Saint Mary's students may think twice before using campus printers now that the new print limit system has taken effect this semester.
Under the new system, all students are granted a $100 - or 1,000-page - quota per academic year, Chief Information Officer Keith Fowlkes said.
If a student reaches her quota before the end of the academic year, Fowlkes said, she "must purchase print code cards from either the campus bookstore or convenience store."
However, Coordinator of Student Computing Kathy Hausmann said if a student does not use her entire quota for a given year, her remaining balance will rollover into the following years until she graduates.
Hausmann said she feels the new system is accomplishing its intended goals.
"I believe it is making more students aware of what they are printing," she said, "which was the goal for using PrintLimit."
PrintLimit debuted at the College this semester "after three years of trying to educate students about conservation, paper waste, and paper costs" without success, Fowlkes said.
"It became evident that we had to implement a system that would hold students accountable for their paper use," he said.
Fowlkes said he is personally pleased with the success of the new system, and so far, he said he feels the student response has been positive.
"Most students won't reach their quota until winter term and I'm sure we will hear some displeasure after the holidays," he said.
lbaumg01@saintmarys.edu
