Limited access to special technology is forcing some students to consider spending thousands of dollars to buy software and hardware needed for some classes.
The resource-intensive software and hardware required by some courses is simply not available to meet the demands of students.
“The [computer] labs on campus are generally well-equipped to support the software needed for my courses,” said Aleeha Zafar, who teaches Computer Engineering classes. “Most of the labs and even the library desktops support 3Ds Max, which helps students work on their animation projects.
“However, the main issue comes with the hours of availability,” she said. “Many students find it difficult to access the labs outside of regular hours, especially if they have other commitments or work. Additionally, because 3Ds Max is such a demanding program, students need to use high-performance computers, which limits the ability to work on their projects from home using personal devices.”
Classes like Zafar’s Introduction to Computer Animation and Fundamentals of Imaging Technology rely heavily on resource-intensive programs like 3Ds Max and Adobe Photoshop, which many students struggle to use on their personal devices, like laptops.
“I teach CGT 241, Introduction to Computer Animation, which primarily uses 3Ds Max, and CGT 118, Fundamentals of Imaging Technology, which uses Adobe Photoshop. In CGT 241, students use 3Ds Max for 3D modeling and animation tasks, requiring powerful software and hardware,” she said. “For both courses, access to specialized software is essential, and students need either individual licenses or access to lab computers equipped with these programs.”
The problem is that demand for the technology outstrips its availability. And, even if students buy or license the sometimes expensive software, they require high-powered computers to operate efficiently.
Even Zafar said she struggles to use the software on personal computers and outside of the classroom.
“As an Apple user, accessing 3Ds Max has been particularly challenging because it is a Windows-only program,” she said. “This limits my ability to use the software on my personal computer, making it difficult for me to work on assignments or projects outside the designated labs.
“The software is resource-intensive, and regular computers or laptops are typically insufficient for rendering, which can take several hours,” she said.
Some students are struggling to get access to the technology they need.
Junior Computer Graphics Technology major Eni Cortez, depends on lab hours for critical assignments, but often incurs additional costs for software.
“The types of software I used during this semester were mainly 3ds Max, which is a modeling software where you can create different types of objects and people, and with the software you can animate the objects created,” she said.
The problem is cost. A license for 3ds Max costs $235 per month or $1,400 for the year.
“3ds Max is very useful, it is available to students for a free trial but unfortunately you do have to pay a fee afterward which is not really in the price range for students,” said Cortez. “I do depend on the lab hours … since I do not own my computer at home and the laptop that I do own makes the program go very slow.”
Freshman Joaquin Cuadra, Freshman, a Computer Graphics major, has solved the technology access challenge by buying his own. He has a dual PC setup that uses two separate computers, delivering the horsepower needed to manage high-demand programs like 3ds Max.
“My dual setup is something I wanted to use because I can play my games or watch something, while I have another screen setup,” he said. “However, the struggles of using 3ds max is different from what I’m used to, which is not doing animation of this scale.”
