COLA Generations Program

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty

LAITS runs a program that life cycles computers for tenured and tenure-track (T/TT) faculty under the ‘Generations’ program. This program consists of the following:

• Generations computers are provided to T/TT faculty with the roles:
  • Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Assistant Professor
• One Generations computer is provided by the College to each T/TT faculty.
• Generations computers are typically replaced on a four-year cycle.
• Faculty are required to relinquish their former Generations computer when offered their replacement Generations computer.
• Generations computers are provided for the use of the faculty member only. Generations computers identified as being used by other than the intended faculty may be reclaimed.
• Faculty may choose to opt-out of the Generations program on an annual basis (foregoing replacement or opting out completely). Faculty who are eligible for a replacement computer will be solicited annually. Faculty who opt-out and keep their current computer will be required to return their computer if it becomes unsupported (see Supported Computer Policy).
• Faculty may choose either a laptop or a desktop computer. LAITS provides standardized models to ensure reusability of computers for other purposes. Generations computers will be assigned to a LAITS financial code in DEFINE.
• Faculty or their department are responsible for accessories, including monitors, keyboards, mice, or docking stations. (Note that desktop computers typically come with a keyboard and a mouse.)
• Faculty whose position changes from tenured or tenure-track to a different job position (such as adjunct, research, emeritus) will be required to relinquish their Generations computer for reassignment. LAITS will consider requests for an alternate computer based on business need and availability.

Non-Tenure Track Faculty

• Certain non-Tenure Track (NTT) instructional faculty will be included in the Generations program described above under Tenured/Tenured-Track Faculty. All of those requirements are applicable to these faculty. NTT faculty roles included in the Generations program include:
  • Professor of Instruction (Distinguished Senior Lecturer)
  • Associate Professor of Instruction (Senior Lecturer)
• Computers for all other NTT faculty roles, including Assistant Professor of Instruction (Lecturers), are typically the responsibility of the department. LAITS maintains a cohort of repurposed computers that, at LAITS’s discretion, may be provided to these faculty.  Any computers provided will be transferred to the respective department and must be maintained according to LAITS computer support policy.

Faculty Emeritus

• Faculty transitioning to Emeritus status must relinquish any University-owned computers at the time of their retirement.
  • This is not a new policy. It has been the long-standing policy of the University and the State of Texas that faculty who retire or otherwise end their employment with the University return University-owned property.
  • State law prohibits other options for allowing Emeritus faculty to maintain possession of University-owned computers outside of the official Surplus Property process. State law forbids us from giving or donating University-owned computers to faculty retirees.
• LAITS will assist Emeritus faculty by recommending appropriate models for their personal use and will assist with transferring data from their University-owned computer to their personally-owned computer.
• Only limited ‘best effort’ support will be provided to Emeritus faculty.

Staff

• Funding of computers for staff is the responsibility of the department.
• LAITS maintains a cohort of repurposed computers that, at LAITS’ discretion, may be provided to staff, depending on business case.  Any computers provided will be transferred to the respective department and must be maintained according to LAITS computer support policy.

Research

• Funding of computers for research is the responsibility of the faculty researcher and/or the department.
• LAITS maintains a cohort of repurposed computers that, at LAITS’ discretion, may be provided for research use, depending on business case.  Any computers provided will be transferred to the respective department and must be maintained according to LAITS computer support policy.