SCS Lab Software Support Policy

Student Computing Services provides two categories of application software to its users:

• General-purpose software, which comprise Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, PowerePoint, and Word), Firefox, and Internet Explorer, etc.
• Discipline-specific software, such as Diet Analysis (nutrition software), IOC (inorganic chemistry software), Xilinx (circuit design software), etc.
• Software in the general-purpose category has the potential to be used by the greatest number of users. Software in the discipline-specific category requires the user to possess a knowledge of a discipline of subject before it can be adequately used.

General-purpose software will be installed and supported under the following conditions:

• Copyright: Student Computing Services will ensure copyright compliance for software in this category.
• Documentation: Student Computing Services will make use of online documentation of software in this category where possible.
• Installation: Student Computing Services' staff will install and upgrade software in this category only during the Christmas and summer breaks.
• Support: Student Computing Services' student consultants will be able to provide assistance with the basic features of the software in this category.
• Testing: Student Computing Services' staff will test the functionality of the software in this category.
• Funding: Student Computing Services will be responsible for funding, if needed, in acquiring products in this category.

Discipline-specific software will be installed and supported under the following conditions:

• Copyright: The instructor requesting the software installation must furnish Student Computing Services' staff with a copy of the proof of copyright compliance before the software will be installed.
• This proof may take the form of a purchase order, a letter from the software manufacturer granting permission to use the software for a specified period of time, etc.
• Documentation: The instructor requesting the software installation must furnish a complete set of documentation, to be used by Student Computing Services' staff and to be made available to users of the software.
• Installation: Student Computing Services' staff will install and upgrade software in this category only during the Christmas and summer breaks.
• Because of the many requests for software installation that occur at the beginning of each semester, please note that software received after the designated deadlines may not be available at the desired time. The deadline for software to be installed by the beginning of the fall semester is June 30 prior to the fall semester. The deadline for software to be installed by the beginning of the spring semester is the last day of finals during the fall semester.
• Software requiring individual hardware locks (dongles) cannot be installed because SCS cannot be responsible for stolen locks. Dedicated licensing servers may require the requesting department to supply a computer for the license server as well as any software licenses need to run a license server (e.g. MS Windows Server).
• Support: Student Computing Services' student consultants will be able to start software in this category, but may not be able to provide any further support.
• Support of discipline-specific software will be the responsibility of the college or department of the instructor requesting the software installation. An appropriate technology coordinator could be the focal point for the support of discipline-specific software.
• Testing: The instructor requesting software installation will be responsible for testing the functionality of the software on a lab computer prior to the software being distributed to the remainder of the computers in the lab(s).
• Funding: The requesting department will be responsible for providing funding to acquire proper licensing for software in this category.
• Contention regarding this policy will be mediated by the Sr. Director for Academic and Research Technology and/or the Vice President for Information Technology.

Updated/Reviewed: March 2011