Restricting the hours off-campus students have access to computer labs will create a variety of inconveniences.

Beginning this semester, computer labs are no longer being monitored by lab assistants. Instead, a staff of students and full-time employees, located in “hubs” throughout campus, will operate to assist students by phone with technical problems.

In addition to this, off-campus students will no longer be able to use residence hall computer labs once the hall closes.

Computer assistant hubs should bring efficiency to campus labs. If something acts up, a technician should be able to get to it fairly quickly.

But the benefits of having better technical help are a moot point for nearly 28,000 off-campus students who may start seeing less computer time.

Students taking full class loads, working, or participating in extracurricular activities may not have time to use the lab during hall hours.

Many college students work on class assignments through the night. Limiting access to the labs could create scheduling problems for students, and provide them with difficulty finishing assignments or papers.

Not everyone can afford a home computer, and many students rely on these labs. Even now that freshmen are required to have a computer, the needs of off-campus students still remain a concern since they entered MSU before the requirement was implemented.

Off-campus students need access to Michigan State computers in order to reach their personal public file. Many classes require use of this file.

While it can be argued students should use Union or library computers, overcrowding is already an issue in those locations. If all the residence hall labs are made off-limits, it may become even more difficult to find an available computer on campus.

The new university policy requiring computers for incoming freshman proves that having access to computers is essential to a successful college career. Michigan State should make every effort to accommodate that need.