By Sandie Benitah
Ryerson’s academic council was expected to approve a program that will force information technology management students to lease laptop computers for as much as $1,600 each year.
The program which has been in the works for three years, was intended to begin this year. Academic council delayed the plans so ITM administrators could do further work on the new curriculum. The ITM laptop program will cost students between $1,400 and $1,600 a year.The fee will cover a warranty for the computer as well as all software and upgrades.
Kenneth Grant, director of ITM, said there may be options for students in financial need, including bursaries and in extreme cases, loaning out machines. “We can’t trivialize the financial issues but we can’t promise the program,” he said. “Everyone that’s an industry advisor says that this is the way to go to make our program competitive.”
The school of business management, which is also hoping to institute a mandatory laptop program for its students, has begun preliminary research. Business Director Peter Luk said he hopes the laptop program will become a reality for business students in the next year or two but warns that many issues must still be discussed.
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