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Policy for the acquisition of microcomputers

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish responsibilities and guidelines for the purchase of microcomputers for Saint Paul University. The policy describes the acquisition process and configuration standards and identifies equipment officially supported by CTS.

Reasoning

Computers have become an integral part of the Information Technology infrastructure and users have become dependant on computer equipment to provide essential services to clients. Ensuring that this equipment is reliable and properly maintained will assist CTS in providing a continued high level of service.

An acquisition fund has been established for the purchase of microcomputers for support staff and for microcomputers for regular full-time teaching staff. CTS recognizes that the acquisition of computing technology produces recurring costs requiring long term budget planning. It therefore encourages the standardization of personal computing equipment with the intention of maximizing institutional investments and minimizing the associated costs for technical support and infrastructure. Such expenses as ongoing support and maintenance, upgrades and administration are part of the hidden costs of owning computer equipment.

Benefits

• streamline the process for the acquisition of new microcomputers
• accelerate the deployment, the repair and replacement cycles of equipment
• faster resolution of technical problems
• reduce maintenance requirements and support costs
• provide a standard for microcomputer acquisitions
• maximize acquisition funds

Scope

The Policy for the acquisition of microcomputers covers the purchase of microcomputer hardware for support staff and full-time regular teaching staff, the computer lab and the student access workstations in the Jean-Léon Allie Library. It does not cover software licensing or special software or hardware purchasing needs.

The following equipment is not covered under this policy. This means that they would not be replaced on a regular basis like the PCs used by employees and professors. However, the should be purchased through CTS in order to ensure the compatibility of their equipment with our organisational environment:

• Research Centres workstations
• Personal Development Funds acquisitions
• Audio/video studios and all the Multimedia Centre workstations
• the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute workstations
• Librairie Saint-Paul & Canterbury House Bookstore workstations
• workstations for occasional staffing requirements
• all specialized hardware
• all server hardware and software, including software site licences
• all network infrastructure

Individual sectors are encouraged to meet with the CTS in order to plan, anticipate and budget for their special computing needs.

Replacement Cycle

The replacement cycle for equipment that fall under the scope of this policy should not span more than five years. New equipment purchased under the policy may be installed where the needs have been determined to be the most urgent. The policy does not guaranty that each end user will have a new microcomputer every five years. The replacement cycle could vary depending on the budget.

Configuration standards

The standard microcomputer configuration can be found at the following link on the University of Ottawa Web site: http://web5.uottawa.ca/wdc/pcPurchases/en-standards.php
All staff equipment will be replaced with the above equipment. Student access workstations in the library and the computer lab workstations may be replaced with compatible equipment if significant savings are possible.

Responsibilities

Microcomputer acquisition is the responsibility of CTS under the direction of the Vice-Rector, Administration.

Determining the specific computing needs of the end user is a joint responsibility of the end user’s supervisor and the Network administrator / Technical Support. The directors of services and deans (or designated persons) are responsible for anticipating, for budgetary purposes, new and changing computing requirements as well as informing CTS of these needs by the end of the budgetary planning period.

CTS is responsible for purchasing, repairing, maintaining, updating, replacing, disposing and determining the life cycle and maintenance schedule of the computer equipment inventory.

The user is responsible for familiarising and conforming himself/herself to the user code of conduct for computing resources.

Type of equipment installed

The type of equipment installed is of the desktop model or mini-tower. Because of the limited amount of acquisition funds, all requests for non standard equipment (i.e. notebooks, tablet PCs and other peripherals) must be submitted in writing to the Director, CTS. These requests will be reviewed by the Director, CTS and the Vice-Rector, Administration, in consultation with the Director of the requesting Service or Dean of the requesting Faculty.

Other information

This policy should be read in conjunction with policy D-20 “Disposal of Surplus of Goods”.

This policy was first approved: September 24, 2002
Updated: October 31, 2007