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The Dean's office is pleased to announce the fourth and final round of
funding for faculty computer upgrades, made possible by a generous gift from
Judy and Russell Carson '65. Eligible faculty (i.e., all Arts
& Sciences assistant, associate, and full professors hired in
rank before July 1, 2003) may use the program to purchase computer equipment to
help support teaching and research. For this round, faculty must make their
purchase between July 1, 2005 and June 30, 2008. You will have five options to
consider: either select one of the 4 computer "bundles" described at http://www.dartmouth.edu/~store/carson/order.html
or take a $1,600 credit toward purchases of your own choice.
As computing technology evolves, laptops are becoming more useful as their
capabilities come close to standard desktop computers, but offer the advantages
of portability. Adding a wireless card enables you to use a laptop to connect
to the network from any point on campus. In addition, laptops offer a good
alternative for use in smart classrooms. Every smart classroom has video and
networking ports to accommodate the use of laptop computers. If you use a
laptop in the classroom, you will always know where your files are and how to
launch your programs. Note, too, that in the future, Computing Services will
begin to place Windows computers in some of the smart classrooms. This reflects
the growing use of the Windows operating system on campus. In the near future,
as many as half of the smart classrooms may have Windows computers installed in
them. Faculty should take note of this; one of the best ways to ensure that you
get the system you want while using a smart classroom is to bring your own
laptop.
If you have any questions or want to discuss the pros and cons of laptops in
detail, we urge you to contact your divisional computing consultant (Humanities
- Susan Bibeau or Tom Garbelotti; Social
Sciences - Barbara
Mellert; Sciences - Nicole
Hamilton). Questions concerning the use of computers in smart classrooms
should be directed to Andrew
Faunce.
This round of the Carson grant is scheduled to last three years; during this
period, computers will evolve and change a great deal. Information on the
current laptop configuration can be found at the Computer Store's web site at:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~store/carson/.
Ordering information:
To order your system, you will need to secure approval by completing a computer equipment purchase form. Any
questions should be directed to A. Christopher Strenta at
6-3549. Once the Computer Purchase Form has been signed, you must bring it to
the Computer Sales & Service counter in Berry Library to actually place the
order. Please do not order any equipment without first securing
approval.
The Dean's Office strongly urges faculty to contact their divisional
computing consultant prior to taking possession of their new computer. The
division consultants can set up and configure your new computer for you to
access the Dartmouth network via Ethernet or from home via dial-in, as well as
install software, such as BlitzMail and transfer data from your old computer.
If you will need additional licensed software (Microsoft Office, for example),
you may want to purchase these products along with your new computer system.
Norton AntiVirus software will also be included if you purchase one of the
laptop bundles.
In keeping with the College's regulations, all equipment purchased with this
credit remains the property of Dartmouth College. Any sale or disposal of used
equipment should be handled through William A. Hochstin,
Materials Manager. You may contact him via e-mail.
In the past, the Carson program has been a wonderful source of support for
faculty. We believe that this most recent package will allow you to keep
current with developing technology, allowing your research and teaching to
explore new creative possibilities.
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