Division of Student Affairs Annual Report 2018-19
Bobcat Depot
Highlights
1,200
online sales orders
11,000
identification cards printed
$5,423,017
in budget
$5,319,330
in expenses
As Ohio University’s one-stop-shop for all computer needs on campus, Bobcat Depot is an authorized Apple Campus Store and reseller for Lenovo and Microsoft Surface products.
In January 2019, Bobcat Depot introduced a new website and continued to offer a variety of OHIO apparel and gifts for students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members in-store and online. In 2018-19, over 1,200 online orders were filled resulting in $1,110,615 in online sales.
Bobcat Depot hosted four Apple training sessions highlighting the capabilities of Apple products and their associated software last year. OIT techs are also housed within Bobcat Depot providing walk-up tech support to approximately 500 customers per month.
During Bobcat Student Orientation Bobcat Depot printed approximately 4,000 new university identification cards for incoming first-year students. They also printed approximately 7,000 replacement (lost or damaged) IDs for faculty, staff and students throughout the year.
Bobcat Depot offers fingerprint/background check services for BCI (state of Ohio) and FBI to OHIO faculty, staff and students, as well as community members. Last year Bobcat Depot processed approximately 6,000 background checks for the Athens and university communities.
A new device trade-in program was launched in 2019 and allows customers to trade in their personally-owned used devices and receive a Bobcat Depot gift card to use towards the purchase of a new device, tech accessories, extended warranty options or even OHIO merchandise.
Bobcat Depot hosted many events this year including two free demonstration and device-set up sessions for faculty and staff, a welcome back event to remind students of Bobcat Depot's technology services and the annual National Student Appreciation Day, which promoted social responsibility in college students.
In 2018-19 Bobcat Depot processed approximately 300 accidental warranty claims for tech equipment for OHIO students. The store offered loaner laptops to students so they would not be without a device while they waited for their computers to be repaired.