By Christian Loeffler
With the arrival of the new printing kiosks this year, both Joshua Seevers, user services manager, and Peter Mahoney, chief information officer, shared commentary on the Wēpa printers' locations, costs, and future.
Seevers explained that the lack of kiosks in Dupre was due to the belief that it was best to cover all places where printing was already provided previously, as well as centralized locations on campus such as the Carey Center and Placid Hall.
Mahoney explained that when a student has a class in Dupre, the student "can do the coming and going of it" with kiosks likely being in the proximity on the way to class.
Seevers stated that Wēpa kiosks will replace most printing options for students, as evidenced by the removal of the regular printer in Alfred Hall student study center, and stated that two more kiosks will be available in the Latimer Library for students in the future.
Seevers also explained how the pricing works for the machines.
For students, black and white printing is free aside from a $10 technology fee already included in the tuition, while the color printing is thirty-five cents for single-sided sheets and fifty cents for double-sided sheets.
Payments can be made at the kiosks via credit card or through other devices.
Seevers and Mahoney both stated that they encourage students to add Wēpa funds prior to completing a colored printing job.
In terms of complications with the new system, Mahoney stated that there are several variations of students, such as students in the seminary, staff, and so forth, and sometimes the system will not label campus members appropriately.
"We did find some anomalies in the back end that we corrected every single time that we have come across it, so if a student is being charged [wrongly], go to the service desk, we'll investigate why, and we'll resolve it," Seevers said.
Seevers stated that students should let IT know of any technology concerns, since students are vital to knowing what needs changed or fixed.
Mahoney stated that students should fill out SGA survey's regarding IT saying that it is a "good voice for the service."
John Smetanka, vice president of academic affairs and academic dean, explained that the library was the main place for students to print, but due to its current construction, the option was not available for the beginning of the semester.
"We needed a solution that would, in the short term, take care of printing in the library but also something in the long term [...] even when the library came back online," Semetanka said.
"What drove us crazy in the library was the amount of waste."
Smetanka stated that an ongoing issue for years was how people would print out large amounts of documents and then forget them.
"How do we best service students in getting them a printing solution that is both cost effective [and] environmentally friendly?" Smetanka said.
"I think that we found the right solution."