Table of Contents

1. What is the Laptop Program?
2. Why is it so important to have standard computers on campus?
3. Why can't I just buy a computer to the specifications that the College requires instead of buying one from the College?
4. Are other colleges and universities requiring purchases like these?
5. Why does the program focus just on freshmen?
6. Can anyone other than freshmen participate?
7. Will all courses require a laptop?
8. What kind of computers will we get?
9. What are the costs involved?
10. How does this laptop compare to a similar laptop purchased at a "big box" store?
11. What kind of software will be loaded onto the laptop?
12. Do you offer any MAC's?
13. Will the college update the software?
14. Why is it to my advantage to get involved in the laptop program?
15. Who owns my laptop? Do I get to keep it?
16. What payment options do I have?
17. How will I go about downloading or installing a program for my own personal use on the computer? What restrictions will you have?
18. How do I get help if something happens to my laptop?
19. How will the information on my computer be protected if the computer breaks or something else happens to it?
20. What kind of insurance is available for my laptop?
21. Should I be concerned about someone stealing my laptop?
22. When and how do I receive my laptop?
23. What if I already have a laptop?
24. How does the laptop connect to the College?
25. Will I have to pay for an internet connection?
26. Are the laptops the only computers on campus?

1.What is the Laptop Program?

The Laptop Program is a part of the College’s effort to provide the best possible learning and study environment on its campus, resulting in an Information Technology Friendly Campus.  It is a staged program by which the College standardizes all computers used on campus to take advantage of economies of scale in using, securing, maintaining and upgrading high-tech state-of-the-art computers, software, and networks available ONLY to our students, staff, and faculty.  Beginning this year, each new freshman class will receive a high-quality computer, completely warranted for the time the student is enrolled in Newberry College.

Our graduates need to have the best possible technology skills to compete successfully in our increasingly high-tech world.  Newberry College wants the resources available to its students, staff and faculty to have access to the best available equipment of any small private college.  A key part of that is to have our campus with the best information technology affordable to a private college of our size.  We have invested in an infrastructure that will allow high speed wireless access from just about anywhere on campus.  We’re moving toward having state-of-the-art projectors and teaching aids in each of our classrooms.  Our library has embarked on a program that will put it on par with the best of libraries of its kind in technology.   A standard computer allows us to have standard software, security devices, and network controls.  It allows us to have a diagnostic service on campus that will enable us to fix any problem immediately or issue a replacement computer in its place.  It allows us to have common anti-virus protection, keeping our network free of viruses and spam.  It allows us to upgrade software for everyone as it becomes available.  With a variety of computers, each having a different software package or virus protection or memory capacity, such a secure user-friendly net would be impossible for a college like ours to maintain.

            Ideally, we would want all our users to be a part of this program.  However, we understand that most current students have already purchased computers and it would be impractical to require all students to join the program at one time.  Therefore, knowing that most students planning to attend college understand that they will have to purchase a computer, we have focused on new freshmen.  After four years, of course, all students will be in the program.

Absolutely!  The more the better.  In fact, we expect that when students and parents look at the advantages of being involved in a program like this, many will join voluntarily. If you are an upperclassman and would like to be part of the laptop program please click here.

            The choice of the best combination of textbooks, computer software, and other tools is made by the faculty on a course-by-course basis. We expect that technology will become ever more pervasive in the instructional environment as it is in other aspects of life. In any event, students can use laptops to keep notes, exchange and update notes with classmates and keep an electronic record of their academic adventure.

You will receive an IBM ThinkPad T61.   Here are some of its features/components:

1.     Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo processor

2.     Wireless ABG and Wired 10/100/1000

3.     100 GB 7200 rpm Hard Drive

4.     14" W XGA+ screen

5.     DVD R/W 

6.     5 Hours of battery life

7.     Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1 and Office 2007 Enterprise

8.     Virus/Spyware and Protection

9.What are the costs involved?

            Included in the $1800 fee are the charge for the base computer, all college-required software packages, antivirus protection, updates, general maintenance and repair, and other warranty protection.

