The
Long Term Notebook Computer Loan Scheme
By
Raymond Poon
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A pilot scheme, the Long Term Notebook Computer
Loan Scheme (LLS) for students, was considered by the Committee
on Information Services and Technology (CIST) at its meeting on
7 April 2008. The LLS was later approved by the Senate on May
20 2008. It is a mobile support scheme in which the University
will purchase a lot of notebook computers and then loan them to
selected groups of students for piloting a new mode of teaching
and learning using mobile devices. All UGC-funded full-time Undergraduate
and Associate Degree students except those who are in their final
year are eligible for the LLS. As these notebook computers are
owned by the University, all applicable site-licensed software
can be installed on them free of charge.
The notebook computers provided to students under the LLS (referred
to as notebook computers hereafter) are not loaned to eligible
students automatically; they have to apply for one. Once approved,
students can borrow notebook computers for free, but they will
be liable for any damage, repair, or loss not being covered by
the warranty. They can keep the notebook computers until graduation
as long as they comply with the University policies and regulations
and make all the required payments (e.g. tuition, repair charge,
etc.) during the loan period. The notebook computers issued to
students are the properties of the University and are on loan
to students for their personal use only. Students thus must not
lend or transfer their notebook computers to someone else. Students
can terminate the LLS at any time by returning the notebook computers
to the University. Once withdrawn from the LLS, a student cannot
rejoin it again even when they enroll in a different programme
eligible for the LLS. The notebook computers must be returned
in good working order and on time at the end of the study period,
at the termination of the LLS, or at a time specified by the University
(as in the case of withdrawal from studies or of random inspection
as required by the University audit processes). Any student who
fails to do so will be required to pay for the original market
price of the computer. For students who have left the University
without returning the notebook computers on loan to them, the
University will treat such cases very seriously and pursue all
legal means to recover the notebook computers from the students.
To encourage students to bring their notebook computers to campus
on a regular basis, the models selected for the LLS tend to be
relatively small in size, light weight and with reasonable battery
life while have sufficient power and capacity to deal with most
of the learning needs of the students.
Students eligible for the LLS will apply and select the notebook
computers through on-line application. In order to protect the
University's assets, students will be required to confirm their
compliance with a "LLS Agreement" at the application
time. They will also be asked to sign the same agreement when
they collect the notebook computers so that they can fully understand
their obligations.
Student Option under the Microsoft's Campus Agreement
to be Offered to Students Not Joining LLS
As approved in the same paper submitted to Senate, CityU students
not joining the LLS will be provided with free use of the same
licensed software products installed on the LLS notebook computers.
In particular, the Microsoft software Office Enterprise and ForeFront
Client Security (anti-virus software) will be made available to
all CityU students not joining the LLS through the subscription
of the Student Option (SO) under the existing Microsoft's Campus
Agreement (MCA). As long as the SO under MCA (MCA SO) for Office
Enterprise and Forefront are subscribed by the University, each
full-time and part-time student of the University and the CCCU
will be entitled to (a) one license for each of these two kinds
of software to be installed on one computer owned by him/her;
(b) free upgrades to the newer versions of these two kinds of
software whenever they become available, and (c) the perpetual
use rights for the most current versions of these two kinds of
software available at the time of graduation.
Use of the licensed product by students is governed by the terms
of the University's licensing agreement. To ensure all students understand the appropriate
use rights of the licensed products, students must apply for the
MCA SO through on-line application and confirm their compliance
with the "Agreement on the Use of Microsoft Student Option" at
application time. Students will also be asked to sign the same
agreement when picking up their MCA SO software media.
The Arrangements and Administration of LLS and MCA SO
Detailed arrangements and the administration of the LLS and the
MCA SO will be announced in October 2008. It is expected that
the notebook computers will be ready for collection before Semester
B 2008-09.