Students will pay a higher Information Technology fee in the fall 2010 semester.

Bret Jacobs, vice provost for IT and chief information office, announced the fee increase at the university senate meeting Jan. 21. The reason, he said, is because IT plans on boosting classroom technology.

Improvements will include new projectors, new flat screen TVs and other new electronics to upgrade classrooms.

IT fees cover the campus wireless network, e-mails, Web support, voicemail, network security and other technology. These fees are automatically added to the tuition each semester.

Currently, part-time students pay $87.50 and full-time students pay $175.

Starting next semester, part-time students will pay $125 and full-time students will pay $225 in IT fees.

‘We would like to improve the students technology in the classroom, specific plans are forthcoming,’ Jacobs said. ‘Our hope is to enrich the classroom experience.’

‘Technology must be deployed when it has matured to the point where it is reliable. Adopting technology too early is costly, and if adopted too late, our students will miss the experiences that newer technologies can provide,’ Jacobs said.

He noted that IT’s goal is to better serve the students’ needs.

For example, every three years, the IT department buys new computers to keep the students up to date with the new technology, Jacobs said.

‘The fees that are funded by the students only goes towards technology for students. They are not for faculty or staff, just for the students,’ Jacobs said.

Pearla Mutombo-Watumba can be reached at [email protected]

‘