Refresh/Recycle Program | University of Detroit Mercy IT Services

To ensure quality computer equipment is available to all students and employees, the University has implemented a Refresh/Recycle program to replace all University owned desktop and laptop systems on a 3-year to a 5-year lifecycle. The Refresh part of the program provides new computers and the recycle part provides useable hand-me-down systems to qualified recipients.

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    Refresh Portion

    All general purpose ITS Academic Computing Laboratory systems are scheduled for replacement on a three-year cycle. These systems are used by the majority of our students inside and outside of class time. Individual labs set up and managed by schools and colleges do not qualify for replacement on a three-year cycle but qualify for the Recycle program.

    Full-time faculty and administration systems are scheduled for replacement on a five-year cycle. The Refresh program provides the computers to the college dean or supervisor who has the discretion of assigning the new computers to the full-time faculty or employee. New employees inherit the lifecycle of the computer within their hiring line or a "recycled" computer unless the department elects to fund a new system. "Recycled" computers will generally be refreshed within two years for new employees.

    The college dean or supervisor may choose to replace some faculty or employee systems more frequently than once every five years and have the older but not expired system trickle down to another full-time faculty member. The dean also maintains the discretion to decide on desktop vs. notebook and PC vs. Apple.

    To access information on University hardware and software standards, please click on the links below.

    University Hardware Standards
    University Software Standards

    If a University owned computer has not been inventoried, please contact the Help Desk at (313) 993-1500 to schedule an inventory and placement in the Refresh/Recycle program.

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    Recycle Program

    Systems that have been "refreshed out" and still have some useable value to the institution are placed into the Recycle program and distributed to locations on a request basis. Typically, these systems are placed in locations where adjunct faculty, part-time employees, and student employees work.

    Requests are to be made to the Help Desk Manager via the Help Desk system. If equipment is available, ITS will be happy to arrange for the installation. Replaced equipment is to be returned to ITS at the time of installation.

    Computers are continuously recycled until they are no longer functional. The parts from non-functional computers are used to repair other computers. All other parts are then turned over to an EPA certified recycling company.

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    Department Purchases

    For those looking for a new computer in advance of the defined recycle date, budgetary responsibility is that of the department. 

    For those looking for a new computer for a new function or location, budgetary responsibility is that of the department.

    Equipment purchased on grants does not qualify for participation in the Refresh/Recycle program. During the life of the grant, please have the grant fund necessary replacements.

    Outside of the program are peripherals, data projectors, and curriculum specific devices. Deans and directors selecting notebooks for their staff should keep in mind there may be additional costs over the 5 year period which may include a replacement battery every 2 years, notebook bag, locking cable, docking station, additional power adapters, or other items that are to be funded through the departmental budget.

    Deans and directors who feel compelled to select a notebook for their staff for the occasional off-site need may still wish to consider the desktop computer and reserve a portable unit through the University's loaner program.

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    Unusable Equipment

    Departments with extra computer equipment stored within offices (usable or unusable) may return the equipment to the Fisher 2nd floor ITS offices. Usable equipment will be recycled into other areas within our institution while unusable equipment will be properly recycled through a member of the EPA WasteWise program.