Beneath the Ray Howard Library and Media Center, tucked between the Drama Department and Technical Support Services center, is the 4102 Student Computer Lab. Once a haven for focused work with top-notch technology, the darkened computer lab — consisting of 80 disused Dell PCs, five idle iMacs, a silent scanning station, three mothballed black-and-white printers, and an inactive color printer, since winter quarter 2022 — remains locked and inaccessible to students as the equipment ages into obsolescence.
The state of affairs sparked concerns among students who observed through the windows, an abundance of printers stocked inside, even as the available printers in the library’s second floor have a reputation for unreliability. “The lab was shut down due to the ransomware incident,” said Jason Brandon, executive director, Technology Support Services.
Brandon clarified that The Ricoh Multifunction Printers in the computer lab, “are being prepped for deployment across campus once the print server has been restored and configured.” In response to student concerns, TSS has investigated the issues and identified the root cause, “We have found that most often the issues are being caused by the USB cables connecting to the printers being disconnected,” said Brandon.
Until the computer lab is reopened, students may wonder where to turn for alternative computing resources. TSS has reimaged and reconnected all computers across campus, excluding those in the computer lab. Notably, the library’s computers stand operational and available for student use, offering a temporary refuge for academic pursuits during this period of transition. TSS is actively working to restore the computer lab, ensuring that the hum of productivity will soon return to its hallowed halls.
The library is indeed a valuable resource for academic purposes. Many SCC students frequently visit the library to work on their assignments. “I often come to campus and at least spend three hours studying at the library” said Jiaze Gao, an international student from China, and then continued, “Everytime I don’t bring my computer, I always uses the school computer to do my assignment, and I usually don’t bring my computer to school.”
Similarly, many other students like Josiah Ophaskiatikul, a second-year Thai student at SCC, frequents the library for their assignments and utilize SCC’s computers. “I study at the library pretty often, almost every day, mostly Monday through Thursday and sometimes on Friday,” Ophaskiatikul expressed. “I have mostly used the school computers for printing my assignments.”
“Before I loved doing my assignments in the computer lab, and I think it helped me a lot because it’s like having two computers [which is] easier to complete my work,” shared Sivkher Pak, an international student from Cambodia who has dedicated over six quarters studying at SCC. Pak is a regular visitor to the library, finding it to be a conducive environment for her academic tasks. “I want to study at the computer lab again.”
A chorus of voices echoes the collective hope for the school to reopen the computer lab. Every student is eagerly awaiting news on when this essential facility will resume operations, yet a concrete reopening date or quarter is yet to be confirmed.
