Katie Paysinger
News editor

The printers and computers in Renshaw Hall lab are a topic of concern for many students who say they are hardly ever able to print their documents. However, Linfield’s Integrated Technology Services department said it rarely gets complaints from students having problems.
From the beginning of the school year until April 22, 14 phone calls have been made to ITS about problems with the lab in Renshaw Hall, and all 14 were addressed on the same day as reported, according to Assistant Director of ITS Michael Blanco.
“I am happy to engage in a process to find ways to satisfy this problem,” Blanco said. “Communication, it seems, is part of the problem.”
The communication Blanco is referring to is the lack of reporting from students when they are having problems with the lab.
“Hundreds of people use that facility, bringing hundreds of problems,” Chief Technology Officer Irv Wiswall said. “To staff that facility, it takes money that ITS does not have.”
According to junior Heather Snyder, Associated Students of Linfield College Secretary, Outdoor Club Senator senior Eric Butler brought up Renshaw lab’s problems in Senate onDecember 8.
“It got to the point where I would have to try three or four computers before I found one that would let me do all I needed to do,” Butler said.
Snyder said that the issue was discussed in December once, and no further investigation was completed within Senate.
Wiswall and Blanco both confirmed that they have not received any information regarding the complaint.
“This is not uncommon that we hear after the fact that ITS was discussed [in Senate] and everyone agreed it was a problem,” Wiswall said. “We would be happy to talk with ASLC. All it takes is an e-mail message.”
The most common problems in the lab are corrupt data being sent to the printer, paper jams or people simply turning off the printers. Signs are posted that list the number to the ITS support desk for immediate assistance between the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Butler also suggested adding more quick use stations around campus, similar to the one in the Renshaw Hall foyer.
Wiswall said those used to be more prevalent on campus about 15 years ago.
“With the rise of texting and laptops and things like that, people don’t use [the stations] as much,” he said.
Wiswall also addressed the low usage of the computer lab in the Miller Fine Arts Center that will most likely be removed this summer.
Contact the support desk for assistance at ext. 2553.