Laptop, Wireless, and Classroom Initiatives

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Faculty laptops

University funds have been allocated for this initiative for the 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 academic years. Laptops will be provided to faculty through a three-year lease and refresh program, with one-third of the full-time equivalent faculty receiving a new laptop each year.

After extensive consultation with IETCC, the Academic Information Technology Committee, the ThinkPad University Committee, the council of deans, ITS, and many other groups, the University distributed a Request for Proposals (RFP) to include a major partnership and procurement of faculty laptops.  Three major vendors responded to the request for proposals. One of them (Dell) provided the best pricing structure, as well as an agreement to provide funding towards the campus’s other technology initiatives. In order to get laptops into the hands of interested faculty members before summer, the first order of 277 laptops will consist of the Dell Latitude C840, which will arrive on campus about May 15. These laptops are well configured (Pentium 4 processor - 1.4 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 30 GB harddrives, IEEE 1394 connectivity, built-in wireless and ethernet as well as K56+ modem, CD/RW and DVD combo drives, etc.) and will come with a port replicator, 17" LCD flat panel monitor, keyboard, mouse, and carrying case. The lease arrangements will include an excellent repair and support program (including damage); additionally, insurance against theft or loss is being arranged.

The substantial price discount in the Dell partnership agreement applies not only to laptops for faculty, students, and staff (as well as private purchases for personal use) and also extends to other Dell products. Special web-based procurement procedures and tools are now being developed and will be available for use about May 15th.  Every laptop over the first 1,000 purchased before December, 2002 will result in a 10% rebate to the campus. In addition, Dell will provide $360,000 towards our technology needs. Beginning next year, the campus will receive rebates on all Dell products, not just on laptops.  The portal for Dell's Fresno State special pricing is now available.

The details of the distribution process are still being finalized. The laptops will be “imaged” with university-licensed software including Windows XP, Office XP, Internet Explorer, FrontPage, Micrograde, Meeting Maker, and Informed Filler, allowing for rapid restoration of the operating system and software in case of hard drive failure. College technicians may provide additional software, and, of course, individual faculty members are free to install software of their choice. Obviously, a major concern is the migration of data from the current desktop computer to the new laptop and customization of personal settings. School/college technicians are working on ways to facilitate these processes. The laptops are intended to become the primary faculty workstation, and existing desktops are expected to be redeployed at the school/college level.  How particular old desktops are handled is expected to grow out of appropriate consultation among the deans, chairs, and respective faculty, including provision for some faculty retaining desktop computers where justified.

The biannual faculty technology survey (http://www.csufresno.edu/ait/) shows that about one-third of the faculty uses Macintosh computers. The Dell proposal came in at $1,168 less than a comparably equipped Macintosh G4 laptop. Even without considering the commitment from Dell to provide funding for classroom and wireless technology, the cost difference to provide Apple laptops to one third of the full-time equivalent faculty would exceed 1.2 million dollars over the nine-year life of the partnership.  It is clear that some faculty members will have demonstrable needs for alternative platforms, and procedures are being developed to ensure that those needs are met.  The Standards on Hardware and Software Committee is new and will be developing procedures and criteria; it has yet to review a proposal addressing the needs for an alternative platform from a school or department (or for faculty generally).