The program will cost the university $680,000 for the purchase of hardware and installation and is part of a heavy shift toward electronic-based communication, Hecker said.

She said training for employees will include education about the basic parts of a computer, checking e-mail and learning to surf the Internet.

“We have labor employees, cooks, custodians, roofers, plumbers and so on, who in the past have not necessarily used computers as part of their daily work,” she said.

More computer access would be a great benefit, said Mark Winowiecki, a classroom custodian. The Physical Plant recently added one computer in the basement for employees, which Winowiecki has put to use.

“I can look up my time off, my sick days, all that kind of stuff,” Winowiecki said. “It’s pretty convenient, actually.”

Fred Poston, vice president for finance and operations, said the integration of technology at MSU has left some labor employees behind.

“It affected timely communications,” Poston said. “And some really didn’t have access to online enrollment for their benefits, and all sorts of other things that are required nowadays.”

Hecker said her task force established that five labor employees realistically could share the same computer. The reason the program will take three years to implement, she said, is because of the units’ size.

“There’s 800 people in the Physical Plant and closer to 1,000 in housing,” she said. “We’re letting them implement in their own way and set their own work priorities.”

Hecker said all new employees will be required to pass a basic computer test before being hired once the program is implemented.

Free training for current employees will be offered by the task force, but no employees will lose their jobs if they don’t complete it, Hecker said.

Winowiecki said he’s “a little” computer literate, but would benefit from additional training done through the university.

“It would help, very much so,” he said. “I’d take the classes if they offered them.”