By Mary Margaret Colliver

"This agreement gives our faculty and staff greater and faster access to the latest desktop software and should greatly increase our overall efficiency and productivity."

--Lee T. Todd Jr.,
president,
University of Kentucky

Every faculty and staff member is now authorized to download the latest versions of the following software directly to their desktops: Microsoft Office (for both Windows and Macintosh systems); Microsoft Operating System upgrades (for Windows systems); and Core CAL- Client Access Licenses (licenses for the desktops to access the servers, not for the servers themselves) for Sharepoint Portal Server, Windows 2000 Server, Exchange 2000 Server, SMS and Conference Server.

"One of the goals of this administration has been to streamline our processes," Todd said. "This agreement gives our faculty and staff greater and faster access to the latest desktop software and should greatly increase our overall efficiency and productivity. In addition, this agreement will save the university considerable dollars over the long run. "

The new agreement is based on paying of $41.54 for each faculty and staff employee at UK instead of the traditional method of paying on a per unit basis for each computer device. UK departments no longer need to purchase these software licenses, or future upgrades to these products. The cost has been pre-paid by the university. Self-supporting units will be recharged based on the number of employees in their units. Additional information, product specifications, and UK downloading instructions, can be found by clicking here.

The campus agreement provides a number of benefits to the university community including: authorizing faculty and staff to use the software on any departmental computer, lab computer, library computers, or a home computer for 'work-related' purposes. Long-term advantages include the reduced costs of acquiring, upgrading, maintaining and managing campus software. The campus is now legally licensed, and proof is maintained centrally to ensure compliance with copyright infringement laws.

The new Microsoft Campus Agreement also benefits UK students by ensuring that all common-use and individual college student computing labs are equipped with the most current Microsoft OS upgrades and Microsoft Office software. This includes the Fiscal Affairs and Information Technology Student Computing Services Labs, a campus-wide resource providing approximately 1,200 computers dedicated solely to student use.

Faculty and staff members needing assistance should contact the University's IT Customer Service Center in 111 McVey Hall by calling 257-1300 or submitting an online request by clicking here.

"The benefits of this initiative will encompass more than convenience and cost savings," notes UK Vice President for Fiscal Affairs and Information Technology Eugene R. Williams. "When an enterprise moves toward technology uniformity, technology support is also streamlined … and that translates into more efficient and responsive support services for all users."