology fee, or are students required to purchase these items separately?
On few occasions, these items are included in the cost of a specific course. The University Student Technology Fees do not cover the cost of technical accessories; however some courses taught at CWU do have an additional technology fee related to that course, which will cover many of these costs. CWU has made a strong effort to keep the overall Student Technology Fee low. The fee has not changed in 10 years, and therefore does not cover costs associated with specific classes. The fee is used to support technology open to all students such as laptops for checkout, open lab support, and more. CWU's technology fee is currently one of the lowest in the State, but we are still able to provide some of the most modern and available technology to our students.
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Does the campus support the purchase and use of e-textbooks? Do the baseline hardware and software standards support this technology?
CWU does not currently support the purchase and use of e-textbooks, but the Wildcat Shop (CWU Bookstore) is working closely with our textbook vendors to pursue e-textbooks when they become a more viable option for students. CWU's baseline hardware and software standards will support this technology, but for maximum benefit, the ITS Department recommends tablet computers and tablet operating systems to receive full advantage.
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