By Melanie Dostis, News Correspondent
The days of trekking to the library for printing services are history for residents of International Village (INV) as a new printer was installed late last month on the first floor of the building.
It’s the latest move Northeastern’s Student Government Association (SGA) made to expand the printing system introduced last year in Snell Library and to solve problems raised as students formed long lines to print assignments. University administration worked with SGA to determine where a printer was most needed by students.
The INV printer is located behind the proctor station, meaning that only residents or the guest of residents have access.
“This ensures a secure area for the machine,” Tim LePage, SGA’s Vice President of Student Services, said. “One of the big reasons for INV is because it’s further away from the rest of the buildings to the library.”
Last October, SGA and Northeastern’s Information Services (IS) launched the “virtual print queue” setup, adding it to the free print quota all students receive. Students can download the printer software onto their computer, or print directly from university computers, then swipe their Husky ID at a printer station and select documents from their quota to print. The first systems were installed at InfoCommons 1 and 2, Dodge Hall labs, Snell Library labs and Behrakis Health Sciences Center.
The Budget Priority survey completed last year showed that a majority of students wanted swipe access for printers expanded throughout campus, LePage said.
The Budget Priority survey is completed annually by students who answer questions about what changes they want on campus. Popular requests among students for printers last year were INV and academic buildings such as Shillman Hall.
“We asked the administration about expansion and shared with them where would be best and they went ahead from there,” LePage explained.
Freshman Berit Lindell and middler Mary Fisher, residents of INV, noticed the new printer right away.
“It’s pretty great. All my friends use it,” Lindell said. “(The printers are) a lot quicker and more convenient,” adding how having the printers in the residence hall is better than having to head to the library.
LePage said he has heard the new printers are being used frequently. But they have not been without a few early hiccups.
“I was so excited,” said Fisher. “I love the idea but it was out of service a couple of days ago and wasn’t fixed for a couple of hours.”
Lindell said she also encountered problems when she first used the new printer.
“It didn’t recognize that I had printed anything to the system and so I had to go back and try three times to finally get it to work,” Lindell said.
LePage said SGA and IS are still working on many of the logistics that come with adding new printers such as support in terms of refilling paper and toner.
LePage also said SGA wants to work with the university with the goal of bringing printers to all residence halls. Right now, however, there’s no definitive timeline to complete such a project.
Curry Student Center was also a popular choice for the newest printer station, but LePage said it was rejected, despite a high number of requests, because of its proximity to Snell Library.
