Reason for Policy
CCS has historically allowed individual desktop printers to be deployed in faculty and staff offices based on departmental needs and individual requests. Over time, this has resulted in a collection of different printer models across campus with varying levels of use, reliability, supply requirements, and technical support needs.
Many individual printers, particularly inkjet printers, receive relatively little use. Faculty and staff may be away from campus for extended periods, including academic and seasonal breaks, leaving these devices unused for weeks or months. Inkjet printers that remain inactive can experience dried ink, clogged printheads, failed cartridges, and other maintenance issues. IT staff may spend significant time troubleshooting these devices, purchasing replacement supplies, and attempting repairs, only for the equipment to ultimately require replacement and disposal.
The cost of supporting personal printers also extends beyond the initial purchase price. Replacement ink and toner, specialized cartridges, maintenance, IT staff time, hardware replacement, and disposal all contribute to the total cost of ownership. Supporting numerous low-use devices is an inefficient use of College resources when shared network printers and multifunction devices are already available in many areas of campus.
The continued purchase and disposal of low-use printers also creates unnecessary environmental waste. Printers, cartridges, printheads, packaging, and other consumables contribute to electronic and plastic waste. Consolidating printing around shared, higher-utilization devices allows the College to make better use of existing equipment and reduce unnecessary purchasing and disposal.
This policy establishes shared printing as the institutional standard while allowing exceptions when there is a legitimate operational, accessibility, confidentiality, or location-based need for an individual device. It also establishes a consistent process for evaluating new printer requests and replacements rather than treating the failure of an existing personal printer as an automatic justification for purchasing another device.
The policy is intended to provide CCS leadership, departments, and Information Technology Services with a consistent framework for balancing employee printing needs with responsible budgeting, efficient use of IT resources, equipment standardization, and the College’s environmental responsibilities.
Policy Statement
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) provides shared network printers and multifunction devices as the standard printing solution for faculty and staff. To promote responsible use of College financial, technology, and environmental resources, single user printers are not considered standard office equipment and will be limited to circumstances where a specific business, operational, accessibility, confidentiality, or location-based need cannot reasonably be met by an available shared printing resource.
The purchase, deployment, and replacement of individual printers must be reviewed and approved by Information Technology Services and the appropriate departmental or budget authority. Departments and employees may not independently purchase printers intended for use with College-owned computers or College business without prior approval.
Existing individual printers may remain in service while they are functional and supportable. The failure or end-of-life of an existing printer does not automatically qualify the device for replacement. When a personal printer requires significant repair or replacement, the individual’s printing requirements will be reviewed to determine whether they can be appropriately supported through existing shared printing resources.
When an individual printer is determined to be necessary, Information Technology Services will establish the appropriate equipment and technology standards. CCS may decline to purchase, deploy, repair, or support printer models that are unreliable, incompatible with College systems, disproportionately costly to maintain, or inappropriate for the anticipated level of use.
This policy is intended to reduce unnecessary equipment and supply expenditures, minimize IT support and maintenance requirements, improve the reliability and consistency of campus printing, and reduce environmental impacts associated with unused equipment, disposable ink and toner cartridges, packaging, and electronic waste.
This policy applies to all CCS faculty, staff, departments, offices, and other College units purchasing, using, or requesting printing equipment with College funds or for College business.