Additional Information and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
There is a new Apple MacBook Pro model available. Why am I getting a previous version?
Every academic year, Berklee strives to provide students a known, tested, and supported laptop platform for the curriculum. At times, this laptop may not be the absolute latest model released by Apple. Nevertheless, Berklee must provide a proven, stable technology environment for students to learn and faculty to teach. Therefore we must evaluate, test, and be able to support all computers and software prior to distribution. In addition, we try to keep the overall package affordable to the extent possible. We always endeavor to maintain classroom and educational continuity, however computer models and and software applications in the package can change at any time.
How do I learn about my new laptop package?
There are many avenues available for students to learn about all of the components in their laptop package:
- Training classes are offered by the Learning Center. Students are strongly encouraged to attend these classes in order to obtain the greatest benefit from their computer and the resources available at the college. Also the Learning Center offers a variety of classes that students can take throughout the year. For more information, please contact the Learning Center at
http://learningcenter.berklee.edu/
- Part of the content of the required first-semester course MTEC-111, Introduction to Music Technology, will focus on computer basics.
- Student Computer Support Center
- Faculty
- Fellow students
How are laptops used at Berklee?
Your laptop will be an essential tool in your educational and campus life. You'll use your laptop to work on projects, take notes, conduct research, and write papers. You'll be able to participate in on-line discussion groups with classmates and professors. You can use it to access the Internet for in-class and out-of-class projects, use it to create your own personal Web page or a page required as a class assignment. Many teachers put class materials on the Internet. You will submit papers and other materials electronically to teachers. You will use electronic mail to communicate with teachers, classmates, parents, and with friends at other universities, from your networked dorm room, and using the wireless network throughout most of the campus.
I've already bought the laptop package. Can I trade in my computer for a new model through Berklee?
No. Berklee does not offer a trade-in program. The Laptop Package you purchased as an entering student was designed to meet the needs of the curriculum during your enrollment.
Are the software products included in the Berklee Laptop Package transferable to another individual?
No. All software products are registered to the individual who purchases the Laptop Package. The software products are not transferable to any other individual. Software included in the Berklee Laptop Package is intended solely for the purchaser.
Why is a carrying case or bag not included?
Individual needs and preferences vary, so most people prefer to select their own personal style, color, and quality.
To protect your investment, we do advise that you purchase a backpack or carrying case specifically designed and padded for laptops. When shopping for a carrying case, ask whether the store carries any models designed to carry laptops less conspicuously. Such cases will reduce the risk of theft.
Cases for a laptop and Oxygen8 keyboard are available at the Berklee Bookstore, located at 1080 Boylston Street, and at http://berklee.bkstore.com
Is a printer necessary? What printing resources are available at Berklee?
It is not necessary to purchase a personal printer with your laptop. However, having a printer in your own residence hall room or apartment is very helpful—particularly for those late nights when you are finishing a paper or printing out a score.
While we encourage students to purchase their own printer for personal use, we suggest that students wait and make that decision after they determine their printing needs, and are familiar with the printing resources available at the College. Inexpensive color inkjet printers and printing supplies are available through the Virtual Apple Store @ Berklee.
Berklee's Media Center provides print stations where students can connect their laptop and print documents.
Can I bring my own laptop or desktop computer?
Yes. However, all entering students are still required to own an Apple laptop as specified in the Berklee Laptop Purchase Program.
The Berklee Laptop Purchase Program provides more than just a computer. Special hardware and software are included, as well as extended warranty and support options.
How do students connect to Berklee's network?
Berklee maintains a campus-wide wireless network, allowing students to connect to the Internet through wireless access points located in most areas across the campus.
In addition, network jacks are available in all Residence Hall rooms, the Media Center and Library, and in most MIDI Labs, which are learning spaces that contain a network jack and power outlet for each student in the class. Some classrooms also contain a limited number of network jacks.
If my laptop is broken and requires repair, is a loaner computer available?
