Eller College of Management Technology Recommendations

Student Purchases

Having the right technology, hardware and software, is critical to academic success at the Eller College of Management. As such, the Eller College strongly recommends that students purchase a desktop, notebook or Tablet PC along with appropriate software from The University of Arizona computer store, CATS (http://www.uofabookstores.com/uaz/dept/cats/default.asp). Buying a Gateway computer from CATS will give the regular student discount as well as an extra 10% off. Many courses in the MBA and Undergraduate Program are quantitative and require students to use a computer to process data. All classes require research, reports, term papers, presentations and other applications that necessitate a desktop, notebook or tablet PC. The College does have a graduate student lab and an undergraduate student lab, but demand for these at certain times is very high and there is no guarantee that one will be available when needed.

Faculty and Staff Purchases

Eller College faculty and staff may contact Eller IT for purchase and specification assistance at support@eller.arizona.edu. While specific desktop and notebook models may vary at any point in time, the minimal specifications listed below will serve as a guideline for selecting a computer system. Eller IT can assist you in customizing a computer specification and in placing the equipment order.

Software

The software environment at the Eller College of Management is based on Microsoft Windows XP. Software applications used throughout the Undergraduate Program are part of the Microsoft Office Student Application Suite (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint). Below are minimum hardware/software standards you should look for in a desktop, notebook or tablet PC:

Notebook and Tablet PC Considerations

Notebooks and Tablet PCs are highly recommended for anyone in school and/or business. They provide almost the same level of performance as desktop computers, but have the benefit of being mobile, which is a highly desirable quality. Notebooks and Tablet PCs can be used for everything from taking notes in class to giving presentations. They are also useful when involved in group projects as finding a place to meet as a group that includes access to a computer is often difficult.

Notebook and Tablet PC FAQs

Below are some of the more common questions regarding Desktops, Notebooks and Tablet PCs. If you need additional assistance or have further questions, please call 520.621.2385 or email us at support@eller.arizona.edu.

Q. I hear that the University of Arizona has an arrangement with Gateway for desktop and notebook computers. Is this true, and how can I take advantage of this offer?

A. The University of Arizona and the Eller College of Management do indeed have a special arrangement with Gateway to offer desktops, notebooks and Tablet PCs to Eller College undergraduate students. Take a look at the current offer: http://www.uofabookstores.com/uaz/dept/cats/default.asp.

Q. You list the Office 2003 Professional series as the recommended Office package. The Office 2003 Student version is substantially cheaper. Do I really need the Professional version?

A. It will depend on the major that you’re working toward. At one point, the MIS department taught classes using Microsoft Access, but this is not always the case. The major difference between the Office XP Professional version and the Office XP Student version is the inclusion of Microsoft Access. We have no way of knowing if a particular class will require you to use Access. However, no matter what major you are working toward, all business classes will make use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The Office XP Student version does contain these latter essential tools. If you run into a series of classes that use Access, you can always make the decision to upgrade your license at that point to Office XP Professional.

Q. Are most of the classrooms used for taking business and pre-business courses wired to allow students to charge their batteries?

A. The reason we recommend spare batteries is precisely because you cannot be guaranteed that a classroom will have a place for you to charge your batteries (or use the AC adaptor). Not all business classes are taught in McClelland Hall. However, all of the multimedia-equipped classrooms inside McClelland Hall do have power receptacles at the desktop. The remaining classrooms and the main auditorium in McClelland Hall have power outlets on the walls but are generally not in a location convenient for use with notebooks.

[Last Updated: December 8, 2005]