Q. Should students bring a computer to campus?

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A. Students are not required to bring a computer to campus. But students will be expected to complete work for courses that necessitates their use of information resources, and e-mail is the primary official means of communicating with students outside of class. With advances in technology students are finding it beneficial to have their own systems, giving them access to resources at all times and eliminating the need to compete for computers in the three public campus computer labs. The College recommends that students bring a laptop because of its size and portability, and its potential for use with wireless connections present in all academic and residential buildings.

Q. If a student brings a computer to campus, what are the required specifications?

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A. A detailed description of requirements is found under the Resources/Computing section of Westminster's website at http://www.westminster.edu/resources/helpdesk/system-requirements.cfm.

Q. Can I connect my mobile device to the campus wireless network?

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A. Yes. The college allows mobile devices that support the WPA2 protocol to connect to the wireless network. Instructions as to how to do so will be located on the my.westminster.edu portal.

Q. Can I setup email on my mobile device?

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A. Yes. Instructions will be available on the my.westminster.edu portal. The instructions will include Android (phone, tablet), Apple (iPod, iPad, iPhone) and Windows (Phone, Surface).

Q. Can I connect my gaming system?

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A. Yes. It is for wired connections only. The gaming system must be registered with Information Systems first before use. Further instructions are located in the following link: http://www.westminster.edu/resources/helpdesk/system-requirements.cfm.

Q. I have a wireless printer can I connect it to the college network?

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A. The college does not allow any student wireless printer connecting to the college network.

Q. Where can students get help with computer software questions?

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A. The campus Call Center can be contacted via e-mail or by telephone for help with campus-supported software. The Call Center is staffed by students during day and evening hours. The Call Center staff does not support personal software that is installed on student machines.

Q. How are student-owned PCs serviced?

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A. Students are responsible for the maintenance of their own computers once they are brought to campus. Difficulties which indicate a possible problem with the campus network should be reported to the Call Center. Information Systems staff will attempt to determine the source of the problem; if it is the campus network, the staff will work with the student to resolve the issue. Otherwise, the student will need to contact their equipment vendor or another provider of services to correct the problem.

Q. Are there fees associated with using computers on campus?

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A. All students pay an Infotech Fee based on courses for which they are registered (see Business Affairs). In addition, students are allocated a specific amount of free printing on network printers in computer labs and other areas. A cost per page for printing additional pages beyond the free allocation is charged to students at the end of each term; this incentive to conserve print resources has reduced printing waste by over a hundred thousand pages per term. Other than these costs, there are no other direct fees for using computers on campus. Every student is given a personal campus network account with e-mail and Internet access capabilities. Students wanting to connect their own PCs to the campus network must register their machines with Information Systems. When students connect their computers to the campus network (wired or wireless) and open a browser for the first time, they will be directed to a website where they can register their machine. At that time the system will be checked for viruses and any other unacceptable conditions; if problems are discovered they will have to be corrected before registration is complete and the device is allowed to use the campus network and connect to the Internet.