Information Technology

As we address the challenges of working in a constantly evolving technological landscape, the Information Technology team provides high quality, reliable, cost-effective, and innovative solutions. To support its mission, the Information Technology team:

• Enables communication and collaboration across the campus community.
• Provides leadership in the evaluation, planning, implementation, and support of new technologies in a dynamic business environment.
• Offers personable and professional services to all campus constituencies.
• Supports a diverse set of applications used to advance the Nichols College mission.

Laptop Program

The Laptop Program was initiated as a way to equip students with the necessary tools to successfully complete their degree program.  Applications like Power Automate and advanced features of Excel are vital for assignments and projects, but are only available on the Windows platform.  Therefore, Nichols provides every incoming freshman student with an HP ProBook laptop and a backpack free of charge. In addition, Nichols Help Desk offers complete HP laptop service – FREE of charge as well.  The specifications for the current laptop are:

• 14″ Display
• Core i5 processor
• 16GB RAM
• Windows 11 Home
• 3 years accidental damage protection (spills and drops)

Software

The following are the primary software applications needed for academic work on campus:

• Office 365 (cloud service) – All Nichols students are given an online Office 365 account, that includes email, contacts, calendar, OneDrive, and online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Microsoft Office (desktop version) – If needed, students may download a Nichols-licensed copy of Microsoft Office desktop version to up to 5 devices at no charge. Windows, Mac, and mobile versions are available.
• Antivirus –Antivirus software is required for all student computers (Windows and Mac) in order to access the internet via the Nichols network in the residence halls. If needed, Nichols recommends Sophos free home edition at https://home.sophos.com.

Residence Hall Services

The IT Department provides support for the following technologies in residence halls:

• Cable TV
• Internet Connection
• Campus network connectivity
• Standard setup information for gaming consoles
• Wireless Internet access

Tech Support

Online and in-person help is available from Nichols IT, located on the bottom floor of the library.

Below are the services provided to all students:

• Complete warranty service for HP laptops in the Laptop Program
• Free 30 minutes of support assistance for students with other personal devices
• Connect computer on Nichols network for internet access
• Microsoft Office
• Antivirus installation
• Basic virus removal

Contact Information

Nichols IT is located on the bottom floor of the library. You can also contact the Help Desk by calling 508-213-2206 or emailing at helpdesk@nichols.edu.