Student lab loses 1 computer, scanner due to rain

One computer and scanner were lost due to rainfall leaking into the first floor computer lab in Old Admin, Room 131.

The computer lab is designated for the education department and first priority is given to the students in that department but if the room is open, it is available for all students.

The leak was caused by a combination of almost half an inch of rain that fell on Monday, March 7, according to The Weather Channel’s website, and missing downspouts from the building, according to Dale Grant, vice president of finance & administration.

For more information on the rainfall and full coverage of the impact on campus, see related story on page 2.

The damage in the computer lab was noticed Tuesday morning, but by Friday the lab was back up and running.

The computers on campus in the labs are on a rotational basis for when they will be replaced, according to Ted Tewahade, information technology analyst, and Ann Burk, information technology chief officer, and the computers in that lab are on a 5-year rotation. Burk said the 5 years is the target rotation but it varies from lab to lab.

The computers in that lab are almost 5 years old, Burk said.

“We’ll be taking a look at them here in the next couple years,” Burk said.

The lost computer and scanner have already been “replaced with a comparable system,” Tewahade said.

The IT department will be submitting the amount for the replacement to Grant for an insurance claim, Burk said. Tewahade and Burk said the computer and scanner together is estimated about $1,500.