Major Meltdown

Computers are a big part of the campus at Buena Vista University (BVU). In the past, every two years students have received a new computer, but this year things on campus are about to change. Starting this fall, we will not be receiving computers every two years.

The BVU Tech Vision Committee collaborated to decide what their next move was going to be when it comes to purchasing new computers. When I spoke with Courtney Berg, Assistant Controller of the Business Office and Adam Christians,  Help Desk Night Supervisor for 2FIX, both agreed technology is not progressing fast enough for the school to invest money into new computers this year. Therefore, eBVU is going to begin investing in eBooks instead. Christians also stated that another reason was the possibility of major improvements in technology if the school waits a little longer. As of right now, the only difference in computers is the processing speed and storage, but the majority of students do not need a faster processor or more storage.

The group wants to make sure they are making the right decisions when it comes to saving money and providing current and future students with the best technology possible. However, this raises the question of what happens when the computers begin to breakdown in the middle of the year? Berg believes they have a solution for that as well. If the computers begin to break down, 2FIX should be able to keep up with all computer malfunction problems. If they run out of loaner computers, they should have funds to buy some new computers to help replenish the stock of loaner computers until 2FIX can repair all the computers.

The technology group still has several decisions to make when it comes to deciding how they are going to proceed with the buyout process, and whether or not they are going to continue with it. However, all of these decisions will be made in the spring semester. Look out! The world of technology on BVU campus is about to change.

Although I understand it is good to wait to see if improvements are going to be made to technology, this excuse could be used a little too often. If more improvements are not made next year, the technology group could come back and say they do not need to replace computers yet because of the same reason. Computers on their last limb will have to keep hopping until at least the end of next year. After next year, we have no way of knowing whether new computers will be provided because technology has reached a plateau. We have no way of knowing when new technology will be worthy of BVU computers.

When I was a first-year student, I was extremely excited to hear about the buyout process because I believed I would have access to a computer that was almost completely new. This was going to be the computer I used through graduate school. However, with the changes made to the purchase and buyouts of the computers, I am forced to look elsewhere for a computer, especially if my own computer decides to crash and burn before I graduate.