Fees and Expenses
Q: What, if any, technology fee is charged by the campus? What does it cover?
A: There is no technology fee assessed on the student's account. The tuition covers IT services, infrastructure, and the laptop that each full-time student receives.
Q: Will you be required to purchase your own computer?
A: The University leases laptops on an annual basis. All full-time undergraduate students are issued a laptop automatically when they are enrolled at Sacred Heart. Students are not required to purchase their own computer since the University supplies them with one configured to use on our wired and wireless network and fully loaded with MS Office Suite and other useful applications. Each laptop is refreshed after two years with new technology. Students get to walk away with a two-year old laptop if they: Enroll as full-time for four years, or enroll as full-time for at least two years and earn a bachelor's degree.
Q: Does the campus make computing and network access financially accessible? Is special student pricing offered for computers and peripheral equipment?
A: Sacred Heart provides high-speed network access to students in the residence halls on campus. All laptops issued are network compatible, both wired and wireless. All of the off-campus residence halls also have wireless connection to the Internet. All computing and network access are supported by tuition. No additional fees are assessed to make access available.
Q: Does the campus assess extra fees for network connections in residence hall rooms or for off campus access?
A: No. All network-related services are provided as standard for all residence halls. From outside the campus, users can access their e-mail, Blackboard, personal file storage, and personal folders via any standard Internet connection.
Technical Support
Q: What hardware and software standards, if any, does the campus require, recommend, and/or support?
A: Each year the standard is revised. The University refreshes laptops every two years; as a result, new technology is introduced and technology that is two years old is no longer supported. All supported software is loaded on the laptops prior to issuing them to students and faculty. We refresh the software whenever the hardware is refreshed on both laptops and desktops.
Q: What kinds of services (help desk, training, trouble-shooting) are provided by the campus, and when are they available?
A: In support of technology and its use, the University has the following:
- A Help Desk is conveniently located right across from the Dining Hall. Students can service their laptop from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., on Mondays through Fridays. If the problem is not resolved at the counter, the laptop remains in the shop for further support. Students can swap their laptop for another laptop that exactly matches theirs and have uninterrupted use of technology.
- We also offer a telephone support system where students, faculty and administrators can call with problems and log in a ticket. A specialist is dispatched if the problem cannot be resolved remotely. This support is available Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Students and staff alike can take advantage of a training program as often as needed. Basic, intermediate, and advanced level courses are offered in the standard software supported by the University. The training schedule can be viewed at: computer literacy section of IT site
- Software/hardware/telephone online (knowledge base); in person, one on one in addition to workshops; on all software and operating systems :8:30 – 4:30; we also have self paced online training MELL (Microsoft eLearning Library).
Q: Does the campus have a plan for keeping its hardware and software current, and if so, what is the replacement cycle?
A: The University currently provides all full-time students and faculty with laptop computers. The laptop hardware provided is exactly the same technology and the refresh cycle is two years. The computers housed in all Sacred Heart computer labs are refreshed every three years with technology that exceeds the current needs of our users. This allows for future growth requirements of the Sacred Heart University faculty. The servers maintained by Information Technology are refreshed every four years. In the event that new applications require additional hardware requirements, adjustments are performed to allow for technology currency.
Q: If you bring your own computer to school, what kind of technical support can you expect from the campus?
A: Since the University provides students with laptops, there is no need for students to bring their own. Sacred Heart has an on-site Help Desk that makes repairs to University-issued laptops. The University also has a toll-free number for telephone support, and a training program. Students sign up for training and learn how to use the operating system and supported applications.
Other Services
Q: How does the campus support printing for students, and is there a charge for this service?
A: Sacred Heart University provides printers in each of its eight dedicated computer labs, including a 24 hour public lab and in several other mobile computing classrooms on campus. There is no charge for these printing services; all that is needed is a valid Sacred Heart ID card. High quality color printing is also available for a nominal fee.
Q: Does the campus provide wireless network coverage? If so, how much of the campus has wireless connectivity?
A: Wireless networking is a standard component for all laptops distributed to the students, and it can be used from all indoor and outdoor Main Campus locations, including all dorms.
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