Computer Policy

Below are the policies and procedures for providing and maintaining computer equipment to faculty and staff to support the academic pursuits of the College of Arts and Science.

Computers for New Faculty

New faculty members who are tenured, tenure-track, or full-time non-tenure-track teaching faculty with multi-year appointments will use available research or startup funds for the purchase of an office computer system. New faculty in these categories who do not have research or startup funds will be provided a standard system.

Visiting/adjunct/adjoint faculty, lecturers, and faculty without multi-year appointments will be provided with refurbished equipment.

Research faculty should rely on grant or research funds for the purchase of computer systems.

All computers must be purchased through Vanderbilt University Information Technology (VUIT). See below on procedures for purchasing computers and computer specifications.

Replacement of Faculty, Instructional, and Administrative Staff Computers

Every four years, a new standard system will be provided by the A&S Dean’s Office to eligible faculty and administrative staff. Eligible faculty are tenured, tenure-track, and full-time non-tenure-track teaching faculty with multi-year appointments who do not receive annual research fund amounts from the College of Arts and Science in the amount of $10,000 or greater or have $40,000 in available non-sponsored faculty funds. VUIT will contact eligible individuals when their systems are ready for replacement.

Full-time faculty who receive annual non-sponsored research fund amounts of $10,000 or greater or have $40,000 available in non-sponsored faculty funds will be responsible for purchasing replacements for their computer systems using their research funds.

VUIT will replace all instructional computers (for example, computers used in classrooms) on a four-year cycle, or sooner if required. VUIT will also replace registered administrative staff computer systems on a four-year cycle.

Guidelines for the Purchase of Computers

Following university policy, the College of Arts and Science provides each eligible faculty member and administrator with a standard system. Those who wish to deviate from the standard system including software or need a secondary computer for Vanderbilt business must pay for the additional cost from appropriate non-sponsored faculty funds or non-operating funds.

All computers, laptops, and tablets must be purchased through VUIT, regardless of the source of the funds. Accessories such as monitors, docking stations, printers, scanners, and storage devices (physical or virtual) can be purchased via the departmental administrator or other viable options.

VUIT involvement ensures that appropriate academic discounts are applied, correct warranties are received, and life-cycle replacements can be appropriately tracked.

Support and Maintenance

Please see the VUIT website for more information and support requests.

Ownership and Custody

Vanderbilt retains ownership of all equipment and software purchased by or reimbursed from Vanderbilt funds, regardless of the source of funds. When a new system is received, the old system must be returned to VUIT unless approval to retain the old computer is provided by the A&S Dean's Office (contact Ginger Hitts). When systems are ready for disposal, they must be brought to VUIT for proper disposition.

If faculty members leave Vanderbilt, all computing equipment purchased through Vanderbilt reverts to the College of Arts and Science unless an alternative written arrangement has been made with the A&S Dean's Office.

If a faculty member retires with the title of Emeritus/a or Retired Faculty, he/she will be allowed to retain use of the computer system. The computer system retained at retirement will not be eligible for life-cycle replacement and will be serviced according to VUIT practice and availability.