Tools for Success in Students' Hands
CSUCCESS offered a new iPad Air, Apple Pencil and Apple Smart Keyboard Folio to every incoming first-year and transfer student at eight participating CSU campuses during Phase One. Students at CSUN share their thoughts about the program as they pick up their CSUCCESS technology bundles at the start of the fall 2021 term.
Closing the Digital Divide
“As a first-generation college student myself, I struggled financially. I get it. And I want to make sure we remove barriers for our talented students.”
– Joseph I. Castro, CSU Chancellor
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Cal State offering this program?
Throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, students indicated a lack of access to a computer or mobile device as an obstacle in the way of their achievement. CSUCCESS (California State University Connectivity Contributing to Equity and Student Success) represents the CSU’s commitment to closing equity gaps and providing high-quality and reliable personal computing devices to support academic achievement.
During the pandemic, the CSU worked to address part of this challenge by investing more than $18 million to purchase more than 21,000 laptops and tablets and 10,000 mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for students, in addition to loaning out several millions of dollars' worth of existing equipment.
Ongoing challenges of the pandemic require campuses to continue to deliver some courses virtually, posing persistent barriers to student success. These tools will help eliminate barriers and improve student success and equitable graduation outcomes, which are among the CSU’s highest priorities.
Who is eligible to receive a new iPad?
All new first-year and transfer students entering the CSU during the fall 2021 term at the participating campuses (Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Fresno, Humboldt, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Northridge and San Marcos) are eligible, but students must register for the program directly with their respective campus. There are no income-based eligibility requirements. Students may self-identify their need by registering for the program with their campus.
How do students register to receive a device?
To begin the process, please select a campus from the drop-down menu above to be directed to the campus’ program website or intake form.
What do students receive?
Students will receive:
- 64 GB iPad Air
-
Apple Smart Keyboard Folio
-
Apple Pencil
- Student technology support from their campus
Note: With a keyboard attachment and pencil, this technology bundle is comparable to a laptop.
When do students receive their devices?
Distribution will vary by campus, with the goal of students having their devices by the end of the first week of the fall 2021 term. Distribution is generally slated to begin around August 11. Please select a campus from the drop-down menu above to be directed to the campus program for more information.
Who owns the device? Do students keep it after graduation?
The CSU loans the device to students for the duration of their undergraduate education at the CSU. Upon graduation, students will be asked to return their device. Devices are provided on a loaned basis so as not to impact students’ financial aid.
Who helps students with set-up and IT questions?
Students will receive technology support from their campus IT departments. Please see the participating campus’ website for more information.
Will students need to have Wi-Fi access to use the device?
Students will need to connect to Wi-Fi to get on the internet, make calls and send/receive emails on their iPads. The iPads are Wi-Fi only models and are not equipped with cellular data service. CSU campuses continue to expand outdoor and parking lot access, and the university is exploring new partnership opportunities for student access in public spaces. The CSU continues to work with both public and private partners to support expansion of broadband access across the State of California.
What happens if the device is damaged or lost?
Students are advised to contact their campus IT department for support if equipment is damaged. If equipment is stolen, it is the student’s responsibility to report it to the police and communicate with their campus. In some cases, campus IT staff may be able to disable the device remotely, making it unusable until returned. Students are advised to contact their campus IT department for information about replacing a damaged or lost device.
Does the university track students’ usage on the device? What data will be collected?
The CSU will not be monitoring students’ day-to-day activities on the iPads. However, each app has a privacy statement that explains how it collects and uses information. That said, CSU campuses do monitor network traffic, and the mobile device management system will have the ability to alert IT staff if the student does something illegal or downloads an app not found in the official Apple App Store. Students should refer to their campus’ Student Technology Agreement and Privacy Statement.
What if students need to use assistive technology?
Students should contact their campus IT department for resources on assistive technology needs. The campus
student disabilities services office may also be a resource.
Apple also has a variety of
accessibility resources (link is external) for iPads.
Why aren’t all CSU campuses participating?
Many campuses have existing device loan programs in place (library laptop loaners, for example) to serve as an alternative, or in concert with CSUCCESS, to ensure that students have the tools they need to succeed. The CSU has invited all campuses to participate and is actively seeking resources to fund additional phases to expand the initiative to more new and current students on more campuses.
Why are only first-year and new transfer students eligible?
The program is focused on new students, who need more support as they begin their college careers, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Future phases of CSUCCESS could include returning students.