NikkyRaney03252010

=NESCOM's mandate for Apple requirements is on hiatus.=

==== In the beginning of the spring semester a survey was taken by 292 students regarding the Apple mandate. The survey featured nine questions including “Would the purchase of a Mac Book and the annual software fee prevent you from attending NESCom?” ====

==== NESCom President Thom Johnson noticed that there was a pattern within the answers. ==== “Freshmen told us they don’t see a need for Apple computers, but the sophomores, juniors, and seniors said that they absolutely see a need,” he continues said. “The freshman have not taken the classes where they need to use the software like Final Cut. The sophomores [and upper classmen] really seem to appreciate it.”

The survey showed that 90 percent of the students taking the survey have a computer at school, and 60 percent have an Apple computer; 42 percent of the students surveyed agreed that having an Apple computer is an essential took for their future careers, along with the appropriate software.

Johnson posted a letter on NESCom.edu to parents informing them that the mandate for Apple laptops has been postponed, but hemakes it very clear that the idea has not been given up.

“If the economy were better we would have done it this year. The economy has not been kind, and we have the ability to keep most of our [Apple] computers on lease. It made sense to let the students use the computers we have,” he says.

The limited physical space has been an issue for instructors as well as students within the NESCom building. The current Apples in the computer labs are on lease, and Johnson says that next year one of the labs is getting turned into a docking stations.

Johnson wants students to be able to achieve their goals and believes an Apple computer has more value than a PC.

“Windows environment is too slow. In the long run you can buy four PCs in the time that you will buy one Mac,” he says.

“I am so glad we put it off for another year,” tells Nikki Vachon, Director of Financial Aid at NESCom. She understands the struggle that some students may face with the price.

“It keeps me up at night to think that cost is the reason for a student being unable to further education at NESCom. My worst fear is having a parent say, ‘We can’t swing it,” she says.

Vachon wants to find a way for students to afford the Apple computers without having to take out a loan. “Our default rate just doubled. If our default rate goes up to 25 percent we lose funding. We went from three, to five, and this year to 10,” she added. “My advice is let’s get rid of loans and debt at any cost. We are more expensive than a traditional school, and I don’t want to see students defaulting on loans.”

According to FinAid.com, the student Internet guide to financial aid, defaulting on loans can ruin your future. To default on a loan is the inability to pay it back, and consequences for being unable to pay back student loans, apart from still owing the full amount, include: being unable to enlist in the Armed Forces, being sued for the entire amount of your loan, the default amount to be deducted from wages, having a bad credit record leading to difficulty obtaining loans, mortgages, or even a job, and many other repercussions.

Vachon agrees that from hearing student feedback, the decision to require Apple computers is beneficial.

“Students who fail have told me that it had to do with work schedule, and class time, and other conflicts resulting in being unable to get to the computer lab to do the assignments and use the software,” said Vachon.

Johnson also tells on how the Apple mandate can be beneficial.

“If we impose requirement that students have the Apple software and computers we get discounts on the software from Apple. Students will be able to obtain the software needed for their specific courses,” he said. “Apple will announce their product line and pricing this spring; then we will negotiate student pricing.”

NESCom freshman Dennis Rose does not own an Apple computer, and thinks that the decision to mandate Apples in the future is unfair.

“It’s funny [that faculty members] don't have Macs, but we need to have them. If Macs are so good why shouldn’t all faculty have them. Seems to me a double standard,” Rose comments.

Vachon is one of the faculty members who don’t currently operate on a Mac, but she tells that all faculty members will be required to use Apple computers. The school funds all office computers.

“The financial aid software we use is not compatible with Mac, at last mention, but I think there is a windows update that will allow [Apples] to use any software that a PC can use. I think my computer is the oldest in the building but it’s still working so I haven’t updated. I think I will have to this summer,” Vachon says.

The entire faculty is going to adapt to this change along with the students. This future change will be one the entire NESCom community goes through together. Vachon is upbeat about this, saying, “ I’m learning Mac since I’m taking web classes and I feel like a dinosaur. Thankfully I have NESCom students in the class that help me.”