Since the beginning of the semester, the Office of Information Technology (IT) has made changes to the computer labs across campus. While some computers have been removed, printing resources have also been upgraded. This was in response to feedback, focus groups and a Hilltop Views article published last October, “Printers cannot keep up with demand.”

Sharla Kew, IT Communication Facilitator, and Danny Lorenty, IT Project and Customer Service Operations Manager, clarified the changes taking place.

“In general, across campus we’ve had an increase in computers over the last couple of years,” Kew said. In addition, “[the feedback] we’ve been mostly getting from students is that they want more work space, not just computers” Kew said.

IT has drawn upon feedback while revamping the Johnson computer lab. They replaced old computers with fewer but newer machines. The newly-freed space is being converted into flexible study areas. IT has added USB ports for users to charge phones, and laptop users can access a wireless printer.

In addition to the Johnson lab, IT has added wireless printers to other areas across campus. “We put a wireless printer [in the Moody Atrium] so any folks working in that space can send their print job,” Lorenty said. The library also has a wireless printer. Wireless printing instructions are next to each printer. Additionally, Moody 207, which used to be solely the Mac lab is now a Quick Print lab, Kew said. “The Quick Print stations have solid state hard drives, so they’re really fast,” Kew said.

If finding a computer on campus is an issue, Lorenty pointed out that the St. Edward’s app shows the number of computers available in the labs in realtime. 

“A lot of the moves we make…are based on feedback,” Lorenty said. “We also really want feedback on what’s the best way to communicate with students,” Kew said.

Katharina Weber, junior Biochemistry major, is a commuter student who frequently uses the computer labs. “I use the Johnson one primarily and they cut half the computers in there,” Weber said, which she said has made it more difficult for her to print documents for class.

Weber hasn’t tried wireless printing yet, but she does not necessarily see that as a good replacement option for fewer computers. “It’s not [going to be] as helpful on days when I forget my laptop. I can’t print wirelessly when I don’t have a laptop.”