Saving the budget through the private sector

When the news of an economic crisis first emerged, it was easy to feel concern for the financial state of our country but difficult to see how our personal lives would be affected. Then the reports that state funding for the University had been drastically cut surfaced and students became more worried, but there were still no concrete effects on college life in Charlottesville. When ITC announced its plan to remove most of its public computing labs, however, many students became angered over the issue. They claimed that public computers were required for a smoothly functioning college environment and pointed to the fact that some do regularly rely on the machines in the libraries. Others argued that phasing out computers was necessary due to budget constraints. ITC ought to follow through with the gradual closing down of public computing labs because this allows the University to avoid cutting other, more important programs, but the school still has a responsibility to students to ensure they are not disadvantaged by the move.
Given the current financial situation, something has to go. The phasing out of public computer labs may come under fire because it is a highly visible issue, but it is an ideal target for budget cuts because of the flexibility associated with technology. Developments in technology provide many opportunities to modernize and increase efficiency. If ITC can come up with a more cost-effective way to give students access to educational software, so be it. Many – if not most – students would prefer to have the software on their private laptops than only on library computers in special locations. Of course, a certain number of computers should be kept in public places to serve as a backup for students who have the misfortune of a malfunctioning laptop or for those who simply prefer to use public desktops. ITC could do research in the form of surveys and observation of current student behavior to determine exactly what this number should be. Although if the number of students I see on their laptops right now in Alderman Library is any indication, I would guess that number is not too large.
However, financial necessity by itself does not provide a valid excuse. The University would improve its image by issuing a statement identifying exactly where the money being saved by ITC’s new policy is going. What programs were allowed to stay afloat due to the sinking of most of the public computing labs? In addition, ITC needs to stay informed on student opinion, keep the University community updated on any changes, and ensure that the new delivery system for software works for everyone and does not provide an inconvenience for any students. Otherwise, the new policy could favor students who can afford to buy higher quality, more up-to-date personal computer systems. The phasing out of public computing labs is a more desirable alternative than tuition hikes or the termination of more academic programs, but the University has an obligation to all to ensure that the process is carried out in a fair and informative manner.