Refresh/Recycle Program

The University Refresh/Recycle program was initiated in 2003 to ensure quality resources were available to the University community.  The Refresh part of the program provides new computers and the recycle part provides useable hand-me-down systems to qualified recipients.

Refresh Portion

All general purpose ITS Academic Computing Laboratory systems are scheduled for replacement on a three-year cycle.  These systems are used by the majority of our students inside and outside of class time.

Individual labs set up and managed  in the schools and colleges do not qualify for replacement on a three-year cycle but qualify for the Recycle program.

Full-time faculty and administration systems are scheduled for replacement on a five-year cycle.  The Refresh program provides the computers to the college dean or supervisor who has the discretion of assigning the new computers to the full-time faculty or employee.  The college dean or supervisor may choose to replace some faculty or employee systems more frequently than once every five years and have the older but not expired system trickle down to another full-time faculty member.

The dean also maintains the discretion to decide on desktop vs. notebook and PC vs. Apple.

Only one computer is funded through the Refresh program.  Faculty requiring more than one computer and seeking a new computer must fund the second computer through their own resources (departmental budget, restricted funds, etc.)

For each computer provided to the college or department an equal number of computers are to be returned which fund the Recycle program.

Recycle Program

Systems that have been "refreshed out" and still have some useable value to the institution are placed into the Recycle program and distributed to locations on a request basis.  Typically, these systems are placed in locations where adjunct faculty, part-time employees and student employees work.

Requests are to be made to the Helpdesk Manager via the Helpdesk system.

Computers are continuously recycled until they are no longer functional. The parts from non-functional computers are used to repair other computers.  All other parts are then turned over to an EPA certified recycling company.

Peripheral Devices

Items such as printers, external floppy drives and notebook cases are the financial responsibility of the department and not the Refresh/Recycle program.  The Refresh program only provides a University standard computer and monitor.

Standard Computer Systems From Year to Year

Server and Emergency Problems

Funding for the Refresh/Recycle program also covers the maintenance of central servers and the acquisition of products when emergency situations arise.