As the summer winds down, young men and women are preparing for their first taste of college life. There are approximately 1,280 freshmen starting their college careers at CCSU on Sept. 6. Most of these students have already attended an orientation day to acquaint themselves with the campus, meet staff, and finalize the courses they will be taking in the fall. During orientation, they attended a workshop that taught them how to access many of CCSU's computer technology resources. This hands-on workshop introduced the students to our campus web portal where students gain access to important campus announcements, email, class materials, web registration, and many other resources. The incoming freshmen will quickly learn how much they will depend on information technology in college.

CCSU offers an extensive array of technology to students. Each room in the residence halls gives a student full access to the campus computer network. Students must provide their own computers to gain access. Students who have a network-ready laptop computer, can access the campus wireless network almost anywhere on campus. Regardless of where and how a student accesses the campus network, a network (Ethernet) card must be installed in the computer. This card is usually included with a new computer, but it is a good idea to confirm this before making a purchase.

How safe is it for students to connect their computer to the campus network? To ensure that the CCSU campus network is protected, each computer that is plugged into the network (residence halls and wireless) is scanned for computer viruses, spyware, and possible security holes. To assist students in keeping their computers "clean," CCSU provides computer protection software for free.

Incoming college freshmen often wonder if they will need a computer and, if so, what type - a laptop or a desktop. The answers depend on a number of factors. Is the student living on campus or commuting? Is the student's major heavily dependent on computers? For many, the campus computer labs should be sufficient. This includes one in every residence hall and a large general purpose lab with over 200 computers and a cluster of networked printers. Students who want to bring their own computer should take the following information into consideration. Laptops are more expensive, easier to steal and are easily destroyed by a spilled beverage or from being dropped in transit. Desktops are cheaper, more robust, easier to upgrade and a lot harder to steal. Given the fact that CCSU provides many computer resources for students, it might be a good idea to wait a few months to make the decision based on course requirements and demands. This could save the student (or their parents) a good deal of money in the long run.

Everyone in the Office of Information Technology Services welcomes the Class of 2010. We are committed to doing whatever we can to help the incoming students make a smooth transition from high school to college and graduate into a successful future.