A limited number of loaner laptop machines are available from Berklee's Student Computer Support Center should a computer purchased through the Berklee Laptop Purchase Program malfunction and need to be repaired. For more information on the loaner program, please contact the Student Computer Support Center.
In addition, students have access to computing resources (both computers and external equipment) at various College labs.
General computer usage policies
- Students are responsible for knowing, understanding, and following established procedures for connecting a laptop computer in any Berklee technology lab and classroom, and to any workstation. Labs, classrooms, and workstations may have different policies and procedures. Some Berklee labs may not support students connecting laptops to the workstations.
- All software licenses are registered to the student who purchases the Laptop Package.
- Software licenses are not transferable to any other individual.
- Software included in the Berklee Laptop Package are licensed solely by the purchaser; software may not be co-licensed.
- Students using "cracked," "hacked," or illegally obtained versions of software may be reported to appropriate college offices for disciplinary sanctions.
Technical support policies
- Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services will provide support services for only those computers that are purchased through Berklee's Laptop Purchase Program and owned by students enrolled at Berklee.
- Desktop computers do not meet the laptop requirement and will not be provided support by Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services.
- Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services are not responsible for: backing up information on computers; reformatting or partitioning hard drives; fixing, maintaining, upgrading, or repairing non-BLPP computers; lost information or malfunctioning equipment while providing support for a computer purchased through the Berklee Laptop Purchase Program.
- Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services will provide support services for only software approved by the college.
- Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services will not support any computer discovered to contain "hacked" or illegally obtained versions of software. Students using "hacked" or illegally obtained versions of software may be reported to appropriate college offices for disciplinary sanctions.
- Students using third-party applications or utilities (such as screen savers, disc utilities, etc.) that cause conflict with Berklee software applications may be refused support.
- Berklee staff personnel and Student Computing Support Services will provide support only for non-course related issues. Support will not be provided to teach students the information covered in curriculum and courses.
Acceptable Use Policy
Berklee's Acceptable Use Policy applies to all members of the college community: students, faculty, and staff. Ignorance of the Acceptable Use Policy is not considered an excuse for violation of the policy. Violation of the Acceptable Use Policy will lead to disciplinary action up to and including separation from the college.
Section I: General Guidelines
Berklee College of Music has computers capable of accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, and other online computer networks (collectively, "online networks"). We encourage members of the college community to use online networks for educational purposes under the appropriate circumstances. However, in order to protect our rights and the rights of others and to lessen exposure to potential liability resulting from the nature and use of information a student, faculty member, or staff member posts on or transmits through online networks, certain rules must be followed. Anyone who violates college policies including those set forth in the Berklee College of Music Student Handbook, Faculty Handbook, or Staff Handbook, others adopted by the college from time to time, or applicable law, shall be subject to sanctions, including, without limitation, prohibiting connection to or use of any campus network, disallowance of the privilege to connect computers to the campus network, prohibiting use of any of our computers to access any online network, fines, restitution, probation, suspension, expulsion, termination of employment, or other action (or any combination thereof).
Berklee College of Music provides numerous information technology resources for use by the Berklee community to support its educational mission. The use of these resources must be consistent with the goals of the college. As a member of the Berklee community, you are expected to act responsibly and to follow the college's guidelines, policies, and procedures in using information technology and electronic networks accessed by such technology. The college's Acceptable Use Policy includes the following guidelines and the requirement that each Berklee community member, including faculty, students, staff or other users:
- Respect the rights of others to freedom from harassment or intimidation.
- Sending of abusive or unwanted material causing the work or college experience of others to be disrupted is a violation of college policies, may violate the law, and is unacceptable.
- Respect copyright and other intellectual-property rights.
- Copying files or passwords belonging to others will be considered a violation of college policies, a violation of law, and may constitute fraud, plagiarism, or theft. Software licensed by the college must only be used in accordance with the applicable license. Modifying or damaging information without authorization (including but not limited to altering data, introducing viruses, or simply damaging files) is unethical, a violation of college policies, and may be a felony in Massachusetts.
