Offices

Computer Lab Usage Policy

Work Priority:

Academic work always has first priority over all other usage of the lab equipment. Persons doing non-academic work (non-specific web browsing, social e-mailing, pleasure writing, etc) are expected to surrender the use of the lab computers to persons who need the equipment for academic work.

Using the equipment for non-classwork related purposes has second priority. This includes just about all uses of the computer outside of game playing. Self-training, web browsing or editing, e-mailing, ftp-ing, and other uses of the equipment is allowed as long as there are machines available for those who need to do academically related work. This sort of usage is encouraged, as it allows the users to become more comfortable with the equipment.

Game playing and on-line chatting are highly discourged in the labs. There are two reasons for this: 1) game playing and on-line chatting tend to create a environment in the labs which is not inducive to getting academic work done, and 2) many games and chat utilities install components of themselves throughout the system software on the computers. This leads to a variety of conflicts which may cause the machine to crash or in other ways behave abnormally. This use of the lab computers has the lowest priority of all uses, and persons playing games or using on-line chatting should expect to be bumped if they lab becomes full. Additionally, if game playing becomes disruptive to the lab environment in any way, persons doing so will be asked to leave.

Signing up for time:

Whenever a student uses the lab equipment, he or she is expected to sign up for his or her time. This serves a variety of purposes. First off, it allows the Lab Manager to better gage the heavy usage times for the labs, so that lab monitors can be scheduled to work during those times. Second, it allows the students to reserve a computer for times when they need them. A student can sign up for up to a week in advance of the time a computer is needed.

For most students, a 2 hour block of time is the longest amount of time which can be signed up for in advance on any given day. If, at the end of the 2 hour block, no one has signed up for the equipment that the student was using, the student may sign up for another 2 hour block of time. If someone has signed up for the machine, the student can attempt to sign up for time on another machine, if time is available on other machines. Unlike most students, Seniors on plan can sign up for 4 hour blocks of time. Otherwise, they follow the same procedure as other students.

If a person signs up for computer time to do non-academic work, he or she should surrender the computer if the lab fills up with persons doing academic work. It is expected that members of the Marlboro community would do this as an act of public consideration. Lab monitors will facilitate the surrender of machines being used for non-academic purposes in the case of someone not voluntarily moving on.

Lab Monitor Authority:

While the lab monitors are on duty, they are the duly appointed enforcers of the lab policy. They are responsible for being sure the equipment is not being abused, as well as assuring that everyone is signing up for their time on the lab computers. They are also the persons responsible for judging what is academic work, what is non-academic work, and what is not allowed in the labs. It is their duty to keep things running smoothly in the lab, keeping the noise level down to a library-like standard, as well as resolving any conflicts regarding equipment usage. All persons using the lab are expected to listen to lab monitors, and follow their instructions. If anyone has a problem with the way a lab monitor is handling a situation, or the general behavior of the lab monitors, they should report the matter to Matthew Dailey.