Editors: A list of parents and students available for comment is attached.
It聮s no secret that education can be an expensive item these days but the University of Colorado at Boulder is doing its best to help ease that burden.
For the first time starting this fall, CU-Boulder is launching a computer loan program that will provide free computers for about 160 freshmen to use over the next four years.
Each computer, including software, cabling and security locks, plus four years of service and insurance, will cost the university more than $1,400 but students will not pay anything.
The new program is being funded initially by $250,000 set aside from the university聮s share of additional technology money allocated by the state legislature during the last session.
One third of the computers will be Apple iMacs and the rest Dell Optiplex units. Software will include Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and Explorer, Netscape Navigator for Web access, Eudora for email and anti-virus software.
All students can gain training and familiarity with the computers through ITS (the university聮s Information Technology Services), and students on this program will be especially encouraged to attend.
Among the students getting new computers is Serafin Sanchez, of Arvada, who starts studying for a double major in music (alto saxophone) and business this semester.
Sanchez said his family has a computer at home but he needed one to take with him to college. The family had been wondering about buying a new one when they heard about the program, which solved the problem.
"I聮m surprised it聮s free," said Sanchez, who did not know what sort of computer he would have, only that it would be new. "I talked to other people about it and everyone agreed it was a pretty good deal. You can聮t beat free."
Business student Mehgan (cq) Hurley, of Louisville, described the computer loans as an "excellent program" and said she feels very privileged and lucky to be one of the recipients.
Hurley said before this opportunity came along she was going to use the university聮s computer facilities during her first semester and see how that worked out. But having her own computer "is going to make things a lot easier."
Kim Murdoch said she knew nothing of the program until a letter arrived from CU explaining that her daughter was eligible. She and her husband were delighted.
Murdock said they were going to buy a new computer but with all the other expenses of college, that would have meant taking out a loan, so the offer of a brand new computer from CU was a "godsend."
Bonnie Kotz, of Northglenn, was equally delighted on behalf of her daughter Breanne, whose ultimate goal is dental school and who has been working hard and saving her money to buy a computer.
Now the opportunity presented by the computer loan program has "lifted an amazing weight off her shoulders," said Kotz, and means her daughter can spend that money on other things for college.
Bobby Schnabel, associate vice chancellor for academic and campus technology, said this is believed to be one of only a very few such programs in the United States.
California State University at San Marcos announced a similar program in fall 1998 described as "one of the first in the nation" involving 40 freshmen who were given laptops.
Schnabel said the computer loan program is very important to students who might otherwise be disadvantaged academically by having much less easy access to that sort of technology.
While CU-Boulder does not require students to have laptops or computers, for the first time this year a letter went to all freshmen strongly recommending they bring a computer if financially feasible.
Schnabel said the percentage of students who own a computer is increasing all the time. Last year 71 percent of freshmen had computers 聳 up 9 percent from the previous year 聳 and the new loan program is an attempt to increase that percentage still further.
He gave credit to the state legislature for providing universities with the extra funds and to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education for its role in asking for funding and coordinating that request.
However, Schnabel pointed out that at this stage the funding is one-time only and it is not yet known whether similar funding will become available next year or beyond.
"I hope the program at CU-Boulder, together with the very positive comments from parents and students directly involved, will help build support for the continuation of this program," he said.
Contacts available to talk to the media for the CU computer loan story:
Parents
Kim Murdoch 303-680-9742 (home), 303-300-0777 (work)
Bonnie Kotz 303-452-2400 (home and work)
Students
Serafin Sanchez 303-786-2189
Mehgan Hurley 303-786-1000
Doug Newton 303-554-7613