CSM Academic Computing and Networking (AC&N)

Computer Commons Lab Reservation/Use Policies and Procedures

To Request Equipment or Lab Reservations:

Stop by the main AC&N offices in CT 244, call the department office at 303-273-3433 (weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) or send us email. Please note that the main AC&N office is the contact for lab and equipment reservations, not the Computer Commons front desk.

Do not assume that a request is the same thing as a reservation! You do not have a reservation until you receive a verbal or (preferably) email confirmation.

Be sure to include the following information in your request:

Your name, department, telephone number and Mines email address.

What lab you need.

Any additional equipment (laptop, projector, etc.) that you may need.

Information about the event (class presentation, short-course, academics, etc.) for which you are reserving the lab.

The date(s) and time you will need the lab and when you will be finished.

The date and time any equipment will be picked up.

The date and time of equipment return.

If several presentations are going to occur in the same class, the instructor or TA should make the reservation, indicate the class and the name of the person who will be picking up and returning any equipment.

Requirements:

Reservations for labs should be made as far in advance as possible. Regularly scheduled classes and events that directly support CSM's Academic Mission will be given priority. Lab availability may vary throughout the year, based on the school's schedule, maintenance activities, and other issues that may arise.

If you need a special set up or equipment, we will need a minimum (more is better) of 1 working day's notice. AC&N Staff members are not available for assistance with setup. Users are responsible for knowing how to set up, operate and take down the equipment they check out.

AC&N requires contact information for someone who will be responsible for the reservations, the lab and the equipment. We must be able to reach you in the event that changes need to be made for any reason (academics, inclement weather, etc.)

All equipment and accessories are expected to be in the same condition when returned as they were when they were checked out. An AC&N staff member or blue-vested consultant at the Computer Commons front desk in CT 156 should check the equipment back in. Make sure that all cables and accessories are returned in their proper cases. The person who checks out the equipment will be responsible for it and financially liable for any damage or losses, up to and including encumbrances.

Always have a backup plan! Equipment can fail or become unavailable; perhaps the person who has it before you returns it late. AC&N cannot be held responsible for equipment that is unavailable due to repairs or because it has not been returned on time from a prior checkout.

Special Software or Equipment Considerations

If you need special software installed in one of the labs, please keep the following in mind:

The length of time any software may be available in a lab varies and is based on the criteria established in the AC&N Software Installation Policy for Labs.

We need a minimum of ten working days to install special use software. If the software is only required on the instructor station, a little less notice may be sufficient in emergency situations.

LICENSING - AC&N will not install special use software in the Computer Commons labs without conclusive proof that a valid license agreement exists for the requested number of installations of a given software package. It is the requestor's responsibility to provide this proof and be responsible for any legal issues that may arise in connection with the software installation or use.

Other Lab Use Considerations and Suggestions:

AC&N may refuse your request or charge you for use of labs if you are receiving payment from attendee's or are not affiliated with the Colorado School of Mines.

Develop an alternate scenario for your class or presentation; sometimes a power failure, network failure or other unforeseen difficulty arises.

If your class or presentation is scheduled outside of normal CSM hours, will your students need special access to the building?

In the event that the lab you've reserved becomes unavailable or will not accommodate your needs, are there other suitable locations, like a department lab, the Student Center, etc.?

AC&N will supply only speakers for your class. If you need headphones or a microphone, please plan ahead!

Will your class or presentation require a special web browser, plug-ins or version? Please do not assume things will work as you plan, but test them and make sure they do.

All Computer Commons computers require user logons. If your class will be using regular CSM student accounts, please ensure that all participants have activated their accounts well in advance. If you will require temporary visitor accounts, please let AC&N know with enough lead time to create them.

Will you need an additional network port temporarily activated for your event? If so, you must provide us with the jack number and the time frame when you need the port to be active.

Inspect the room you will be using prior to your event; if you need an overhead projector, laptop, power cords or phone hookup, you must request them in advance. We will make every attempt to accommodate special requests, but we may not be able to honor last-minute emergency requests.

You are responsible for providing any documentation or course data that you need, with enough copies to cover your event.

There is no free printing available in the Computer Commons; even class participants must pay the current per-sheet rate for output sent to printers.

Please keep in mind that Computer Commons systems have been configured specifically to support CSM Academic endeavors. A given feature or function that is normally available on other systems, like a home or office system, may not be available in Computer Commons systems.

Questions or comments -- open a ticket at the Mines Help Center.
Wednesday, 19-Mar-2008 08:59:19 MDT