Humanities Faculty Computer Program

Overview

One of the core technology services HumTech provides to the Humanities Division is to purchase and maintain an up-to-date workstation for senate faculty and continuing lecturers on a regular refresh cycle. The current refresh cycle is four years, and HumTech maintains a record of each purchase to track when each workstation is due for replacement. By entrusting faculty computer purchases and upgrades to HumTech, departments are assured of providing their faculty with a choice of desktops and laptops that meet a high level of technical standards at a fair price. Managing the faculty upgrade program also means that HumTech can provide the same, solid slate of software on a known desktop image, which is easier and quicker to troubleshoot and maintain. Funding for the faculty computer purchases and upgrades derives from Divisional summer earnings. As such, HumTech takes very seriously its role as steward of these funds, and strives to provide as powerful a workstation as budget will allow to each eligible faculty member.

Timeline

Each winter quarter, HumTech assembles a selection of two Windows and two Apple computer options recommended for new faculty and those eligible for upgrades in the current academic year. HumTech strives to confirm all faculty upgrade requests by the end of February. Faculty are given four weeks to make their selection, and HumTech generally receives new computers in the final weeks of the winter quarter. If a selection is not made by the ordering deadline, then faculty will have to wait until the next purchase cycle during the summer quarter. Once computers begin to arrive HumTech installs all software by means of a uniform image and the Computing Support Group staff deploy new and upgraded computers to eligible faculty on a rolling basis, as faculty availability permits.

Guidelines

One of the core technology services HumTech provides to the Humanities Division is to purchase and maintain an up-to-date workstation for senate faculty and continuing lecturers on a regular refresh cycle. The current refresh cycle is four years, and HumTech maintains a record of each purchase to track when each workstation is due for replacement. By entrusting faculty computer purchases and upgrades to HumTech, departments are assured of providing their faculty with a choice of desktops and laptops that meet a high level of technical standards at a fair price. Managing the faculty upgrade program also means that HumTech can provide the same, solid slate of software on a known desktop image, which is easier and quicker to troubleshoot and maintain. Funding for the faculty computer purchases and upgrades derives from Divisional summer earnings. As such, HumTech takes very seriously its role as steward of these funds, and strives to provide as powerful a workstation as budget will allow to each eligible faculty member.

HumTech’s goal each year is to provide as close to an ideal desktop or laptop as possible to each of our 300+ faculty and continuing lecturers while also ensuring that the support staff can efficiently troubleshoot and resolve workstation-related issues. Balancing individual needs and reliable, responsive support requires that the faculty upgrade program adhere to certain agreed-upon guidelines.

1. Upgrades occur every four years, To ensure that the workstations Humanities faculty use adhere to minimum security standards and afford a quality user experience. Computers older than four years are generally out of warranty and become time-consuming to support.
2. Every computer is purchased with a 4 year hardware only warranty.
3. In exchange for the upgrade, faculty turn in the replaced desktop or laptop to HumTech for proper recycling and disposal.
4. Each year’s selection of desktops and laptops meets a continuing level of performance and storage criteria (processor speed, memory size, hard drive capacity, screen size) to meet the needs of the majority of Humanities faculty.
5. Faculty may request a custom configuration (i.e. one not on the approved selection for that year) to meet specialized computing needs. In approved cases, faculty may ask departments or HumTech to purchase an off-selection desktop or laptop. HumTech will cover only up to the cost of the nearest equivalent on the HumTech selection list; any additional cost must be covered by departmental or faculty research funds.
6. New faculty should request a workstation from the selection list in the year they are appointed at UCLA. They then become eligible for an upgrade after four years.
7. Once your Departmental Technology Analyst (DTA) has confirmed your workstation selection and the order has been submitted, it cannot be changed.
8. Eligibility.
   1. Eligible: Senate faculty and continuing lecturers who are actively teaching or on active recall in the coming academic year.
   2. Not eligible:
      1. Faculty and continuing lecturers who are retiring at the end of the current academic year, and are not on recall. If you decide to retire after making your selection, we reserve the right to reassign the machine to an eligible faculty member.
      2. Emeritus faculty