Updates to IOD Office Computers (Fall 2009)

In collaboration with the Ann Marie White, Associate Director of Finance and Administration, and Jim Lemanowicz, Assistant Director of Research, the Education Tech Support Team will be working in Fall 2009 to update and upgrade many of the computer systems in the Institute on Disabilities (IOD). While we would like to be able to give everyone a new machine, the budget doesn't allow for a full upgrade at this time. As a result, we have surveyed your current systems and come up with a plan that we hope addresses those with the oldest systems/highest need. This involves installing some new computers, some refurbished/updated computers, and upgrading some existing computers (detailed below).

Overall, we are working to insure:

  1. All staff have only flat panel monitors (17in or greater). All CRT monitors will be removed and recycled.
  2. All staff have minimum system requirements (2GB RAM, Pentium processor or greater).

This is the beginning of a larger strategic plan for improving our access to updated computer equipment. Over the next three years, we will be working to implement a 5-year replacement cycle, where staff can expect to receive a new computer every 5 years.

Computers Scheduled for Upgrade or Replacement Fall 2009

Group 1: Replacement Systems

  1. Bolden, Yvette
  2. Dolloff, Ann
  3. Frantz, Bev
  4. Goldman, Amy
  5. Jones Furlow, Mary
  6. Keefer, Ann
  7. McNally, Sandy

Group 1 will receive a new Dell Optiplex 760 PC computer with Windows XP Professional, Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 processor, 3GB RAM, and 250GB hard drive. You will also receive a new 19in widescreen flat-panel monitor.

Group 2: Refurbished Systems

  1. Bigley , Judith
  2. DeGroff, Aja
  3. Fullum, Susan
  4. Greenwell, Becca
  5. Gucwa, Rachel
  6. Kessler, Julie
  7. Marfisi, Carol
  8. Miller , Kathy
  9. Ottley, Rhonda
  10. Ravitch, Rachel
  11. Roccia-Meir, Cathy
  12. Segal, Mary
  13. Smith Jill,
  14. Troy, Lisa

Group 2 will receive a refurbished computer: either an Optiplex GX 270 or Optiplex GX 280 with Intel 80532 or 80547 processor, 2GB of RAM and 80GB or better hard drive.

Group 3: Refurbished Mac Systems

  1. Bryen, Diane
  2. DiLello, Virginia

Group 3 will receive a refurbished Mac Mini system.

Group 4: Upgrade RAM (Memory)

  1. Ahrens, Kristin
  2. Caruso, Guy
  3. Feinstein, Celia
  4. Miller , Kathy
  5. Al-Amin, Mona
  6. Moscoso, Melania
  7. Perry, Diane
  8. Weber, Terri

Group 4 will keep their existing computers, but will receive have additional memory installed, which should improve processing speed.

What about the rest of us?

If you are not listed one of the groups above, we do not plan on updating/upgrading your system at this time. However, we will be including your system in the overall plan to get everyone on a 5-year replacement cycle and will work, as budget permits, to implement that policy as soon as possible. The next set of upgrades will likely occur near end of June/July 2010.

What about monitors?

All CRT monitors will be replaced with a flat panel monitor (17in or larger). We will begin replacing monitors in the next week.

What about printers?

Since IOD will be moving to new facilities in the near future, we are holding-off on consideration of replacing printers until we have a better sense of the configuration of the new space. Where it makes sense to conserve desk space, we'll work to establish printer work-groups, where groups of users will share a networked printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

I'm on the list, when will you be coming?

We are contacting staff now to get a sense of ideal dates/times when the transition will work for you. We'll do our best to accommodate your schedules. However, we would like to complete as many of the upgrades/updates as possible prior to the IOD move, so we do not have to move older equipment.

My computer is being replaced, what should I do to prepare?

We are going to be coming around to your computer to make a backup of your current system data. After that time, we will ask that you save any new or updated documents to your P:// drive, on the server, instead of saving directly to your computer. This will help insure that you will not lose any data during the transfer. As a rule of thumb, it is a good idea to backup your work to the P:// drive anyway. So, feel free to drag-and-drop your My Documents folder to the P:// drive to insure you have a current data backup.

I have special software installed, will it be transferred over?

We setup each system with:

  • Office 2007
  • Symantec Antivirus
  • Adobe Reader
  • PrimoPDF
  • Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer
  • Adobe Flash/Shockwave Players
  • Quicktime
  • Printer/Scanner drivers, as appropriate

If you have additional software not included in this list, please notify the Tech Support Team, so we can arrange to have your other software reinstalled. We will need to verify that there is a current license available for any non-standard software. You can make software requests via TUHelp: http://tuhelp.temple.edu.

Additional Questions?

Please send your questions to Lori Bailey (lori.bailey@temple.edu).