Laptops donated for student use

The University is distributing for the first time this fall free personal computers to first-year students with special academic or significant financial needs to use while enrolled in U.Va.

The Laptops for the Students Program is providing about 50 Dell Latitude laptops and 10 Apple PowerBooks to students this year.

The new program is a collaboration among U.Va.'s Vice President for Student Affairs and Financial Aid Offices and the Division for Information Technologies and Communication (ITC). As ITC planned the University's Desktop Computing Initiative, they requested that potential vendors donate 25 to 50 computers annually for U.Va. to loan to students who could not afford to purchase such equipment.

Students who wish to be considered for the free computers complete an application form and financial aid forms. Representatives of U.Va.'s Financial Aid Office identify potential recipients based on students' demonstrated financial need as determined by federal financial aid guidelines and University policies. An eight-member committee appointed by William Harmon, Vice President for Student Affairs, reviews the applications and selects students to receive the laptops as they begin fall classes.