TLC: Northern's Technology Program

Academic Information Services/Academic Computing Office

Teaching, Learning and Communication (TLC)

All full-time NMU undergraduate students (registered for 12 or more credit hours) are supplied with a ThinkPad® notebook computer with a standard set of applications, including Microsoft Office, and 24-hour local access to the campus network (including the Internet) as part of tuition and fees. Art and design majors will be issued a MacBook® notebook computer instead of a ThinkPad for an additional fee of $150 per semester.

The TLC program, which earned Northern Michigan University international recognition as a Laureate recipient in Computerworld’s Honors Program, includes these comprehensive features:

• Classrooms in new/remodeled buildings are designed to facilitate computer/network use by faculty and students. Most classrooms have wireless access to the network, and if not, a network port at every seat. 
•  Wireless access is available in all residence hall rooms, the library and in numerous lounges, study rooms and public places around campus. Although electronic documents are encouraged, networked printers are installed in various campus locations for hard copy documents.
• The university has a  help desk and walk-in service center located at 116 Edgar L. Harden Learning Resources Center to handle notebook computer maintenance and university supported software questions and problems. Phone: 906-227-2468, e-mail: helpdesk@nmu.edu.
• NMU leases the notebook computers and issues them to students on a two-year replacement cycle (a student will not have a computer more than two years old). There is a $500 fee that the student will be responsible for if the laptop is stolen, and a $50 fee if the laptop is subjected to “abnormal abuse” (spilling a beverage on the keyboard, dropping the computer, etc.). It is recommended that an insurance provider be contacted to either obtain additional coverage or add the computer to an existing policy.
• Continuing students who pre-register for the following fall are able to use the computer through the summer at no additional charge.

What To Expect

A few weeks before your first semester begins, new students will receive a Teaching, Learning and Communication Initiative information mailing. The mailing will include an agreement along with information on the assigned day, time and place to pick up the computer. Distribution will begin within five days of the beginning of the semester.

A variety of computer setup and training options will be available. There will also be computer accessories available from the NMU Bookstore. The NMU Bookstore offers inexpensive printers, drives for backup and storage, bags and cabling to support the computer.