Student face print card hassel

By: DeChele Covington

Posted: 3/9/09

Last semester Mercer installed a new print card vending machine which allows students to purchase a card for $.50 cents to which more money can be added. The cards must be used to print documents in all campus computer labs.

Many students complain that the new card system is inconvenient. "I have to go all the way downstairs to get a card about twice a week which makes me very frustrated. I'm taking a history class which requires a lot of typing, which means more printing," said Dedra Brown a second year Elementary Education major at Mercer.

One of the chief complains heard amongst students is that there is only one print card vending machine and three printers to serve the 9,000 students that attend West Windsor campus. In addition, students are required to buy the card on one side of the campus, and then walk to a building on the other side of campus in order to print. The one and only print card vending machine on the West Windsor campus is located on the first floor in the Student Center across from the cafeteria, next to the Wachovia Bank ATM machine.

"The procedure is difficult, the machine is too far, and it should be in the computer lab room or in the hallway. It could also be less expensive. It is too much work to get the card," said second year Nursing major Oskady Possible. Possible stated that he comes into the computer lab about four times a week and he spends about $10 a month on a print card.

First time print card buyers must purchase a new card for $.50 cents and add their desired amount of money to the card. Students can add as little as $.50 cents or up to $20.00 dollars to their card. If students have any problems with the print card vending machine or they lose their money, they have to report the issue to the Bursar's office located on the second floor of the Student Center.

After buying the printing card, students can print their work in the temporary library trailer located across from the Administration building or in one of the computer labs located in rooms LA 232 and ET 212. It costs $.10 cents per page to print.

There has been an effort made by the Student Government Association (SGA) to relocate the print card machine. Last year, SGA President, Alyssa Ingling, tried to have the print card machine moved or have the school buy a second machine. Ingling even marked a spot where the school could put another machine that would be close to the computer lab. The SGA committee also wrote a proposal to the board of trustees, on behalf of the students, stating that the machine needed to be moved closer to the computer lab due to inconvenience and for security purposes related to student documents.

"The Machine should be close to where the students would be using the cards. We tried last year to get the machine moved, it didn't work," said SGA Vice President Brianna LaCava. Ingling stated that the reason the school did not buy another print card machine is due to the machine being very expensive and that type of money is not in the school's budget right now.

Although many students feel the print card situation isn't likely to change any time soon, some administrators are more optimistic. Director of Library Services, Pamela Price, says, "This is a temporary situation. Mercer has a group of people that are all dedicated to serving the students. Students come first. After the renovation, we plan on putting all of the services back in one location. The students will be very pleased with the renovations,"