Procrastinators rejoice - printing in your College House computer lab at 3 a.m. might now be possible.
More of the College House computer labs are switching to having 24/7 access. However, some may be scaling back how many hours Information Technology Advisors work at help desks.
Since computer-lab management is decentralized, each College House had a different level of operation prior to this change. Several were already open 24/7.
Each house dean determines the hours of staffing and access to the computer labs.
In Fisher Hassenfeld - which is making the shift to 24/7 - House Dean April Herring said keeping the lab open would be ideal for students' needs.
"This year at finals time, we kept it open 24/7, and I got a lot of feedback that students really liked that," she said.
The lab may be open for longer, but that doesn't necessarily mean the college house is paying for more staff time.
Fisher's computer lab help desk will now only be staffed 40 hours per week, rather than 96.
Having the lab accessible but not staffed won't be a problem, Herring said, because the computers have an alarm capacity and the Quadrangle guards are standing close by.
Harnwell House Dean Suhnne Ahn said the causes for the change in her house were "related to budget issues and compensation of the students."
Associate director of College House Computing Marilyn Spicer said the original purpose of the ITAs was to help students with unfriendly software, such as DOS. The computer lab was especially useful during the 1990s because computers then were not so affordable.
"The affordability of laptop computers, computer savvy students and the availability of the AirPennNet wireless network in the College Houses caused us to take a different look at how we can better support students as well as labs," she wrote in an e-mail.
In response to the possibility that ITAs might be displeased with fewer work hours, Spicer added that ITAs can work up to 20 hours per week from the online ITA help desk.
Some students are more excited by the possibility of new computer lab hours than others.
"People have their own computers and the necessary programs and may not need the computer lab to be open," said Yemi Adediji, a graduate Design student and Ware residential adviser.
Tory Satagaj - a College sophomore and Harnwell resident - said that 24/7 computer labs would be "a lot more convenient" because it would allow for printing whenever needed.
Some labs are still in planning stages of transition, but each will soon be posting its hours for the year.
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