The Workstation Refresh Program was established by College leadership on July 1, 2002 in order to create a necessary infrastructure to sustain a modern office and learning environment. Windows computers are replaced on a four year cycle and Macintosh computers are replaced on a six year cycle. The Workstation Refresh Program is governed by Policy 6-11 (Microcomputer Support).

There are six main components of the Workstation Refresh Program

  1. Departmental Schedule Agreement
  2. Pre-Refresh Audit
  3. Ordering Computers
  4. Individual Scheduling
  5. The Refresh (includes removal of old computer system, pc transplant, and installation of new computer system)
  6. Post Refresh Audit

After you review these components please check out our Tips on Getting Ready For Your Refresh and our FAQ about the program.

Departmental Schedule Agreement

IT strives to provide contemporary technology to all employees in support of the mission of the College. Please remember that others are waiting in line behind you.

  1. Postponing your departmental refresh up to 30 days is allowed.
  2. We do need the entire department to agree on a refresh date. We will establish a departmental refresh date range in order to accommodate the entire department. We cannot refresh partial departments.
  3. When a departmental refresh date is agreed upon IT will move into the pre-refresh audit stage of the refresh. Orders will not be valid until a departmental refresh date is established.
  4. Postponement beyond thirty days is discouraged. However, we can move your departmental refresh to the end of the fiscal year without disrupting our service to others on campus.

Pre-Refresh Audit

This is the part of the audit where we agree on the number of computers that will be refreshed. In some cases grant computers will reach the four or six year support expiration date. We will help you work through the process of retiring these systems or getting approval to be added to the workstation refresh list.

  1. Attached to the initial email message is a report on the number of computers assigned to your department. It contains the type of computer (desktop or laptop), serial number, machine name, who it is assigned to, and budget code.
  2. Our technician will need to schedule a time to audit the computers in your department to make sure our reports are accurate.
  3. The workstation refresh policy is beneficial for those new to the program. Workstation Refresh Policy
  4. Once IT and your department agree on the inventory to be refreshed IT will move onto the ordering phase of the refresh.

Ordering Computers

When establishing a standard configuration for the campus we consider future needs. IT continually researches the latest trends in technology and adjusts accordingly with an eye on the four or six year horizon.

  1. A link to our order form will be sent to your department. Go to the AskIT Portal to choose your system.
  2. We keep standard systems in stock. Check out the standard configurations.
  3. Sometimes employees want a larger monitor, second monitor, speakers, or a docking station. These extra items can be purchased through the IT store. We try to keep frequently ordered items in stock. Out of stock items may cause a delay in your refresh.
  4. If you are switching platforms either from Windows to Macintosh or Macintosh to Windows we require that you fill out a request form. This form ensures us that you have considered all of the implications of a platform switch including software compatibility issues.

Individual Scheduling

It is important that we respect each others time. We realize that getting a new computer is both exciting and scary. We take extra precautions to ensure that you receive all of the data from your old system. We expect your refresh to take 1-3 hours depending on the detail involved.

  1. IT will contact each person in the department to schedule the refresh after they order their computers.
  2. Individuals cannot delay their refresh beyond the agreed upon departmental refresh date range.
  3. Refresh of the department will begin only after all employees have scheduled a time slot.

The Refresh

This outlines what you can expect on the day of your refresh.

  1. On the day of your refresh we will remove your old computer after we have harvested from it all of your documents and settings.
  2. We will install your new system and transplant all of your documents and settings.
  3. We will install extra software as needed only after we have determined that a valid and legal license exists.
  4. We will add you as local administrator on your computer so you can perform installations as needed.

Post-Refresh Audit

This part of the refresh is IT’s internal housekeeping.

  1. After your refresh is complete it may be necessary for us to audit your department once again to make sure our database information is accurate. This is necessary to ensure the accuracy of our billing.
  2. In most cases you will not even know that this occurred.
  3. A final report detailing the new assets assigned to the department will be sent to the department chair.

Tips on Getting Ready For Your Refresh

  1. Make a list of all software that you want on your computer. If the software is not supplied by IT we will need to see your license agreement.
  2. Round up all disks so your software can be installed. Remember that you are also a local administrator on your computer so you have the capability of installing your own software. However, we do offer this service as part of your refresh.
  3. Think about your important documents that you need us to move from your old system to your new system. We will perform a transplant, but it is up to you to make sure we get everything you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What if documents are missing from my computer after the refresh? Answer: Don’t worry, we hang onto your old computer for two weeks. If something is missing we can search your old computer for it.
TIP:  Check your computer right away after you get your new one to ensure that you have all of your documents.Did you know that the best place to store important documents is on the network share (M drive) provided to each employee. This space is backed up each night.

Question: May I buy my old computer from the IT surplus store?
Answer: State fiscal rules disallow us setting aside a particular computer for an employee to buy. All computers are formatted to ensure that personally identifiable information is not sold to the public.
TIP: All systems on campus are of a standard configuration or higher. Consider that you may get an even better equipped system than you previously had if you take a look at the IT Surplus Store stock.

Question: What if I am missing expected components like printers, drive mappings, etc?
Answer: Call 7444 and the friendly staff at the Call Center can schedule a time to take a look at your computer.
TIP: Check all of your settings, printers, and drive mappings prior to the refresh technician leaving. Many problems can be fixed on the spot. Once they leave your office, they are moving on to other fresh appointments so all calls must then be directed to the Call Center.

Question: What if I change my mind about my platform choice after I receive my computer?
Answer: We work very closely with you prior to the delivery of your new system to make sure that you understand the implications of changing platforms. Once the system is delivered to you we cannot take it back.
TIP: Consider very carefully a change in platform. Remember that this is your individual decision based on your needs and your pedagogy. Many software packages have extreme differences from one platform to another and many simply do not translate across platforms.

Question: Why is there a 6 year refresh for Apple computers?
Answer: This is due to the increased costs of the new Apple computers, which we are trying to match with our current PC lineup. The computer is expected to last all 6 years, but will only have warranty for 4 years. If the Apple computer breaks between the 4th and 6th year the department is responsible for covering the repair or the remaining months of the 6-year lifecycle.