ESU Students Get Microsoft Office for Free

By Jamie Reese
Editor-in-Chief

According to an Official ESU Email sent out on October 21, “East Stroudsburg University has teamed with Microsoft to provide you [students] with Office ProPlus.”

This package includes the latest versions of Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Access. It also includes “cloud solutions such as Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Lync.”

Enrique Loedel, Senior Associate Director of Computing & Communication Services, said, “As long as you are a student at ESU, you will have the ability to install the latest version of Office onto up to five different PCs or Macs.”

He continued, “We require it in our classes, so not just ESU, but PASSHE as a whole negotiated an agreement, and we chose to participate.” According to Loedel, student tuition is not paying for this service.

The programs and services are offered through a subscription basis, so while they are available for free to students while they attend ESU, there is no guarantee the services will outlive student enrollment terms.

In order to download the free subscription, students should logon to their official ESU emails, where the programs can be directly downloaded. For more details, reference the aforementioned email, and call Academic Computing at (570) 422-3857 should any issues arise.

According to Loedel, “We offer other software like Mathematica and SAS (Statistical Analysis System).”

Mathematica is a computational program that uses symbolic mathematics to facilitate complex analysis, as well as to generate useful graphs, figures, and much more. It uses a language created by Wolfram, the company that designed it.

SAS is an analytical program developed by the SAS Institute and can be used to manage data, conduct advanced analysis, etcetera.

According to Loedel, in order to get those programs, “All you have to do is send a request.” Students who wish to receive access to these programs should email Loedel via their official ESU emails at eloedel@esu.edu.

Academic Computing offers a variety of other services besides providing free software. They include maintaining labs, running the help desk, and overseeing email efficiency and functionality.

Loedel said, “If any student has any problem with getting online, we look at the computer, and we fix it; but we usually go beyond that.”

Academic Computing regularly handles other minor issues students have with their computers.

Loedel said, “If the computer isn’t working or it’s slow, and it’s a software problem, we will fix it free of charge.”

The Academic Computing staff recommends students to go to them with software and hardware problems. Even if they can’t fix something, they can often diagnose the problem and give advice. They’re located in Stroud Hall, room 303.

Email Jamie at:
jreese6@live.esu.edu