            This computer, or one with its capabilities, would be considerably more expensive at a big box store.  And no big box store will offer the kind of on-campus service we will offer. Go to this link to see a comparison: 

The PC runs Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise SP1 operating system, Microsoft Office 2007 Enterprise, Microsoft Forefront Client Security, and Microsoft Internet Explorer 7. Once the student begins class, we'll load the computers for students who require discipline-specific software on their laptops.

            Yes.  As updates become available, we’ll update much of the software on the laptops, including computer virus protection, through periodic checks with a master server. Given that the upgrades apply to all the computers, we can upgrade them automatically.  (Try getting that at a “big box” store!)  We’ll do necessary upgrades during a pre-semester laptop check-in each year. 

·     We provide a great computer with current software and virus protection for the entire time you are at Newberry College.

·     We warranty the computer for problems not caused by negligence or carelessness for that entire period.

·     For a normal four-year student, the cost is less than $500 per year.

·     You can update your data and store it for free on our servers.

·     Our service program is unbeatable: we’ll repair it on the spot or give you a loaner configured just like the damaged computer.  We service it on campus.

·     You can share things like batteries or cables with your peers, as accessories are all interchangeable.

·     You have immediate access to the network anywhere on campus.

·     This computer will integrate with the other technology available on campus.

·     Priority internet access.

You, the student, own the laptop as soon as you pay for it.  If you leave the College, you take your laptop with you.

You have several options.  You can pay for it directly using cash, check or credit card.  Because it is considered a part of the cost of the College, you can use a student loan to pay for it.  You can also add it to your bill, and use a program like the tuition management system to pay for it monthly over your first two semesters. For questions concerning purchasing and payment options, please contact the Accounting Office at 803-321-5105 or toll free at 1-800-845-4955 ext. 5105.

17.How will I go about downloading or installing a program for my own personal use on the computer? What restrictions will you have?

The College keeps a walk-up repair center on campus, in the main entrance of East Hall.  From there, we run a Helpdesk service for basic "how-to" problems. More complex problems that do not result from negligence or carelessness are covered under our warranty. As a key feature of this program, if a laptop can't be repaired in a reasonable amount of time, we’ll give you a loaner laptop or replace your computer altogether on the spot.

Although the laptops are highly reliable, we plan for the possibility of machine failure or data corruption. If a machine is damaged, we can reload the software that we issued with the laptop. We’ll encourage you to make frequent backups of personal data, documents, and other work products on our server so that we can use it to recreate what you have on your computer without losing anything. The College will provide instruction regarding how to make backups on our server as well as provide network storage space on the server.

20.What kind of insurance is available for my computer?

21.Should I be concerned about someone stealing my computer?

In our pilot program, we issued about 253 computers.  To date, only one has been stolen, and the circumstances behind that theft were a bit unusual.  Each computer is registered in the network, so no one could use your computer on campus without it being seen and located.  However, if you are concerned, for an optional $149, you can purchase a LOJACK-like device that will be imbedded in your computer and allow it to identify itself if it were stolen and entered into any other network off-campus.  Click here for more information.

22.When and how do I receive my laptop?

We’ll issue laptops to incoming freshmen and those transfers who participate in the program during your orientation sessions, and we’ll go over all the details of the computer and the program with you then.  To receive your laptop you only need do the following:

·     Be a full-time freshman or transfer student

·     Satisfy your financial obligations to the College

·     Make sure you have your Newberry College ID card

·     Have your orientation check-in wristband

23.What if I already own a laptop?

Back to Top

            Our campus has a network campus-wide. Wireless access is available ANYWHERE on campus.  Students can also choose to use wired Ethernet in their dorm rooms if they wish.

         Newberry College's Internet service is available to all students, free of charge, while on campus, through the College infrastructure. In fact, by belonging to this program, you'll have priority access to the internet over those who are not in the program. We can be sure your machine has no viruses and no spyware. We can't be sure of other computers, so we have to ensure they are clean each time they interact with the internet. In fact, by belonging to this program, you'll have priority access to the internet over those who are not in the program. We can be sure your machine has no viruses and no spyware. We can't be sure of other computers, so we have to ensure they are clean each time they interact with the internet.

             We presently have several general use computer labs on campus.  The need for those labs will decline as more students participate in the Laptop Program, and the labs will eventually be phased out.  The College will still provide access to wireless printers on campus