<p>Just discovered that South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, a very reputable and strong STEM college, has a mandatory lease program wherein students are issued a Tablet PC, paid for by the student fees. My major objection is that these budding engineers and scientists cannot buy their own unit of the designated computer. I found the model selling on ebay, brand new for about 1/2 the cost of the 4-year lease. Yes, I realize that the lease includes unlimited service, repairs and a no questions asked replacement warranty. But I just find the school’s justification for refusing to permit personal ownership of the designated model a little thin. Particularly when a student can purchase a separate ‘repair or replace’ warranty from Geek Squad, which still would save a boat load of money for books, etc. Am I short-sighted on this issue?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The no questions replacement warranty alone is huge as most manufacturer/store warranties do not protect against damage resulting from carelessness or deliberate misuse(i.e. cracked screens, spilling liquids on device, etc). In fact, such user inflicted damage would usually be grounds to summarily revoke such warranties. Moreover, many warranties…especially on budget devices no longer warranty batteries…even if sealed inside as they are considered “consumables” by the manufacturer. </p>
<p>Moreover, considering what I’ve seen from the quality of Geek Squad’s work from friends’ experiences and clients who came to me after going to them first…I wouldn’t recommend placing much confidence in them.</p>
<p>Granted, that’s assuming the school’s tech staff is much more proficient and timely with their services…an assumption which may or may not be warranted.</p>
<p>I don’t know what the school provides on its tablets, but the usual and best justification for programs like this is that they allow the school to have the same configuration and software for all of the computers. This means that faculty can count on every student having the correct software for course work. It also makes it far easier for the tech staff to provide support (and to provide loaners during repairs).</p>
<p>Don’t forget to include the cost of software in the price of the lease. It can be a huge part of the price.</p>
<p>For the purpose of the discussion, the tablet lease program is described here:</p>
<p>[Tablet</a> PC Costs](<a href=“http://www.sdsmt.edu/Campus-Services/ITS/Tablet-PC/Tablet-PC-Costs/]Tablet”>http://www.sdsmt.edu/Campus-Services/ITS/Tablet-PC/Tablet-PC-Costs/)</p>
<p>Looks like the school’s intent is to simplify IT management and ensure that all students have the same access to a working computer and software that is site-licensed to the school.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Even if they are not able to solve the problem, they can just hand the student another one, since they likely have very few models that are out in circulation at any given time.</p>
<p>I don’t think the TC is trying to argue “It’s a bad deal” or “It’s a good deal” or anything like that. Simply that the school shouldn’t force the student to lease something that they prefer to buy instead.</p>
<p>IMO, it’s similar to and no more objectionable than requiring students/some students (freshmen for instance) live in on-campus dorms. Perhaps it’s something that one won’t find out until they accept their admission whereas the dorm thing they would know beforehand. But not really any more egregious an offense.</p>
<p>Vladenschlutte-</p>
<p>My guess is than one could arrange to buy one’s leased computer at the end of its service. I just doubt that many would want to buy a 3-4 year old tablet that is nearing the end of its useful life. The OP’s desire to “buy” rather than “lease” is motivated by the idea that they can buy the tablet for less than they can lease it. While this may be true in some respects, the school would then have to charge students with their own tablets for installing the school’s set up, maintenance and support, software, and insurance. My guess is that these fees would make it a wash. Additionally, the school would have to deal with folks who bought the wrong model in error, bought a used tablet that wasn’t reliable, etc.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That is probably what the fee really pays for, as the cost of the actual tablet computer is not that much.</p>
<p>Yes, there are probably some students who can do their own IT support and could probably save money if they only had to pay for the software and network access, but such students are likely to be in the minority.</p>
<p>The cost of the tablet is included in the cost of attendance listed on their website:</p>
<p>[Tuition</a> and Fees](<a href=“http://www.sdsmt.edu/Admissions/Tuition-and-Fees/]Tuition”>Tuition and Fees)
[Tuition</a> and Fees Schedule](<a href=“http://www.sdsmt.edu/Admissions/Tuition-and-Fees/Tuition-and-Fees-Schedule/]Tuition”>Tuition and Fees)</p>
<p>[Tablet</a> PC Specifications](<a href=“http://www.sdsmt.edu/Campus-Services/ITS/Tablet-PC/Tablet-PC-Specifications/]Tablet”>http://www.sdsmt.edu/Campus-Services/ITS/Tablet-PC/Tablet-PC-Specifications/)</p>
<p>Here is the ultimate justification:</p>
<p>“The hardware will be leased via a tax-exempt lease and will be the property of the school until the lease expires. This gives the School of Mines the right to install any site-licensed departmental software. If the students owned the laptops or used other laptops, they would not be able to install most of the School of Mines site-licensed software and would not be able to connect to the state network with ease.”</p>
<p>Do they lease the same model tablet all four years?</p>
<p>In the links, it says that the computer will be replaced with a newer model after three years.</p>
<p>Requiring this specific model, and formally including it in the Cost of Attendance means that the cost becomes a Qualified Educational Expense at tax time. Which is nothing to sniff at come April 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.</p>
<p>Ah…I understand. Thanks Happymomof1.</p>