Tech Policies
Liberal Arts Faculty Computer Replacement Program
The College of Liberal Arts provides each full-time, tenure-track faculty member their choice of Dell or Mac desktop or laptop to use during their appointment. Your computer is eligible for replacement every five years.
Who is eligible?
Full-time, tenure-track faculty qualify for this program. At this time, we are unable to accommodate requests for loaners for adjuncts, affiliate professorships, post-doctoral candidates, and graduate students, teaching assistants, staff or workstudy students.
Replacement Requests
After five years in service, our office will contact faculty and guide them through the upgrade cycle. If you are on sabbatical, we will contact you for replacement upon your return. You are welcome to check the age of your hardware by contacting us at COLA.Geeks@unh.edu. Please include your Dell Service Tag or serial number with the request.
Hardware
Each computer replacement purchase has a budget of $1250. Beyond that amount, funding would need to be secured from your department, research account or grant. No personal funds can be used toward the purchase as this is University property and should be returned to our office at the end of its usable life or your departure/retirement from the University.
Our office will provide one adapter (if required) to connect to classroom projectors. In the event that this hardware is lost or stolen, it is the borrower’s responsibility to provide a replacement.
If required, you will be issued a CD/DVD player. In the event that this hardware is lost or stolen, it is the owner’s responsibility to provide a replacement.
Software, preinstalled
At the time of this print, Dells will be issued with 64-bit Windows 10 Professional, and Macs will be issued with the latest version of OSX.
Microsoft’s Windows Defender is installed on Dell computers and Microsoft’s System Center Endpoint protection is installed on Mac computers.
Microsoft Office 2016 is part of the software bundle that you will receive.
The University maintains site licenses for specialty software. To view a list of available packages, click: http://at.unh.edu/acs/services/software/.
Box is the approved cloud file storage/sharing software tool. Your machine will come preinstalled with Box Sync. It is highly recommended that all users make the Box Sync folder their default save location.
If you require software that is not listed above which requires a per-seat cost, we can work with your department to determine if funding is available.
Access
Each COLA-issued computer is configured for AD domain authentication per USNH Systems Access Policy (http://www.usnh.edu/policy/usy/vi-property-policies/f-operation-and-maintenance-property. See: 5.7 System Access Control). You will use your USNH-issued IT account to access this computer. Each owner will be granted administrative rights to install and uninstall software, configure printers, etc. Password resets will require an VPN or Ethernet connection to update your new password.
Repair
Should your hardware or software fail, our office is available to schedule a repair. If the machine requires further diagnostic and repair by an authorized dealer, we will make the necessary arrangements. A loaner laptop will be provided.
Warranty
Your computer, if new, was purchased with a minimum of a 3-year hardware warranty. If any part of your computer becomes unusable (frayed or broken power cord, broken or missing keys, screen flickers), please contact us immediately to schedule a warranty repair. Please note, Dell batteries are considered consumable with an average life of 3 years, it is not considered a warranty replaceable item unless a manufacturer specifically issues a recall notice. AppleCare covers faulty batteries within the 3-year warranty period.
Return policy
Each computer must be surrendered at the end of your employment contract. Any peripherals (CD/DVD, VGA/HDMI adapter, power cord, etc.) that was issued with your computer must be returned in working condition.
Upon surrender, our office will work with you to back up personal data to a device of your choice. We will securely wipe the computer to Department of Defense standards before it is rebuilt and reissued or scrapped.
Contact
Liberal Arts Tech Support, 128 Horton SSC, 20 Academic Way, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 - Phone: 603-862-0783 – email: COLA.Geeks@unh.edu
Dell and Mac Only Purchase Policy in Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts has a long-standing policy to purchase only Macs or Dells. All hardware and software purchased using University of New Hampshire funds is university property. Invoices must be provided to Liberal Arts Tech. Support for inventory control.
This policy is necessary because:
- Liberal Arts Tech. Support (COLA Geeks) is not equipped to provide hardware or software support for alternate-brand vendors that do not have an established relationship with the University.
- The UNH Computer Store/Computer Repair Center is not equipped to support alternate-brand hardware or software repairs.
- The college would be taking a risk if we ordered a computer that is outside of the contracted vendor list UNH holds.
- Should the computer owner leave the university before the end of its usable life (typically five years), the computer must be returned to Liberal Arts Tech. Support to be securely wiped and reissued within the College. This means the University will become owner to a non-supported computer.
- All University of New Hampshire computers must authenticate using a UNH-issued, auditable account per USNH Systems Access Policy.
Computer purchases must be coordinated through Liberal Arts Tech. Support. Departments and individuals shall not use their University-issued purchasing card to place a computer order without prior approval.