- Identify yourself clearly and accurately in electronic communication.
- Anonymous or pseudo-anonymous communications appear to dissociate you from responsibility for your actions and are inappropriate. Concealing your identity or misrepresenting your name or affiliation to mask or attempt to distance yourself from irresponsible or offensive behavior is a serious abuse and violation of college policies. Using identifiers of other individuals, including such identifiers as your own, constitutes a violation of college policies and constitutes fraud.
- Abide by security restrictions on all systems and information.
- Distributing or making your password or another person's password or access code available to others or otherwise attempting to evade, disable, or crack password or other security provisions or assisting others in doing so threatens the work, privacy, and well-being of many others and is a serious violation of college policies, grounds for immediate suspension of your access privileges, and other disciplinary action.
- Recognize limitations to privacy in electronic communications.
- You may have an expectation that the contents of what you write or otherwise create, store, and send may be seen only by those to whom you intend or give permission; however, the security of electronic information on shared systems and networks is approximately that of paper documents in an unsealed envelope--generally respected, but could be violated by someone determined to do so. Also note that, as part of their responsibilities, technical managers or other persons may need to view the contents to diagnose or correct problems.
- Accept responsibility for your own work by learning appropriate uses of software to maintain the integrity of what you create.
- Learn and properly use the features for securing or sharing access to your information on any computers you use. Change passwords frequently and do not share them. Maintain at least one backup copy of all important files, and diligently backup all work in progress at regular intervals.
- Use resources efficiently.
- Accept limitations or restrictions on computing resources, such as storage space, time limits, or amount of resources consumed, when so instructed by the college. Such restrictions are designed to ensure fair access for all users.
- Resources may be used for lawful and permitted purposes only.
- Use of resources for unlawful purposes or for use not specifically permitted by the college, or assisting another in such use, is a serious violation of college policies and grounds for disciplinary action and other sanctions.
The college extends college policies and procedures for use and access to information technology and systems outside the college accessed via college facilities. Network or computing providers outside the college may additionally impose their own conditions of appropriate use, for which you are responsible.
When necessary, in the college's discretion to maintain continued reasonable services to the rest of the community, or in cases of irresponsible use, departments providing resources such as IT may suspend privileges and may disallow connection of computers (even personal computers) to the campus network or take or recommend other action necessary or appropriate. You are expected to cooperate with investigations by resource managers or others at the college, either of technical problems or of possible unauthorized or irresponsible use as defined in these guidelines, in its other guidelines, policies, or procedures, or as may otherwise be identified by the college from time to time; failure to do so may be grounds for suspension or loss of access privileges and other disciplinary action as indicated in the Acceptable Use Policy, below in the online network services policy, or otherwise determined by the college. IT or the Office of Student Affairs will investigate and document apparent or alleged violations of these guidelines. Cases of apparent abuse or violation of college guidelines, policies, or procedures will be referred to the appropriate college department and other action may be taken.
Issues concerning these guidelines or allegations of harassment or other irresponsible use of the information technology resources should be brought in writing to the attention of the vice president for Information Technology or the vice president of Students Affairs.
Section II: Online Network Use
Berklee College of Music has computers capable of accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, and other online computer networks (collectively, "online networks"). We encourage members of the college community to use online networks for educational purposes under the appropriate circumstances. However, in order to protect our rights and the rights of others and to lessen exposure to potential liability resulting from the nature and use of information a student, faculty member, or staff member posts on or transmits through online networks, certain rules must be followed. Anyone who violates college policies including those set forth in the Berklee College of Music Student Handbook, Faculty Handbook, or Staff Handbook, others adopted by the college from time to time, or applicable law, shall be subject to sanctions, including, without limitation, prohibiting connection to or use of any campus network, disallowance of the privilege to connect computers to the campus network, prohibiting use of any of our computers to access any online network, fines, restitution, probation, suspension, expulsion, termination of employment, or other action (or any combination thereof).
