Shown above: The Jon T. Rickman Electronic Campus Support Center. Students gets help with her new HP notebook computer from ECSC staff.

Information Systems launched Northwest's expanded computer program, which provides all full-time undergraduate and graduate students with a wireless-ready Hewlett-Packard notebook computer with the start of the Fall 2008 trimester. The handout of over 6,000 notebook computers went off flawlessly and much to the approval of the student body.

The Jon T. Rickman Electronic Campus Support Center distributed more than 5,000 HPs as the beginning of the fall trimester approached with 3,000 of them between Thursday, August 21, and Friday, August 22. Classes resumed Monday, Aug. 25.

Concerns about long lines and other logistical problems failed to materialize as Information Systems staff conducted the handouts. According to Dr. Jon Rickman, Vice-President of Information Systems, the process proved simple and speedy.

“The checkout of the notebooks went exceptionally smoothly this year,” said Rickman, "in spite of the increased number of handouts."

Northwest's notebook computer expansion puts the powerful education and communication tool into the hands of all full-time undergraduate and graduate students, whether or not they live on campus. In the past, only on-campus students received University laptops. Part-time students are legible to participate in the Information System's notebook computer rental program.

Rickman said the new expanded notebook computer program provides a "significant cost savings for students". "Students pay a tech fee of only $10 per credit hour for a laptop with a retail value of $1,500."

Additionally, Rickman said providing notebook computers to all full-time students was an extremely popular move with faculty, particularly since they come pre-loaded with the Microsoft Windows operating systmes and Microsoft Office 2007 software..

According to Rickman, "Faculty know that students have access to the same level of computing capability, which not only helps them with curriculum decisions, but evens the playing field for all students."