Support Options
Click
If you need assistance with a VCUarts computer, then please submit a service request. All available VCUarts Technology Support technicians will be notified, and the first available support technician will respond.
Step by step instructions on how to submit a service request are here.
Call
If you are having trouble submitting a ticket, or if it is a time sensitive emergency, then please call us at (804) 828-7045
University Support
Please reference Technology Support for VCU Students for detailed information about the student computer support options offered by the VCU ITSC, VCU fixIT, and VCU ResNet.
VCUarts Support
If the university student computer support resources can not resolve your problem, then you are welcome to visit VCUarts Technology Support to receive assistance and guidance. Just be aware that we do not staff a help desk, and technicians are not always in the workshop.
Borrow a Laptop
If you are having trouble with your laptop, then VCUarts Technology Support can loan you a laptop, while your personal laptop is being repaired. Loan periods are for a defined amount of time, not to exceed two weeks.
Current Events
Students graduating in May should review the VCU Graduating Student Technology Checklist.
General Information
Browse computer requirements for students, organized by program of study.
Your eID is your university account that controls your ability to log into computers, use the WiFi network, and access online services. The myeID portal contains information and links for managing your password.
The university operates several different WiFi networks.
Faculty, Staff, and Students should use the VCU SafeNet Wireless network.
Use your eID name and password to authenticate.
Instructions for connecting to the VCU SafeNet Wireless network from an Android device are here.
User files are often stored online in cloud based services; but as a creative professional, you are likely to have any number of files stored locally for maximum performance and accessibility. It is important that you adopt a file backup system to preserve these files in the event of a hardware failure.
The most important thing is to always have a second copy of important files on a separate device. If you do not have a second copy on a separate device, then you do not have a backup.
A more thorough backup system is known as the 3-2-1 method.
- You have three copies of your files.
- Two copies are available on-site, but on two different devices — for example, the original on your laptop, and a second copy on an external drive.
- One copy is available off-site — for example, a spare hard drive saved at a trusted person’s home, or a cloud-based service.
Options for maintaining backups:
- Google Drive (free)
VCU Students are provided with file storage capacity on their VCU Google Drive. This is a free option that will allow you to routinely make a second copy of important files to this location. The downside is that you need to remember to manually make the copies. - External Drive options (minimal cost)
- Purchase an external drive, and routinely make a second copy of important files onto this drive. The downside is that you need to remember to manually make the copies.
- Purchase an external drive, and use the macOS Time Machine feature or the Windows Backup & Restore feature built into your host operating system. These features will automatically backup files when the drive is connected to your computer; and once they are configured, will routinely remind you to connect your backup drive (please note that while the Windows Backup & Restore feature continues to function, it has been deprecated, and could lose support in the future).
- Purchase an external drive, and use third party backup software to execute regular automated file backups.
- Windows Backup (cost depends on amount of files)
Windows has a built in feature called Windows Backup that will automatically backup files on Microsoft OneDrive. This option requires the purchase of enough storage capacity on Microsoft OneDrive. - Cloud-based services (monthly or annual cost)
Backblaze, Carbonite, CrashPlan, iDrive, Livedrive and others. These options require payment of a monthly or annual fee for an unlimited amount of files. The upside is that they run constantly in the background, and require little to no attention.
University guidelines on student use of Generative AI tools is available here.
Adobe
The Adobe Creative Cloud suite of software is available to all students who are currently enrolled in at least one credit bearing course.
Students do not need to pay for a retail subscription.
On classroom computers, it is pre–installed.
On personal computers, it can be downloaded here.
Logging in to Adobe Creative Cloud Applications with your VCU Account
How to migrate an Adobe Portfolio from your School Adobe account to a Personal Adobe account
Moving Your Adobe Assets — A How–To Guide for Graduating Students
Microsoft Office
The Microsoft Office suite of software is available to all currently enrolled students.
Students do not need to pay for a retail subscription.
On classroom computers, it is pre–installed.
On personal computers, it can be downloaded here.
Autodesk Software
Autodesk software is available for free to students.
