Printing

In order to provide more streamlined service and cost savings to the University, SMU works with ImageNet to provide multifunction printing solutions for departments across campus. Staff and faculty are encouraged to use these printers in lieu of personal printers that can add extra ink/toner costs while providing less reliability.

Types of Printers

SMU Tagged Printers

If the printer has an SMU sticker beginning with SMU or PONY, the printer is supported by ImageNet. ImageNet will provide toner and technical support for these printers.

Non-SMU Tagged or Untagged Printers

Printers that have a tag beginning with NON or are untagged are not supported by ImageNet and are not to be funded by the University for supplies, maintenance or service. If an NON tagged or untagged printer has a mechanical problem, departments cannot spend University funds on repairs or support. Costs for repairs will need to come out of the personal funds of whomever owns the printer.

Public Printing:
 For information on printing in the libraries, please see PaperCut, the print management software implemented on campus.

Installing a Departmental Printer

Installing a Departmental Printer (macOS)

  1. In OS X, click on the System Preferences icon in your dock or search for it in Spotlight.
  2. In the window that appears, click Printers and Scanners.
  3. Click on the “+” button at the bottom of the printer list to add a printer.
  4. If you are logged into your computer with your SMUID and password, available network printers will be listed. Select the desired printer.
  5. The Name and Location fields should be automatically populated. Click on the “Use:” drop-down box and select the driver for the printer you wish to use.
  6. Click Add.
  7. The printer will then be added to your Mac. Print your jobs to the printer normally and release your print job at the device using your SMU ID card. 

Installing a Departmental Printer (Windows OS)

  1. Begin by navigating to your Control Panel, navigate to Devices and Printers.
  2. Click Add a Printer.
  3. Click Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth Printer.
  4. Select the appropriate printer and click Next.
  5. If the printer you are trying to add is not available:
    • Select "The printer that I want isn’t listed."
    • Select “Find a printer in the directory"
    • Click Next.
    • Double-click the printer to add
  6. You will be prompted to Install the driver. Complete the wizard. If this is the printer you regularly use select default.
  7. Select Print a test page. A confirmation will display, click Close.
  8. Click Finish.
  9. If printing using the SecurePrint feature available on some campus prints, swipe your ID card and release the print job.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Basic Printer Problems

Print jobs are not going to the printer:Turn the printer off and then back on again
Printer is showing offline:Double check that the cables are all connected to the printer. Then open the print queue from your computer. Verify that the printer is set to Online.
Printer is showing a paper jam:Open the various trays and drawers. Very carefully remove any pieces of paper that you can find.

Requesting Printer Repair

As mentioned above, NON tagged or untagged printers can no longer be supported by SMU. SMU tagged printers however can be repaired by ImageNet. You may request a service call with ImageNet by sending an e-mail to imagenet@smu.edu. Our Help Desk staff can also assist you with submitting a service call as well.

SMU Printing Policy

The goal of this document is to outline a policy which represents good stewardship of SMU financial resources and which allows employees to continue to meet key business needs around printing.

Policy Statement

Effective September 1, 2015, SMU will not pay for personal printers or toner, nor will OIT respond to service requests for such. Employees are encouraged to turn their current desktop printers into OIT for recycling, though they may continue to use their printers at personal expense (buy their own toner, service machine, etc.) if they wish. Exceptions to this policy will be granted for employees with disabilities, as approved by the employee’s respective Dean / VP and the Executive Committee, or for grant-funded personal printers. SMU-purchased printers may only be used on campus, and not taken home.

Hardware

Campus printing needs will be met by shared, network printers, managed by a third party “print manager” in close collaboration with OIT. With input from each department, OIT and the print manager will arrange network printers according to the following guidelines:

  • Each employee will have access to a black-and-white printer, ideally within 35 feet, and in no cases exceeding 100 feet.
  • Each employee will have access to a color printer, ideally within 100 feet, and in no cases located on a different floor. In some cases, employees located in a building with few other employees may not need or have access to a color printer if they do not currently have access to a color printer.
  • Each employee will have access to a printer with secure print functionality (for purposes of printing confidential documents) located on the same floor.
    • Currently, the multi-function printer / copiers have secure print. In the coming months, many more network printers will have secure print functionality.

No new printers will be purchased by individual departments. Rather, OIT and the print manager will collaborate to supply each department with adequate hardware, balancing printing volume and needs with cost considerations. OIT will seek the input of each department when making these decisions.

Practices

Printing costs will no longer be billed individually to each department, but will be billed centrally to SMU, thus obviating the need for time-consuming cross charges and administrative burden. Exceptions may be allowed in cases of grant-funding for printing costs, as approved by the Printers Initiative team and the Executive Committee. OIT and the FOs of each department will receive a monthly report on each department’s printing in order to assure that campus printing needs are being met.

To achieve both cost savings and a lower environmental footprint, printers will be optimized for efficiency and low cost. All printers will be set by default to black-and-white and double-sided printing, unless otherwise specified by user. Toner and service will be provided by ImageNet; paper by SMU.

Employees are encouraged to use Ricoh’s on-campus printing services when:

  • Volume of the print job is large
  • Print job requires custom paper types
  • Bindery and / or finishing are required