The Iowa State Memorial Union plans to open a new computer lab for use by ISU students. The funding proposal indicates the lab will be located on the lower level across from the Maintenance Shop in an area being converted from part of the billiard and game room area.

“The location of the computer lab is still in limbo,” said Mary Jo Mertens, managing director of the Union. “Office spaces for student organizations will be remodeled this fall, and the computer lab will open next year,” she said.

The computer lab will provide Macintosh and MS-DOS microcomputers tied into the ISU computer network. This is the first public computer lab on the south side of campus. The computer lab will have a great deal of accessibility because the Union serves about 18,000 people every day during the academic year.

The proposal shows that the lab will purchase 10 new Power Mac 6100/66 computers, a Hewlett Packard server and a printer. Microsoft Office software will be installed, including Word, Excel and Power Point. The lab might also get fifteen 386-class computers from the Computation Center, although these depend on the Union’s priority for reallocation of used computers.

“The Union will provide staff for the computer lab and pay for maintenance and supplies,” Mertens said.

Funding for purchase of new hardware and software comes from a $33,500 award from the Computation Advisory Committee Central Pool Fund. This year, a total of $350,000 was awarded to support 10 instructional computing projects. The funds come from the computer fees paid by students.

“The $350,000 is an entrepreneurial fund to use for exciting new projects,” said David Hopper, chairman of the Computation Advisory Committee. “These projects keep Iowa State University near the leading edge of technology,” he said.

The CAC encourages students, faculty and staff to submit proposals for computer projects. A call for proposals is issued every February.