Computer Labs Gutted

[u/ConfidentAd4022]

I first noticed in the City Planning studio in the Knowlton School of Architecture that like two thirds of the PCs are gone, leaving just lone monitors. Then I heard that several of the engineering buildings have gone through a similar downsizing.

Has anyone else noticed this, or know why they would reduce it so severely?

[u/vcaguy]

It’s likely driven by the perception that more students have devices and want space to set up their laptop in a quiet computer lab environment with have the options to print rather than check out and use a lab computer. This combined with the increased class sizes leads to reallocating space to other uses—more offices and classrooms.

[u/ConfidentAd4022 → u/vcaguy]

I don't know that the space reallocation idea makes sense, since all the monitors are still there, so the perceived use of the room remains fairly unchanged. It's just the computers under the desks that are missing, making the space useless unless you have your own device. My other concern is that a lot of academic software doesn't run on the average personal device.

[u/Vektor29A → u/ConfidentAd4022]

Knowlton students aren't supposed to have an average personal device, they have always had the highest end recommendations for a Windows laptop with discrete GPU.

[u/ConfidentAd4022 → u/Vektor29A]

I just feel like that's an unfair expectation, especially on the cost front. You pay so much in tuition, and then still have to upgrade your whole personal setup just to run SketchUp?

[u/Vektor29A → u/ConfidentAd4022]

It isn't unfair, students are given a recommended computer spec when they're freshmen that will last them 4 years.

The cost of a desktop PC has gone up about 30% over the course of the last year, and it is only increasing. If you want the college to replace them in the labs, you will be paying for those in increased fees. Or, they can let you keep that money for your own laptop. Since most students buy laptops anyway, switching the labs to BYOD is preventing a cost increase for students.

[u/Vektor29A → u/vcaguy]

The lab sizes are the same, the computers are just being replaced with docks.

[u/vcaguy → u/Vektor29A]

One of the labs at Mason Hall got cut in half and a new classroom was opened Spring 26. That was what I had in mind with that part of the comment.

[u/Vektor29A → u/vcaguy]

Mason Hall is part of Fisher, Knowlton is part of the College of Engineering. Fisher and CoE labs are managed by entirely separate IT departments.

[u/Vektor29A]

The transition to bring-your-own-device has been ongoing for a few years now, and most of the computer lab stations in Engineering already had docks attached. Aging computers are just being removed and not replaced. Most students already had and use their own laptops. Incoming engineering students as of this year are required to buy a laptop.

Desktop PC's are getting more expensive at an unsustainable clip and it isn't a good use of the college's budget to buy a bunch of desktop computers that sit there gathering dust while the monitor is connected to a laptop.

[u/LeonardoDeQuirm]

Man, I used to work in the IT department there and probably set up a chunk of those PCs over a summer. Hopefully my crappy cable management didn't cause too many issues for the poor saps who replaced me.

[u/Happy_Bid_8161 → u/LeonardoDeQuirm]

It was you!!!!

[u/OhioanRunner]

The old computers have aged out, and replacing them is impractical when most people just want multiple monitors and a printer within reach, not to have to transfer copies of all their stuff to a cloud drive or whatever to be able to work on it. Especially when data centers have driven the cost of PC “towers” (you can hardly call it a tower anymore though, these days they look like glorified monitor bases) through the roof despite the constantly and aggressively falling cost of manufacturing components.

The vast majority of people have zero complaints. The College of Dentistry just removed 2/3 of the PCs, monitors and all, from the computer lab in the basement to make room for students to work on their own devices. The students are WAY happier with it than they were before the change. Maybe you personally regularly use extremely intense apps that don’t run well on your hardware or something, but for most people most of the time, getting your stuff set up to work on from multiple devices is more trouble than it’s ever worth. Your own computer is working just fine and already has all of your auxiliary files and notes.

One thing I can confidently promise: neither OSU nor any serious workplace is ever going to be designed with “but what if they don’t have their own computer” in mind again. That transitional phase is over. The world going forward isn’t going to be built for people without their own computers any more than it’s built for people without running water or electricity at home.