Overview
The purpose of the following document is to establish a set of computer standards, as well as define how employee and lab computers are purchased, replaced, reused, and how surplus is handled (this is often referred to as Asset Management). The benefit is a transparent and predictable process for the SOJC and UO community; as well as a simplification of the budgeting process for the hiring of new employees and creation of positions, including replacement computers for current employees through the Journalism Computer Replacement Program (JCRP).
Information
Standards
User Support Services 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 (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 emergency replacement if the warranty has expired and:
- Critical failure has occurred
- Attempts to repair computer have failed
- Cost to repair is greater than 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 last JCRP replacement. For example, if it has been two years since a replacement, the JCRP program will supply one-half of it’s 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.
Process
For NEW positions, computers are to be funded by the hiring authority/department. For VACANT positions, the new employee inherits the pre-existing computer – unless the hiring department wishes to fund a new computer purchase. Standards and consultation rules still apply to these purchases. Once a hire is made, the employee (if eligible, as defined in the JCRP document) becomes enrolled in the JCRP and will be eligible for a replacement computer stipend every four years there-after. As specified in the JCRP document, once a computer is replaced by this process, the previous computer must be returned to User Support Services.
Multiple Computers
User Support Services will support up to one desktop computer and one laptop per employee, or two laptop computers where appropriate for the employee (note: the JCRP computer stipend applies per employee, not per computer). Additional computers are not supported. Only one computer per employee is covered by the JCRP (“Primary”). “Secondary” computers must be upgraded with alternate funds. As stated, JCRP replaced computers must be returned to User Support Services. Any computer purchased with any portion of University funds cannot be kept by the employee for personal use.
Student Employees/Departmental Computers
Student Employee computers and/or Departmental Computers are purchased by the hiring department, or if available, allocated from the User Support Services and/or SOJC surplus computer pool. Upgrades/replacements of Student Employee/Departmental computers is the responsibility of the department or may be supplied from the User Support Services surplus pool. The minimum time between computer replacements from the User Support Services surplus pool is 2 years, baring computer failure (at which point, a similar computer, if available, will be provided). As with the standards above, any computer needs other than a Macintosh computer will require a consultation with User Support Services.
GE Computers
Graduate Employee and other “Bullpen” computers are supplied out of the User Support Services/SOJC surplus pool, usually consisting of former computer lab Macintosh computers. Alternate operating systems are not supported in GE or “Bullpen” offices due to the need to keep GE computers consistent with the User Support Services Computer labs.
Lab Computers
SOJC Lab computers (Digital Commons, Franklin and/or Turnbull) are replaced/upgraded on four year cycles, with one quarter of the lab computers generally being replaced every year. The Lab computer configurations are prepared by the User Support Services Lab team, and approved by the SOJC Faculty Technology Committee.
Any custom computer lab hardware needs must be discussed with the User Support Services lab team at least two terms (six months) prior to requirement, and cleared by the SOJC Tech Committee (the body responsible for Academic Technology governance). User Support Services will assist in the process of Tech Committee review.
Surplus Computers
After a Lab computer replacement cycle, the surplus computers are usually re-purposed for GE/Bullpen use. The former GE/Bullpen computers, if still within usable lifetime, are then re-purposed within the SOJC, or offered to other departments on campus. Computers outside their usable lifetime are either donated to local K-12 institutions, or sent to Salem for auction. The SOJC, and UO, cannot sell or otherwise give any SOJC or UO owned property to individuals.