Printing Policy

Berea College Printing Policy

Purpose

Berea College strives to provide quality and cost effective print, copy, and scan services to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff while directly impacting the sustainability goals of the institution.  As a result, this policy which formalizes current practice aims to:

  1. Reduce climate impact by minimizing the number of printing devices at the College;
  2. Reduce expense of consumables by using the most cost effective print/copy/scan devices;
  3. Reduce the maintenance and upkeep expense of cost of all print/copy/scan devices.

Scope

This policy applies to all students, faculty, and staff:

  1. Whenever possible, printing should be discouraged in favor of working from displayed images.
  2. If bulk printing is required, Printing Services is to be utilized.  Contact either Printing Services or Purchasing for assistance in bulk printing.
  3. Personal printers and supplies will not be purchased.

MFD (Multifunction Devices)

As part of Berea’s continuing Sustainability objectives, to save cost on printing and copying, and to provide more widespread access to print/copy/scan devices, a managed print environment was implemented in 2009.  This allowed networked multifunctional devices to be utilized for printing, copying, scanning, and faxing.  The MFD’s provide the College with several benefits:

  1. Greater user flexibility – a user can release a print job from any desired device on campus.
  2. Better managed services – a network managed environment assures the right devices in the right location to meet user needs and can provide detailed usage reports.  Printing Services can provide, upon request at the beginning of each new month, their usage of the previous month to each department.
  3. Sustainability – the MFD’s are energy efficient devices that reduce the College’s carbon footprint.  Additionally, jobs are only printed when the user releases them, so if a mistake or change occurs, paper is not wasted.
  4. Economical – the MFD’s are more cost efficient and both supplies and maintenance services are included as part of the program. Maximizing use of these devices allows leveraging this arrangement to achieve volume pricing that can further reduce campus printing costs.
  5. Privacy – the MFD’s print jobs only when the user releases them, so confidential documents are not forgotten and left sitting on open printers.

MFD Super-users

Each MFD and program approved printer location has a designated local super-user.  The list of super-users is maintained by Printing Services as primary contacts for each device across campus.  Super-users can provide the following services:

  1. They assure paper and toner is in or near an MFD.
  2. They can assist in the troubleshooting of minor issues such as paper jams, although users are expected to attempt to clear their own jams.

It should be noted that problems with Equitrac or card readers should be reported to Printing Services by the specific user.

Modifications

The purchase or lease of copiers, printers, and scanners will be handled by request through either the Directors of Printing Services or Purchasing.  No individual or department is authorized to purchase or lease these devices.

Requests for additional or replacement equipment should also be made to either Printing Services or   Purchasing.  A form will be made available requiring the signature of the Vice President of the user’s Division (and CIO if applicable) before a purchase or replacement can be authorized.

 

Personal printers are no longer purchased or supported on campus.  In locations where these printers already exist, they will be removed when they stop working and ideally should be returned to Printing Services in favor of using campus-leased MFD’s.

Supplies

The leasing agreement of the MFD’s includes all supplies in the cost of a print/copy in the managed print environment (paper, toner, etc.), as well as equipment servicing.  The super-users contact Printing Services with supply needs, but any user may contact Printing Services directly at any time with questions or service needs.

Defaults and other Sustainable Print Practices

  1. Double-sided printing:  The default setting for all network printing devices will be double-sided.
  2. Alternatives to printing: Faculty members are encouraged to consider substituting digital formats (Moodle, etc.) for standard paper course packets as feasible. Faculty is encouraged to consider electronic vs. paper submission for class assignments as feasible. The Educational Technology department can be contacted for assistance in this regard.
  3. Printing Multiple Copies: Do not print multiple copies of the same document on a desktop printer.  A desktop printer is not a copier and costs far more per page to use in this manner.
  4. Used Cartridges: Return all used toner cartridges to Printing Services to be recycled as part of the College Sustainability initiative.

Confidential Printing

All employees occasionally have the need to print a confidential document.   Confidential printing needs are not a justification for a personal printer.  The MFD printers are all enabled with secure printing.  Print jobs will not print until the user physically swipes their personal card.