By Sydney Syverson
A professor asks his students to print off a 23-page journal article to bring to the next class. In student speak, 23 pages means $1.15 worth of the $10 printing balance students receive at the beginning of each semester. $10 may seem like a sufficient amount. But, that gets students a mere 200 printed pages, which may not be enough for an entire semester of classes.
It's a struggle many UP students face, but what about the professors? If they do not have limits on printing, what encourages them to restrict their paper use in class?
Assistant Dean and professor for the Pamplin School of Business Lisa Reed recalls receiving e-mails from the University about limiting paper use in class, by doing things such as not printing off class syllabi.
"For sophomores and upper-classmen, I have been able to just post the class syllabus on Moodle," Reed said. "But, freshman really need the syllabus in their hot little hands."
Reed has begun to have her students turn in some of their assignments electronically and tries her best to respond electronically. Although this can be time-consuming, Reed said that it can also substantially limit paper and ink consumption in her classes.
English professor Molly Hiro has also taken steps towards reducing paper use in her classes.
Hiro said a memo sent out to UP's faculty in honor of Earth Day a few years ago was her initial inspiration. The memo had suggestions for professors, such as grading assignments based on word count instead of page length and printing on the fronts and backs of pages.
Though Hiro still requires students to turn in hard copies of assignments, she expects her students to turn in short responses no more than one page in length. This means that the students can single space, change the font and margins and do anything else to limit the assignment to one printed page.
"I always tell my students, 'I don't want to see a staple!'" Hiro said.
Even though both Hiro and Reed are taking steps to quell the use of paper in their classes, they both admit that not all professors share their enthusiasm for printing conservation.
"Some people are just set in their ways," Reed said.
Hiro noted that it can be difficult for professors to change their ways with so little motivation.
"Paper flows out of our offices," Hiro said. "It's easy and free."
"But I have a feeling that if faculty was charged by the page, like students, we'd be a lot more conscious of what we're printing," she said.
Junior Laura Burchett wonders if the measures professors are taking to limit printing actually save much paper
"I like that my professors post journal articles and stuff like that online so they don't have to print them out," Burchett explained.
"But I usually just end up printing the articles out myself anyway," she said. "So, I don't really feel like any paper is being saved and my UP printing balance is taking the financial hit."
Each page printed in the library or computer labs costs a student $0.05. A typical student takes about five classes per semester. If that student has three 10-15 page term papers due for the semester, including rough drafts, nearly half of their printing balance is used. This leaves only about half of the printing balance for journal articles, short answer assignments and anything the student needs to print for personal use.
Biology professor Jeffrey Brown thinks that sometimes it is important for students to print hard copies of the documents their professors send electronically.
"The perception among students may be that if they have to print out the material, their printing balance is being wasted," Brown said.
"But they'd be paying for the paper regardless. Either by buying a course pack or by using their allotted balance," he said.
For now, professors are trying small ways of conserving resources and encouraging students to do the same by not printing out every journal article or by restricting the number of pages allowed for an assignment.
"Sooner or later, we have to realize that little things are not going to make or break the world," Hiro said. "But if UP is a little more aware of paper use we can change this small part of the world."