- Passwords.
- You may be given passwords we have selected for accessing online network (Berklee passwords) and be authorized to use one or more Berklee passwords for specific purposes. You are responsible for maintaining all Berklee passwords in confidence and not to disclose or to make any available to third parties without our prior written consent. You will be held responsible and will be liable for any harm resulting from your disclosing or allowing disclosure or improper use of a Berklee password.
- Online Conduct.
- Online networks shall be used only as permitted by the college, only in accordance with applicable college policies, and only for lawful purposes. Any conduct that in our sole discretion restricts or inhibits others from using an online network or violates college policies or applicable law is not permitted and will be subject to sanction and disciplinary action. You are prohibited from posting on or transmitting through any online network any unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, profane, hateful, racially or ethnically demeaning or threatening, or otherwise objectionable material of any kind, including without limitation, any material which encourages conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any applicable law or college policy. We reserve the right to restrict and/or interrupt communication through or by use of any of our computers or computer services, which we believe to be harmful to the college or to others using the applicable online network or to be a violation of college policies or any third-party rights. More specifically, and without limitation, the following conduct violates college policies and is not permitted:
- Offensive Communication.
- Use of vulgar, abusive, or hateful language is prohibited.
- Harassment.
- Targeting another person or organization to cause distress, embarrassment, injury, unwanted attention, or other substantial discomfort is harassment, which is prohibited. Personal attacks or other action to threaten or intimidate or embarrass an individual, group, or organization, or attacks based on a person's race, national origin, ethnicity, handicap, religion, gender, veteran status, sexual orientation, or another such characteristic or affiliation are prohibited.
- Offensive Graphic Files.
- Transmitting through or posting on any online network sexually explicit images or any other content we deem to be offensive is prohibited.
- Impersonation.
- Communications under a false name or designation or a name or designation you are not authorized to use, including instances in conjunction with representing that you are somehow acting on behalf of or under the auspices of Berklee College of Music are prohibited.
- Chain Letters and Pyramid Schemes.
- Transmission of chain letters and pyramid schemes of any kind are prohibited. Certain chain letters and pyramid schemes are illegal. Letters or messages that offer product or service based on or utilizing the structure of a chain letter are also of questionable legality.
- Improper Advertising, Solicitation.
- Use of any online network to send unsolicited advertising, promotional material, or other forms of solicitation to others is prohibited, except as permitted by law and when not prohibited by college policies and in those areas that are designated for such purpose, for example, a classified ad area.
- Improper Use of Copyright and Proprietary Information of Others.
- You may, subject to college policies and authorization, upload to software files or otherwise distribute on online networks only information, software, photographs, videos, graphics, music, sounds, and other material (collectively "content") not subject to any copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other proprietary rights of others, or content in which the author has given express written authorization for online distribution. Any copyrighted content submitted or used with the consent of the copyright owner should contain a phrase such as "Copyright owned by [name owner]; used by permission." Unauthorized transmission of copyrighted or other proprietary content is prohibited and constitutes a violation of college policies and could subject you to criminal prosecution as well as personal liability in a civil suit, in addition to other sanctions.
- Use of Berklee College of Music Name.
- You may not under any circumstances, without the college's prior written consent, use the name "Berklee College of Music" in any form or use any symbol or logo or graphic used by or associated with Berklee College of Music alone or with the name "Berklee College of Music" or any name, symbol, logo, or graphic confusingly similar to Berklee College of Music's name, symbols, logo, or graphics as part of an e-mail address, a web home page, or a second or higher level domain name for any online network you utilize, originate, or register with Internet or similar authority. Unauthorized use of the name "Berklee College of Music" or any symbol, logo, or graphic used by or associated with the college or any confusingly similar thereto, is a violation of college policies and subject to sanctions.
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