Following is the College of Arts and Sciences’ policy on UA-owned technology:
In order to make sure that the UA College of Arts and Sciences complies with Alabama state law regarding the purchase and maintenance of technology, departments and faculty should be aware of the following policies:
- Each A&S department currently has one staff person as their designated technology equipment coordinator (TEC). The department TECs are responsible for keeping track of all technology within their departments. This includes periodic inventory checks, collection of technology when staff and faculty leave, and distribution of technology-related information relayed by the College. Department TECs should be notified every time technology is purchased within the department, whether the equipment is being purchased using department, grant, award, or startup funds.
- All technology purchased through the departmental process, regardless of funding source, is considered UA-owned and must be returned if a faculty member should leave the College. This includes technology purchased with department money, many outside grants, start-up funds, Leadership Board funds, and grant money that is taken in lieu of salary. The general rule — unless a faculty or staff member has purchased technology with his or her own personal credit card or bank account — is that the technology belongs to UA.
- Whenever departments decide to purchase computers, they should contact eTech in order to make sure that their purchase meets minimum requirements and will work with the UA systems. This can be done by completing the Buying Technology with Alternative Funding Sources form. Department TECs should always be notified when technology purchases are made so they can make sure that the appropriate information is gathered for inventory purposes.
- All technology — regardless of whether it is purchased by College, department, startup, grant, or award funds — should be registered in the A&S inventory system maintained by eTech. This centrally located database allows departments to easily find information on their equipment in the event of loss, damage, or warranty work.
- All UA-owned technology must be returned before faculty or staff members leave the College. At least two weeks prior to leaving the College, the faculty or staff member must notify eTech at etech@ua.edu so eTech can make arrangements to pick up or reassign equipment. Retired/emeritus faculty can continue using their computers, but all technology must remain on the UA campus, and all A&S iPads are returned to eTech when a faculty member retires — no exceptions. Technology can be returned to their department TEC or eTech; employees returning their equipment to the TEC should also notify eTech by emailing etech@ua.edu. Although departments will do their best to remind exiting personnel to hand in their technology, all faculty and staff should be aware that keeping UA-owned equipment is in direct violation of the Alabama state ethics law. For those who refuse to return their technology, the University is required by law (Ala. Code § 36-25-17) to report their actions to the State Ethics Commission as a violation of the ethics law. If confirmed, an ethics law violation carries the potential for criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
- It is understood and expected that laptops and iPads will be used both on and off campus. Faculty and staff may also use desktop computers, monitors, and printers off campus with prior approval from the department chair. Equipment used at home is still subject to eTech’s annual inventory audit. Faculty and staff members will be asked to verify that equipment is still in their possession and report this information to their department during the annual audit. The department will then report any changes in equipment location or status to eTech.