Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the
formerly "free and unlimited" student printing now restricted?
Numerous factors led to installing a managed printing solution:
- Huge amounts of wasted
paper piled up on or near printers and filled recycle bins.
- Students’ personal work
was left unclaimed at printers.
- Long lines of students
waited for their jobs to be printed.
- MU needed statistics to
determine how many students used student tech fee printing or
who was abusing the printing.
- Non-students took
advantage of students’ tech-fee-supported printing.
- The volume and cost of
printing greatly exceeded the costs of the printing solution.
- Expanded number and
availability of printers (even color printers) throughout
campus.
- Prevented runaway printing
costs from requiring a rise in tech fees.
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Students pay a lot of tech fees each
semester. Why do I only get $20.00
for printing?
$20.00 is the total of a
comparative cost of printing (10 cents per sheet) multiplied by
200 sheets. So the real
question is: "How was the 200-sheet
level determined?" It's difficult to determine what a reasonable
amount of printing is for such a wide range of student needs. MU
needed to determine an allotment that would accommodate most
students’ printing needs, persuade students to think twice about
what they actually need to print, promote methods to conserve the
amount of sheets printed and set a level comparable to other
colleges. MU is well aware that 200
sheets are insufficient for many students. Some students print
thousands of pages every semester, but should the printing budget
cover all the printing students want to do? Other students who pay
tech fees argue that a disproportionate amount of printing is unfair
use of the tech fees, just as those who print disproportionate
amounts feel they are entitled to this benefit.
Many resources are limited by quotas, such as
e-mail storage space, disk space and Internet download bandwidth.
The intention to make the service freely available and establish
reasonable limits to control excess use or abuse that would result
in higher costs to everyone or affect others’ ability to use the
service.
Students who use a disproportionate amount of any
resource typically need to purchase additional resources or pay a
lab fee. Students who require printing beyond their allotment can
continue to use campus laser printers at a nominal cost of 10 cents
per sheet for black and 35 cents per page color. Be aware that
printing was never free and even the cost of ink in your personal
printer is expensive.
Below is a comparison of other college print
programs used to determine the allotment of prints per semester:
A table will be added here
to show the results of my survey.
As you can see, there are varying policies at
each institution. Many colleges that still offer uncontrolled
printing are considering some form of print management.
What is sufficient? With statistics available
through SpartanPrint, it will be easy to determine if
200 pages are adequate or if many
students will print much more. However, it will take a semester or
two to determine how this service is being used by students.
SpartanPrint will also provide trends over longer periods of time
and allow the placement of printers where they are most needed and
used.
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What happens when I use up my
SpartanPrint account?
You can add additional value to your Cash Account to print
additional pages at the Funderburg Library Computer Lab, or at
Printing Services. At the start of each new full semester, the value
in your Cash Account will be carried forward, while your
SpartanPrint Account will be restored to an equivalent of
200 sheets. Your SpartanPrint
Account will be depleted before your Cash Account will be used
again.
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If I don't use my $20.00
allotment each semester, can I get a refund or will the
balance be added to next semester's balance?
No. At the beginning of each full semester, each student's account
is replenished with the equivalent of 200
black laser sheets. $20.00 is
simply a limit equivalent to 200 pages
but it is not a refundable balance.
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Will my Cash Account be lost at the end
of the semester?
Any additional value added to your Cash Account will be carried
forward to the next semester. Be advised that students should manage
this account and submit written requests to the Business Office for
reimbursing account balances at the end of the semester.
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If I have problems or questions, where do
I go?
The University will use the e-mail address “Spartan Print Help”
for questions:
SpartanPrintHelp@manchester.edu. Technical questions about the
machines themselves should be directed through the ITS Helpline.
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I have printed from a computer. Why don’t
I see my print jobs when I login on the SpartanPrint Release
Station?
Make sure you are logged onto the computer with the same MU network
username. In Windows, hold down the Ctrl-Alt keys and then press the
Delete key. You will see campus/username displayed. If this is not
you, log off and login with the same MU network username and
password that you use on the SpartanPrint Release Station.
Remember to log off when finished.
If you have problems, email
SpartanPrintHelp@manchester.edu.
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I printed a color document. Why doesn't
it show up on the color Release Station?
