This article will These articles outline some of the ITS Policies and procedures for campus use. Questions about any information in this page on these pages should be addressed with ITS management.
Provided MVNU Equipment
ITS is tasked with providing equipment to employees for use on campus. This policy walks through the process we undertake to ensure the equipment purchased conforms to a standard and is maintained throughout its' life-cycle.
Standardized Hardware
ITS' Assistant Director of Support, in conjunction with the ITS asset manager evaluate hardware on a regular basis, determining the best model and specifications to be provided to campus for the year. This determination is based upon Operating System, software, performance needs, and the continual advance of technology and increase/decrease of costs each year.
This allows us to determine based on a per-person cost, the equipment that is purchased. We allocate funds for each FTE equal to the cost for the following:
Computer (primarily a laptop)
Dual monitors (or a laptop screen with a second screen)
Docking Station (for a laptop) that can connect multiple external devices (power, USB, Ethernet, etc…) to the laptop
Standardized Software
In order to provide the best possible experience to the MVNU community, ITS utilizes a process known as “imaging” which allows us to create a standardized operating system, settings and configuration standards, along with default software (Office, Adobe, Papercut, Sophos, etc…).
Purchasing MVNU owned Equipment
ITS is tasked with making the most of the budget we’ve been given and as such utilizes our equipment throughout most of its intended life-cycle. As an example, a laptop purchased in 2020 will be deployed to a full-time staff/faculty (Tier 1) for 5 years. When they are due for a replacement, we take the previous computer, refurbish it and make it available for Adjunct / Student workstations. It is there for an additional 5 years or until the computer dies (whichever comes first). At that point, we refurbish it again, reset it to factory settings, and prepare it for donation among the campus community.
Because we have an intentional 10-year cycle for each device, the option to purchase the computer from MVNU is not an option. Each piece of equipment is carefully tracked and planned for re-deployment throughout its entire life-span and to lose it would prevent its continued usefulness to campus.
At the end of your employment or when your equipment is upgraded, the option to purchase the computer is not possible. Because MVNU is a non-profit institution, our equipment cannot be bought or redeployed if it is still within its expected life cycle. Also, MVNU deploys a myriad of institution-owned software that must be removed in order for someone to keep the equipment.
If, however, you’re looking to purchase a computer, we’ve put together this handy article to help address information you might want to know when shopping for a computer. ITS will gladly look over the specs of any system you find online and provide you a list of pros and cons to help you make an educated purchase.