Viterbi Computer Refresh Program

To ensure that eligible faculty and staff have adequate computer technology essential for their daily work activities.

Overview

The Viterbi Computer Refresh Program is a school-wide program designed to serve all regular, full-time staff and full-time teaching faculty. This program is administered by Viterbi IT. The Viterbi Dean's Office funds and coordinates a standard PC laptop computer, docking station, and accessories in value up to $2,000 for all full-time regular staff members and full-time teaching faculty every four years.
Apple devices or custom PC computers that cost more than the school standard Dell laptop, will require Viterbi IT approval and a charge-back to the employee’s business unit or department for the overage.
Viterbi IT will coordinate annually with business units and departments on the specific list of eligible employees and their scheduled refresh year. Unless otherwise requested by the business unit or department, existing Windows OS users will receive a Windows OS laptop and existing macOS users will receive a macOS laptop as part of the refresh.
Aside from faculty teaching and other special considerations, most employees will only have one computer assigned for work purposes. The One-Computer-Per-Person approach provides employees a consistent working environment and reduces school expenses. As noted, there may be an instance where a secondary computer, extra device, or laptop may be needed for course material preparation or new part-time, temporary employees. All secondary or extra computers are funded by the business units or departments, require purchasing justification, and require Viterbi IT approval.

Eligibility

The Viterbi Computer Refresh Program is designated to provide both new and current eligible employees a computer every four years who meet the following position criteria:

Regular staff member
Full-Time position
Permanent position
Full-Time teaching faculty with titles: Professor of Engineering Practice, Associate Professor of Engineering Practice, Senior Lecturer, and Lecturer
- Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty, grant-funded positions, part-time employees, temporary employees, graduate students, student workers, and contract employees including everyone from ICT and ISI are NOT eligible for a laptop via the Viterbi Computer Refresh Program.
- Business units and departments with part-time or temporary employees may request a laptop loaner from the Viterbi IT Device Loaner Program or with Viterbi IT approval, request to purchase a new computer with departmental funds.

How do I request a new computer?

Department Business Managers or designated contacts coordinate computer requests directly with the Viterbi Computer Refresh program team. Every four years, individuals will be notified approximately 30-60 days in advance of the 4-year anniversary to prepare for the next upgrade of their computer. The Viterbi Computer Refresh program is currently following a 4-year deployment schedule and will contact Department Business Managers or designated contacts for upcoming departments to plan and coordinate.

FAQs Table of Content

General Questions
About the Computers
Process
Department Business Managers & Designated Contacts

General Questions

All full-time regular staff and full-time teaching faculty who require an assigned computer are eligible for a new laptop when hired and a subsequent replacement laptop device every four years.

Tenured/Tenure-Track faculty, grant-funded positions, part-time employees, temporary employees, graduate students, student workers, and contract employees including everyone from ICT and ISI are NOT eligible for a laptop via the Viterbi computer refresh program.

Departments with part-time or temporary employees may request a laptop loaner from the Viterbi IT Device Loaner Program or with Viterbi IT approval, request to purchase a new computer with departmental funds.

About the Computers

All in-program computers will be ordered with a 4-year warranty. For custom computers purchased with the assistance of the Viterbi Computer Refresh program stipend, they must also be ordered with a 4-year warranty. However, Apple does not provide such a warranty and will continue to come with a 3-year warranty. For Apple computers under a 3-year warranty, Viterbi IT support staff will continue to support these computers and fund any out-of-warranty work that would have been covered otherwise. An early replacement may be recommended in those instances where it does not make economic sense to fund a repair.

The Viterbi Computer Refresh program does not cover repairs for computers purchased outside the program. Viterbi IT recommends all computers purchased outside the program to include a 4-year warranty or 3-year warranty if it is an Apple computer.

The Viterbi Computer Refresh Program will cover the full cost for a standard Dell laptop computer, Dell docking station, and accessories (approximately $2,000). A standard MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface, or a customized Dell laptop may cost more than the standard Dell device. The additional costs will be paid for by the business or department upon the approval of the staff member's administration and Viterbi IT. In general, as compared to the school standard Dell laptop, a similarly equipped Mac or Surface computer may cost approximately $250 to $850 more.

For eligible employee who requires a machine with a different hardware configuration, the program will contribute a standard amount of up to $2000 towards the cost of the purchase. The maximum contribution of $2000 is granted if the eligible employee does not receive a docking station and accessories (such as monitors) from the program. The program’s contribution towards the purchase will be reduced to $1500 if the eligible employee receives a docking station and accessories from the program. The remainder of the purchase cost will need to be funded by the department.

