Students who shuffle through Gaylord Hall may notice that the morgue of technology -- once referred to as the computer lab -- has shut its doors.

Some students have voiced their disapproval with the closure.

"It's ridiculous, we're paying all these fees, and we don't even get to use half of the technology," said Bre Glasby, public relations senior. "I could understand if they cut the hours down, but closing it all together?"

Summer closure of the labs has been an annual practice for quite some time, said Lance Thomas, public information officer for the College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"In the summertime, we update a lot of the software and replace computers," Thomas said. "You have to close it down some time."

"Updating software shouldn't inconvenience us. If (the lab) is down for a couple of days, then OK," said Hunter Daniels, broadcasting senior. "I don't see how it should take this long. It's very inconvenient."

But the college would not close one door without opening another, Thomas said.

Few students are aware that the Edith Kenney Gaylord Library on the second floor houses a number of laptops for student use.

"I had no idea it was even there," Glasby said. "They should make you more aware."

Students in the college are still paying the college technology fees, which are intended to support computer labs and may vary depending on the college.

In fact, the College of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Colleges of Geosciences and Law have the highest technology services fees, charging their students $25 per credit hour.

Catherine Bark, College of Journalism librarian, said the fees are reflective of the advanced programs and the Macintosh computers that the Gaylord lab offers.

"We're running a phenomenal program here." Bark said. "Some (other colleges) don't use anything but Word and Excel."

But there are a few setbacks to the lab's closure.

One of the programs which students pay for and have the privilege to use at the Gaylord lab is a graphics program.

Students who use this program, such as those majoring in public relations, advertising and broadcasting, are unable to access it with the laptops, Bark said.

She also said students have no access to a printer unless their class permits them to use one.

"They can use flash drives or e-mail it to themselves," Bark said.

However, having to locate a printer is inconvenient to some.

"The only printers I know of are at Dale (Hall Tower)," Glasby said. "My money is paying for me to stay right there."

But since the $12 per-credit-hour university connectivity fee students pay covers campus-wide printing, as long as there is a printer available somewhere on campus, the journalism college is not financially obligated to provide one, Thomas said.

Bark said laptops must stay in Gaylord Hall and students have three hours to use them if it appears there others are waiting.

"We've had maybe 10 (students) at any given time using them."

Thomas said the computer lab will be reopened for the fall semester.
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