07/23/99
ATHENS, Ohio Ohio University has awarded Gateway Computers a two-year contract to equip the university's residence hall rooms with computers.
President Robert Glidden announced in May that rooms in 23 freshman residence halls would be furnished with state-of-the-art computers with Internet access and printers by fall quarter.
"We know that our students must be computer astute for nearly any pursuit in life, and that requirement will only become more intense in the future," Glidden said.
About 2,150 computers will be shipped to the university in August, equipping 1,818 rooms with computers for $1.95 million. Rooms housing up to three students will have one computer and rooms with four students will have two. Funding for the computers and an update of the residence halls' wiring comes from a student fee earmarked for capital improvements and renovation of the residence halls, said Bob Hynes, director of Residence and Campus Auxiliary Services. "We are off on the right foot, and I expect this program to provide a true advantage to Ohio University's incoming freshman," Hynes said.
The university received 20 bids for the computer contract. University officials also awarded Sophisticated Systems Inc. of Columbus a two-year contract to purchase Okidata LED printers, said Christina Ooten, director of information technology for Auxiliary Services. The university will spend about $480,000 for the printers the first year.
The university's department of Communication Network Services will install and service the computers. The computers will be equipped with software that will allow CNS support staff to remotely assist students in trouble-shooting desktop problems over the network without removing computers from the residence halls.
The remaining 2,200 residence hall rooms for upperclassmen will be equipped with computers and printers by fall quarter 2000. As technology improves, the computers will be replaced every two to three years and sold at reduced prices to students and area public schools. Ohio University is the first state-supported university in Ohio to provide first-year students with computers in their rooms.