News Releases

New “Dual-Boot” System Offers Iona Students Greater Computing Options

New Rochelle, NY – March 19, 2007 – Iona College students returned from spring break today to find 52 new Mac computers installed in Ryan Library. By lunchtime the lab was packed with students eager to log on and experience the latest in Apple technology. Although part of the allure of these new computers is the “hipness” factor that has made the Apple brand so popular with young people, the computers’ real strength lies in their ability to run both Apple and Windows operating systems, thanks to Apple’s innovative Boot Camp software.

Only a handful of colleges nationwide have deployed “dual-boot” Macs in specific disciplines. Joanne Laughlin Steele, vice provost for information technology, explained that the library’s visibility on campus made it the most logical place to showcase the Macs. “This is a pioneering step for a liberal arts college library. We believe the Macs will inspire faculty and students to think outside the box in terms of using technology at Iona,” Steele said.

Liberal arts colleges like Iona have typically relied on Intel-based PCs to populate labs and libraries. “This solution eases the growing pains of migrating to Apple’s OS X,” stated Dimitris Halaris, associate vice provost for information technology. “We’re very excited about the potential to integrate Mac-based software into the College’s curriculum.”

The installation of the new Macs comes fast on the heels of an announcement that Iona will start an expansive construction project on the library in the fall of this year. Steele said, “We want the library to be state-of-the-art in every sense of the word.”

Founded in 1940 by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Iona College is a private, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of American Catholic higher education. Iona is currently listed in the US News and World Report's annual "America's Best Colleges 2007," BusinessWeek’s listing of the “Best Undergraduate B-Schools,” The Princeton Review's Best Northeastern Colleges 2007 and Best 282 Business Schools 2007. The College offers undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science, and business administration, as well as master of arts, master of science and master of business administration degrees and numerous post-graduate certificate programs.

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For questions or more information please contact:
Cecilia Donohoe
Public Relations Office
Iona College, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10801
tel: (914) 633-2005 fax: (914) 637-2711
cdonohoe@iona.edu

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