Student Laptop/Tablet PC Initiative
TSU is in process of developing a Student Laptop/Tablet PC Initiative, more information will be available soon. Faculty are currently using Tablet PCs in the classroom and Tablet PCs are available for loan from the the library circulation desk.

Student Discounts currently available through Dell

STUDENT COMPUTERS
If students are buying a new personal computer, please see the TSU suggested, discounted systems above.  Laptop or Tablet computers are recommended due to the convenience of portability and the ability to take advantage of the TSU wireless network. 

Minimum hardware requirements include:
•           Core Duo or better
•           1GB RAM
•           100 GB or higher hard drive
•           CD-R (CDRW/DVD would be useful)
•           XP (Professional preferred) or Vista
•           Name Brand 10/100 Ethernet card—We suggest Kingston, 3COM or Intel—cost would be about $40–$80.  The TSU Bookstore will have these available at Move-In Day
•           Ethernet patch cable—The TSU Bookstore will have these available at Move-In Day
•           Surge Protector

If purchasing a new computer, it would be wise to go with higher specifications to assure the computer will last the majority of the time it takes to complete your degree.

Software for students

The software needed will be dependent upon a students major.   Students are encouraged to check with his/her academic advisor for any major specific hardware or software requirements.

The software of choice for general use at TSU is Microsoft Office 2007. Through TSU you can now purchase Microsoft software and a significant discount. Below is the link to that site and a comparison chart of the Microsoft Office suites available.

Microsoft Academic Software

Office Suite Comparison Chart

Note: The only Office Suites available though our agreement are Standard, Professional and Enterprise.

Students will be required to use anti virus software in order to access the University network and Internet.   This software is provided by the University at no charge to students.  If students live on-campus and need anti virus, please contact the Residential Network team at 4275 or help@tristate.edu.

Storing and transporting files

Each student is assigned storage space on the TSU network for your data files.  In addition, most of our labs are equipped with CDRW—so you can save your files to a CD. If purchasing a computer to bring to campus, an item that would be beneficial is a CDRW that can be used for backing up or saving files.  A USB flash/jump drive would also be beneficial.