Printer deja vu

I am again examining the issue of printers on campus. I still believe that expanding printing operations is the best solution. Unless, of course, the overwhelming majority of faculty is persuaded into accepting electronic submission of assignments. Electronic submission will not only be a trend with the digital age, but it will also increase the University’s ecological stainability. If professors stopped requiring paper copies, just think of how many trees would be saved and how much less waste would be generated. \nI am quite surprised that the IU Task Force On Campus Sustainability did not push for electronic assignment submission in its Campus Sustainability Report. \nBut I digress. The belief that if students plan ahead for printing, the printer problem will be solved is an idealist viewpoint. We live in a real environment and must deal with and solve real problems. Despite all the preaching, students will still line up en masse to print at the last minute. The peculiar thing is, if you blame the students, the problem does not go away. It is time to stop playing the blame game and start engaging in a meaningful dialogue between students, faculty and the University officials regarding the condition of technology on campus. Only this can constructively address pressing student needs while heeding budgetary constraints.\nFor those who believe that the University should be run like a business, I’ll make a case for you. More printers generate more revenue; expanded printing is economically sustainable. After the printing quota is used up – and it gets used up fast – those who print the most pay the most. If printing fees were set up intelligently, then these could cover the full cost of having more printers. If the fees don’t cover the costs, then we have a larger issue at hand. Perhaps developing a fee schedule on which double-sided printing is cheaper than single sided will help. It will give an incentive to save paper and reduce costs. Moving under-utilized printers to areas of higher traffic is also an idea to consider. \nFor all the IU Student Technology Center techies, here is a suggestion for you. If students have to go to a Web site to find an available printer, then no wonder it’s so difficult to find a lab. First, it’s impossible to remember such a lengthy address (https://stcweb.stc.indiana.edu/framework/Apps/Public/SiteRes/LabInfo.cfm). Why can’t IU’s Web sites have more intuitive addresses, such as “www.indiana.edu/ComputerLabs.” Second, it’s impossible to find the address through the IU’s Web site search engine. The thing is a complete dud. It returns results of little relevance and never finds what you’re looking for. Can anyone sense the need for Google here? \n But I digress again. My view on printers and all technology is that technology should make life easier, not more complicated. Students should not have to adapt their needs to technology. Technology should be adapted to the needs of students. There are pressing technology issues at IU beyond that of printer shortages. These can only be solved if the IU administration actively solicits student input. President McRobbie, if you are considering forming a committee on technology review, please give me a call. I’d gladly volunteer my expertise.