Computing Services
Northwest provides computing services to students, faculty, and staff via the Electronic Campus network of over 7,000 notebook computers and personal computers. Featuring notebook computers for every student, the network is supported by high speed gigabit connections between buildings and high speed switches. Interactive computing and computer-aided instruction is supported by 60 servers, including a large multiprocessor Exchange email server. The local-area networks on campus are linked with a 250mbps connection to national and international wide-area networks via MOREnet and Internet. These services are available to every student, staff member and faculty member. Wide-area computing services include electronic mail via cloud email servers, remote library searches, and remote login access to super computers across the nation, plus locally supported World Wide Web.
Students are assigned an account number which can access many services of the Electronic Campus, free of charge. For example, web servers provide general information on class offerings, student and faculty directories, calendars, scholarship offerings and job openings. Web servers also provide personalized portals and students with a self-enrollment system enabling students to select course sections they desire. Email is a popular way to send classwork to instructors as well as messages to friends. Students can word-process assignments and develop spreadsheets, then have them printed at several locations across campus. There is a small printing fee for the laser and color printers. The library online catalog, text retrieval, and encyclopedia systems are also popular web-based information systems. Smart phone apps are available for most popular information requests. Wireless access is available in most buildings on campus.