University expands Microsoft license

IU students, faculty and staff might be seeing more Microsoft products in the future.

IU’s new enterprise license agreement with Microsoft Corporation will expand the path-breaking 1998 strategy to provide popular Microsoft products to all students, faculty and staff on IU campuses by including unlimited licenses and software maintenance to IU departments for server software, according to an IU news press release.

IU President Michael McRobbie initiated this agreement with Microsoft in 1998 when he served as IU’s first vice president for information technology.

“I am pleased that this new agreement with Microsoft will even further expand the high quality of information technology resources that we are able to deliver to every one of our students, faculty and staff members,” McRobbie said in a press release. “These tools are essential to maintaining the quality of our educational and research missions.”

This expanded four-year enterprise agreement is part of implementing Empowering People, IU’s strategic plan for information technology.

“By expanding our 12-year, highly effective partnership with Microsoft, IU is further increasing operational efficiency while pushing the frontiers of innovation,” said IU Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Brad Wheeler in a press release.

Since 1998, IU’s agreements with Microsoft have provided exceptional value to the institution with nearly $200 million in software use by the IU community.

As part of the agreement, IU will be first in line for any personal productivity advancements at Microsoft.

“IU and Microsoft are closely aligned in our aims to continue innovating and creating powerful tools and services that enhance the educational experience and support dynamic learning communities,” said Anthony Salcito, Microsoft general manager of U.S. education, in a press release. “We are committed to providing IU with early previews of future technologies and to bringing early adopter programs to Indiana.”