The document may have been sent to the black-only printers, or you
might be logged in under someone else's username.
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What happens to print jobs that I don't
actually print out or release at the Release Station because I don't
want to print them? Will I be charged for them?
Print jobs submitted, but not printed from the SpartanPrint Release
Station will automatically be deleted after 4 hours. You also can
delete print jobs at the SpartanPrint Release Station. Deleted jobs
are not charged against your SpartanPrint account. Only jobs sent to
the printer are charged and those will require your approval to
print.
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If the printer jams, will I still be
charged for prints?
Print jobs submitted to the printer are charged against your
SpartanPrint Account balance. In some cases, the print job will
restart after the jam is cleared, resulting in no loss. If a loss is
incurred, report the print jam and your print job can be reprinted
at a working printer. The Printing Sevices can credit your account.
No cash refunds issued on printer malfunctions.
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Students’ printing requirements vary depending upon their
major. Will there be any allowance for the major of the student?
Each student pays the same tech fees and is
entitled to the same level of service. Imagine the complexity of
determining which classes and which situations justify increased
printing allocation! Some classes require more books or
more-expensive books, some require students to pay lab fees, and
others require students to buy handouts from the Campus Store. An
attempt was made to provide a reasonable number of prints for the
general cross-section of students. Students who require more
printing should be prepared to add value to their Cash Account to
accommodate their additional printing needs. Student leaders will be
able to analyze statistical data at the end of the first semester
and decide if the 200-page
allocation needs to be changed.
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What happens if I try to print a
two-sheet document and I only have 10 cents in my SpartanPrint
account?
You will not be able to submit print jobs that deplete your
accounts. You first must add sufficient value to print.
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Will the card show both the amount and
number of pages left on the card at the end of each use? If not
both, which balance will be shown?
The system will show the unused dollar amount
or available balance after each use. The number of available prints
depends on whether the prints were regular black & white or color,
single-side or both sides.
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Where does the printout go when I click
on Print?
It goes into your print queue (identified by your MU network
username) and is held there for you for 4
hours. Your SpartanPrint Account is not charged until you
release your print job to the printer at a SpartanPrint Release
Station. After clicking Print, you can release your job at any
available SpartanPrint Release Station.
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Where do I go for a credit?
Bring the unreadable page(s) to Printing Services (in the lower
level of the Administration Building).
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I have a whole thesis (or
large document) to print. Is there somewhere else on campus I can
print without using up my page allotment?
You can purchase additional pages at the
Funderburg Library lab or the Print Shop. For special paper,
binding, or other needs, visit the Print Shop for specialized
printing services.
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Skimping on paper is one of the worst
educational ideas to come along in a long time ... Don't you realize
paper is for learning?
Student tech fees always have paid for "free" printing. Printing
use, abuse, costs for toner, paper, and recycling are increasing and
students, hopefully, will be pleased to know measures are being put
in place to control rising tuition, fees, and out-of-control
printing while accommodating those who need to print higher volumes.
Printing is available at no additional charge for most student
needs.
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If printing is such a problem, shouldn't
staff in the Computer Center and Labs be monitoring what is being
printed?
The realistic way to control printing is to have each student
control his or her own printing. Students can print whatever they
wish, whenever they want. With a sufficient account balance, they
can print a book, tax forms, journal articles, e-mail, PowerPoint
presentations or a syllabus.
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Why is the SpartanPrint b&w printer
paused and showing hundreds of pending documents?
This is normal for the system. You may see print jobs you and other
students have submitted, however, the only way to view or print the
jobs is to log in to the SpartanPrint Release Station. You will only
see the print jobs you've generated. Print jobs not released will be
automatically deleted after 4 hours.
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I printed a document and it didn't show
up in the SpartanPrint Release Station. Did I get charged?
No, you are only charged when you release a print job to the printer
using the SpartanPrint Release Station. The document may have been
sent to a different print queue (b&w or color) or you might be
logged onto the computer under someone else's username.
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If a student worker is printing jobs for his
or her “employer” department, who will be charged?
A department will authorize its student employees to charge to
the department print budget as needed. The student will use his or
her logon as part of the authorization process but the student must
ensure they pick the correct driver. It will be the department’s
responsibility to ensure the student is not charging the department
for personal prints.
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