Grinnell CollegeComputers Summary

Written by Akshay Bajaj

Akshay Bajaj

Hometown

Mumbai, India

Major

Economics

View all previous student authors

It can get a little frightening when people start referring to you by your username on the college network, but Grinnell provides some very useful services. Every Grinnell student has to attend a technology session during Student Orientation Week. Information Technology Services gives you a username, tells you how to hook up your computer to the Ethernet, and shows you how to get in to your email account. Upon poking around the webpage, you’ll find a directory (Stalker Net) that will not only allow you to look up the address and phone number of any Grinnell student or faculty member, but it will also give you their major, username, class year, home address, and ID photo. On the faculty page, you can find links to course webpages. You can even check your grades online. Your student groups can find a forum on Pioneer Web, and you can even connect with alumni through the useful service. While most work is completed on computers, very few professors encourage bringing your computer to class. Discussion is the primary objective of a Grinnell education. Computers detract from the ability to engage in conversation.

Many of the dorms have computer labs that are always open. While these fill up quickly around finals, open computers can usually be found in the computer labs in academic buildings, and there are also computers available in many of the science lab rooms. Both Macs and PCs are common but can’t always be found in the same computer lab for some reason. Given the ubiquitousness of computers on campus, IT services offers free laptop care. They can reformat, remove viruses from, and even fix the hardware of your personal computer.