University Business - July/August 2011 - (Page 80)

Computer ServiCeS Temple University Recycling Reboot ou can’t just toss an old computer into the corner trash can when it has outlived its usefulness. Because of the environmental issues involved, special care must be taken in disposing of such equipment. often, that involves paying for proper disposal. If you do choose to trash aging Pcs in a dumpster, you need to wipe any sensitive data from each one’s hard drive for security and privacy reasons. Eight years ago, Temple University (Pa.) officials decided to become more proper pitchers. Previously, says tim o’Rourke, vice president for computer and financial services and chief information officer, “our facilities management would come and dispose of any equipment, but they charged a After computers and monitors are refurbished and repurposed by Computer Recycling fee.” so here’s what would happen: Rather Center staff, many of them can be returned to service on campus. than pay that fee, the person would just throw the computer out. more than a third of the monitors were returned to university The university’s computer services office developed a series service after being refurbished and repurposed by cRc staff, of initiatives that have resulted in cost savings, greater security, saving temple about $300,000. and a green impact so positive it was recognized by the Envi“We noted very quickly that these computers were still ronmental Protection agency. good in a lot of cases, and with a few dollars here and a little Through the implementation of an advanced Recovery work there, we could put them back into service,” o’Rourke Fee, university departments pay $25 notes. “It has turned into a model of not just throwing out New e-waste disposal per new computer and $25 per new computers properly, but recycling computers and getting them monitor. temple purchases about back into use.” procedures keep 2,000 computers a year, resulting in centralizing the processing of e-waste also allowed cRc to more old computers a $100,000 dedicated fund for sala- work with computer services’ office of Information security ries and expenses related to disposal to develop and implement processes to erase data from old maout of landfills and of electronic waste. chinery, minimizing the likelihood of sensitive and proprietary more new money Handling these duties is the information being exposed. computers that are neither repurin the university’s computer Recycling center (cRc), chased nor donated are given to outside firms, which break which worked with the computer them down for parts and share proceeds with the university. coffers. services’ desktop support Group Finally, temple estimates that these e-recycling efforts have to set minimum requirements that prevented 2,860 metric tons of carbon equivalents from enwould allow outdated equipment to be refurbished and re- tering the environment as waste. In 2009, the EPa presented turned to university use. If those requirements aren’t met, the the university with its Environmental achievement award in hardware can be sold for personal use, or donated. recognition. since 2005, cRc has recovered almost 12,000 comput“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” o’Rourke says. ers, 11,000 monitors, and 5,800 printers, scanners, and other “It’s a win for the environment, and it’s a win for us financially. related pieces of equipment. nearly half of the computers and That’s the beauty of this program.” Y 80 | July/August 2011 universitybusiness.com http://www.universitybusiness.com/modelsofefficiency http://www.universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - July/August 2011

University Business - July/August 2011
Contents
Editor's Note
Ad Index
College Index
Behind the News
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Financial Success
Money Matters
Community Colleges
Funding Capture
Models of Efficiency
Thwarting ID Thieves
Embezzlement Epidemic
What's New
End Note

University Business - July/August 2011