When a faculty member retires, they have the option to purchase any of their assigned computers at a cost based on the depreciated value of the computer (plus applicable sales tax).
Overview
Consistent with the MHC employee computer policy, all computers assigned to faculty by Mount Holyoke College, whether funded through LITS or by grant or research monies, are considered the property of Mount Holyoke College and are tagged and inventoried as such.
When a faculty member retires, they have the option to purchase any of their assigned computers at a cost based on the depreciated value of the computer (plus applicable sales tax). The depreciation value will be determined by Financial Services, based on the purchase date of the machine and standard depreciation schedules. Any computers not purchased by the retiring faculty member must be returned to LITS and the College’s general computer inventory.
What needs to happen prior to finalizing the purchase?
Computers purchased by retiring faculty must be processed by LITS before being released by the College to ensure compliance with software licensing restrictions. The computer’s data will be backed up, the hard drive wiped, property tag removed and a fresh image with the appropriate operating system will be installed and the original data restored. This action is required so that the College is in legal compliance with its software licensing agreements, which do not allow for College licensed software to be installed on personally owned computers. Any additional required software will need to be purchased and installed on the computer by the faculty member.
Can LITS work on the computer after I've purchased it?
LITS is restricted from working on or supporting personally-owned computers after they have been transferred to the retired faculty member after purchase. However, we can refer faculty to outside services for hire who could assist with additional software purchasing, installation and support on the purchased computer.
Where does the purchase money go?
Funds generated by the retiree’s purchase of the computer will be returned to the original source(s) of the computer’s purchase funds, in the same proportion as the original purchase. If the computer was originally purchased using research monies and the faculty member decides to purchase it from the College, the appropriate proportion of the depreciated value will be placed back into the faculty member’s research account. The faculty member will be able to access these funds for future research-related expenses (books, travel and memberships) for up to two years after retirement. The funds can not be used to purchase additional computer and computer-related equipment.
What happens if I don't return or purchase the computer?
Faculty members who neither purchase nor return their computer to LITS upon retiring, will be billed for the depreciated cost of the computer plus sales tax.