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Computing Services

Equipment Purchases and Upgrades

Replacements and Upgrade Cycles

Dean's Office

Computing Services is responsible for funding, ordering, installing, and supporting all computing equipment for staff of the Dean's Office.

New computer equipment purchases or upgrades for Dean's Office staff are determined by both Computing Services minimum equipment standards and the job function of the staff person.

Deans and Directors may also request new equipment or upgrades for themselves and their staff. These requests will be considered by the Director of Computing Services who will make decisons based on the availability of funding.

Staff of the Dean's Office should not purchase computing equipment (including components and accessories such as keyboards, mouses, etc.) directly. Requests for equipment purchases should come through Computing Services, regardless of the funding source. We are not responsible for nor will we support equipment not purchased by Computing Services.

We aim for a 3-year equipment cycle on average. Staff who must perform computing-intensive work, such as statistical analysis, graphic design, or desktop publishing, may require new computers more frequently whereas staff who mainly use computers for word processing and email may be able to perform those functions adequately on older equipment.

Older equipment may "trickle down" to student assistants or part-time staff, or be used for public "kiosk" computers or other lower-end functions.

Centers and Programs

College Centers and Programs that receive external funding are responsible for funding the purchase of equipment for their staff; Computing Services is responsible for installing and supporting the equipment.

Staff of College Programs and Centers should consult with Computing Services staff before purchasing computing equipment or accepting gifted equipment.

Equipment Standards

To ensure that Computing Services can adequately support all UW-owned equipment, standard hardware and software platforms have been identified. Minimum standards are upgraded annually by Computing Services. The hardware and software standards will be reviewed periodically by the Director of Computing Services.

Unless a specific application requires non-standard hardware or software, standards-compliant equipment will be purchased. Establishing standards makes it possible to provide better support, facilitates troubleshooting and follow-up repairs, and ensures that equipment or software is compatible with the campus network.

Current Minimum Standards

Minimum standards help determine when a computer needs to be upgraded or replaced. Minimum standards are consulted along with a staff member's job functions in making equipment purchase and allocation decisions.

For the July 2006-June 2007 fiscal year, minimal standards for existing equipment are:

For PC's:

For Mac's:

What this means is that we will not necessarily replace your computer if it meets these minimum statndards; staff who have equipment that falls below these guidelines have higher priority for equipment replacement.

Since the availability of new computer equipment is constantly changing, standards for new purchases are based on a dollar amount rather than minimal technical specifications. Currently, the new computer threshhold is $1,200 (for systems that include a 17" flat-panel monitor).

Printers

We strongly discourage personal laser printers except for staff who must do high-volumes of printing or who regularly print confidential or sensitive materials. The cost of maintaining and supporting individual laser printers for each staff member is simply too great.

We will not necessarily replace individual laser printers that fail. Rather, we will work with the staff member to identify a more cost-effective but still-convenient printing option, such as a small workgroup printer or the large laser printer in the Dean's Office of Loew Hall.

Ownership

As required by law, hardware or software purchased with University funds or grant funds awarded to the University of Washington is the property of the University of Washington.