UNC printers could be installed in Greek houses

Fraternity and sorority houses might still get printers despite a failed initiative to integrate them into the University printing system.

Auxiliary Services, which manages University resources and campus services, proposed a plan to install printers that would connect to the Greek houses’ existing wireless networks.

Fraternities and sororities are still debating whether to install the printers. Houses that choose to install a printer will be charged an undetermined monthly fee.

Auxiliary Services provided this option after it was discovered that Carolina Computing Initiative printers could not be installed in Greek houses due to bandwidth issues.

Jim Clinton, director of card operations in the One Card office, said the houses would receive multifunctional printers that could copy, fax and scan documents.

He said Greek leaders seemed interested in the proposal, but nothing is in progress yet.

“If a house came up to us today, we could start the process and have it running in a few weeks,” Clinton said.

“However, the houses have already paid their fees and set their budgets for this year and may be waiting to include it in next year’s budget.”

Clinton said the individual printers would be cheaper than installing CCI printers in the houses and each page would cost less than 10 cents to print.

Students pay 10 cents per page to print on campus.

“This is what we have available for now and there is nothing for us to do at this point until they (the Greek houses) decide,” Clinton said.

Student Body Vice President Zealan Hoover said this printing system would not overextend the bandwidth and would be cheaper than improving the network connection to install CCI printers.

“To boost bandwidth in the houses would cost $3,000, which is outside the price point a Greek house would want to pay and the price range we (student government) wanted,” he said.

Hoover said the houses would pay a fixed price each month for a fixed number of pages.

The printing would not affect the individual’s on-campus printing and does not draw from their One Cards.

Extending printing to Greek houses was an additional part of Student Body President Mary Cooper’s platform, and she said it’s now up to the houses to decide whether to install the printers.

She said about 16 representatives from various Greek houses attended a meeting in November and worked with Auxiliary Services to find a desirable solution.

“This option is great given the technological barriers to CCI printing in Greek houses and shows how willing Auxiliary Services is to help the students and make the campus experience better,” she said.

Cooper said the fraternities and sororities want to have printers in their houses and it is up to the houses to decide if they want to pay for the printers.

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