After shelling out $1,800 for a laptop and printer in September, first year graduate student Taeh Thorstenson is still waiting to receive it. She doesn’t even know if she can get her money back.
The computer was a requirement for the health and sciences department’s laptop program. Thorstenson said she was hesitant to purchase the computer, but it was recommended that she purchase the specific computer from Gateway, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008.
Roberta Ambur, USD chief information officer, said Gateway has been the standard computer vendor for years. Pronounced problems started with Gateway in August when calls started to come in from students who had not received their computers.
“If we had a crystal ball, we wouldn’t have done this,” Ambur said. “We had no idea they were going to go under. What it’s taught us is that having a couple venders is not always a bad idea, especially in these economic times.”
Ambur said students who didn’t receive computers from Gateway were given loaners. Information Technology worked closely with students to help with the problem. Gateway also worked with IT to provide loaners to the students, she said.
“The sales staff was really helpful too, they knew we were in a bind,” Ambur said.
Thorstenson said IT has helped her as much as they could and now it’s her responsibility to fill out forms for a bankruptcy claim. When speaking to the Attorney General’s office, she was told there was a chance she may not get her money back due to the reimbursement process under chapter 11 bankruptcy that Gateway filed, she said.
“It’s horrible,” Thorstenson said. “That money was graduation money I got this summer so its frustrating that you’re just out. It’d be different if it was a refund check and you knew it was just loan money, but it was a personal check you got from your dad and your mom for graduation and now it’s just gone.”
Ambur said for students who already have the Gateway computers, the company’s closure means they will lose their warranty that they bought along with the computer.
Ambur said USD was a warranty dealer for Gateway. When students had the warranty from Gateway, they could get free support and service, while Gateway provided free computer parts to IT. To help students with payment for service, IT provides free service to the students who own the Gateway computers while the students pay the cost for the parts.
“It’s a bad deal for me personally, I have a gateway computer, so none of us saw it coming,” Ambur said. “We’re doing what we can and we’re going out and finding those parts, it’s our labor. We’re doing everything we can.”
Senior nursing student Phillip Bassing purchased a laptop in the summer of 2007 for the nursing program. He still had his warranty when his screen needed to be replaced in September, but now that he has lost the warranty, he would not be able to afford any repairs if something happened to his computer, he said.
“I don’t even want to know how much that new screen would have cost me if I didn’t have the warranty,” Bassing said. “Now I’m left thinking so many things could happen to it and if it breaks, then I’m out of luck.”
Ambur said USD was a warranty dealer for Gateway. When students had the warranty from Gateway, they could get free support and service, while Gateway provided free computer parts to IT. To help students with payment for service, IT provides free service to the students who own the Gateway computers while the students pay the cost for the parts.
Junior nursing student Tony Snoozy found out about Gateway’s bankruptcy through the news and said he and his classmates were worried about losing their warranty. He said the money for the laptops and the warranty came out of his own pocket and he would like to see USD do more to help students through the process, he said.
“They can do a little more,” Snoozy said. “It’s unfair we forked over all of this money and now if something happens, we have to pay for it.”
Ambur said she has heard from frustrated students and families and she understands their frustration. The students were encouraged to buy these specific computers because it was convenient and efficient for the program and students could get free help on campus if they had problems.
“People are frustrated and I am one of them,” Ambur said. “We said this is the make and model you have to buy, and if you choose not to buy this and get an exception from the department, and you have trouble then you’re on your own, and that’s kind of a big deal.”
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