Forums address ASU’s student technology fee
<p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">Adrian Sannier, the University Technology Officer (UTO) for ASU, will host open forums this month regarding the student technology fee, which is up for a vote later in the month.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">A recent survey of ASU students, accomplished by the Alternative Learning Institute (http://alti.asu.edu/node/87), reveals that students expect the university to do more for them in the area of technology. Some of the desired services include:</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• More connectivity.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• Better technology support services.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• An academic experience that makes better use of emerging technologies.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">The fulfillment of these expanding needs is the purpose of the proposed fee.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">Maintaining and growing a complex technology infrastructure will require a stable source of revenue, and while the cost of providing these services is rising, the non-recurring funding sources used by ASU are expiring.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">ASU is not the first university to require a technology fee as a reliable way to fund these crucial services. According to a 2002 survey accomplished by the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research report (www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0218.pdf), nearly 70 percent of public universities have instituted a mandatory student technology fee.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">According to that report, the average student technology fee at these schools was $197 per student (ASU’s is $100). Both of ASU’s sister institutions – the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University – already have similar technology fees in place to meet the needs of their students.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">During the open houses, Sannier will speak about these topics and answer questions from the student body. The locations and times of the sessions are:</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Feb. 5, Polytechnic campus’ Tech Room 195.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Feb. 6, Tempe campus’ Murdock Hall room 101.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 7, Downtown Phoenix campus’ UCENT room 282.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 12, Tempe campus’ Murdock Hall room 101.</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">• 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 13, West campus’ UCB La Sala A room (west end of campus).</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; margin: 0px"> </p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px">For other questions about UTO, send an e-mail to (askuto@asu.edu).</p><separator></separator><p style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin: 0px"> </p>