Vending Machines Allow Florida SouthWestern State College Students To Borrow Laptops

LaptopsAnytime has rolled out a line of vending machines at Florida SouthWestern State College, from which students can borrow laptops for up to four hours to use on campus, for free, The USA Today Network's News-Press reports. This program is designed with equity for students in mind.

“One of the things we have been looking at is that not all of our students can afford the same technology, so we wanted to make sure all of our students have the same opportunities to succeed at the college with technology,” the college's chief information officer Jason Dudley said in the article. The college has paid for the pilot program from its IT budget.

Each vending machine holds up to 12 laptops and charges them when the students return them.

Students on the Lee and Collier campuses began using the kiosks in August, and the program is now running at five campuses, including one campus where faculty and staff use it. Late fees are hourly, with a maximum fee of $120. Students are charged $850 if the laptop is lost or stolen.