University administrators are considering charging students for printing on campus in order to use the money spent on student printing for other projects. Currently, the University pays for student printing through the instructional technology fee. This is a student-assessed fee that adds $5 per credit hour to the cost of attending Nicholls.
The University set a cap at 12 credit hours on the self-assessed fee, however the state legislature allows the University to collect the fee for up to 20 credit hours.
A full-time undergraduate student at Nicholls pays 60 dollars per semester toward the instructional technology fee. If the University cap was placed at the same level as the state cap, a student
“That’s not what we are proposing at this point,” Howell said.
According to Associate Provost Larry Howell, the University would prefer to charge students per page for printing, instead of raising the cap on the instructional technology fee.
The instructional technology budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, which began July 1, is $800,000.
Some of the services the fee pays for on campus include the operation of the computer labs open for general student use, University network access, Blackboard and other computer software, as well as paper, toner, parts and repairs for student printing.
Student printing amounts for $60,000 of the budget. According to Sherry Rodrigue, assistant director of academic computing, a few years ago printing amounted for only $15,000.
“For two years straight we went over budget in printing,” Rodrigue said.
According to Rodrigue, the increase in printing costs occurred at the same time Blackboard started being used throughout the campus. With Blackboard, faculty members could post course materials online instead of making copies and handing them out in class. Printing costs in the academic departments decreased; however, students are now going to computer labs to print these materials.
An oversight committee monitors the money collected through this fee. The committee is composed of students, faculty, staff and administrators.
According to Rodrigue, some of the money used to maintain printing could also be used to maintain some of the computer labs on campus.
“One burnt light bulb in a projector costs at least $400,000 to replace, depending on the model,” Rodrigue said.
The fee is also used to assist funding of technology projects within academic departments. Proposals from departments are sent to the oversight committee, which determines the projects that are funded.
According to Rodrigue, the departments seek partial funding off-campus through grants, which help to lower the amount of funding requested from the oversight committee. The departments may use the money to maintain current facilities by updating equipment or beginning new technology projects.
“The terms of the fee states that it (revenue) must be used by students and benefit the students,” Rodrigue said.
According to Howell, if students were charged for printing, then the University would have the resources available to purchase better printers. These printers would have the ability to print in color and on both sides of the page.
The University is waiting for the oversight committee to review its budget and make a recommendation on student printing costs before making a final decision.
According to Howell, about one-third of the proposals brought before the oversight committee are funded.
“We are leaving off a lot of good projects that the fee could be used for,” Howell said.
University administrators have also asked the Student Government Association to provide recommendations. Administrators will meet with the Student Senate on Monday, Oct. 8 to discuss the proposal.
The University plans on charging students for printing as early as the start of the Spring 2008 semester.
The next meeting of the Instructional Technology Oversight Committee is scheduled for Oct. 16.
