Why am I being charged for printing on campus?

In Monsignor Sheeran’s charge to the University Sustainability committee this past year he asked the University community to determine ways to become better stewards of the Earth and the resources at our disposal.  As a response to this charge the Teaching, Learning and Technology Roundtable created a committee on digital sustainability, charged with determining how technology can be used to conserve energy and limit waste.  To date printing has been free and unlimited to students and we have printed 3 million pages in the last academic year alone.  The former printing policy promotes excessive consumption of resources and a mind-set incompatible with the University's goals of conservation and sustainability.
 
In accordance with the recommendation from the Digital Sustainability Committee, with support from the Faculty Senate, beginning August 31, 2009 students on the South Orange campus are allotted a specific numbers of pages per semester, at no charge. Printing above this amount will result in a charge of $0.05/page that will be deducted from the student’s Pirates Gold account.

What is my printing allowance?
The printing allowances will be phased in over one year starting with the Fall 2009 semester and fully implemented with the Fall 2010 semester.

Fall 2009
800 pages for FT undergraduate and graduate students
400 pages for PT students 

Spring 2010
600 pages for FT undergraduate and graduate students
300 pages for PT students

Fall 2010
400 pages for FT undergraduate and graduate students
200 pages for PT students

Will my printing allowance roll over?

No.

When will I get my allowance?
The availability of your printing allowance will mimic that of the meal plans on campus.  Meal Plan Schedule »

Will my printing allowance expire?  
The expiration of your printing allowance will mimic that of the meal plans on campus.  Meal Plan Schedule »

How do I put money on my Pirate's Gold account?
Pirate's Gold Account »

Is this new policy for every printer on campus, even if I work in a department on campus?
This policy pertains to the use of public printers in the computer labs, Information Commons in the Library and other public printers where you swipe your ID card to release your print jobs.

How do I know if I have run out of my printing allowance?
If you try to release a print job and you have used your allowance and have no funds on Pirate's Gold you will receive an “insufficient funds” warning.  If you have used your allowance and have funds in Pirate's Gold the funds will automatically be withdrawn from your Pirate's Gold account.