Most students bring their laptop computers and mobile phones to School everyday, but these tools are not self-sufficient. Devices require chargers to maintain electrical power after consistent use for a few hours, but not many girls bring their chargers to School everday. Lately, some Marlborough students have been discussing the possibility of having smartphone and computer chargers available in the Academic Resource Center (ARC), although no such plan is yet in place.
Director of Administrative and Academic Technology Stuart Posin said that he does not know how putting chargers in the ARC would work in practice but that he is willing to consider it if a student came up with an idea of how this system would work.
“The problem is that there are dozens of different types of laptops. I don’t see how we could possibly stock enough of each to make the program work. If somebody comes up with an idea, I’m happy to think about it,” Posin said.
Allison Kaminsky ’13, however, said that most girls have Macbook computers, making it easier, since most Macbook laptops use the same charger. Kaminsky suggested that for girls who don’t have Macbooks, there could be an online survey to see what types of chargers are needed.
“We could have a sign-out system, like how we have with the laptops, and you can just sign out a charger and return it at the end of the day. I think it wouldn’t be that hard for the School to manage and it would make the students lives a lot easier,” she said.
Most Macbooks can last up to six hours without being plugged in if the student keeps the brightness on the lowest setting and only keeps one application open. Usually, however, laptops last about four hours, since students keep multiple applications open at once. The School day is seven hours long.
Audrey Slatkin ’18 said that she believes chargers should be available to students in the ARC.
“When you are using your computer or phone to help yourself with your homework or you need to look something up and [your computer] dies while you are studying, then you are kind of out of luck,“ Slatkin said.
Other students, including Morgan Sasaki ’15, say girls should be responsible for bringing in their own chargers.
“You can leave it in your locker throughout the day, and when you need to charge your laptop at School you can just go to the ARC or go and charge your computer in class or whenever there is an outlet nearby,” Sasaki said.
