Caring for College-issued laptops

Faculty and staff members are responsible for the safekeeping of the IT equipment assigned to them. Once IT Solutions allocates IT assets to individuals, it is their responsibility to ensure its proper use in accordance with policies IT1 – Acceptable Use of Information Technology Resources and IT2 – Security of Information Technology Resources.

All College‑issued laptops come with a three‑year manufacturer’s warranty (one‑year warranty for batteries). If your laptop is malfunctioning, please open the ITS Service Desk website to submit a Service Desk ticket so IT Solutions can have it serviced before the warranty period expires. If you accidentally damage your laptop by dropping it, spilling liquid on it, etc., IT Solutions will coordinate non‑warranty repairs and your department will be responsible for the repair costs.

The following guidelines can help you care for your laptop:

• Never leave your laptop unattended or without password protection. Most incidents of College laptop theft involve laptops stolen from vehicles. Avoid leaving your College‑issued laptop unattended in a vehicle.
• Prevent others from using your laptop.
• Keep the battery cool and do not rely on battery power if you are able to plug in your charger. Please note that IT Solutions does not provide new laptop batteries. If you are an instructor, you are encouraged to plug in your laptop while in the classroom. Using battery power to operate your computer and projector increases the risk of power loss from a discharged battery, and continual battery use shortens the battery’s lifespan.
• Avoid eating or drinking around your laptop.
• Regularly clean the screen and keyboard using a soft, dry cloth.
• Use an appropriate carrying case when transporting your laptop.
• Refrain from modifying, upgrading, or repairing your laptop. Only IT Solutions or the College’s preferred vendors are authorized to alter your laptop’s hardware.
• Be cautious when installing third‑party software onto your laptop. IT Solutions supports only licensed software provided by the College.
• Ensure that your laptop’s virus protection and security updates are current.
• If you are an instructor or any College employee returning from a break or an extended period of time, ensure that your computer receives the latest Windows updates before your first day back. Please open the Windows update FAQ webpage for instructions.
• Regularly store your documents and data files to a College server location or to OneDrive so you can recover them if your laptop is lost, stolen, or damaged. Please open the Office 365 webpage for information about using your College‑issued OneDrive account.

← Back to General Computer Information