HuskyTech has new location

A new year means a new location, services and a contract with Microsoft aiming to save students money at HuskyTech.

The on-campus tech support group struck a deal with Microsoft over the summer. For an added $40 to undergraduates’ fee bills and $60 for graduate students, HuskyTech is now able to install the Windows 7 operating system or the latest version of Microsoft Office, which includes programs such as Microsoft Word and Powerpoint, on students’ computers, free of charge.

Marissa Prinzbach, a 1st-semester student in the ACES program, said she saved a good chunk of change when she bought her Dell computer without the operating system this summer.

“I just got a new laptop and when I went in to buy it they told me some major universities offer the operating system. I ended up saving about $200,” Prinzbach said.

In previous years, only students in the engineering and business schools had access to the free software and operating system. Now it is available to any student enrolled in the university. Students may also update their version of Microsoft Office at HuskyTech, and it is available in Mac and PC versions.

HuskyTech is also taking over vPC, which allows students to access software online- such as MiniTab, Microsoft Office and various media players- through a virtual desktop.

“The Library Resource Commons used to have control over the project and we just supported it. Now we’re taking it over and trying to push it out to all the students,” said Jamil Larkins, a 7th-semester urban and community studies major and HuskyTech student manager.

The new services HuskyTech offers comes at a transition period. After a brief and crowded stay in the library over the summer, HuskyTech made a permanent home out of the Math-Science Building on the first floor. HuskyTech workers say the move is a good thing, bringing their services closer to the freshmen dorms and making it more accessible between classes.

Maggie Bergin, a clerical worker at HuskyTech, said the move was anything but simple.

“We had to move from McMahon to squeezing everyone into our library location and then finally to the Math-Science Building. It took an awesome team to get everything done this summer,” Bergin said. “But the new location really is more convenient.”

The satellite location on the first floor of Homer Babbidge Library will remain open for service as well. Technicians say students are encouraged to stop by for any problems with their computers, such as Internet or viruses and NetID or Student Admin problems.