School's reselling policy

[pinto32]

Over the summer, my college is going to be replacing nearly all of the computers (PC and Mac) on campus, including over 400 Macs. I know that the PCs are leased from a vender, however, the Macs are bought from Apple. A couple of days ago, I emailed IT and asked if they planned on selling any of the used Macs to students/faculty, but the reply I got was not what I was hoping for:

(from IT):
"The majority of computers on campus are leased and thus will be returned to the leasing company at the end of the lease.* We are limited in how we dispose of the computers by the state procedures and regulations so we will not be offering a faculty or student purchasing program."

Does anyone know exactly what he means? My school is state owned (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education), so I was thinking that maybe they are required to give them all to public schools/libraries, etc?? Or do you think that the IT people are hording all of the lovingly kept Powermacs, iMacs, Powerbooks, and iBooks for themselves?

I was really hoping to get a cheap 2nd Mac out of this, so if anyone knows what is up with the policy, and if there is any way I could possibly get around it, I'd appreciate the help.

 

[blvdeast]

In November in my pre-iBook (first mac) days, my high school (public) needed to make way for new Dells, so they got rid of the last 25 imacs (the emac style). I begged to buy one but they said they could not sell to students so it went to the dumpsters. I decided to go dumpster diving that week to catch one. I found them, crushed into pieces. I went to the custodians to ask why must they mutilate such beautiful machines, they took up too much space and crushing them allowed them to fit them all in the dumpsters. So there must be some general educational state law to not resell the machines to students. Maybe if your school if smart they might send it to a public auction to at least get some cash.

 

[laytonhayes]

At my school they cannot re-sell the old equipment because the school is a non-profit, I assume this is the same with yours. Non-profits get a much cheaper price and do not have to pay taxes on the purchase. The downfall is that by law they cannot resell or give anything away they buy with a non-profit discount. It doesn't make much sense why they can't give it away, but, that is the law. The only legal way to sell/give it the equipment away is to another non-profit. My school usually gives old equipment to the public school system. Not very good news, but you can always start up your own non-profit.....

 

[Les Kern]

At my school they cannot re-sell the old equipment because the school is a non-profit, I assume this is the same with yours. Non-profits get a much cheaper price and do not have to pay taxes on the purchase. The downfall is that by law they cannot resell or give anything away they buy with a non-profit discount. It doesn't make much sense why they can't give it away, but, that is the law. The only legal way to sell/give it the equipment away is to another non-profit. My school usually gives old equipment to the public school system. Not very good news, but you can always start up your own non-profit.....

In Illinois that is not so. I can give all my old iMacs (150 333's this summer) to my feeder schools without comment or permission from a higher authority. I can sell them to the public and use the money made for newer equipment. I can NOT give them away. I can toss them in the dumpster, as long as I make a note that such-and-such inventory is being phased out. Setting up a pre-planned dumpster-dive is legal, but not moral, so I do not do it. The "red tape" to sell/auction is simple. Tossing is just as easy. Giving to "poorer" schools is best and most righteous. That's what we do.

 

[superbovine]

Over the summer, my college is going to be replacing nearly all of the computers (PC and Mac) on campus, including over 400 Macs. I know that the PCs are leased from a vender, however, the Macs are bought from Apple. A couple of days ago, I emailed IT and asked if they planned on selling any of the used Macs to students/faculty, but the reply I got was not what I was hoping for:

(from IT):
"The majority of computers on campus are leased and thus will be returned to the leasing company at the end of the lease.* We are limited in how we dispose of the computers by the state procedures and regulations so we will not be offering a faculty or student purchasing program."

Does anyone know exactly what he means? My school is state owned (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education), so I was thinking that maybe they are required to give them all to public schools/libraries, etc?? Or do you think that the IT people are hording all of the lovingly kept Powermacs, iMacs, Powerbooks, and iBooks for themselves?

I was really hoping to get a cheap 2nd Mac out of this, so if anyone knows what is up with the policy, and if there is any way I could possibly get around it, I'd appreciate the help.

go to their office and ask them. after that verify that they given the correct answer. since its a state institution they are subject to public accounting, also all rules and regulation are public. all this is availble to you with a little research. on another note, they wouldn't have sent you a false email to you saying that they can't offer the old macs to faculty or students just because they wanted to buy the macs. most people would not risk their careers so they can buy cheap old macs. the easiest way is to just ask them.

 

[Sun Baked]

(from IT):
"The majority of computers on campus are leased and thus will be returned to the leasing company at the end of the lease.* We are limited in how we dispose of the computers by the state procedures and regulations so we will not be offering a faculty or student purchasing program."

Usually means that they must go to a public auction, that sales to students and staff can be considered a breach of the state procedures if it is later found that the machines went to student and staff at below market prices.

What is funny about this is that the so-called public auctions may mean they are only getting paid "bulk purchase" prices less any auction fees, so they may even be getting less than any individual below market prices.

 

[TEG]

You are aware that it is also possible that the Macs may be leased from Apple. They would either be shipped back to Apple, paid for with $1 each, or paid 10% of the purchase price to keep them and dispose of them properly. It has been my experience that schools usually go (when buying in bulk) for the $1 option. That way they can dispurse them among local public schools, or sell at auction. It is also possible that they will be put in storage for 2 years and then sold to whomever wants them.

My University in 2002 replaced Most of the CRTs in Professors' Offices, and two computer labs with LCDs to reduce heat (although since the switch, the labs are 10-20 degrees warmer). They didn't even make the sale of these 19" Viewsonic CRTs to Students, Staff and Faculity for $20, when new, even then they went for over $200. But since I go to a private University, they can do whatever they want. I just wish they'd abandon individual PCs for everyone for either Macs for everyone, or SunRay Networked Computing Solutions (Which are actually capable of running Windows (With Special Drivers), BeOS, OS9, and any variety of UNIX, including OSX. Plus to clear the screen you just remove your access card.). Put it is of course something they won't do because idiots run the IT Department. /end rant

TEG

 

[voicegy]

I'm the liaison to school sites for the IT department of a major school district.

Since the majority of machines in question are leased, that's the end of the issue. They get returned to the leasing company, whether that be Apple or whomever.

Believe me, there is no IT conspiracy here in hording the machines for themselves. They don't need to, nor even have the desire.

I'm seriously concerned about what I've read in this post regarding "throwing computers in dumpsters." That flies in the face of appropriate ecology-driven legal surveying of computer equipment. If school sites are getting rid of no-longer-needed equipment, they usually "post" this news district wide, to give other school sites a chance to grab them if they are desperate. Policy dictates that district equipment is not to be sold or given away to individuals. We warehouse old equipment that no one wants until funding comes along to properly dispose of computer and related equipment.

 

[Dippo]

We warehouse old equipment that no one wants until funding comes along to properly dispose of computer and related equipment.

That's my university does. They have a huge warehouse full of computer and other equipment. The IT people usually strip them of any really good parts and the rest is stored forever.