Student IT Fee Initiatives (Computer Services)

Computer Services works closely with a committee of SUCCI representatives and College employees to resolve student information technology issues. Each student at Confederation College pays an Information Technology fee and it is this Committee that plans the expenditure of these funds.   Priorities are defined to address the most urgent computing needs and provide the best overall benefit to all students. Specific initiatives from the past several year are listed below.

2021 / 22

  • Contribution to Lecture Theatre audio visual renewal
  • PC Lab renewals - Shuniah 326 (31 units), Shuniah 330 (37 units), McIntyre 240 (41 units)
  • Sioux Lookout PC lab renovation (21 units)
  • PC renewals 1st floor Library (41 units)
  • Contribution to 7x24 off hours Helpdesk support
  • Student Employment - Contribution to IT Helpdesk Student employment funding

2020/21

Note: Budget was approved before the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic were realized

  • ACE 209 PC Upgrades
  • College wifi upgrade - Contribution to wifi upgrade in all campuses and buildings.
  • Student Employment - Contribution to IT Helpdesk Student employment funding
  • Contribution to bus schedule monitors (pending approval of contributions from other sources)
  • Contribution to 7x24 off hours Helpdesk support
  • Malwarebytes 1 year subscription for students
  • Library PC Upgrades - 2nd floor + expansion of first floor (pending furniture funding approval)
  • Helpdesk - Replacement Lexmark printers
  • Student Commons Audio Visual renewal contribution.

2019/20

(Note: at the time of budget approval, the nature of the IT Fee was unclear with the province's Student Choice Initiative.  As a result a smaller than usual budget was approved)

  • McIntyre Building - M235 GIS computer and monitor replacements.
  • Student Employment - Contribution to  IT Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Replace of 2 Lexmark printers in the Library
  • Technology for new Library AV room (142, 142a)
  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.

2018/19

  • New all-in-one Internet Cafe workstations for Shuniah (9) and McIntyre (6).
  • McIntyre Building - Replacement of CATIA M254 (24) and Open - CAD M257 (18) computers
  • Student Employment - Contribution to  IT Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Replacement monitors in Library study rooms.
  • Shuniah - Replacement workstations in 328 (18)
  • Wellness Centre - complete installation of digital displays and scoreboard
  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.
  • SAN disk array - contribution to mandatory maintenance 

2017/18

  • Wellness Centre - Installation of networking and wifi technology, scoreboards, video displays
  • Student Employment - Contribution to IT Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.
  • Zoomtext software license
  • Wifi upgrades across campus
  • PC Lab hardware refresh - internal upgrades to speed up performance in ALL academic labs
  • Student Commons replacement projector & screen
  • REACH Student Commons - electrical work for connectrac
  • Ryan Hall charging station project

2016/17

  • McIntyre Building - Replacement of AutoCAD lab computers
  • Student Employment - Contribution to compensate for system reduction in Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Contribution to maintenance of Bedework server for event calendaring
  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.
  • SAN disk array - contribution to additional disk storage capacity in College SAN for storage of personal student files.

2015/16

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 330,345 - 37 new computers for each lab.
  • Student Employment - Contribution to compensate for system reduction in Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • ACE - Lexmark MS811 printer for 2nd floor lab
  • Contribution to maintenance of Bedework server for event calendaring

  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.

2014/15

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 326 - 31 new computers
  • ACE - 2nd floor open lab - 22 new computers
  • Student Employment - Contribution to compensate for system reduction in Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Contribution to maintenance of Bedework server for event calendaring
  • Contribution to 7 x 24 Helpdesk, off hours service.
  • Library - 4 new Lexmark printers for 1st and 2nd floor
  • Library - upgraded equipment in 5 study rooms.
  • McIntyre Building – M235 - 22 new computers
  • 24 computers for the Dryden campus
  • 10 computers for the Wawa campus

 
 

2013/14

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 343 - 51 new computers, 344 - 24 new computers
  • Shuniah 3rd Floor Helpdesk – 2 new Lexmark printers.
  • Library 2nd Floor lab computers - 27 computers
  • ACE - 2 Internet Cafe workstations
  • Student Employment - Contribution to compensate for system reduction in Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • Contribution to development of Bedework server for event calendaring
  • McIntyre Building – M257 - 18 new computers
  • McIntyre Helpdesk - 2 new Lexmark printers
  • Regional Wireless Upgrades - Upgrade Kenora, Fort Frances to 802.11N
  • Fort Frances PC Lab Upgrades - Rooms 167,166 - 17 PCs each, Open Lab - 5 PCs
  • Dryden E-Classroom - 3 PC's
  • Geraldton and Marathon Labs - 10 PCs + printer in Geraldton
  • Sioux Lookout - 11 PCs

2012/13

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 326 - 32 new computers, 328 - 37 new computers
  • Library – 2 new printers on the 2nd floor.
  • Kiosk computers - Four stations for REACH
  • Student Employment - Contribution to compensate for system reduction in Helpdesk student employment funding.
  • McIntyre/Dorion Building – M237 - 23 new computers, Dorion 272 - 41 new computers.
  • Wireless Network Upgrades - 802.11N upgrades for the Dorion/McIntyre/ACE buildings to match service in Shuniah

2011/12

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – new Helpdesk Printers, 330/355 - 37 new computers, 328 - new LCD monitors
  • Library – 28 new open booking computers (1st floor), recirculated printers from Helpdesk.
  • College Disk SAN - 1/3 contribution to acquistion of a College disk storage solution for students/faculty/staff.
  • McIntyre/Dorion Building – AutoCAD/Open Booking lab new computers, RAM upgrades for computers in Dorion lab, M244, M326, M328, M339.
  • Accessibility - Kurzweil software and large monitors to be installed at various locations.

