A Student-centred initiative that focuses on supporting the information, communication, and technology needs of the students at the iSchool
About the Tech Fund
The Tech Fund is a student-centred initiative dedicated to improving the student experience by focusing on supporting the information, communication, and technology needs of the students at the iSchool.
Tech Fund Fees
Fee
Fall Term Charge
Winter Term Charge
Annual Total
Part Time Students
$12.50
$12.50
$25.00
Full Time Students
$25.00
$25.00
$50.00
Students contribute to the Student Tech Fund automatically when they pay their tuition fees each year. The funds are then used to meet our mandate:
“[to] directly enhance ICT (information, communication and technology) based learning, research, exhibiting, collecting and administrative services for Masters of Information (MI), and Master of Museum Studies (MMSt).”
This could be a number of things, ranging from purchasing new computers for the Inforum or student lounge furniture to funding an event or workshop.
The Tech Fund Committee consists of five Student Representatives, an iSchool Faculty Advisor, and an Information Technology Advisor. Each Student Representative is allotted one vote, while the faculty and IT advisors are not allotted voting powers, they are also responsible for putting forth proposals, purchasing equipment, promoting purchases to the student body, and informing both MISC and MUSSA about Tech Fund activities and receiving council approval for purchases exceeding $3,000. Check out the available technology to borrow from the Inforum!
Students are encouraged to submit ideas for activities, events, and projects that fall within our mandate and may be funded by the Tech Fund. Please use our online form to submit an idea!
2 Samsung 46” Skype-enabled LED Displays for Inforum Group Study Rooms – 1 more to be ordered
Microsoft IT Academy License
20 licenses for OmniGraffle Pro (OS X Version of Visio)
3 iPad 2’s
1 RIM Playbook
30 Wireless Mice for netbooks
Data Projector for Museum Studies (can be booked through Inforum)
Multi-Touch Coffee Table – yet to be purchased size range from 26” to 103” – we’re looking at about 32-36”
4 Sony Voice Recorders
Budget allocation of $3,000 set aside to bring a Guest Speaker to the iSchool – TBD
7 frames for the student lounge
1 toaster oven for the student lounge
2 DSLR cameras for the Inforum
Plants for the Student Lounge
2010-2011
Smartboard for the Student Lounge
10 Dell Notebooks
Sony Voice Recorder
10 Camcorders
4 iPads, iPad covers, and Apple Care
4 Galaxy Tabs
Job Spice Access
Crossref (Software for FIQ)
2009-2010
Smartboard for 5th Floor Lobby (half of cost)
Dell Workstation for the MISC Office
4 New Computers, Tables, Chairs (1/3 of cost)
21 New Computers (1/3 of cost)
Total Renovation of the Student Lounge
4 Samsung Netbooks
2 Kindles
2008-2009
Furniture for Student Lounge
Voice Recorder and Camcorder
Media Lab Devices - iMac, scanner, printers, etc (previously in room 119, now in room 328)
10 Dell Laptops and 10 Licenses for Office 2007
Rejected Purchases
A sink for the lounge: Because of the way Bissell is built, this would cost $15 000+ and involve ripping out part of our (newly painted) walls and some of the flooring in several rooms on the 7th floor. Sorry!
A T-card machine: U of T has suggested that they will be eliminating the T-card in the near future. They have not indicated what it will be replaced with, but it will almost certainly render this $10,000 purchase obsolete. Maintenance of a T-card reader is also very expensive, and the Student Tech Fund cannot guarantee that we will be able to permanently cover this expense.
2019-20: MI/MMSt students voted for the annual Tech Fund fee to be reduced to $40/year for full-time students (previously $50/year) and $20/year for part-time students (previously $25/year)
2016-17: MI/MMSt students voted for the annual Tech Fund fee to be reduced to $50/year for full-time students (previously $100/year) and $25/year for part-time students (previously $50/year)
2012-13: MI/MMSt students voted for the continuity of the Tech Fund Levy Fee to remain at $100/year for full-time students and $50/year for part-time students.
