Administrative Printing Fleet Management Policy
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) maintains an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable administrative printing environment. The College is committed to maximizing the use of shared networked multifunction devices (MFDs), reducing unnecessary printing assets, and ensuring that printing resources are appropriately allocated to support instructional and administrative operations. This policy supports the College’s commitment to:
- Reducing operating expenses;
- Maximizing return on leased and owned printing assets;
- Improving sustainability through reduced energy and consumable usage;
- Standardizing the College’s printing environment;
- Providing equitable access to printing resources across all campuses.
Printer placement and retention decisions shall be based on operational need, utilization, total cost of ownership, and the efficient stewardship of College resources.
Management
Auxiliary Services is responsible for the oversight, management, and administration of the College’s administrative printing fleet.
To ensure the efficient, effective, and responsible use of College resources, Auxiliary Services retains the management to:
- Evaluate printer utilization and overall fleet efficiency;
- Relocate College-owned printing equipment as operational needs change;
- Consolidate redundant or duplicative printing assets;
- Retire or remove underutilized printing devices;
- Review and approve requests for additional printers when existing shared resources adequately meet operational needs; and
- Replace or upgrade printing equipment when appropriate.
Printer Acquisition
All acquisitions, leases, replacements, relocations, and disposals of administrative printing equipment shall be coordinated through Auxiliary Services. Departments shall not independently purchase, lease, or otherwise acquire administrative printing equipment without prior approval from Auxiliary Services.
Administrative Printing Standards
Shared multifunction devices shall be the preferred printing solution. The College's standard administrative printing environment consists of centrally managed, network-connected multifunction devices that provide printing, copying, scanning, and related document services.
Individual desktop printers are considered exceptions to the College's standard administrative printing environment and shall only be approved when a documented business need demonstrates that operational requirements cannot reasonably be met through an existing shared multifunction device.
Printer Utilization Review
Auxiliary Services will regularly review printer utilization using print management reporting tools, including PaperCut and device meter readings.
A printer or multifunction device may be subject to evaluation when one or more of the following conditions exist:
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Inactivity
A device has recorded no print activity for:
- Three (3) consecutive months, at which time the device may be reviewed for continued business need.
- Six (6) consecutive months, at which time the device may be considered for relocation or removal unless a documented operational need exists.
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Low Utilization
A multifunctional printer that produces fewer than 1,000 printed pages during any rolling 90-day period, as determined through print management reporting, may be evaluated to determine whether continued deployment is justified.
Factors considered during the review may include, but are not limited to:
- Proximity to another shared multifunction device;
- Departmental operational requirements;
- Seasonal or cyclical printing patterns;
- Confidential printing needs;
- Overall cost of ownership.
A Desktop printer that produces fewer than 100 printed pages during any rolling 90-day period, as determined through print management reporting, may be evaluated to determine whether continued deployment is justified.
Low utilization alone does not automatically require removal but may result in recommendations for consolidation or relocation.
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Redundant Printing Devices
Locations where multiple printers or multifunction devices provide overlapping service may be evaluated for consolidation.
Examples include:
- Multiple printers serving the same office suite;
- Individual desktop printers located near shared multifunction devices;
- Duplicate devices with consistently low utilization.
Auxiliary Services may recommend removal, relocation, or replacement to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.
Exceptions
Requests for exceptions to this policy shall be submitted to Auxiliary Services for review. Exceptions may be approved when a documented business need demonstrates that operational requirements cannot reasonably be met using the College's standard shared multifunction printing environment.
Compliance
Departments will be notified prior to any significant changes whenever practicable.
To support compliance with this policy, requests for additional printing equipment may be evaluated based on documented operational business needs. Devices may be reassigned or removed when they no longer support an identified business need.
PaperCut Print Management & Reporting
PaperCut print management software is installed on your desktop to help make cost-effective printing decisions. When you send a print job:
- A pop-up box will display the cost of the job
- You’ll be prompted to select a billing account:
Shared Account: A departmental cost center
Personal Account: Your Buc Card balance
Printing Costs
All printing charges include paper, toner, equipment software, and maintenance.
Multi-Function Devices (MFDs):
- Black & White: $0.07 per side
- Color: $0.09 per side
Desktop Printers:
- Black & White: $0.09 per side
- Color: $0.15 per side
11" x 17" (Ledger) Size: Charged as two pages
Printing rates and charges shall be reviewed periodically and adjusted, as appropriate, to reflect changes in business needs, operating costs, market conditions, service requirements, and applicable lease or contractual obligations. Click rates may vary by device based on the applicable Ricoh contract, including device type, configuration, location, and service arrangement. As a result, certain devices may have higher click rates than others. Any adjustments shall comply with applicable contract terms and support the College’s commitment to responsible and cost-effective management of printing resources.