IPFW Department of Visual Communication and Design
One Student / One Laptop Program

Laptop Standards Effective Fall 2013 for VCD Sophomores Having Passed Freshmen Portfolio Review

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that students come to class equipped with the tools needed to be successful in class and with the industry standard required in visual communication and design fields. By students coming to class equipped with these tools, IPFW’s Visual Communication and Design faculty will be better able to assist students to achieve the course goals, as well as support students to meet their own learning goals through exploration and consistent iterations with tools, best practices, and the theoretical framework that is unique to visual design. As a result, students will gain a solid working knowledge and extensive experience with this equipment, which will enable them to responsibly use the laptop and its software so they can be successful in their studies, as well as attractive candidates as they enter this field after graduation.

Additionally, having each student with their own personal computing environment will allow them to shape this environment to best suit their individual needs and provide consistent access to essential resources and materials, such as online scholarly journals, the creative online community of artists and designers facilitated through social media, other creative resource such as blogs, online journals, job searches, internships and freelance opportunities, when and where they need.

Students are strongly encouraged to purchase a care package for their personal laptops. Students will be responsible for maintaining their personal laptop, including all OS and software upgrades and any damage or repair.

• Students majoring in Visual Communication and Design will be required to provide evidence that they can bring to class a properly configured laptop computer by the start of their sophomore year.
• Students, majoring in Visual Communication and Design, upon successfully completing their first year portfolio review will be required to purchase and maintain a personal laptop that meets or exceeds minimal computing abilities as established by the department. Students may purchase or secure a laptop computer by any source provided it complies with standards set by the student’s area of concentration in the department as well as IPFW’s network standards.
• Students who do not have the required laptop computer by the beginning of their sophomore year cannot be admitted to classes in which a Mac laptop computer is required. Academic advisors will be available to help students identify such classes.
• Students may apply to the Financial Aid Office for additional financial support to purchase the laptop computer. Approval will be based on the individual student’s eligibility for more loan funding and cannot be guaranteed.
• This policy will take effect for new sophomores beginning with the Fall 2013 semester. Current upper class students will be encouraged but not required to comply with the new policy.  Incoming freshmen will also be informed of the requirement and encouraged to purchase their laptop during the first year.
• Students will be required to contact their area of concentration for specific details regarding laptop model, software, and other recommended hardware such as a mouse, flash drive, external hard drive, protection plan and others.