This article was originally posted in the SNHU Observer (Volume XIX, Issue 6) on February 6, 2013:
There are rumors swirling around campus regarding the new printing system. Some students say it is another way for the school to “nickel and dime” everyone, others say it is one way for the school to cut costs. The real truth is that SNHU is continuing to become a greener campus. This initiative, used by many other schools in the surrounding area, was put in place to make SNHU students think before they print.
Last year SNHU printed more than 2,700,000 pages in Shapiro Library and computer labs all across campus. Approximately 40% of these pages go unused. The new payment system encourages conscientious printing. The new system does not require students to pay for printing out of pocket. The school provides 50 dollars for each undergraduate day student and 20 dollars for all other active students to print. This means that at ten cents a page (black and white single-sided copy) a student has 500 pages he or she can print, per semester, without having to put in any of their own money.
The advantage of this new system also allows for color printing to be performed at the printers in the library. Students may also place papers in the queue on the printer and the paper will stay in the queue for 12 hours. This means that students can place a paper in the queue and print it in the morning before class. Students can pay at the printers in two ways: students can use their ID that has a chip in it (any student IDs that can be used on card readers around campus). The student must dent their paper to a printer, select the document to be printed, and swipe their ID over a scanner. The payment will automatically be charged toward the student’s 50-dollar allotment.
If students have not used their cards on the printer yet or had trouble using their card, it is a simple fix. In order to use the student ID a student must log in on the printer once prompter. Swipe the ID and the printer will deny access. All the student needs to do is sign in with their school email and password on the printer touchpad. This will set up their card with the system. It will then be as easy as swiping the ID each time a student goes to print. The other option, commuters will have to use this option, is to simply type in their school email and password to print. Once a paper is sent to the printer the student must type in their information and their account will be charged.
This initiative allows for SNHU to save the students’ money, as well as continuing with the efforts of saving trees and being an environmentally friendly campus.
