Open Letter to Education Students Entering the Professional Development Sequence

All students who are required to have a laptop during the next long semester will receive a follow-up announcement (see below). This announcement reviews the laptop requirement and describes how to purchase or upgrade one. In addition, it points students to sources for financial aid. We know everyone has questions about the initiative—we hope this letter will answer many of them.

From Dr. Sherry L. Field,
Associate Dean for Teacher Education, Student Affairs, & Administration
College of Education
The University of Texas at Austin
 

You are receiving this letter because you will be entering the professional development sequence in the University of Texas at Austin teacher preparation program during the next long semester. We are very excited about the coming year and welcome you into this final phase of our program.

During the Spring of 2002, Dean Manuel Justiz announced the implementation of the new laptop initiative. To recap, beginning in the Fall 2002 semester, UT Austin students engaged in the final phase of teacher preparation professional certification programs were required to have a laptop computer conforming to prescribed hardware and software specifications. According to our records, this laptop requirement will apply to you during the next long semester. Laptop computers will be required for use in most professional development courses and field experiences, will facilitate innovative instructional technology integration in public school teaching, and will equip our graduates for teaching in Texas classrooms for the future.

In order to provide the best possible support for students and faculty in the initial years of this innovative laptop project, only one operating system will be supported. To minimize the cost of this requirement for students who do not already own or cannot borrow a computer meeting the prescribed specifications, the College of Education has sought competitive bids from leading computer vendors. Based on careful consideration of cost, functionality, ease of use, and vendor commitment to an ongoing support partnership, the Apple Macintosh has been selected as the required platform for at least the first three years of the laptop initiative program.

Apple has offered a discount for a minimum package, and is also offering several other options and accessories. This discounted price is only available through the Campus CompUTer Store http://www.campuscomputer.com. The offer will be limited to teacher education students, faculty, and staff, as well as public school teachers identified by UT.  We also strongly suggest you obtain 'no fault' insurance for this computer, which is available at the store for a  reasonable rate.

The minimum laptop prescribed specifications are as follows:

• Model: Apple iBook or PowerBook (MacBook or MacBook Pro preferred)
• Operating System: 10.3 (10.4.9 preferred)
• Processor: 1GHz G4 Power PC (1.83GHz Intel Core Duo preferred)
• RAM: 256 MB (1 GB preferred)
• Hard Drive: 30 GB (60 GB preferred)
• DVD/CD-RW: Combo drive which plays DVDs & burns CDs
• Connectivity: 10/100 Base-T Ethernet, Apple Airport Card, USB and FireWireports, external SVGA monitor/projector port
• Technical Support: AppleCare Protection Plan
• Software: MS Office, standard UT student software bundle, FirstClass (TeachNet)

See the Website http://www.campuscomputer.com for the actual specifications and prices of the laptops being offered at the Campus CompUTer Store.

We would like to encourage you to have your laptop available on or before the first day of class. The remainder of this letter describes how you can accomplish this goal.

To Place An Order at the Campus Computer Store

The Campus CompUTer Store http://www.campuscomputer.com will accept your order:

1. In person Monday-Friday 8:00AM-6:00PM in the Flawn Academic Center, FAC 109 Home of the UG
2. By FAX (512) 232-9294
3. By mail at Campus CompUTer Store CoE Laptop Initiative PO Box 8056 Austin, Texas 78713

Orders generally take two to three weeks to process.

If you order by FAX or mail, you must download a printable order form from the store's website.

Please note that the Campus CompUTer Store keeps the same holiday schedule as UT. Please call for store hours. (512) 475-6550.

To Upgrade Your Existing Macintosh Computer

It is possible that you have a Macintosh laptop that can be upgraded in order to meet the College of Education's laptop initiative requirements.

To find out more information regarding your specific model, please contact the Campus CompUTer Store at utsales@campuscomputer.com

To Contact the Office of Student Financial Services

The College of Education has secured an agreement from the Office of Student Financial Services to include the minimum costs of this requirement in each affected student's financial aid package, provided the student informs the financial aid counselor that a laptop will be purchased.

If you have questions regarding the status of your application, please go to http://www.utexas.edu/student/finaid/cash  or call (512) 475-9950 option 31.

Funds are available for those already approved for financial aid. You should simply contact your counselor about this requirement and your intention to purchase a laptop. If you have not yet applied for additional support for the laptop initiative, contact a counselor in person at the Student Services Building at 100 West Dean Keeton Street, Suite 3.200, or call (512) 475-6282 and press 4 to speak with a counselor.

If you have never applied for assistance, please call the General Information number for assistance at (512) 476-6282 (press 4 to speak to a counselor), go to http://www.utexas.edu/student/finaid or visit in person at 100 Dean Keeton Street, Suite 3.200.

Typically, financial aid is distributed four to five days before the first day of class. Since the Campus CompUTer Store requires payment upon order, if you would like to order your laptop before your aid is distributed, the Office of Student Financial Services may be able to assist you with part of the cost. You may contact them at http://www.utexas.edu/student/finaid or call (512)475-6282 and press 4 to speak to a counselor.

We recognize that students who get assistance from Student Financial Services have calendar constraints that may affect their ability to have a computer by the first day of class.

The College of Education web site has more information about this initiative including a helpful Frequent Questions and Answers page.

We look forward to taking this next big step together. Please direct your questions about this requirement and purchase opportunity to chad_fulton@teachnet.edb.utexas.edu.