The changes didn’t stop with the new logo. ULM students can expect to find many upgrades on campus and online as well.
Schulze Cafeteria has seen renovations, including a new salad bar and a paint job. Masur Hall dorm rooms have also been repainted and received new AC units, light switches and power outlets.
The library and Hemphill 316 have received new computers over the summer because of the Student Technology Access Plan, or STAP. According to Chance Eppinette, Interim Director and Technology Support Manager, the STAP budget is reviewed every year with consideration of applying budget dollars toward computer lab upgrades. The new computers feature all-in-one footprint, less cabling and are equipped with an Intel i3 processor and eight gigabytes of memory. They still use Windows 7 and are also equipped with Microsoft Office 2013. They are also upgrading the computer labs to Microsoft Office 2013 because it’s available according to Bill Dean, Lab Tech Coordinator.
“The old computers would normally go to smaller labs that have even older computers,” Dean said. “Since the computers are bought with student funds they cannot be used by faculty or staff so we have to find student accessible areas to place them in. If there are not enough places to put the computers, they are removed from campus.”
“With this frequent replacement cycle, we can ensure we have up-to-date technology in our primary labs. This allows us to then circulate two to three year old computers out to other satellite labs around campus,” Eppinette said.
Katie Frith, a junior nursing major, was surprised to find the new computers in the library. Frith says that she thinks Microsoft Word 2013 and the size of the computers will be a huge convenience for her as a frequenter of the library.
“I usually print in the nursing building so I use their computer lab a lot, but I also have a lot of friends who aren’t in nursing school so I study [in the library] often,” Frith said.
Moodle, Zimbra and the ULM mobile app have all taken on a new look. And sports tickets can now be purchased online, through new website Warhawktix.com.