29F-37: Creative Design Software Accessibility Act UC Representative Rachel Field (Currier ‘12)
Whereas prior to this year, all Harvard College students had the ability to download the Adobe Creative Suite for use on their personal computers, and Whereas significant curricular and extracurricular work in creative design requires Creative Suite software, particularly Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and Whereas the lack of access to this software has presented a significant difficulty to students, particularly those studying visual arts and those involved in design, and
Whereas providing access to the software only at the Science Center disadvantages students from farther Houses who are more inconvenienced by the lack of access; Be it therefore resolved that the UC recommend strongly that licenses for Adobe Creative Suite be obtained for at least one computer in every House;
Be it further resolved that if the licenses cannot be furnished for twelve House computers, at least one computer in every neighborhood (chosen by random lottery among the Houses) be provided with a license for Adobe Creative Suite; Be it further resolved that if no additional Adobe software licences can be provided, photo editing and vector graphics editing freeware such as GIMP and Dia be installed on House computers; Be it further resolved that a copy of this act be passed on to the Dean of the Faculty, the Director of FAS IT, and other relevant parties involved in software licensing negotiations.
SLC Docketed & Recommended: Unanimous Consent Exec Docketed: Unanimous Consent