The printout fee: principles

General principles

The following economic principles pertain to state institutions of education:

The institution bears the costs of

• Teaching and academic advising
• Necessary study programme information
• A number of facilities that are at the students’ disposal (such as computer equipment, web access and library).

The students bear the costs of

• Course literature
• Other study materials such as printouts and photocopies, pens, calculators etc.

Photocopies and printouts from the University College’s equipment are paid via the printout and materials fee.

The new way of collecting the printout fee

The students have themselves initiated the new method used by the University College to collect the printout and materials fee, starting in academic year 2004-05.

A standard fee of NOK 190 per semester covers the Kopinor fee, handouts at lectures and seminars, and the first 50 printouts or copies that the students themselves make on the institution’s equipment.

Note that compendiums that are considered course reading are sold at the University College bookshop or printshop.

A variable fee is meant to cover all printouts/copies in excess of 50 copies per student. This fee is to be paid to the University College by each student prior to using the printing or copying equipment.

The technical solution

The variable fee is paid by the individual student with the help of special cashpoints where student cards are inserted and charged so that they can be used for payment at the printers and copiers.

All printers and copiers available for students are connected to software that keeps an account for each student, showing how much s/he has bought and how much is left in the account. Each printout or photocopy is registered to this account as consumption.

Thus, all written materiel that the faculties decide the students are entitled to as free copies must be copied or printed out by the faculty staff. The use of the website for information of all kind is recommended as reduced consumption of paper is considered an important environmental measure.

Examples

• Printouts made in classrooms and laboratories are charged to the individual student’s account.
• If copies of lecture notes are not meant to be paid for by the students they must be made and handed out by the staff.