Technology Equipment Purchasing Policy
Policy Purpose
This policy contains the guidelines for purchasing, repairing, supporting, and upgrading IT equipment purchased with UAFS money or with grant, gift, or foundation money.
Policy Statement
It shall be the policy of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith that the purchase
of IT technology equipment by University users and departments is to be determined
by the IT departmental guidelines contained in this policy. The IT department is charged
with their support of IT equipment on campus. All departments should follow the IT
Purchasing and Standards and Procedures document
when purchasing IT equipment.
NOTE: IT does not budget for or fund the replacement of any IT equipment purchased with
grant, gift, or foundation money. Departments should account for the replacement of
IT equipment in the grant, gift, or foundation proposal.
Applicability
This policy applies to all users and departments that purchase IT technology equipment.
Definitions
IT – Information Technology Department (full department name: Information Technology Services) IT Purchasing and Standards and Procedures – Document outlining purchasing procedures to IT equipment.
Policy Procedure
1. IT must be consulted before purchasing UAFS IT equipment such as computers, printers,
laptop carts, software or licenses, projectors, Apple TV’s, Crestron, lecterns, wireless
access points, etc. (This is not an all-inclusive list).
2. You must engage IT as early as possible before your purchase, especially if you
are in the process of applying for grant, gift, or foundation money.
3. IT will recommend makes and models of IT equipment that have been vetted and approved
for campus use and are considered IT standards. IT cannot support a plethora of different
vendors and models of IT equipment. For example, IT only purchases Dell computers,
Dell laptops, Dell servers, etc. The only exceptions are when a vendor solution will
only support a particular make or model of equipment. In such exceptions, IT support
may be limited.
4. When delivering quotes for equipment, IT cannot guarantee the pricing will not
change when the IT equipment is ready for purchase.
5. When any IT equipment connects to the campus network, there will be charges for
cabling, switch plates, labor, network switches, and other associated peripherals.
6. IT must be consulted for scheduling of equipment setup and installation. If any
proposed deadlines interfere with other critical IT projects such as preparation of
labs/classrooms for the start of a semester, IT cannot guarantee to meet the proposed
deadline.
7. IT does not budget for routine maintenance or replacement of consumable items such
as toner cartridges, batteries, paper, etc. (This is not an all-inclusive list).
8. IT budget for computers:
a. IT does not budget for new computers to be used by faculty or staff.
b. New computers for individuals must be purchased by the employee’s department.
c. IT only budgets for new computers to be used in student labs.
d. IT’s goal is to replace lab computers every 3 years if the budget allows.
e. IT distributes used computers pulled out of labs to give to staff and faculty.
9. Departments should account for the replacement of IT equipment in the grant, gift,
or foundation proposal.
Enforcement
1. The IT and Business Office watch for IT related purchases to make sure these guidelines
are followed.
2. For users who consistently and knowingly violate these guidelines, IT will bring
up the issue with the user’s supervisor, department head, department Director, Dean,
or Vice Chancellor to make sure the guidelines are not violated in the future.
Policy Management
This policy is managed by the IT department. The IT Director and appointed IT personnel are the primary administrators of this policy. The responsible executive is the VCFA.
Exclusions
Some vendors may require the purchase of IT equipment and associated software that is not or cannot be supported by the IT department. In these cases, the vendor must provide the support in place of the IT department.
Effective and Approved Date
This internal policy was approved by Terry Meadows – Director of IT/CIO on 1/17/2023
Last Updated
Updated 6/17/2025 – Terry Meadows IT Director/Chief Information Officer
10/31/2025 – Reformatted for accessibility by Terry Meadows Director of
IT/CIO