Information For Instructors

Software Forms: Please print the appropriate form. Requests should be made directly to Academic Technology Services (ATS), Instructional Computing Facilities, care of Jane Benke, 515 Computer Center.

• Instructional Software Request Form (PDF) This form provides faculty with a means for requesting the purchase of software.

  Requests are due:	Installations for:
  October 1	Spring Semester
  February 1	Summer Semester
  June 1	Fall Semester

• Software Installation Request Form (PDF) (Word doc) This form is for requesting installation of software purchased through your department or other means that do not require the approval of funds. It can be printed and returned through campus mail.

Reserving a Computer Lab for a Class

Please review Computer Lab Scheduling Policies before reserving a computer lab.

In certain cases, there may be charges. Please see Computer Lab Fees for more information. Also, please see Additional Information.

Academic Technology Services has combined our Computer Lab Reservation System with the Office of the Registrars Classroom Events Calendar and Request System. If you have an MSU NetID please use the the Classroom Events Calendar and Request System.

If you are a non-MSU group you will still be required to use the Computer Lab Reservation Form this form. This form will allow you to reserve a computer lab electronically using the web browser on your machine. You should receive an e-mail message from us acknowledging the receipt of your form within a couple of days. If you do not receive such a message, please contact us at 517-432-5311.

If you do not have an e-mail program you can print the Computer Lab Reservation Request Form and submit it through campus mail to 505A Computer Center or fax it to 432-3455.

To contact the Computer Lab Scheduling Office, send e-mail to mlsched@msu.edu or call 432-5311.

Individual requests must be made at least two weeks prior to the requested date of use, but it is to your advantage to request the dates as early as possible. All requests are subject to availability. The Computer Lab Scheduling Office will work with you to determine an appropriate facility for your class.

The Official Computer Lab Schedules (reservations already made) are available on the web at http://computerlabs.msu.edu/reservations.html and are updated daily. These schedules include reservations for at least the next year.

Before requesting a reservation, please check for availability. While we cannot guarantee that the lab will still be available (a request may be pending), you will at least be able to prevent most conflicts by checking the schedules before submitting a request.

If you are requesting a reservation for something other than an MSU course, please either provide the MSU account number or the name/address/fax of the person to be invoiced. Requests for a fee waiver or a fee reduction must be submitted in writing.

If you are making changes or cancelling a previously scheduled reservation, please clearly identify the course to be cancelled, changed or added. It is also helpful if you would add "Revision" or "Cancellation" to the subject of the message.

Software installation must be requested separately. Please use the following form: Software Installation Request Form (PDF) (Word doc).

If the software you will be using is not already on the lab's server, you must make arrangements no later than three weeks prior to the date you will use the computer lab. (If the software has never been installed in MSU's computer labs, then three months advance notice is required.)

IF you plan to install your own software on the local hard drive, this can be done using 3.5" floppy diskettes or compact discs. (Please be aware that all user installed software is automatically erased from the local hard drive each time the computer is rebooted or logged off.) Most software now requires a reboot as part of the installation process. Please test the software installation in a computer lab before the day of your event.

You can get information about the public computer labs on the web at http://computerlabs.msu.edu.

Additional Information

We provide at least as many chairs as computers in the labs. If this number is sufficient, you need do nothing. You are, of course, welcome to make your own arrangements to have additional chairs delivered to the lab for your session(s). You may either provide your own, contact people you know in the building, or contact Jay Jacobsen, jsjacobs@ppplant.msu.edu of Custodial Services in Physical Plant to make arrangements. Jay's phone number is 432-0558 in Physical Plant to make arrangements.  We also suggest that you visit a lab before requesting additional chairs, as some labs do not have enough space to allow for user comfort if two chairs per each computer are desired.

Please Note: due to fire codes, there are limits as to how many people can be in a room at one time. Labs that have only one entrance/exit can have a maximum of 49 people including the instructor.

It is very important that all participants have an activated MSUnet ID, as ID's are now required for software access. If your group includes non-MSU people, please let us know so we can make arrangements for "Visitor" status. Visitor status will give the non-MSU participants access to all the software for the duration of the class. Visitors must login to the system from 15 minutes before to 15 minutes after the reserved times. The MSU NetID is "visitor" (no password required). Note: "Visitor" status does NOT provide electronic mail.

Computer Lab Fees

There can be fees for use of MSU computer labs. The usage fee is automatically waived for MSU courses and for job-related training sessions for MSU faculty, staff and students.

The most common ones are:

* Physical plant opens building. Please contact physical plant at 355-8485. This must be arranged by the person reserving the lab.

** includes Techical Support.

The amounts listed here were current as of 02/08/2007. Campus departments get some fee reductions. All fee services are not listed above. Prices may vary.

If you believe the fee for your reservation should be waived, please submit a written request and explanation, and we will contact you prior to beginning our billing procedure.