When the School of Journalism and Mass Communication moves to Franklin Hall, some of its computer labs won't move with it.

The school will begin requiring students to provide their own laptops for daily computing tasks, such as using Microsoft Word. Students will still have access to computer labs with higher-end software.

Jeff Fruit, the director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said there were several reasons for the change.

"It's pretty much an essential tool of the trade," he said. "It made sense to say 'This is what we think you need.' We didn't think it was necessary for us to supply computers for courses like Media Writing.

"We just think it's something that's time has come."

The school hasn't determined the specifics of what laptop it will require, but the school will be compatible with both Windows and Macintosh platforms so students will be able to choose a computer that works best for their major and price range.

The school is also considering options like having laptops to rent available for students who are unable to buy their own.

"We will always have means for students who can't afford a computer, if your battery dies, if your hard drive crashes, we'll have extras..." said James Gaudino, dean of the College of Communication and Information. "I don't think there's any anticipation that it'll reduce our costs. It may deflect those costs away from supplying those labs."

The money not spent on maintaining labs will go toward infrastructure things -- like more storage and servers -- said Jay Frye, LAN administrator for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"If anything we think this will cost us a little more money. We're not doing this to save money. It's not 'well, we can't afford labs so lets make the students pay for it.' It's an issue of we really think it benefits the student to have laptop computing wherever they are.

"When a student graduates having had that experience, they are going to be worth more and be a more valuable employee."

When deciding whether or not to require laptops the School looked at companies and schools throughout the country, Frye said.

"We really went all over the country," Frye said, "and we found that places that had purchased computers, it really, the pervasive computing changed the way students used their laptops... We found that students had the laptops out all the time and were constantly working, collaborating."