Purpose
The Journalism Computer Replacement Policy (JCRP) program is intended to subsidize the regular, four-year replacement of primary desktop/laptop computers in the School of Journalism and Communication (SOJC); improving record keeping of inventory and licenses, and lowering the cost of computers and desktop support services to the School of Journalism and Communication, and the University of Oregon.
The intent is to ensure eligible faculty and staff have primary computers that are not older than four years. Eligible faculty and staff can order a subsidized computer once in every four-year JCRP cycle.
Eligibility
The SOJC has established the following eligibility guidelines. To be eligible for the JCRP, the user must be .5 FTE or above (annually) with the SOJC, this includes:
- Classified staff
- Officers of Administration
- Faculty
Users who are not eligible:
- Retired faculty or faculty on Tenure Reduction Program (TRP)
- TTF, NTTF, and staff below 0.5 FTE annually with the SOJC
- Graduate Employees
- Pro Tempore (Adjunct) Faculty and temporary employees
- Student employees and/or department computers
Computers for new positions are initially funded by the hiring authority/department and are then incorporated into the standard JCRP as a standard four-year replacement.
Purchasing Guidelines
Subsidy
SOJC will provide a $2,000 subsidy for any eligible JCRP employee. Any purchases made outside of the JCRP process will not be reimbursed or subsidized by SOJC. All JCRP purchases must be a new computer and have a warranty attached.
If faculty have resources available to them (e.g., Academic Support Account (ASA) index, Chair funds, or any other index/fund type) these funds should be used first to pay for the remaining balance of the JCRP purchase. If those funds are not sufficient then the home department must pay for the remaining balance of the JCRP purchase.
In the case of a new JCRP computer costing less than the allocated subsidy, that money will not be cashed out, or otherwise saved for the future. As specified in the SOJC Computer Purchase Overview, standards are established by User Support Services (USS).
Requests for new computers outside the four-year cycle will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and fall under the Custom Computers policy below.
Ownership
All computers purchased via the JCRP, or computers purchased with ASA, Research, or Departmental funds are owned by the university with the employee they are purchased for being the primary user. They cannot be kept by the employee post severance with the university. The university cannot legally sell them to the individual when they leave the university. Upon retirement and/or severance all computers and UO-owned devices must be returned to the university.
If there are any questions regarding device ownership, please contact USS.
Computers that are not returned post-retirement and/or severance may be treated as stolen and reported to the appropriate authorities.
Final Invoice
SOJC Business Office will charge an index (or indices) provided by the department. Please note that the JCRP subsidy will first be applied to the mandatory primary machine’s warranty and then the remainder will be applied to the primary machine cost.
Standard Computers
USS has established computer standards for UO employees which can be found here.
The choice between these options is up to the employee, or the hiring authority based on workload and work environment (whether stationary at a desk all day or frequent traveling between offices/locations/teaching spaces).
For employees handling Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Foundation materials, or any other protected information, storage encryption is mandatory on all UO-owned laptops, with optional (discretion of hiring/employing department) encryption for desktop computers.
Data backups for employee computers owned by the SOJC is provided via UO's central Code42/Crashplan service. This is budgeted and paid for out of the SOJC budget.
If there are any questions, comments, or requests about these standards, please contact User Support Services via the service portal for a consultation appointment.
Custom Computers
This category is for users whose needs are not met by the User Support Services standard computer options. User Support Services can work with individuals and departments to customize computers to suit specific needs. The following guidelines apply:
- Orders must be placed through User Support Services, after a required User Support Services consultation to establish how user needs can be best met with a custom solution.
- Custom computers must be either:
- A laptop that will serve as a primary workstation. OR;
- A workstation configured to include a single primary display, keyboard, and mouse.
- Custom computers must include a three-plus-year warranty.
- User Support Services will only purchase from these authorized vendors:
- Apple
- CDW-G (campus required vendor)
- Dell
SOJC will not subsidize:
- Tablets, iPads, or other mobile devices.
- Computers built from individually sourced components.
- Computers bought by departments outside of the four-year JCRP cycle.
Emergency Computer Replacement
Emergency computer replacement is available on a case-by-case basis for JCRP computers. A machine is eligible for an emergency replacement if the warranty has expired and:
- Critical failure has occurred
- Attempts to repair computer have failed
- The cost to repair is greater than the cost to replace
Failure repairs and/or replacement costs due to negligence, or misuse, will be the responsibility of the employee, or the managing department. Otherwise, emergency replacement outside of warranty, but before normal JCRP replacement, will fall under the policy below.
Partial funding for emergency replacements is available on a pro-rated basis, based on time since the last JCRP replacement. For example, if it has been two years since a replacement, the JCRP program will supply one-half of its normal subsidy toward a replacement computer. The remainder of the cost must be covered by the employee’s home department, ASA funds, and/or personal funds.
JCRP Process
Timeline
July 1 – Those eligible for computer replacements are identified.
July 15-20 – Eligible users are notified, and asked to select a new machine from available options.
August 5 – Computers are ordered.
September 10-20 – Computers arrive, are configured, and users contacted to coordinate data migration.
Total Estimated JCRP order and delivery completion time: 6-7 weeks
Ordering and Delivery
USS can assist with answering technical questions, building computer specifications, and track your computer purchase.
When the employee’s scheduled time arrives, they will receive an order form for their JCRP machine selection via email. USS will use this information to build a quote for Department Manager approval.
Once approved:
- USS will place the JCRP order.
- JCRP orders typically arrive in 6-7 weeks.
Once a JCRP purchase has arrived, USS will:
- Perform required inventory procedures.
- Install administrative tools required to keep software current, and backed up.
- Install any requested software.
- Perform data migration if requested.
- Deliver machine to the end-user.