University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Harvey Perlman recently asked colleges and departments to make sacrifices to help save money.
At a recent journalism sequence meeting, faculty were brainstorming ways to make cuts when someone brought up the idea of requiring students to buy their own laptops and software packages for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
At the meeting, a committee was formed to investigate the issue, said Charlyne Berens, news-editorial professor.
From there, the committee met with representatives from Apple and Dell and weighed the pros and cons of recommending or requiring laptops for incoming students.
The college would save money by not having to pay for software licenses, Internet connections or repair costs it currently pays for the computers in Andersen Hall.
The savings would amount to about $16,000 per year, said Luther Hinrichs, computing and technology manager for the college. The college will start phasing out computers as they get older, Hinrichs said, until 110 of Andersen’s approximately 300 computers are gone.
If students were required to get a specific type of machine, Berens said, every student would have the equipment they need for class, and there would be fewer compatibility problems.
Also, if a laptop purchase is required, students could include the expense in their financial aid or scholarship package.
The committee decided to require students to purchase one of four laptops: a high-end Mac, a low-end Mac, a high-end Dell or a low-end Dell, Berens said. The high-end machines run about $1,800, and the low-end computers are about $1,000, she said.
Students could go to the UNL Computer Store and pick up a package with everything they need at a discounted price, said Bruce Thorson, an associate professor of news-editorial who is also on the committee.
At first, freshmen would probably only be required to have basic software such as Microsoft Office, Berens said, and they would have to buy more software as they got into more complicated design or editing classes.
“That would allow people to add (software) as classes require it,” Berens said. “Also, that way as software is upgraded … you get a program when you need it, and you can get the most up-to-date version.”
The journalism sequence officially approved the proposal at a meeting Friday, Berens said. The advertising sequence has yet to formally vote on it, but there seems to be no opposition, according to Amy Struthers, assistant professor of advertising.
The proposal will not dramatically change the way journalism classes are taught, Berens said.
“I don’t think the technology will drive the curriculum, maybe the other way around,” she said. “I hope we never reach the day when the technology drives the curriculum.”
If the proposal is accepted, incoming freshmen will be required to buy one of the offered packages starting this fall. Current students will not be affected.
“I would imagine from the student’s perspective, they would go, ‘Oh, it’s going to cost us more money,’” Thorson said. “But they would have the latest, greatest, up-to-date computer and software package … it sounds like a good deal to me.”
jennagibson@dailynebraskan.com
