The GPSA has been hearing a lot of complaints about the new print quota, that 400 pages is not enough for graduate students. Now we need your input as to what you think would be an appropriate level.
The quota was put in place to cut down on unnecessary printing and conserve resources -- has the print quota caused you to read more journal articles on the screen rather than in hard copy, or to print two pages per sheet? Are you printing the same amount as before, but doing it somewhere else? Will professors accept electronic drafts of papers and reports, or do you still have to print everything out for all of your classes? Have you brought the issue up to paper-hungry professors and asked for electronic-only revisions? What has been their reaction? Do you print for research and labwork, or mainly for course work? How do qualifying/comprehensive exams affect your printing needs? How much of what you print is necessary and how much is it is just convenient or easier?
Please email your comments -- and the NUMBER of pages you think would be appropriate for the graduate/professional students print quota to me (hartke.t@neu.edu). Please separate printing you do for teaching or for other things within your department from the rest of your printing. I'll post the results in this space one week from now.
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4 comments:
In principle, a print quota is a good thing. People should be more mindful of how much they print.
I do think that InfoCommons could do more to recycle unused cover sheets. At home I reuse the blank backsides of papers when I print and I have no problem turning in papers to professors using my recycled paper.
I do think 400 pages might be too small a quota, at least for grad students. Given the number of articles we need to read, we can easily use up the print quota in one semester. And it is ridiculous to expect that we are going to read everything online.
400 is too small for a full time grad student. I am part-time and print much at home, or at work, where I am during the day. It would be great if there could be a quote for the each dept, and so if I end up printing say, 200 pages, someone else can "use by other 200 pages.
I don't believe any quota is fair. This is a multi-million dollar university that increases tuition every year at a rate which surpasses inflation. There is absolutely no financial justification for requiring a print quota.
If the problem is excess paper use then the real solution here is simple: invest in double sided printers - you'd cut your paper consumption in half instantly. This isn't, however, a paper consumption problem at all. The administration should call this quota what it really is - an ink quota.
There are plenty of alternative companies that offer discounted ink at a great rate. Instead of taking the easy way out and hurting your customers (that is what we as students are by the way), the administration should look towards cost saving instruments such as the aforementioned discount ink dealers.
Tom Murdock, MPA '08
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