General Rules of Behavior

We expect that individuals using COD open computer labs and computer classrooms will govern their own actions by basic rules of civility, respect and courtesy. Adult behavior is expected from all of our users.

The following guidelines are not meant to be an exhaustive catalog of what is allowed or disallowed. The computer lab staff are fully authorized to interpret these guidelines and apply them to a patron behavior as the situation warrants.

The computer lab staff are charged with maintaining the proper environment and are authorized to request of all patrons compliance with the listed guidelines.

If after two warnings a patron fails to abide by our established rules, he or she will be asked to leave the facility. Public Safety personnel will be called for assistance if necessary.

The following activities are PROHIBITED:

Group Study in the Academic Computing Center

In an effort to reduce noise in ACC open lab, vacant Academic Computing Center classrooms will be provided for group study. The room is only available to registered students who need to work on a group project that requires software available only in Academic Computing Center. Please see the lab supervisor on duty for more information.

Wireless laptops are available for use in the Library in conjunction with the Library's group study rooms.

Cell Phone Use

In consideration of others, we ask that you SILENCE or TURN OFF all cell phones while in the lab. Cell phone use is not permitted within the lab facilities.

Saving Files

Do not save your files to the hard drive. Each user is required to provide their own USB flash drive to store their personal data. USB flash drives are not available in the academic computing labs. They may, however, be purchased in the college bookstore.

COD also provides 25GB of online storage via skydrive. Sign onto http://skydrive.live.com using your MyACCESSid and password to access.

Printing

A Print Card is REQUIRED to print in the Open Lab areas of the Academic Computing Center and KLAB as well as in the Addison, Carol Stream, Naperville, and Westmont Regional Centers.

A card can be purchased from the Print Card vending machine located near the Open Lab or in the Library. The Library Print Center supports over-the counter sales of Print Cards and has two Print Card vending machines. The Library Print Center accepts cash or checks for Print Card transactions, makes change, and accepts cash for prints. The other labs cannot make change for the Print Card Vending machines. Instructions for using the vending machines are posted at each unit.

Purchasing a Print Card

  • A new empty Print Card costs $1. A new card has zero copies on it! The cost for a usable new card is a $2 minimum. (One dollar for the card, plus one dollar to add the first 15 copies.)
  • To add copies to a new card or a empty card, reinsert the card into the vending machine. Insert money. Each dollar adds 15 copies to the card. The vending machines accept $1 to $20 bills. Please be aware that vending machines DO NOT give change. A $10 bill immediately adds 150 copies to your card.

Print Card Tips

  • We recommend you do not have more than 150 copies ($10) on you card.
  • Always PRINT your name on a new card. The college is not responsible for the replacement of lost, stolen or damaged cards. Found cards, with names on them, are held for 30 days. Cards without identification are not held. Cards held in the Library are at the Print Center. Cards held in the ACC are at the Distribution Center.
  • Do not throw out an "empty" card -- recharge it. You do not have to wait until the card is empty to recharge it.
  • To Print a document, your card must have at least the same number of pages as the total pages in the print job. After it is sent to the print queue, you cannot print only a portion of that print job.

Print Card Policies

  • Used cards or unused copies on a card cannot be refunded. If you have multiple cards, we will transfer copies from one card to another. No refunds or credits are issued for extra cards.
  • Cash refunds are not given for defective prints. If a defect is due to our hardware or software problem, we will credit your print card or reprint the pages at no cost.
  • You must pay for all pages you print. Most software programs have a "print preview" function to help you select only the pages you need, before you send it to the print queue. We do not refund or offer credits for "extra" printed pages. The print queue displays the total number of pages for each print job before you print it. If it appears to be too many pages, do not print it. Ask for assistance.
  • The College reserves the right to replace a print card with an encoding error. Cards displaying an "ER" message or cards displaying over 300 copies have encoding errors. Replacement cards are issued with no more that 150 copies.
  • If you accidentally purchased a new card when you intended to recharge an existing card, immediately bring both cards to the Print Center service desk in the Library, or the Distribution Center is the ACC. We will credit your existing card with 15 copies in exchange for the new card. (The exchanged card must be empty and in like-new condition.)

Laser printouts are printed on recycled paper provided by the computer lab. The laser printers are restricted to student and community use, commercial use is prohibited. All printers will be turned off five minutes before closing.

Lab Closings

Announcements will be made prior to the closing of the lab. Patrons should finish their work when the announcements are made and should be outside of the facility at the posted closing time.

Emergencies

In case of an emergency, contact the Lab Aide on duty. If the fire alarm should sound, all users will evacuate the center immediately. Everyone must wait outside until it is announced by Public Safety to return.

Lab Aides

Lab aides are in the lab to help students log in to and out of applications, print their work, and to check out materials. They are not able to help students with applications or assignments. Your instructor is responsible for teaching you how to use a particular application.

Employment Opportunities

The Academic Computing Center, K Building Computer Lab, Addison, Carol Stream, Naperville, and Westmont Regional Centers hire eligible students to fill open lab aide positions. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain additional computer knowledge. Student employees must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Enrollment for at least 6 credit hours of college level courses (or acceptable remedial courses) for each quarter except summer quarter and must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA. Some prior experience using computers would be helpful.
  • Not more than 20 hours per week may be worked during Fall and Spring terms. If you are interested in working in these labs, please go to Human Resources, SRC2053 to apply.

Children in Computing Labs

The college administration maintains the right to restrict access to college facilities in the interest of safety and sound educational practices