Instructor Notes & Scheduling Computer Labs

THIS INFORMATION IS FOR ENGINEERING COMPUTER LABS

Campus Police non-Emergency - 949-824-5223

For technical issues

Contact the HSSOE Lab Manager, Lisa Preble (949) 824-3965, labs@eng.uci.edu

For room reservations

- - Contact CASA, REC 114, (949) 824-3636, engcasa@uci.edu

Lab facilities issues (heat, AC, power, keys)

Contact HSSOE Facilities: facilities@eng.uci.edu, https://facilities.eng.uci.edu/

Instructional Capabilities of our Labs

To find out about the podium and instructional capabilities, please click on each link

General Lab Info

Scheduled classes have priority over student drop-in use.
You may ask drop-in students to leave during scheduled classes.
If a student is reluctant to leave, please call campus police non-emergency line, 949-824-5223
Engineering computer labs are restricted to HSSOE majors and students enrolled in HSSOE classes.
If enrolled students are having problems logging in, please contact the HSSOE Lab Manager, labs@eng.uci.edu

How to schedule labs

The CASA office is in charge of all scheduling for Engineering computer labs.

Please contact CASA at casa@eng.uci.edu
Scheduled classes have priority over all other requests.
(949) 824-5223

What is allowed in the labs?

Classes, discussions, and sections listed in the schedule-of-classes are allowed in the Engineering computer labs
Workshops sponsored by School of Engineering organized by Dean's Office staff and OAI.
- - Engineering staff are expected to be in attendance of the events they're hosting.
Engineering clubs can use the labs as long as participants are UCI Engineering Students.

What is not allowed in the labs

TA office hours cannot be scheduled in computer labs
- - TA's can informally meet with their students in the labs but TA's cannot ask other students to leave.
Events where participants are non-Engineering students are typically not allowed unless it's an OAI event.
Raspberry Pi and Arduino projects require special permission from the lab manager.
- - We prefer these events in some other location, not the computer labs
  - Be expected to purchase equipment such as keyboards, mice, and power strips
Department functions are generally not allowed
- - Departments should use their own facilities for their events
Workshops sponsored by companies where participants are not students. Sorry not allowed.
- - Please contact campus conference services
Workshops sponsored by departments outside of Engineering are not allowed.
- - Please contact campus conference services
  - Contact OIT for computer lab accommodations.
Summer camps sponsored by individual faculty members are not allowed.
- - Please contact campus conference services
  - Contact OIT to use their labs.
Summer camps sponsored by Engineering departments or campus organizations are not allowed
- - Department events should use department facilities
  - Campus organizations should use OIT computer labs
  - COSMOS is authorized to use OIT computer labs since they are part of Undergraduate Education
    - - Engineering labs are typically impacted during summer and IT staff are busy
      - Please plan to use Department labs and/or OIT computer facilities for COSMOS events
Abuse of lab equipment will not be tolerated
Food and drinks are not allowed

Raspberry Pi / Arduino Projects

The Engineering computer labs are not appropriate for Raspberry Pi / Arduino projects.

We've had broken and mishandled equipment in our labs therefore we cannot allow Raspberry Pi projects unless there is consent from the lab manager.
For approved events using Raspberry Pi / Arduino, expect to purchase additional equipment such as keyboards, mice, power strips, additional cables.
You may not unplug our keyboards and mice. They're locked down.

Responsibilities for Department Staff

Department staff should collect software requirements for their classes in order to verity course outcomes are satisfied for accreditation purposes.
- - - The software name should be collected for example Matlab, Excel, Solidworks, etc.
    - Software requirements should be listed in the schedule of classes.
    - This information is also helpful for your department planning of software purchases.
    - The lab manager only needs to know about software expected to be installed in the labs.
      - I don't need your entire department's software requirements.
If software needs to be accessible to students in the computer labs, then it's the department's responsibility to inform the lab manager.
- - - This includes software from non-computer lab classes.
    - For example, classes without a computer lab may still have software requirements and the instructor might expect students to use the software in the labs outside of classes. If that's the case, then please make sure the lab manager knows about this software.
For classes scheduled in Engineering computer labs, you must provide the software name to CASA whenever you request computer lab space.
- - - CASA will communicate software to lab manager. The lab manager will confirm software installation to department contact.
    - The department should coordinate any new software with the lab manager.
It's the department's responsibility to obtain and purchase software for use by their classes.
- - - On occasion the Dean's Office may agree to fund software if it is used across multiple departments and is considered an essential tool for Engineering students.
    - Otherwise, it's the department's responsibility to purchase software.

How to request new software installations in the labs

Contact Lab Manager, Lisa Preble labs@eng.uci.edu
I typically install new software during the summer so that I can test and troubleshoot for conflicts.
All software must comply with UCI Campus Security Policies.
- - - There's a form that needs to be filled out during the purchase. Your purchasing staff should be able to assist you.
Please be aware of the following limitations:
- - - We have a complex computing environment therefore I cannot guarantee your software will work in our labs.
    - Student accounts have security limitations therefore software may not operate the same in our labs compared to personal laptops.
    - Software requiring full Administrator privileges cannot be used in school labs.
    - Software must be accessible over multiple user accounts.
    - We cannot install software using individual serial numbers.
    - We cannot install software licensed for trial usage.
    - We cannot install unlicensed software or software not licensed for computer lab use.
      - Occasionally there's issues with student edition software so please verify licensing with lab manager.
Please know software installed in our labs changes annually.
- - - It's important for instructors to communicate software requirements to department staff in order to insure software availability
Refer to the software list to see what's currently installed.

Software Licensing for the Labs

All software must comply with UCI Campus Security Policies.
Licensing requirements:
- - The same software is installed on all Engineering lab computers.
    - - I cannot install software on only a few of our computers.
  - I cannot install software using unique individual serial numbers.
  - All licensed software must use floating licenses with a FlexLM network license.
    - - A floating license means you can have less licenses than computers. A license is checked out when it's used and then given back when it exits.
        Non FlexLM licenses can be problematic and I can't guarantee they'll work in our environment.
        You should purchase enough licenses to cover the number of students expected to concurrently use the software.
        For example, if you expect to have a lab with 60 students, then you should purchase 60 licenses.
        If you expect to have two labs that meet at the same time, then make sure you have enough licenses for all of those students.
  - The network license must work across different subnets and be separate from the Windows domain.
    - - We have computer labs across campus on each lab is on a different subnet network.
        License servers are on a different subnet from lab machines.
        Software licenses cannot be restricted to a single subnet otherwise they wont work in our environment.

Workshops

Approved workshops such as OAI and summer programs must agree to the following:

For approved Raspberry Pi workshops, your organization must provide keyboards, mice, and power strips.
1. - Your students MAY NOT unplug lab keyboards and mice.
  - The reason is our equipment gets damaged
  - The cables get pulled in a way that make it difficult for students to use the labs.
Your organization must clean up after the event
Your organization must make sure the labs are in working order upon completion of the event
1. - Work with Lab Manager to make sure equipment is in working order before and after the workshop.
Agree that your organization will cover the expenses for all damaged equipment caused during your event.