Southeast Tech Laptop Program FAQs

Q. Is the Conditional Sales Agreement a lease to own program?

A. The Conditional Sales Agreement is not a lease to own program. The contract is not a lease and the laptop cannot be returned to Southeast Tech. A conditional sales agreement is the best way to address software licensure requirements for student laptops.

Southeast Tech enters into license agreements with software vendors to provide access to our students. The agreements allow access to the software at a rate that is far below what students would pay if they purchased the software on their own. Under the software license agreements, software must be installed on a Southeast Tech owned laptop. The Conditional Sales Agreement specifies that ownership remains with Southeast Tech until the conditions of contract are met.

Q. If I am a returning student to Southeast Tech, can software be loaded on to my previously purchased Southeast Tech laptop?

A. Yes; if the student is the original owner of the previously purchased Southeast Tech Laptop and the laptop is still under warranty, Southeast Tech will load the program specific software as needed. With the ever-changing hardware and software requirements, Southeast Tech will only load program specific software on the following previous Southeast Tech laptop models:

• HP 8560w
• MacBook Pro Quad Core i7

Q. If a student terminates or withdraws, can the laptop be returned?

A. No, the laptop cannot be returned. Students must contact the Southeast Tech IT Support Center per the terms of the Conditional Sales Agreement to remove Southeast Tech licensed software and to complete the official bill of sale to transfer ownership to the student. If the software is not removed, a hold will be placed on the student’s account and they will be billed for the software on the laptop.

Q. What is the BYOL program?

A. BYOL (Bring Your Own Laptop) is available for students in specified programs only. Students enrolled in these programs will have the ability to bring their own laptop. What this means is that a student can purchase a Southeast Tech laptop or use their own laptop. If the student chooses to purchase a laptop through Southeast Tech, it will be covered by a comprehensive service agreement which includes onsite repair and customer support for three years through the Southeast Tech IT Support Center. If a student chooses not to purchase a Southeast Tech laptop, all warranty agreements and repairs will be the responsibility of the student.

Required minimum specs for BYOL

• Mac:
  • Model: Intel-based Mac
  • Memory: At least 2GB of RAM
  • Operating systems: Mac OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or later

• Windows:
• Model: Standard x86 or x64 compatible laptop, 1GHz
• Memory: At least 1GB of RAM

Q. What is the iPad required program?

A. iPad required refers to the technology requirements set for Surgical Technology and Invasive Cardiovascular Technology students only.  Students enrolled in these programs will be required to bring an iPad. Only the iPad 2, iPad 3, and iPad 4 will meet the requirements for these programs.  iPads will need to be purchased by the student and will not be sold under the STI Conditional Sales Agreement.  The student will be responsible for all warranty agreements and repairs if needed.

Required minimum specs for iPad

iPad 2 or greater, excluding iPad Mini with iOS 4.2 and later.

 *The iPad 1 and iPad mini are not supported for the iPad required programs.

Q. Can a student bring their own laptop to campus?

A. Yes, but all students who are enrolled in a Southeast Tech Laptop Required Program will be charged automatically and will receive a Southeast Tech laptop. Southeast Tech’s laptops will provide access to all necessary program software and be pre-configured depending on the student’s major.

Students who bring their own laptop will only have access to Southeast Tech’s Public Wireless Network on which only Internet can be accessed. Campus resources such as printing and datacluster storage are not available through their own laptop if they are not in a BYOL program. 

Q. Can a student purchase a Southeast Tech laptop even if not enrolled in a Southeast Tech Laptop Required Program?

A. Yes! You can contract for the same Windows based laptop offered through our Laptop Purchase Program. Contact the Southeast Tech IT Support Center at 605.367.4461, or stop in the Technology Center Room 219.

Q. How are the laptops under the Southeast Tech Laptop Required Program financed?

A. The laptop is included in the charges during your first semester while at Southeast Tech and Financial Aid can be applied.

Q. Once a student graduates, does the student get to keep the software installed on the laptop?

A. No; students must contact the Southeast Tech IT Support Center per the terms of the Conditional Sales Agreement to remove Southeast Tech licensed software and to complete the official bill of sale to transfer ownership to the student. The original operating system that the laptop was shipped with will remain. If the software is not removed, a hold will be placed on the student's account and they will be billed for the software on the laptop.

Q. Does a student who enrolls in just one laptop required class have to get the laptop?

A. No; students who are enrolled under 6 credits at Southeast Tech are not required to get a laptop through Southeast Tech. The student will need to determine their individual needs in order to meet the course requirements. Depending on the course, the student may need access to a laptop or desktop computer to complete the course, and may choose to rent an STI laptop for the semester. Alternatively, the student may wish to select a campus lab based course offering that does not require a laptop.

Q. How does Southeast Tech Laptop Program work for one-year programs?

A. The Laptop Program works the same for both one and two-year programs. The laptop fee is included in the charges during your first semester while at Southeast Tech and Financial Aid can be applied.

 Q. What models are the laptops under the Southeast Tech Laptop Program?

A. All programs under the Southeast Tech Laptop Program will use Windows based laptops, except Graphic Media Design and Digital Media Production; these programs will use Apple MacBook Pros. Whether a student receives an EliteBook or ProBook model will depend on the program they are enrolled in. Students in the Advanced Technologies and Engineering Technology programs will purchase EliteBooks, while students in other programs will purchase ProBooks.

Q. Can a student get an Apple Mac Book Pro if they are not enrolled in Media Design Technology or Digital Media Production?

A. No, only students enrolled in Media Design Technology and Digital Media Production can get an Apple MacBook Pro at Southeast Tech. All other students will receive a Windows based laptop according to their program specifications.

Q. If I am in a BYOL or iPad required program, can I bring my device to the Support Center for assistance?

A. General assistance for these devices will be provided to students in these programs at the IT Support Center. You may be referred to a local business for any extended service that is required.

Q. If I am in a BYOL or iPad required program, can I receive a loaner computer if my device is not working?

A. You may rent an STI laptop for up to one month while your device is being repaired.