2008 Woodie Awards
NEW PRINTING POLICY
Computing Services Implements New Swipe Policy in All Labs
Issue date: 10/7/08 Section: News
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One of the many improvements within the R-N facilities is the new printing system that requires all students and faculty members to swipe their R-N ID card in order for print jobs to be released.
Computer labs located in Hill Hall, Dana Library, the Center for Law and Justice, and Engelhardt Hall are frequently filled with students that need to print documents daily. As students would click away to print their papers, sometimes their work would get lost within another's print job, which caused them to have to print again.
With wasted paper and the traffic at the printers as students would accumulate to search for their documents, the Newark Computing Services sought to create a new policy that would regulate printing in an organized manner for students.
Karen Swift, associate director of information technologies at Newark Computing Services, was a part of the Print Conservation Project that initialized the new printing system at R-N.
"It can be seen for environmental reasons and fiscal reasons, but it's definitely to keep everything structured. Sometimes people would forget about their print jobs and so with this new system, it is more controlled because it requires anybody who wants to print to be logged on and to have a Rutgers ID," Swift explained.
Initially, the idea of using the ID to release print jobs was used only for color printers in certain labs at R-N during the fall 2007 semester. As Swift observed that there were no complaints, Computing Services decided to have it expanded to all printers.
Swift also comments that it was an Office of Information Technology (OIT) initiative to have this printing policy at the Newark Campus for it had already begun over at the Camden and New Brunswick universities.
The only difference of the printing policy at the R-N campus from the others is that there is no limit of printing.
"At Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-New Brunswick campus, there is a 750 pg limit every six months that varies between how many black and white sheets and color sheets can be allowed before charges are applied," said Swift.
But, not all students are fully aware of how this new method works in the R-N computer labs and are left thinking that they will receive charges after exceeding a limit like they hear from friends attending the other universities.
Senior Carolina Medrano finds herself printing about twenty to thirty pages a week and hopes not find any charges made out to her.
"I like the new printing system. It just takes two seconds, to touch a screen and print it. But I am curious to know if there are going to be charges now or later this year," said Medrano.
Dr. Marie J. Botticelli, director of Newark Computing Services, explains that If NCS is ready to implement a limit or charges, "we will absolutely notify the students as soon as it happens."
As much as it would seem a profit gain in the future if there had to be charges, Botticelli says that it would not be about making money, but about being prud
"It's important to know that very few students abuse printing, but there are some that print for personal purposes that are for organizations outside of Rutgers-Newark. It isn't an appropriate use of the student fees if people are using it for other purposes besides for their academics or student organizations," said Dr. Botticelli.
With student organizations and notes up on Blackboard, students are always printing more than thirty to fifty page documents a week.
The printing policy has been established for students to print more carefully and also to notify students that are printing excessively to stop or receive special permission if they need it.
Dr. Botticelli plans on having a future meeting with student leaders of organizations to discuss print management and conservation because they are usually in need of printing a lot of their announcements on campus.
Junior Alfredo Velez sees the printers with the new ID scanner as "smart and effective."
"It keeps everything under control because there isn't a mess anymore. Before, some people would print a billion things and leave it behind. Now, it's more organized and I bet it saves money," said Velez.
As Swift and Dr. Botticelli have heard positive feedback about students not losing their print jobs, they hope that everyone enjoys the new system and be practical when they are in the computer labs.
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