IT Services

The University opened its latest computer suite complete with 166 PCs in the Tower Basement which has been transformed from dingy library storage space to a brightly lit high tech facility now buzzing with students working on their assignments.

The Principal declared the suite open with the click of a mouse and a simulated countdown from 166 projected from a PC onto an overhead screen.

IT services have consolidated their resources by closing several smaller suites across campus and bringing the computers together to increase access hours for students. The suite is now open until 9pm on weekdays and it is hoped to extend opening hours to the weekend in the near future. The location of the suite in the Tower now means that the facilities are fully accessible for disabled users.

Richard Murphy, director of IT services said: "It is nine years since the first IT suite opened with 60 PCs. We have been steadily improving our computing facilities for students and have now opened a model high tech suite with a record number of PCs for this University. The opening of the new suite takes us to 400 centrally provided PCs."

A new feature in the suite is 100 brand new CD writers. Students are now able to save their work on CD which has a far higher memory capacity than floppy disks. Such is the capacity of this facility that students will be able to save work from all four years of study on one compact disk alone.

Over 100,000 books weighing 300 tonnes were moved from the Tower basement to make way for the new IT suite costing £600,000. The new suite hosts four large rooms with a central foyer complete with a staffed help desk. Other facilities include high capacity laser printers, a high speed data network and four rooms equipped with whiteboards and projectors designed for teaching as well as independent study.

Caption First year student Jade Dollard and the Principal try out the new CD writers.

Next Page
Return to December 2001 Contact