In those instances where a computer is needed in a non-qualifying circumstance (common areas, staff in ineligible position, tenured/tenure-track faculty, etc.), Viterbi IT can facilitate the purchase of the computer, receive it, prepare it (e.g., asset tag it, enable full disk encryption, load anti-malware program, load office productivity software, etc.), and deploy it to you and your department. To comply with USC Information Security policy, these computers must be tagged for inventory, enabled full disk encryption (applicable to laptops), and loaded with anti-malware security program.

Process

This program is intended to provide one primary computer for eligible employee. Departments that want to obtain additional computers for employees or ineligible participants may do so at departmental expense. Similar to program-funded computers, any computers purchased with department funds must be tagged for inventory, enabled full disk encryption (applicable to laptops), and loaded with antimalware security software in order to comply with USC Information Security policy.

Initially, departmentally-funded purchases will be replaced with program-funded units. We encourage faculty and staff to return and recycle all computers obtained with departmental funds if they are being replaced with the Viterbi Computer Refresh program-funded machines. Departmentally-funded computers can be kept at the discretion of and only with the approval of the department chair or business unit lead. However, please note that Viterbi IT will not support old computers that are replaced by Viterbi Computer Refresh computers. Departments will be responsible for ensuring that old computers remain compliant with USC Information Security policies.

The assigned computer stays with the staff member when they move to another eligible position within the Viterbi School. Unless the new position requires a substantial change in the computer equipment needed to complete the tasks of the new role, the existing computer assigned to the staff member will remain with that staff member.

If the staff member moves to an ineligible position (e.g., grant-funded, part-time, temporary, etc.) within the Viterbi School, the existing computer will be reassigned to the new hire filling the position vacated.

Computers purchased with the assistance of the Viterbi Computer Refresh stipend are to be managed as a Viterbi IT asset and will be refreshed at the end of the 4-year refresh cycle and returned to the Viterbi Computer Refresh program. Should an individual leave Viterbi prior to the end of the 4-year refresh cycle, the computer will be retained for departmental use. Department Business Managers may determine that the computer can be redeployed to someone else in the department. Like in-program computers, these non-standard computers will be tagged for inventory, enabled full disk encryption (applicable to laptop), and loaded with antimalware security program in order to comply with USC Information Security policy.

Department Business Managers & Designated Contacts

In general, departments that are funded through the program will be able to receive one computer per eligible employee whose primary affiliation is with the department. Vice Dean for Administration and Finance should be consulted to determine if your specific department is funded through the program. Departments that are not funded through the program may generally participate in the program at department expense.

Department Business Managers (DBMs) will be responsible for periodic review of computers for their eligible staff or faculty.

Viterbi IT will send out an inventory, which will need to be reviewed for accuracy and confirmed that all units have been accounted for by DBMs.

When an eligible staff or faculty leaves the department, the DBM must inform Viterbi IT if the employee with a program-funded computer is leaving their position.

Yes. Viterbi Computer Refresh standard computers may not be a good fit for all departments or all purposes. If that is the case for your department, we encourage you to work with Viterbi IT support (engrhelp@usc.edu) so that we can advise on configurations that meet your needs but are still supportable. In some cases, USC has negotiated special pricing for other types of computers not included in the Viterbi Computer Refresh program. Your department may be able to benefit from purchasing one of these other standard or slightly modified configurations. Viterbi IT can also advise on upcoming changes to certain models or computer components that may affect your purchasing decision. For example, we may know about next-generation processors that will be released shortly that may influence you to postpone your purchase so that you can benefit from the upgrade.

All computers purchased outside the Viterbi Computer Refresh program are at department expense – save for those eligible faculty and staff (please see the eligibility section). To comply with USC Information Security policy, these computers must be tagged for inventory, enabled with full disk encryption (applicable to laptops), and loaded with antimalware security program.

The Viterbi Computer Refresh program can provide urgent computer deployments for new hires or for dire need situations such as the old computer has died and is not serviceable. If your computer becomes lost or stolen, the user may be eligible for a replacement under the Viterbi Computer Refresh program. Each situation is reviewed on a case by case basis. Department Business Manager should contact the Viterbi Computer Refresh program at engrhelp@usc.edu to coordinate.

Departments can still purchase Viterbi Computer Refresh computer with department funds. Department business managers can work with the Viterbi Computer Refresh team to coordinate the transaction. Similar to program-funded computers, any computers purchased with department funds must be tagged for inventory, enabled full disk encryption (applicable to laptops), and loaded with antimalware security software in order to comply with USC Information Security policy.

Published on April 12th, 2022

Last updated on August 1st, 2023