Keeping Mac’s after graduation: controversy with the new policy

Seniors actively use their school MacBook Airs on and off campus.

Throughout the years, Faith Lutheran has provided MacBook Air’s for students to use while enrolled and after graduation. This generally applies to seniors who have spent four years on campus, whereas, seniors who joined after their freshman year were charged in order to keep them. However, the policy has been revised and will start being implemented this year, with the class of 2019.

Seniors who have spent four years enrolled at Faith still have the option to keep their Mac’s after graduation at no cost. But, seniors that have only been at Faith for three years must purchase the laptop for $300 before graduation in order to keep it. This new change impacts those students who plan to graduate in 2019 that have been on campus for less than three years because they will no longer be given the option to purchase their Mac; they will be required to return the laptop to the IT department.

“We made the change because Apple has discontinued the Macbook 11’ inch Air, and because of that we need to support future students if they ever have an issue with their laptop. We want to make sure that we are able to replace them,” said the Head of IT Department, Mr. Tom Chalfant, “for the seniors that have been here for the full four years, it doesn’t change a single thing. They can still keep their device. It only impacts students who have been here for less than three years.”

Seniors can fall into three categories: those who can keep their Mac’s at no cost, those who must pay, and those who will return the laptop. Senior, Averee Karras has been at Faith since sixth grade and will be graduating this May with her Mac.

“I am going to keep mine because I have been here for 4 years and it is free for me. Although, this change should be helpful to the school for the students who are going to need Macs in the future,” said Karras.

Other seniors who have stayed for less than three years, like Yasha Capman, will not be keeping their Mac after they graduate and have conflicted views about the new policy.

“I feel like the school has a lot of money; they make millions off of our tuition. Us needing to pay for Macs is just them trying to use the money for another expansion,”said Chapman.

Conflicts continue to rise as seniors have three months left to decide whether to keep or pay for their school issued Macbook’s or start cleaning off their desktops. If you have any questions or concerns please visit the IT department located inside the library.