Guidelines for Department Computer Purchases

Each Spring the University asks departments to submit equipment budget requests (on campus link only.) Equipment requests for academic equipment (including computers) are evaluated by the office of the Associate Provost. The Associate Provost reviews these requests following defined guidelines for upgrading and replacing faculty computers. Requests for administrative equipment are evaluated by the Associate Vice President for Information Technology.

Please note: All old computers and printers being replaced by new equipment must be returned to IT unless a request to keep a system as a "hand-me-down" has been specifically approved by the either the Associate Provost (for academic equipment) or the Assistant Provost and CTO (for administrative equipment.)

These guidelines are intended to help departments prepare for the annual budget cycle. The University expects that its computers will have at least a 4 year useful life. In order to help departments with their annual budget requests, the office of Information Technology maintains this list of recommended technology equipment for budget projection purposes.

Recommended Computer Specifications for Budget Planning

Macintosh Systems
iMac  - 20" Widescreen, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 4GB RAM, 320GBG HD, SuperDrive w/AppleCare - $1,358

MacBook Pro Notebook Computer - 15.4" LCD, Intel Core Duo, 2GB RAM, 250GB HD, SuperDrive, Wi-Fi, Case, w/AppleCare - $2,200

MacBook Notebook Computer - 13" LCD, 2GB RAM, 160GB HD, SuperDrive, Wi-Fi, Case, w/AppleCare - $1,490

LaCie External Backup Hard Drive - $80
Mini Display Port to VGA Adapter (to use MacBook/Pro with LCD Projector) - $30
Second AC Adapter for MacBook Pro - $79
Second AC Adapter for MacBook - $71

Macintosh Software
Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, PowerPoint will be pre-installed on computer
Filemaker Pro - $150
Adobe Photoshop Elements - $84
Adobe Acrobat - $80
e-mail, web browsers, and virus protection are provided by IT,
See the list of supported software.

Windows Systems
Lenovo Desktop PC -Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 160G HD, 19" Display, CD-RW/DVD - $1,300

Lenovo Thinkpad Notebook - Intel Centrino Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 100G HD, CD-RW/DVD, WiFi - $1,800 
          *Thinkpad price includes a docking station, 2nd power adapter, Drop and Spill warranty, and case

Lenovo Thinkpad Notebook - Basic Thinkpad with Webcam, 250G HD, 2GB Memory - $700
Great inexpensive notebook computer. This unit does support the use of a docking station but does have
plenty USB ports and video out for use with a projector.

Maxtor External Backup Hard Drive - $80

Windows Software
Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access will be pre-installed on the computer
Adobe Photoshop Elements - $84
Adobe Acrobat - $80
e-mail, web browsers, and virus/spyware protection and PDF writer are provided by IT.
See the list of supported software.

Printers
HP DeskJet Color Inkjet printer for PC or Macintosh w/Cable - $115
Lexmark E360dn Laser Printer - 40ppm w/duplexing - Great for individuals or a small workgroup not needing multiple media options - $400
Lexmark Optra Laser Printer - 45ppm Networked Laser Printer for Workgroups with Duplexer - $1,200
Envelope Feeder for Lexmark Printers - $260
Duplex Unit (2 sided printing) for non duplexing Lexmark Printers - $320
500 Sheet Paper Tray for Lexmark Printers - $260

Lexmark Multifunction Printer - Scan/Copy/Print/FAX -45ppm for Administrative Areas as a replacement to an existing laser printer and copy machine - $1,790

Lexmark Multifunction Printer - Scan/Copy/Print/FAX - 50ppm, Workgroup device for Administrative Areas as a replacement to an existing laser printer and copy machine - $2,800

Accessories
USB Flash or Thumb Drive for Mac or PC - 8GB (Dept. Funds) - $25
Scanner - HP Scanner for PC or Macintosh - $110
Memory
Macintosh 2Gb Upgrade - $75
IBM 2Gb Upgrade - $40

Please note: prices listed are not exact costs - they are for use in budget planning only.

For additional assistance with planning for departmental computer purchases, please contact your department's IT liaison (on campus link) or call extension 3900.