On some classroom computers, it is pre–installed, or can be requested to be installed.
On personal computers, it can be downloaded here.
Ableton Live Studio
Ableton provides a rent to own program for students.
More information is available here.
Harrison Mixbus (web site)
Harrison offers a 50% discount.
During the checkout process, simply click the “Students get 50% off” link in the shopping cart, and follow the steps for confirming your educational status.
Other software provided by publishers for free or at reduced cost
Unreal Engine
Unity
invision Studio
Using AI at VCU — Generative AI tools offer exciting possibilities for our learning, work and personal lives. VCU has licensed Microsoft Copilot, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot for all faculty, staff, and students to use for free.
Student Technology at VCU — This site includes lots of good information for new and current students, including hardware and software coverage. Please tell students who need Adobe or Microsoft software to go here first.
Campus Tech Guide — Listing of the services available to students and employees that are supported by VCU Technology Services.
fixIt Hardware Support at RamTech — Take your Apple and Dell devices to fixIT for repair.
IT Support Center — The portal for in–person and remote technology assistance for students and employees.
TS Status — With one click, receive complete, real-time VCU TS systems status. Students and employees can subscribe to the notices for just the systems they care about.
VCU Student Technology Advisory Committee (STAC) — This is the group that advises VCU TS on student-related current and proposed services and programs. The group meets five times each during the fall and spring semesters. Please share with any students who might be interested. Here is the application form. We are accepting applications throughout the year.
Graduating students should review the VCU Graduating Student Technology Checklist.
Physical Resources
Click here for a list of VCUarts computers available for use by students to complete coursework.
VCUarts Equipment Checkout
Equipment available for checkout from VCUarts departments.
The Workshop
Equipment available for checkout from Cabell library.
OnePrint Pay student printing queues are configured on all VCUarts classroom computers.
OnePrint Pay student printing queues can be added to your personally owned computer, by downloading the installer from here.
Prints sent to OnePrint Pay student printing queues can be released on any OnePrint Pay student printer, anywhere on campus.
Within VCUarts buildings, OnePrint Pay student printers are available in the following locations:
- Franklin Terrace 1st Floor Hallway
- Murray N. DePillars Building 101 (formerly known as the Fine Arts Building)
- Pollak 3rd Floor Hallway
- Pollak 4th Floor Hallway
Pricing and additional information can be found here.
We do NOT recommend using the Mobile Print feature of the OnePrint system.
OnePrint Pay student printing queues are configured on all VCUarts classroom computers.
OnePrint Pay student printing queues can be added to your personally owned computer, by downloading the installer from here.
If you need assistance with installing the print queues, or guidance with using them, then we are available to assist Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm.
Always double check your Page Setup:
Remember that in some applications, Document Size and Page Setup are two different things.
Make sure that Page Setup is correctly set for either 8.5 x 11 or 11 x 17 — any other paper size will result in an out of paper message
Use the override feature of the printer:
If you have already sent and released a job with the wrong Page Setup, then you can tell the printer to ignore the paper size that it is requesting, and pull paper from an alternative tray instead.
To force the job onto 8.5 x 11 paper, press the button labeled 1 LTR
To force the job onto 11 x 17 paper, press the button labeled 2 11×17
Be aware that forcing the print job onto a different paper size may not preserve the scale of a measured drawing.
The VCUarts Creative Printing Bureau provides professional printing services.
The CPB web site also provides information about professional printing options outside the university.
What We Do And Why We Do It
To support an environment where teachers can teach and where students can learn.
To provide the highest level of service in the areas of deployment, maintenance, and support.
To implement the technology decisions of your department.
To enable and ensure compliance with state and university policies, guidelines, and standards.
To ensure compliance with software licensing.
To maintain a comprehensive inventory of relevant technology assets, with a goal of providing accurate life–cycle reporting to both the departments, and the Office of the Dean.
To advise departments in specifying software and hardware for purchase, with a goal of ensuring compatibility with VCUarts support standards.
These documents govern the use of computing resources throughout the university, including within the School of the Arts.
VCU Technology Policies, Guidelines, and Standards