Throughout the semester, Information and Administrative Technology Services (IATS) plans to implement wireless printing and charging stations, contributing to a move toward more students using their own devices while on campus.
According to John Ziegler, associate provost of IATS, two wireless printers will be installed in McKay and Watson as part of a pilot program, which will eventually expand to Bailey Library.
“We’re trying to hit both sides of campus at this particular time,” Ziegler said.
Once installed, students would upload any documents they want to print to papercut.sru.edu on their own device. Once they arrive at the printer at McKay or Watson Hall, they would log into the release kiosk to print their documents.
“You don’t have to be an expert to use this,” Ziegler said. “It’s actually almost like you’re in your own home.”
According to Ziegler, all necessary parts for wireless printing have been purchased. IATS also piloted the new printing system and created training materials.
While IATS originally hoped to implement wireless printing over break, they are now waiting for the new printers to arrive at SRU. Once the printers arrive, Ziegler said he could better estimate an installation date for the new printing system.
IATS is also planning to install charging stations across campus. These stations would be similar to ones found in airports in order for students to charge their smartphones on the go.
Representatives from the Student Government Association (SGA) offered their input in determining details for charging stations. According to Ziegler, these criteria included compatibility with many brands and types of devices and the ability to charge 20-30 devices at a time.
Ziegler also contacted SGA for assistance in determining the best spots for charging stations.
“We want them to help us pinpoint some locations where they know they like to hang out,” Ziegler said. “There’s no use putting a charging station on the third floor of a building if nobody’s there.”
Although the plan is to have one charging station in each building, Ziegler says that the implementation will start small and added that the first station should be installed around spring break.
Wireless printing and charging stations are part of SRU’s transformation into a BYOD—”bring your own device”—campus. Under the BYOD model, students would use their own devices instead of relying on computers and labs on campus.
According to Ziegler, the BYOD transition began four years ago with upgrades to networks, software and security.
“Now we’re just down to the final pieces,” Ziegler said.
