Student Tech Fee’s Tech Initiatives Awards Announced 

June 2, 2021

The Student Technology Fee (STF) has awarded approximately $180,000 in Tech Initiatives projects for 2021. The specific awards, listed below, include two projects based on proposals submitted by students. 

  • Theater Dept Virtual Accessibility Upgrades $15,003 (Student proposal, partial funding) 

  • WWU Music Recording Studio Radio $3,912  (Student proposal, full funding) 

  • Advanced Digital Printing: Dye-Sublimation and Tech Enhancement $7,026  (CFPA priority 1, full funding)  

  • Music Keyboard Lab Overhaul $22,888 (CFPA priority 2, full funding) 

  • 3D Scanner to Improve Accessibility; Update [Anthropology] Curriculum $26,614 (CHSS priority 1, full funding) 

  • Collaborative Robot for Assisting Humans in Manufacturing $32,671 (CSE priority 1, full funding) 

  • Enhanced Epifluorescent Microscopy for Use in Teaching Labs $5,651 (CSE priority 2, full funding) 

  • Enhancing Capabilities of WWU’s Spanel Planetarium $27,168 (CSE priority 3, full funding) 

  • Mobile Hotspots for Student Checkout $8,826 (ATUS, priority 1, partial funding) 

  • Digital Audio Loan-Pool Improvements $5,615 (ATUS, priority 2, full funding) 

  • Virtual Reality for Teaching Marine Biology $4,730  (Marine Coastal Sciences Program, partial funding) 

  • Enhanced SEM Imaging by Colorization and 3D Visualization $17,470 (Scientific Technical Services, partial funding) 

Every spring, the STF Committee—comprising students, faculty, and the Vice Provost for Information Technology (VPIT)—reviews proposals from students and employees for technology purchases that will enrich the students’ academic experience. The committee’s project recommendations are subject to approval by the University President. 

“The Tech Initiatives awards represent a significant effort,” said VPIT Chuck Lanham. “Not just by the committee, but by the students, faculty and staff who use their valuable time to submit proposals. We’re always impressed by their ideas, and we’re happy to fund projects that can really make a difference for students.” 

Tech Initiatives are just one allocation of the STF, which generates approximately $1.5 million annually (based on pre-pandemic enrollment). Other allocations include upgrades to computer labs and the campus wireless network; and support for the Student Tech Center and the Digital Media Center. 

To learn more about the Student Technology Fee, please view the STF website here.