By David Nasongkhla,
Commentary Co-Editor
Gone are the days of free printing on campus. Starting this semester the college implemented a new printing policy.
At the beginning of each semester, every student will be given $20 on their student account for printing in the campus computer labs. That $20 pays for 400 pages. After that, students will be charged five cents for each additional page they print.
Many students object to the new policy and find it unnecessary.
“It’s whack,” said senior Camara Kadete. “This school makes money off the students; they don’t need to charge for printing,” he later added.
The college decided to charge for printing not only to lessen the already sky high costs of maintaining the printers and buying ink and toner but to save paper and the environment as well.
After the reason for the new policy was explained, Kadete changed his mind.
“I don’t think anyone will use 400 copies, except for the students who abuse the printers,” Kadete said. “I guess it’s a good thing because I have seen a lot of wasted paper.”
However, there are some students that cannot avoid printing. Students who take classes where professors post PowerPoint presentations online have to print constantly.
One student had to print PowerPoints for two classes had reason to complain.
“After all the printing for both classes was done, I ended up with $8 left in my ‘printing allowance,’” the student said.
The student approached the instructor about the printing problem and was told that the faculty was not informed about the new policy until the day classes started. The professor told the student that the policy was discussed at meetings; however, no formal or final plans were mentioned.
“So while it’s easy to get mad at the professors, everyone needs to realize that they were as shocked as we were on this new printing policy,” added the student.
According to a source from Information Technology, the new printing policy, so far, is very successful. Other than a few requests by faculty members for unlimited printing, there have been no complaints about the policy.
“I think it’ll work,” said Kadete. “No one should ever need to use 400 copies; it’s plenty.”