Program Overview
The Faculty Workstation Initiative (FWI) provides all eligible faculty members (regular full-time tenured, tenure-track, or contract) with a new desktop or laptop PC every three years. These devices are provided for office and instructional use, and meant to support faculty’s work at the university.
Please be aware that FWI devices are considered property of the George Washington University, and should be treated accordingly. All devices are subject to the University’s Acceptable Use Policy for Computing Systems and Services. If an FWI device is damaged, lost or stolen, please report this to Oscar Fuentes by emailing oscar_fuentes@gwu.edu, or calling 202-994-1842.
Available Hardware
View the GW IT Computer Standards guide to see a list of available hardware.
Device Buyback
After three years of use, faculty are eligible to purchase their current FWI device before being issued a new one. Buyback prices for each type of device are listed below.
- Dell Workstations: $300
- Apple Workstations: $400
- All other devices: $350
Please be aware that this sale is for the hardware only, and that the device will be reformatted and have all data removed before the sale can occur. For this reason, please make sure you have a backup of all your important documents and data. If needed, an Elliott School IT representative can assist with backing up or transferring files. You also have the option to perform this yourself by backing up your files to either external storage media (USB thumb drives, external hard drives, etc) or a cloud-based file storage service.
Can I keep my old and new FWI devices?
Unless you are purchasing your old FWI device, it must be returned to the Elliott School’s inventory before the new FWI device can be assigned to you.
I am missing data on my new FWI device that was on my old FWI device. How can I get it back?
Whether you elect to return your old FWI device or purchase it, it will be held for 3 business days (Monday through Friday) before either event occurs. In this time, you may contact Elliott School Tech to inspect it for any files that you are missing. After three business days, the device will be erased and returned to inventory or sold to you.
My FWI device is in need of repair. What are my options?
FWI devices come with a warranty that provides coverage for the three years they are in use. This includes coverage of manufacturer defects, and in most cases physical or liquid damage. If your device is experiencing technical problems, please contact Oscar Fuentes at either 202-994-1842, or by emailing oscar_fuentes@gwu.edu.
I purchased my FWI device, and it is experiencing technical problems or is in need of repair. What are my options?
Once an FWI device is sold, it is no longer eligible for technical support through Elliott School IT. If hardware or software support is needed for your device, here are some of the available options:
- Visit the Walk-Up Technology Support Center, located in 801 22nd Street NW, B101
- Contact the device manufacturer
- Seek out a repair service (Genius Bar, Geek Squad, Answer Desk, etc)
Do I get to keep the software that is installed on my FWI device after I purchase it?
No. Before an FWI device can be sold, it must be erased and restored to factory defaults. Licenses for software installed on GW computers are only valid when owned by the university. Once ownership is transferred, the device becomes personal use and can no longer have these licenses installed on it.
In addition, settings are present on GW-owned PCs that govern security updates, encryption, access to shared drives and license renewal for software and Operating Systems. Failure to remove these settings can cause problems with equipment after it has been removed from the universities network, and can create liability problems in the event of a software or security audit.
What if I need access to software that isn’t installed on my device after it has been restored?
As long as you are affiliated with the George Washington University, and have a valid netID and password, you have access to licenses for Microsoft Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud and Symantec AntiVirus. These applications can be installed on your PC after it has been erased and returned to you, and are available on the IT website. For all other software, you will need to obtain your own license.
