Outdated equipment including computers, docking stations and printers across El Camino College will be replaced by 586 new technological devices in select faculty offices and classrooms, campus officials said.
The El Camino Community College District Board of Trustees approved the purchase of new HP Chromebooks, HP desktops, HP docks, HP monitors, iMacs, adapter cables, Dell docking stations and printers at their meeting Tuesday, Nov. 18.
The purchases cost $368,892.46 and will be paid using ECC’s Fund 41.
“I think keeping up with technology just overall and having the kinds of machines that our students need to stay on top of the most cutting edge and newest software is critically important,” Vice President of Academic Affairs Carlos Lopez said.
The new devices will be distributed to various departments on campus, including the Industry and Technology Education Center, the Aquatics Center, the Natural Sciences Building, the Math, Business, and Allied Health Building; STEM, the Student Services Center, the Music Building, the Arts Complex, and Life Sciences, according to item 11.1.
“We’re really excited about the upcoming purchases,” Lopez said.
In addition, the board approved the consent calendar, consisting of contracts with different companies including consultant agencies, and blanket purchase orders for multiple divisions.
“These contracts are basically consultants that work in the community… but we hire them to do work for us,” Dean of Community Advancement Jose Anaya said.
The board meeting also renewed a contract for BetterMynd, a platform that provides mental health services for students.
“This is just the renewal of the contract because they have their own software… students can log in and get an appointment… they control the technology we just pay for the contracted service,” Vice President of Student Services Jeffrey Stephenson said.
Interim Vice President of Administrative Services Loic Audusseau presented a budget update comparing ECC budget versus spending, as well as updates to state and federal budget changes involving education.
A question of concern was raised by trustee Nilo Vega Michelin as to how the federal discussions of cuts to the Department of Education would impact ECC, to which the answer was of little to no significant changes, Audusseau said.
“The only thing that would change that is, if there were significant cuts to the state’s federal budget…so that’s the kind of stuff we kind of watch out for,” Jeffrey Hinshaw, business manager for ECC, said.
The next board meeting will take place at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, in the Administration Building’s Kenneth A. Brown Board Room.
