Computer lab in Willis Library

Lab Procedures and Guidelines

Each lab in the UNT Student Computer Labs network is operated by one of UNT's Schools, Colleges, or Organizational Units. This structure exists to better serve the unique academic needs of the students within each area.

As an individual unit, each Student Computer Lab may institute additional guidelines and procedures to define the use of its facilities. The Student Computer Lab Managers, SCLM,  committee endorses the implementation of these procedures and supports their enforcement unless directly in conflict with the policies and procedures of UNT or the Student Computer Lab network.

1. Admission into Student Computer Labs

The Student Computer Labs

  • Are supported and maintained primarily through a portion of the Technology Use Fee.
  • Are available for use by currently-enrolled UNT students in support of their academic programs.
  • Require a valid UNT ID for admission.
  • UNT faculty/staff will be provided access to the Student Computer Labs on a space-available basis. Priority is given to students. A valid UNT ID is required for admission into any Student Computer Lab.
  • UNT departments or agencies, wishing to provide access to one of the UNT Student Computer Labs for special events and/or groups they are sponsoring which involve non-UNT students, must establish a contract with the Manager of that department's supporting Student Computer Lab and pay a fee for the group's participants to receive access to that Lab.
  • All others desiring the use of Student Computer Labs should direct requests to the appropriate Lab Manager

2. Operating Hours

Student Computer Labs' operating hours can be found in our brochure and on this website.

  • Student Computer Labs will be open on days that UNT classes are in session.
  • Early closings and holiday hours will be posted at least one week in advance, whenever possible.
  • All exceptions to operating hours will be posted in the individual labs.

3. Lab Reservations

Reservations for orientations, workshops, and hands-on demonstrations.

  • In general, orientations, workshops, and demonstrations held in the Student Computer Labs are discouraged after the first half of the semester due to the high use of the labs by individual patrons.
  • Reservations will be granted at the discretion of the Lab Manager, within the given SCLM guidelines
  • After the third week of classes in any long semester, or the first week of classes in any summer term, the total reservation time must not exceed 15 percent of the total time the lab is open per week.
  • Faculty, staff members, teaching assistants and teaching fellows of a lab's supporting college or school may make reservation requests for a Student Computer Lab area. Reservation requests by persons outside the supporting college or school will be considered at the discretion of the lab manager. Students may only make reservations through a faculty member.
  • The main area of a Student Computer Lab, as designated by the lab manager, may not be scheduled as the primary location or classroom for a semester-long class.
  • Reservations for Specialized Equipment
    • Reservations will be granted at the discretion of the lab manager.

4. Lab Employees

  • Each lab will have at least one employee on duty during hours of operation.
  • Lab employees are responsible for assisting patrons with gaining access to software, exiting, printing and saving.
  • Lab employees may not touch the keyboard.

5. Hardware and Software Platforms

  • SCLM, in consultation with SCLC and individual college deans and computing committees, determine and recommend minimum hardware and software platforms needed to serve curricular needs of students.
  • Each lab is encouraged at a minimum to employ hardware that is supported by the UIT Microcomputer Maintenance Shop.
  • Sufficient online documentation for available software will be accessible in each lab.
  • Efforts should be made to purchase new or upgrade existing equipment and software to state-of-the-art models and latest versions.
  • Student Computer Labs will provide access for one or more types of Removable Storage Media. However, access for a particular type of Removable Storage Media may be limited depending on a lab's supported hardware or software.
  • Personal Software/Hardware: Labs will try to assist patrons in every way, however installation of personal hardware/software is not permitted.

6. Working Environment

All Student Computer Labs will provide a non-distracting atmosphere.

  • Cell phones, pagers and other electronic devices should be turned on silent or vibration mode before entering a Student Computer Lab. When answering or talking on a phone, patrons will be asked to step outside of the lab.
  • Lab employees are not able to repair or work on personal machines, i.e., laptops
  • Patrons may not unplug or disconnect UNT equipment to provide personal computers with power, network connectivity, or other such resources.

7. Virus Protection

All Student Computer Labs will provide virus protection tools, installed on the Lab's machines, to ensure the integrity of patrons' data and to protect the Lab's computer operating environments.

8. Policy Abuse

Lab Managers have the authority to restrict lab access from any patron who abuses the Student Computer Lab procedures.

9. Abandoned Belongings

Labs are not responsible for items left behind in the facility. The UNT Lost and Found Department is in the University Union.

10. Procedure for the Release of Student Information

The purpose of these procedures is to ensure the privacy and safety of University of North Texas students and to provide a computing environment that supports student academic endeavors. As entities of the University of North Texas, the Student Computer Labs are required to follow the University's FERPA Policy and Computer Use Policy.

11. Requests Regarding Current Lab Occupancy

To ensure the safety and privacy of all SCL patrons, and to maintain a suitable academic environment, SCL staff will not release information via telephone, email, or other electronic communications regarding patrons currently checked in to the computer labs. Even in the case of an emergency, SCL staff cannot confirm the presence of a patron in the lab. SCL staff may, as a courtesy, offer to take a message, including the name and telephone number of the caller, and deliver that message should the patron in question check into the lab at a later time. In-person requests for the location of a current lab patron will be honored for law enforcement officers presenting proper identification. SCL staff may, at their discretion, allow students to look in the lab for friends or classmates.

12. Requests from Students

Students wishing to document their presence in an SCL—for an education credit or other purposes— should provide a verification form at the time of check-out. The computer lab staff will note the time the student checks out of the lab and the length of time the student was checked into the lab and will sign and date the verification form. The SCL staff make no claim or warranties that the check-in record is proof the student was in the computer lab during that time or for the entire duration.

  • Requests Regarding Historical Lab Records
    • Records of lab usage, known as check-in logs, are maintained for internal use by the SCL. Data from these check-in logs will be released to non-SCL personnel in accordance with and as specified by the University's FERPA Policy and Computer Use Policy as well as state and federal laws. When releasing this information, only data which meets the minimum requirements of the request will be released.
  • Requests from On-Campus Entities
    • Based on University Administration policy, the University's Police Department will be provided with check-in log data upon written request. Other UNT faculty, staff, and organizational units should submit their requests for check-in log data to the University of North Texas Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities, CSRR. Upon receipt of a written request from CSRR for check-in log data, the SCL manager will provide CSRR with the information requested. CSRR will determine what student information if any, they will release to the requesting on-campus entity.
  • Requests from Off-Campus Entities
    • The University of North Texas Student Computer Labs will cooperate with requests from off-campus entities through the University's Office of the General Counsel. Requests, including subpoenas and search warrants, should be submitted to the Office of the General Counsel for review. Upon receiving written authorization from the Office of the General Counsel, the SCL manager will release the information specified in the request to the individual or organization named in the authorization as the intended recipient of the information.

13. Terms

  • Print Job: a document sent from the computer station to the printer to render a facsimile on paper.
  • User: a lab customer who is assigned to a computer workstation
  • Special Circumstances: Occasions which do not fit within the procedural guidelines.
  • Coursework: Studies assigned in the current semester course catalog.
  • Removable Storage Media: Devices that are easily inserted into and removed from a computer from which users can read and write data. Examples include floppy and Zip disks, compact discs and flash memory drives.
  • Lab or Labs: Throughout this document, the reference to Lab or Labs is strictly referring to the UNT Student Computer Lab facilities.
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