UD ID card required to print at IT computing sites

Beginning in February, anyone (faculty, staff or student) who wishes to print at IT-managed campus computing sites will need a valid University of Delaware ID card to swipe at a print release station. Only a valid ID card will release print jobs in the print queue. A list of IT-managed computing sites is at [http://www.udel.edu/ sites/sites.html].

The PrintLess Program has been in place at IT computing sites for a year. It began as an effort to raise awareness about and constrain paper consumption for printing and to institute a charging mechanism for printing. The PrintLess Program web site, [http://www.udel. edu/topics/printless/], provides statistics on consumption, tips on alternatives to printing and raises awareness of how to reduce unnecessary printing

The volume of printing in computing sites has increased dramatically in the last few years, despite the increase in personal computer and printer ownership by students. The University's fall 2002 student survey shows that 89 percent of students report owning a printer along with their personal computer, yet 64 percent say they use the sites primarily to print. Meanwhile, essential additional services such as site licensing for anti-virus protection compete for the same dollars currently spent on printing consumables. Unlike many other institutions, the University of Delaware does not impose a student technology fee.

About a year ago, a print management committee of representatives from IT-User Services and departmental/college computing sites was formed to assess print management [http://www.udel.edu/it-us/UDprintcomm/ printcomm.html]. Last fall, three DUSC representatives also joined the committee. A print accounting and management system was selected last summer and tested this fall in IT computing sites. The printing control system holds print jobs in a queue until their owners "release" them at a print release station.

Ongoing discussions with deans and DUSC have been fruitful, raising procedural questions about how the chargeback system will be implemented and applied. As a next step, therefore, and in anticipation of having a charging system in place by the fall semester 2003, IT-User services will begin piloting the system using University ID cards to release print jobs with a card swipe mechanism similar to that used at other campus locations. When fully implemented in the fall, actual print charges will be made against individuals' UD#1 flex accounts.

Until then, the intervening period will be used to address the matters raised by committee members, deans and DUSC, as well as to provide the data needed to establish printing rates that will result in an appropriate level of cost recovery. Under evaluation are such matters as free printing limits before charging, application of financial aid funds and smoothness of the process to avoid bottlenecks.