2010/11

  • Shuniah Bldg. - Acquisition of additional wireless access points to improve service.
  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 344 - 24 new computers/monitors, 343 - 38 new computers, 330 - 37 new monitors.
  • Library – A/V equipment for student study rooms; 6 computers/monitors for empty first floor table.
  • McIntyre Lab upgrades - M257 - 18 new computers, M254 - 25 new computers/monitors, 8 Internet cafe stations, new colour printer.
  • McIntyre/ACE – Student lounge LCD TV's and satellite system.
  • ACE - 23 new computers and LCD monitors for open booking lab
  • Ryan Hall - Contribution to new A/V system.
  • Accessibility - Zoomtext software

2009/10

  • Additional Internet Cafe workstations - 12 admin area, 6 outside of Library, 6 Dorion, 4 McIntyre, 2 ACE
  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 326/328 - 30 and 36 new computers, 326 - 36 new monitors, 2 new Helpdesk printers.
  • Library – 1st floor - 4 additional student PC's, 2nd floor - colour lazer printer and new b&w Lexmark
  • McIntyre Lab upgrades - M240 - 37 new computers, new student printer
  • Accessibility - Learning Centre monitors and keyboards.

2008/09

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – 330/345 - 36 new computers each, 339 - 20 new monitors,
  • ACE – new plotter
  • McIntyre Lab upgrades - M237 - 21 new computers and monitors,
  • Accessibility - 6 new  Learning Centre PC's.

2007/08

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – Room 343 (36 units + monitors), Room 344 (24 units), Room 345 (36 monitors)
  • Library – Lexmark student printer replacement
  • Library – 4 Open Booking iMac computers
  • McIntyre Building – RAM upgrade for AutoCAD lab.

2006/07

  • ACE open booking lab. The ACE open lab (24 computers) has been receiving the lowest performing computers trickling down from lab hardware rotations. The Committee agreed that the ACE students should receive more current hardware, especially considering the technology focus ACE.
  • Internet Café workstations (12 units). Four units were acquired for the McIntyre Bldg to reduce the stress on the limited open booking computers available.  Eight units were acquired for the Dorion Bldg (new) and student lounge.
  • SAN storage hardware for Academic and Administrative file servers. User data has saturated College file servers as both the number and size of files stored has steadily increased. The SAN (Storage Area Network) will enable the College to accommodate current storage expectations.
  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – Room 326 (new computers), Room 328 (computers and monitors)
  • Student Services (8 units) – Six computers and monitors for the Learning Centre and two for the HUB.
  • McIntyre Building – HP Designjet 1050c Plus plotter
  • McIntyre Building – Room M240 (25 computers and monitors), M237 (21 monitors, M257 (18 monitors) 
  • Helpdesk – Multicaster computer for software distribution.
  • Helpdesk - 2 Lexmark T642d student printers.

2005/06

  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades – Room 332 (36 units), Rooms 326/328 (68 monitors)
  • Library – Federated Search Engine software
  • Lecture Theatre – Complete audio visual upgrade including presentation podium, computer, video projectors (long and short throw), video conferencing equipment, audio enhancements.
  • ACE – 13 CATIA lab computers
  • McIntyre Building – M240 AutoCAD lab (20 computers).
  • Student Services – Furniture accommodations for students with disabilities.

2004/05

  • Expanded Wireless network access - Your wireless enabled computer or other device can access the College network and Internet in most campus buildings.  All you need is an 802.11a/b/g network access card.  Network cards are available for loan in the Library.
  • Regional Network and Video Conferencing – The College is implementing an IP based network between campuses in Thunder Bay, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Kenora and Fort Frances.  Video conferencing services will be introduced to each of these campuses
  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades Over 100 Dell computer workstations were purchased to upgrade campus computer labs.  All teaching labs now exceed the minimum specs of the software being used in them.
  • Internet Cafe Workstations are available for general use outside of Ryan Hall (13), in the McIntyre Bldg (2), and ACE (2).  If you need to chat, surf, or quickly check your e-mail, feel free to use these workstations.
  • Student Notebooks for Loan - Three DELL notebook computers are available in the Library for student loan.
  • Replacement black and white laser printers – The student lab laser printers were approaching the end of their life cycle.  The new printers are quicker and more reliable.
  • Webcam See what’s happening at ACE/McIntyre/Shuniah when you’re not there.

2003/04

  • Major Increase of Internet bandwidth - The College's connection to the very high speed ORION network has enabled Internet bandwidth to be increased to 100 Mbps (last year campus connectivity was 1.5 Mbps).
  • Wireless network access - Your notebook computer can access the College network and Internet in most campus buildings.  All you need is an 802.11a/b/g network access card.  Network cards will be available for loan in the Library.
  • Residence Telephone System - The College is providing internal telephone service to all Residence rooms with a state of the art IP Telephone solution.  A basic service is planned for 2003 with other features possible in the future years as requested by residents.
  • Shuniah Lab Upgrades - 64 new computer workstations were purchased to replace 'obsolete' computers in lab rooms 339 and 343.  New 17" monitors were also purchased to replace the smaller 15" monitors that existed in lab room # 345 (English lab).  Finally, in the open booking (LINCC) lab, room 344, new 15" LCD monitors have been installed to help provide students with better desk work space.
  • Challis Resource Centre Printer - A high-speed Lexmark mono/laser printer has been installed to provide students working in the Library (LINCC) lab with more easily accessible print services.
  • Photo ID - Colour photo id cards will be produced this fall with a new photo id system
  • E-mail server - The student Outlook E-mail server is being upgraded later in the Fall of 2003 to process the growing volume of messages.
  • Registrar's Office student access PC's - Three PC's were purchased for student access to administrative applications in the Registrar's Office.