Determining the New Normal of Campus Computer Labs

April 29, 2020 |  News, Product, Remote Access
2 min

What will the “new normal” of on-campus computer labs look like?

Returning to campus may be a possibility, but it will be anything but normal. 

As grocery stores and public services have already shown, new sanitation standards and capacity control will change how students access campus resources. 

For computer labs on campus, you may be considering some of the following changes:

  • Add plexiglass dividers between computer workstations
  • Remove chairs from computer labs (reduce seating)
  • Close group study rooms or limit to 1 person capacity
  • Increase spacing between computers to 6 feet
  • Regularly disinfect computers, keyboards, tables and chairs
  • Limiting capacity to 50% for computer labs
  • Remove kiosks or computers in high-traffic areas
  • Floor stickers denoting way of traffic or 6 ft spacing for lines
  • Reduce computer lab hours to allow for daily sanitation 

Unfortunately, most of these adjustments increase the pressure on already strained IT budgets and limit students’ access to vital tech resources. 

Even if you invested in all these changes, experts have suggested that additional spikes in infections are possible over the next year, so even a fully-equipped campus could be forced to close again.

So what’s the most flexible, sustainable and affordable way to keep students connected to campus resources?

Provide Remote Access to Computer Labs

Remote access to campus computers can solve many sanitation and capacity issues. 

  • Students can access available computers anytime
  • Computer labs can operate at full capacity (no idle workstations due to limited space)
  • Students can tap into powerful hardware and university-provided software from their personal laptops or home computers
  • Access is not limited to open lab hours or by strict sanitation schedules
  • IT staff, cleaning crews and students are not put at risk 
  • Computer labs can open immediately (no waiting for remodeling or signage)

Remote access is also a flexible solution. Whether your campus is open, closed or limited capacity, students can maintain access to vital campus resources. Investment in remote access is also the most affordable solution. 

Depending on the solution, providing remote access to students can be either affordable or very expensive. There are a range of implementation price points depending on your tech stack and desired solution.

LabStats Remote Access Dashboard 

LabStats’ new Remote Access Dashboard is a central access interface that displays live computer availability and allows students to connect to campus resources remotely, developed in response to how COVID-19 is affecting the world’s university and college campuses.

The Remote Access Dashboard is available at no additional cost to LabStats users.

The LabStats Remote Access Dashboard runs on LabStats real-time usage data. You must have LabStats installed on the machines you wish to make available to students and staff. Pricing is straightforward and includes all updates, technical support and personalized training.

Our team is here to help you get started quickly and get your students connected with the resources they need.

So rather than plexiglass and extra space, what if the new normal is completely remote?

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