Provision of Computers for Staff and Recycling and Disposal of
University Computer Equipment Policy
Responsibility for policy: Director of Information and Technology Services
Approving authority: Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Student and Information Services)
Last reviewed: September 2008
Next review date: September 2011
Scope
1. This policy applies to all staff of the University.
Related Documents
2. This policy should be read in conjunction with the following documents:
 Computer Systems Regulations 2005
 ICT Equipment and Procurement Policy
 Occupational Overuse Syndrome Prevention Policy
 Staff Code of Conduct
 Purchasing Policy
 PCard Policy
 PCard Terms and Conditions of Use
 Corporate Data Management Policy
Definitions
3. In this policy
 workplace means a staff member's regular place of work on University of Waikato premises
 end-of-life computer means computer equipment which is scheduled for replacement in
accordance with the schedule specified in the ICT Procurement Policy.
Purpose
4. The purpose of this policy is to ensure appropriate, equitable and cost-effective provision of
computer equipment for staff, and sustainable practices for the recycling and disposal of
University computer equipment.
Provision of Workplace Computers
5. The University undertakes to provide appropriate workplace access to computer equipment for all
staff whose job requires the use of a computer.
6. The decision about the provision of computer equipment for staff rests with the relevant Dean,
Director or equivalent.
7. The use of computers by staff is subject to the provisions of the Computer Systems Regulations.
8. The procurement of all computer and ICT equipment is subject to the provisions of the ICT
Procurement Policy.
9. In the majority of cases, desktop computers will be provided. A laptop computer may be
provided at the discretion of the relevant Dean, Director or equivalent, and with due consideration
to the nature of the staff member's role. Relevant factors include:
 substantial online teaching responsibilities
 frequent travel on University business
 being regularly based at two or more University locations
 after hours on-call responsibilities.
10. Where a laptop computer is provided, the University will not provide the staff member with an
additional desktop computer in the workplace.
11. The location of computer equipment must be accurately recorded in the fixed asset ledger over its
life cycle.
Research Funded Computer Equipment
12. Computer equipment funded as part of a research contract must be returned to Information and
Technology Services after the conclusion of the contract for reallocation to other Faculties or
Divisions, recycling or salvage.
Priorities and Processes for Dealing with End-of-Life Computers
13. The University is committed to good practice in asset management; Information and Technology
Services manages the disposal of end-of-life computers in the following order of priority:
a. reallocation to other areas within the University
b. to staff for home use
c. donation to Waikato and Bay of Plenty schools through the donation programme
d. disposal via the approved salvage process.
14. All end-of-life computers must be returned to Information and Technology Services; before
disposing of the computer equipment, Information and Technology Services will clean or erase the
hard drives, ensure the security of data and compliance with software license agreements.
15. End-of-life computers disposed of under sections 13 b, c and d of this policy are removed from the
University's insurance cover and fixed asset ledger.
16. The University is not liable for any loss associated with an end-of-life computer disposed of under
sections 13 b, c and d of this policy.
Provision of End-of-Life Computers for Working at Home
17. In cases where a staff member frequently works at home, the relevant Dean, Director or equivalent
may assign the staff member an end-of-life computer for use at home. In such cases, the end-oflife computer may be additional to computer provided for the staff member at his or her
workplace.
18. Before an end-of-life computer is assigned under section 17 of this policy, the relevant Dean,
Director or equivalent must be satisfied that the staff member has undertaken a minimum level of
training to recognise and address health and safety issues associated with the set-up and use of the
computer at home, either
 by attending an OOS awareness session within the previous five years, or
 by passing the online OOS Awareness Module and Test within the last two years.
19. Where a staff member who has been assigned an end-of-life computer for use at home ceases to be
employed by the University, he or she may retain the computer, subject to the removal of any
University software from it.
20. The University will not service or provide technical support for computers at home, and will not
replace an end-of-life computer.
Donation of End-of-Life Computer Equipment to Waikato/Bay of Plenty Schools
21. The University has developed a programme for the donation of end-of-life computers to Waikato
and Bay of Plenty Schools; it is donated on an 'as is, where is' basis.
22. Applications for donated computers under section 21 of this policy may be submitted using the
online computer donation application form.
Variations
23. Only the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Student and Information Services) has authority to waive or
vary the provisions of this policy in individual cases.