After debate, Saint Mary's Student Government Association (SGA) passed a motion Wednesday to install a printer in Holy Cross Hall before the current administration ends its term April 1.
Student body president Rachael Chesley said she will work to implement this project in coming weeks with student body vice president Laura Smith and Residence Hall Association (RHA) president Marianne Jones.
"We will work on setting a max print limit, a time limit and developing an overall control plan for the printer," Chesley said.
Chesley and Jones met with Coordinator of Student Computing Kathy Hausmann to gather information about installing a printer in the building. Printers existed in the dorms in previous years.
According to Chesley, SGA will be single-handedly responsible for the funding of installation and maintenance of dorm printers. Information Technology (IT) will not support this initiative, although SGA received a green light to continue with the project.
"In our discussion at the last meeting [with Hausmann], we were told that they will not share a budget with us," Chesley said. "We will pay for the paper and toner. [IT] will not pay for it. They will help with installation but that's it."
SGA began pursuing this initiative at the beginning of the semester. Although the entire board welcomed the idea of dorm printers, the group debated about the lack of a print limit, the responsibility of SGA in maintaining the printers and the cost factor.
"The print limit is set up on the administrative network," Chesley said. "Since the printer will not be connected to this network, students will be able to print free of charge."
Several board members expressed concern over the possibility that students will exploit the lack of print limit. Chesley, Smith and Jones said they are looking at solutions to prevent students from taking advantage of unlimited printing.
Another concern was SGA's responsibility for maintaining the printer.
Student Activities Board president Allie Courtney said the manpower required to take care of the printer is a critical factor in the decision.
"It's very difficult to maintain a printer, as we've seen with the printer in the student center, and we need to really think about if we have the necessary manpower or not to handle this printer."
The board also discussed projected costs.
For the remainder of the year, the estimated cost of buying and maintaining a printer in one dorm is $3,460, the group said. This cost covers the price of the printer (with scanning and copying capabilities), two toners and three packages of paper.
The estimated cost was provided by Hausmann based on previous use of printers in the dorms.
After a vote, SGA approved senior class president Kelly Lyons' motion to install a printer in Holy Cross Hall before the end of the current administration. This decision does not ensure that the following administration will continue to support and pursue the dorm printer initiative.
SGA also hosted a visit by interior designer Laura Connell during the meeting. Connell, working closely with the SGA LeMans Hall basement project committee, brought fabric samples and a design board that depicts the plan for the renovation of the hall.
"The plan is to create a group area where everybody can just hang out," Connell said. "It's not a study space, but a place to relax after a long day. You don't want it to feel like a basement."
The renovation plan includes a kitchen area with a booth setup, a gaming area with two tables with backgammon and checkerboard games built into them, a movie area and a "chill zone" which will have bean bags and two chase lounges, Connell said. All of the furniture is custom designed and made-to-order. The ship date for the furniture is April 5.
