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The student computer lab and library is located on the fourth floor of the Palazzo Pio. The two facilities are combined in one large room that houses books, tables for work and study, and computer workstations. The lab is funded by Student Tech Fee funds and is open to students only; other computers are provided for faculty. (Students from non-UW programs who use the Rome Center are required to pay a usage fee back into the UW Student Tech Fee fund.)
All students are assigned a login name specific to the Rome Center computer lab that is required for access to the workstations. There are a total of eleven workstations for student use, and at peak hours, there can be a line of students waiting to use the machines. With multiple programs in residence each quarter, it should not necessarily be expected that all students will have immediate access to a lab computer at all times. Academic work takes absolute precedence in the lab when there are students waiting. This Early means that students who are on a computer to check e-mail or browse the web may be asked to give up their seat to another student with work to do.
Computer lab hours are posted a week in advance, and the lab is often open in the early evenings and one weekend day per week. It is always open when the office is open, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Laser printing is available in color and black/grayscale for a per-sheet charge. The rates are as follows:
A4 size paper (similar to US Letter):
20 euro cents for black/grayscale
75 euro cents for color
A3 size paper (11.69" x 16.54"):
40 euro cents for black/grayscale
1.50 euro for color
Here is a list of the computers and peripherals that are in the student lab:
4 Apple PowerMac G4 workstations, one with DVD-RW drive, the rest with DVD-ROM/CD-RW drives
7 Dell PC workstations with ZipDisk 250, floppy, and DVD-ROM/CD-RW drives.
Both systems have Adobe applications, Microsoft Office, and the UWICK applications.
1 Epson scanner, A3-size
2 A4-size scanners
1 Nikon slide scanner
1 external DVD-RW drive (for use on workstations without DVD-R drives)
1 HP LaserJet 4100 black/grayscale printer
1 HP Color LaserJet 5500 color laser printer
1 Dell PC dedicated to the UWRC library catalog
In addition to this equipment which remains in the lab, some portable devices are available for student check-out. This equipment is intended to be used on specific projects within the program, and will be assigned with the approval of the student's program director. Students will be required to sign a form acknowledging responsibility for the item's care. Faculty may also check out equipment for classroom and project use.
For check-out for student projects / field trips, with faculty permission:
1 Dell laptop
1 Toshiba tablet PC
2 Apple PowerBook G4 laptops, one with Final Cut
1 Canon MiniDV video camera
1 Canon digital SLR
A separate room is provided in the Rome Center on the third floor exclusively for faculty. It contains two Dell PCs and one Apple iMac for the use of faculty and teaching assistants. There is a black/grayscale laser printer connected to these computers. The faculty photocopier is also located in the lounge.
All three floors of the Rome Center have wireless routers, allowing faculty and students with portable computers to connect to the internet when they are in range. Please note that thick walls in the Palazzo Pio prevent the wireless signal from reaching some parts of the building. Students may bring their own laptops and work in the library. For students without wifi access cards in their computers, the Rome Center has several available for check-out. There is a 50 euro deposit required. Wireless access is also available to the faculty in the lounge, and the range extends into the prow area of the third floor.
There is a photocopier in the library available for student use. The rate for copies is 15 euro cents per page, and students must pre-pay at least 10 euros (equivalent to 66 copies). At the beginning of the quarter, students that wish to use the photocopier will be assigned a personal copy code which will allow them to make the number of copies they have purchased.
The conference room on the first floor of the Palazzo Pio has AV equipment that can be used for student and faculty presentations. There is a permanently-installed large screen, a video projector and two slide projectors. There are also backup slide projectors which can be used in classrooms. The video projector is capable of displaying video signals from portable computers. In addition, there is a portable video projector, which allows computer and video presentations (PowerPoint, etc.) to be made in classrooms in the Palazzo Pio.
There is also an RF remote control (USB) to allow PowerPoint presenters to advance their slides without being near their laptop computer.
There is a multi-region DVD player (meaning that DVDs brought from the United States can be played on the system) as well as a VHS VCR that can play American or European tapes (NTSC/PAL). The speaker system in the conference room can carry the signal of all these sources, and also functions as a PA system with a wireless microphone.
Please note that during the summer, the conference room on the first floor of the Palazzo Pio gets very hot when all the windows and shades are closed for a presentation. Using the portable equipment, it may be more comfortable to do presentations in classrooms on the third floor.
Most laptop computers don't require transformers, since the power cord has a built-in power adapter. Please check yours carefully before coming to Rome. If your laptop's power adapter has "Input AC 100-240V" printed on it, you do not need a transformer.
Plug Adapters: These just allow you to insert an American plug into the Italian round-prong outlet. You should be able to find them easily in the U.S. for approximately $3.
Power Transformers (or Power Adapters or Converters): These will change the electrical current from 110V (U.S.) to 220V (Italian). These may be ordered from appliance stores or from Radio Shack for approximately $50 but are not easy to find in Italy.
The UWRC office can provide names and addresses of computer repair shops in Rome. New system software—if required—may be available in Italian only. We strongly suggest bringing backup copies of your system software with you, as well as a copy of your original warranty.
If you plan to bring a digital camera, be sure to bring all accessories you think you may need (e.g. charger, batteries, USB cable, card reader, user manual). The Rome Center computer lab does not have extra cables to loan.
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