Sitting down at a computer in the Library, or anywhere else on campus, is a bigger luxury than many may realize. 

Behind the scenes at Yavapai College there are many people and man hours that go into keeping campus computers usable. The Prescott campus alone is home to 1,047 computers, according to Bob Lynch the chief financial officer for Yavapai College

Ike Whisenand, the help desk and desktop services manager at YC says, “There are many groups working behind the scenes to insure that when a student sits down at a Yavapai College computer they have a good experience…everyone works more hours a week than required by their contract.” 

How YC stacks up

To help students get their work done, Yavapai College has a 5-1 ratio of students to computers, according to Whisenand. This is a higher ratio than the average of 9-1 for other schools Yavapai’s size.

The usage of computers by students is monitored. “One of Yavapai College’s commitments to county tax payers is to be good stewards of the tax payers’ dollars and if 20 to 25 computers sit idle for 14 weeks out of a 16 week semester, that’s not being a good steward,” says Whisenand.

Technology budget

Plus, according to Lynch, “The technology budget, not including equipment, is $3.6 million a year for the whole district.” The district includes all of the campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County. 

The $3.6 million goes toward administrative systems, all analysts, the help desk, presentation technology services, network services, systems administration, web services and Technology Enhanced Learning Services (TELS).

“The technology budget, not including equipment, is $3.6 million a year…”

The upkeep of so many computers can be expensive and time consuming. “There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration: the cost of purchasing new computers every five years, the cost of power to run the computers, the cost of air conditioning, the cost of the building in which the computers reside and the quality of education Yavapai College wants to provide,”  Whisenand says.   

“We weigh all of these factors and do our best to give the student value for their education dollar.”

No plans to lower the ratio

With looming budget cuts ahead Whisenand says, “There are no plans to remove computers to lower the student to computer ratio at this time.”

The college has cut back on how often they upgrade computers, mostly due to the cost of upgrades. “In the past years we have tried to upgrade the computers in the labs and classrooms on a three year cycle.  Two years ago the college implemented a five year replacement cycle due to budgetary restraints.”

Not only are computers essential to students but faculty must have them to orchestrate their side of the learning process. “Twice a year the TELS group provides training for faculty in their summer and winter institutes.  Any changes to the current teaching environments are discussed in these sessions,” says Whinsenand.

Computers have changed the way higher education works. “It used to be that the best excuse you could come up with not to turn in your homework was that the dog ate it.  Now, it is my computer crashed,” says Whisenand.

Shrinking the world

“Computers have brought the world closer together and expanded our horizons in ways we never could have imagined 30 years ago,” says Whisenand.  

“Vast amounts of information are available…with just a click of the mouse.  We see places and events in real time,” he says.  “We play games and communicate with friends around the world, enabling our minds to be more open to the global community and the local community.”

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