Computing and Information Technology removed computers and printers in residence halls for the new semester due to increasing long-term costs. The college plans to increase access to 24-hour “document centers,” where students would be able to print either color or grayscale documents (UdeshI Seneviratne/photo editor).
Computing and Information Technology analyzed 2017 usage data and found that only 10 percent of all printing on-campus was done in residence halls, leading to the decision to reduce computers and printers, according to Support Services Manager Nik Varrone.
In addition to low use, there were also countless occurrences of damaged or defective equipment and stolen paper, according to Director of Student Life Charles Matthews.
“There were instances of damage that occurred to the units and then there were instances of paper being taken out of the unit without printing it,” Matthews said. “It was actually being taken out of the paper tray.”
The printers would often run out of toner ink, which would involve a long process to replace, according to Varrone.
“The printers were fairly low quality; they were black and white only. They had some toner issues,” Varrone said. “What would happen was that they would run out of toner and there was a very long process between the resident assistant, the resident director, to Student Life, to us to get toner to go back into those things.”
Maintaining the printers in the residence halls led to long-term rising costs, according to Varrone.
“Even though the big function devices are very expensive, it costs the college less overall,” Varrone said. “The little inkjet printers were actually more expensive in the long run because the cartridges would actually cost more.”
CIT provided a solution that would attempt to find a way to be economical but useful for students, according to Matthews. The plan would create “document centers” with brand new printers across campus which students would be able to access 24 hours a day.
The new printers—which can print in both grayscale and color—are located in Letchworth Dining Hall, Saratoga Commons and Red Jacket Dining Hall, according to Matthews. Currently, a printer in Saratoga Commons is available to all residents, even outside of the townhouses 24-hours a day.
The move was met with mixed reactions from students like resident assistant senior Adnan Ahmad who wanted better communication from the college and CIT regarding the matter.
“I think it was really convenient to have them in the residence halls, people always do homework really late at night and then have to print stuff later on,” Ahmad said. “I let [residents] know that they’re in the dining halls now somewhere but even then, the dining halls close so they don’t have access to printers anymore which kind of upsets them sometimes.”
A petition entitled “Printers back in residence halls” that was created on Geneseo Speaks received 114 signatures between Monday Sept. 3 and Thursday Sept. 6.
Other students understood the reasoning behind the decision to remove printers but would have preferred prior notice. This was a specific sentiment of English and adolescent education double major junior Elizabeth Ramsay.
“It was really nice to have them there and accessible for last minute things,” Ramsay said. “If people weren’t using it that much I understand, but still it would have been nice to have a heads up that they’re not here anymore.”
The college understands the reactions from students to the change and hopes to improve accessibility to printers on-campus, according to Matthews.
“Technology is constantly changing, so we’re looking for ways to manage that change but still to be able to do it in a way that we can afford,” Matthews said. “I try to keep costs to the minimal but at the same time provide at least a reasonable option for students.”
Staff writer Annie Renaud contributed reporting to this article.