Gannon University’s Student Government Association and Information Technology Services have donated money to upgrade the Power Room in the Waldron Campus Center. Two new printers will be installed to replace the current one and three flat screen televisions have already been installed in the study rooms.
The current printer, which is an HP LaserJet 4250 model, can print out 45 pages per minute and 200,000 pages per month. There is no backup if the printer fails. The model has three paper trays that can hold 500 sheets each.
This summer, ITS will replace that printer with two new HP LaserJet 4015s. Each will have the ability to print 52 pages per minute and 225,000 pages per month. Each will have two 500-sheet-capacity trays.
Joe Walker, a PC/AV technician for ITS, said each printer cost roughly $1,000.
In addition to the printer upgrade, flat screen TVs were installed in study rooms about a week ago.
Walker said that a student or faculty member can hook up their laptop and view the screen on the television.
Walker said that ITS donated the money to these televisions for the purpose of bringing more people into the area.
“Basically, we were looking for more space for group collaboration as far as students go,” he said. “And they’re also going to be using the room for more meetings as well, so it’s a combination of both.”
Walker said since these television sets are business models, they cost $700-800 each.
Students and faculty who have been to the Power Room this year have noticed that the new TVs are not the only new technologies that have been added.
Earlier this year, ITS set up more computers, which are now further away from the wall in sets of three.
“We were noticing people were sliding up chairs and stuff to the old machines where they’re on the back wall there, so eventually we’re going to be switching to the pod system,” he said.
With all these additions to the Power Room, Walker said he has had positive feedback about the upgrades.
Kevin Greaux, a sophomore journalism communications major, said that he thinks the upgrades are awesome.
“I think it gives a more home vibe to students and a more comfortable work environment,” he said. “I’m not sure how many computers there are, but I do feel that they should put more in because there’s always many people in there.”
