Keeping Up to Date with Computer Replacements

Every year, Information Services replaces approximately a quarter of all computers on campus. In addition to faculty and staff computers, that includes classroom computers. This year, that’s 534 computers. Overseeing this process is Thomas Farrar, IS procurement coordinator.

The process of computer replacement begins early in the Fall semester, as specifications for the new PCs and Macs are chosen. PC requirements are shared with several vendors through a request for proposals (RFP) process. A vendor decision is made in late January, followed quickly by virtual open house events for the staff and faculty receiving new systems this year. Information Services chose to continue our relationship with Lenovo for PCs.

This year is a big year for Mac replacements. Theatre and Dance, Music, the Law School and University Museums will all replace a number of Macintosh computers. In addition, some faculty and staff make the request to switch from a PC to a Mac. Apple computers are more expensive than PCs, though, and in an effort to keep the University’s operating costs low, anyone making this request must have a business justification. Faculty requests to switch platforms then go to the dean’s office for approval, and staff requests go to their dean’s office for academic staff, and their manager or director for an administrative department.

By this point in the year, everyone has made their computer choices. Those requests have been submitted to Lenovo and Apple, and the new computers will start to arrive by mid-April. May 1 is the start of the process of delivering the new systems, a process that the Help Desk manages. Replacements continue throughout the summer, with the last few installs in the Fall for faculty who are not available over the summer months. Then, just as the cycle comes to a close, it will be time again to start the next cycle of replacements.