Faculty Refresh

About the Faculty Refresh Program

The University provides for tenure-track and full time non-tenure track faculty members to receive a new computer on a four year cycle. The computers are provided to ensure that faculty members have up-to-date systems. The refresh program is not a means to provide multiple computers to a faculty member. EHHS has decided that the old computers are to be used to provide trickle-down upgrades for others in the college. If you would like more information regarding Kent State University's faculty refresh program, please see  http://www.kent.edu/is/facultyrefresh.

The Faculty Refresh Process

If you are eligible for a faculty refresh computer, you will be contacted by the EHHS IT Department via email at the beginning of the current Refresh Cycle, and at regular intervals throughout it. Contained in the email will be a Faculty Refresh Form and instructions on how to proceed. You must review your options, complete the form and submit it which will automatically send your request to our team. Once the Refresh form has been received, we will get final approval from your departmental Director for the request and then place the order. Once an order is placed, we wait for the complete order to ship and be received by us. Once a device is ready to be deployed, we will contact you to schedule a day and time to deploy it to you. During this scheduled time, we will need access to your current device in order to transfer any existing data to the new computer, so be prepared to commit up to a full business day to allow us access to transition you to your new device.

If you have any questions regarding this process, please email Patrick McCartney at pmccartn@kent.edu with any questions.

 

The Faculty Refresh Cycles

The Faculty Refresh Project is now on a 4-year cycle. EHHS's 143 eligible faculty are split in 4 groups, with a new group becoming eligible for a new device each year. 

Eligible faculty will be contacted at the beginning of each years cycle, typically near the end of Summer, to start the selection process.

If you would like to see when you are next eligible, please email Patrick McCartney at pmccartn@kent.edu.

  • Who is covered?
    • Currently, all EHHS full-time tenure-track and non tenure-track faculty members at the Kent campus are covered.
  • Who is covered?
    • Currently, all EHHS full-time tenure-track and non tenure-track faculty members at the Kent campus are covered.
  • How often will my computer be replaced?
    • Computers provided under the Faculty Computer Refresh Program are currently replaced every four years. Due to the onset of the Pandemic in 2019-2020, the Refresh Project was put on hold for over a year, until it was resumed in 2021. This delay affected all cycles, effectively pushing back when faculty would be eligible to receive their new device. If you would like to find out when you are eligible next, contact Sam Cannella at scannel1@kent.edu. 
  • What type of computer can I choose?
    • Information Services selects a number of Dell, Apple and Microsoft devices with technical specs that cover the widest range of needs and will stay functional for the four-year life. You may choose one of those standard computers, or if none of the standard computers meet your needs, you can request a non-standard device (with additional costs associated). Because models change so frequently, the current list of standard devices will be provide once you are contacted by your local IT person during your eligibility cycle. 
  • Is there any advantage to choosing a standard model computer?
    • Standard model computers allow us to both negotiate better pricing and provide consistency across the campus. It also provides us the ability to have trained professionals who can better assist you with your computing needs.
  • Can I give my computer to someone else to use?
    • No. Refresh computers are provided for use by the eligible faculty members. Once you receive your new Faculty Refresh device, your old device will be collected by EHHS IT, scrubbed, and then repurposed.
  • If I don't want a computer can I have the money to purchase other equipment or supplies?
    • Unfortunately, the answer to this is NO. The purpose of the computer refresh program is to replace the computers before the technology becomes obsolete.
  • What happens to the old computer when my computer is replaced?
    • Existing machines stay in the academic unit. Chairs and directors must make every effort to sustain a supportive, professional environment for all who engage in scholarship and teaching in the department or school. Thus, chairs and directors should pass on existing machines to graduate students and part-time faculty who are not eligible for new machines in the refresh program. Further, the issuance of a Refresh machine should not be used to provide an individual faculty member with two machines.
  • My department has no use for my old computer. Can I purchase it?
    • NO. University policy dictates that equipment must be made available for use by other departments within the University.
  • Can I make an upgrade to the standard model computer configurations?
    • Yes, but this must be approved by your department head and the additional cost of the upgrade will be charged to your department plus a special ordering process fee of $100.
  • What if I need software that is not part of the standard package that comes with the faculty refresh computers?
    • If it is software necessary for teaching or research, please contact Sam Cannella (scannel1@kent.edu) for pricing and billing information.
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