GoPrint Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is GoPrint?
A: GoPrint is an application that provides the ability to manage printing. This management can range from simple monitoring to charging for every page. On this campus we have chosen to provide a “free” allotment paid for by tech fees.

Q: Why was it started on the IU South Bend campus?
A: We’ve seen so much wasted printing in the labs – tubs of recycled paper. And the amount of paper printed and the cost of paper has risen over the past few years. The campus theme for 2007-2008 academic year was sustainability, so what better time to move toward print management?

Q: How does GoPrint work?
A: GoPrint intercepts the print jobs when submitted by a user to count the pages and determine if the job is simplex or duplex. The software then determines the cost for the job and presents that to the user via the GoPrint Popup interface. Once the user determines that they want to print the job, the user’s account is decreased by the correct amount and the job is released to the printer. This is a basic summary of a more complex process entailed in the software that IT purchased.

Q: What will the allotment be for students for printing pages?
A: The allotment will be a dollar amount equivalent to 650 simplex (one-sided) pages, which is $32.50. Simplex pages cost 5 cents per page. Duplex (2-sided) pages cost 4 cents a side, or 8 cents a page. So duplexing can stretch your printing allotment.

Q: Will the allotment be enough for students?
A: According to analysis of data collected last fall and spring, this would cover most if not all student academic printing.

Q: If a student goes over the allotment, what happens?
A: As of Fall 2008, GoPrint is in full production. Once a student’s allotment has been used, they must pay for any additional printing needs by adding money to their account (not their bursar account), by paying cash at the Bursar’s Office.  The credit will be applied within one work day.  Other options for adding to the GoPrint account, including a cash-to-account machine in the Information Commons, and online via IUPay are expected to be available in mid September 2008.

Q: How is the GoPrint program funded?
A: The software and hardware needed for GoPrint were paid for by Information Technologies – not student technology fees. Future upgrades and continuing maintenance will be funded by student tech fees.

Q: If the program is successful, could it lead to more technology on campus?
A: Any money saved by the reduction in printing will be available for other purchases. One example of possible enhancements would be access to color printing in the labs.

Q: How much paper and toner does the university use per month?
A: During the fall semester, over 1,500,000 pages were printed in the labs. That translates to approximately $8200 for paper for one semester. We spend nearly $60,000 a year on paper and toner for student printing.

Q: What tips do you have for students to help reduce paper usage?
A:We plan to put together tips for both faculty and students to help conserve printing. Below are a few of the more common ways:

1. Preview your document to catch errors before printing
2. Use duplex printing whenever possible.
3. When printing from a web page, select the portion of the page you need to print and then from the print menu, print only the selected data rather than the whole web page.
4. When printing slides provided by faculty, try printing 3, 4, or 6 on a page rather than just one per page.

Q: If students need to make extra copies of their assignment for peer editing, are there places to get copies made?
A: The Copy Center is available to students for making multiple copies. There are also coin-operated copiers on campus.

Q: What is the most usage by a student?
A: We had one student last fall who printed over 11,000 sheets of paper – that is 22 reams, or over 2 cases of paper!

Q: Is there some sort of disciplinary action for students who abuse the technology on campus?
A: There are disciplinary actions for some cases of abuse of technology on campus, but printing “too much” was not one that we had any data for until last fall. Printing in the labs is supposed to be for academic purposes, but that is not easily determined or enforced.

Q: Will I be charged for the printing that I am doing in the labs?
A: All students are granted an allotment of 650 pages billed at $0.05/page, which works out to $32.50. This is paid for by student technology fees.  A committee of staff, faculty and student representatives have agreed that this should be sufficient for the vast majority of academic printing on the IU South Bend campus.

Q: Why are we implementing GoPrint?
A: IU South Bend wants to curb waste for both environmental and fiscal reasons. GoPrint will allow us to continue meeting the students’ academic printing needs while encouraging better printing habits.

Q: What account do I use to login to GoPrint?
A: Use the IU Network ID (username and password) that you use to login on campus computers or access your e-mail or Oncourse account.

Q: Where does the money in the GoPrint Print Management system come from?
A: The money is a representation of your allotment. Different print jobs may cost different amounts, so the money is a common form of measurement.

Q: How is it that different prints might be charged differently?
A: A single-sided print job is priced differently than a two-sided (duplex) print job. The costing will allow you to print more information if you conserve paper by duplexing your print jobs.

Q: What is the cost per page for single sided and double sided jobs?
A: Single sided print jobs are charged at $0.05/side (or page) and double sided (duplex) print jobs are charged at $0.04/side (or $0.08 per piece of paper) for a savings of $0.02 over printing two pages single sided.

Q: What other different print jobs and costs exist?
A: At this time, there are only definitions for single sided and duplex printing. In the future, we may be able to add other services at appropriate costs such as color printing in the labs.

Q: Can I ask for that money from the GoPrint Print Management system that I do not use?
A: No, you may not recoup the allotment money in any way. This money is a universal means of dealing with costs, and you have been granted enough in your allotment to cover a standard amount of printing.

Q: Will my remaining allotment at the end of the semester be rolled over to the next semester?
A: No, There is no rollover for allotments for the 2008-2009 academic year.  After this first year, the option of rollover will be reconsidered.

Q: If I need to add funds to my account during the semester, but I don’t use it all, will that rollover to the next semester?
A:  Any money that students add to their GoPrint account WILL rollover each semester as long as they are a student.  But any of that money that remains on their account when they graduate or leave the university will be forfeited.  It will not be reimbursed to the student.  We recommend that you add money to your GoPrint account in small increments.