Penn State Negotiates Student Microsoft Office Contract

Penn State's Information Technology Services organization (ITS) recently negotiated an agreement with Microsoft to make Office Pro 2003 available for student purchase throughout the University. The agreement, which requires a signature from each student when he or she purchases the Microsoft Office product, provides a significant savings over retail pricing.

In order to conform to Microsoft's standards, ITS created an online signature form that will eliminate processing difficulties and make it easier for students at non-University Park campuses to buy the software. The Web form contains a small box that students are required to check as representation of their digital signature as well as verification of their enrollment status at the University.

The MS Office Pro 2003 Suite contains Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook and Publisher and costs $59.81 per license under the newly negotiated discount. All Penn State students are eligible for one license each.

In addition, faculty, staff and departments can still continue to obtain Office Pro 2003 in a boxed copy at an academic price, which offers considerable savings compared to the Suite's retail value. Departments, exclusively, are also eligible to purchase licenses at an even greater discount through Penn State's pre-existing Microsoft Select program. Departmental licenses provide their owners with the right to install a copy of the Office Pro software on an employee's office computer as well as on his or her laptop or home system.

Students, faculty and staff can purchase the Suite by visiting Penn State's Computer Stores in person or by ordering over the Web. To learn more about Penn State's new student Microsoft Office Pro 2003 agreement, go to http://computerstore.psu.edu.