The four IET computer labs available to all students will be replaced with an expanded virtual computer lab
By RACHEL TRAN — campus@theaggie.org
Students who use one of UC Davis’ on-campus computer labs will soon need to log off for the last time, as the university prepares to permanently close the four labs managed by UC Davis Information and Educational Technology (IET) this summer.
The IET computer labs — also known as the Open Access labs — are available for use by all UC Davis students and affiliates. They differ from other labs, which are available for use by specific university programs or fields of study. They provide access to a plethora of licensed software packages, including R and Stata, for students who may be unable to access or afford purchasing them on personal devices. The four Open Access Labs are currently located at 91 Shields Library, 78 Hutchinson Hall, 15 Olson Hall and in 2214 Teaching and Learning Complex (TLC).
The move was announced by IET in late January, and cited reduced traffic and usage as factors in the decision. While no specific date has been given, the locations are scheduled to close sometime in June. A fifth Open Access Lab, located in Wellman Hall, was permanently closed in September 2025.
The 18 on-campus computer teaching classrooms — which are used for scheduled courses and instruction — will remain open and unaffected by the change. On-campus printing services will also be maintained.
To replace the computer labs, IET announced the launch of the Virtual Computer Lab Pilot to expand and improve students’ digital experience through better virtual access to computer lab programs. The pilot’s goal is to provide students more flexibility when working on projects by giving them the ability to access specialized software anytime and anywhere.
“The university is committed to providing students with an enhanced technology experience supporting their educational journey,” IET said on their website. “As new tools emerge and technology evolves, IET is exploring options to deliver expanded access to specialized software via a Virtual Lab while ensuring students continue to have printing and computer resources.”
Aside from reduced foot traffic, IET noted that students have complained in the past that the computer labs’ weekend schedules and hours did not provide enough flexibility.
“With on-demand access to specialized software through a secure online environment, students are no longer limited by lab hours or location,” IET said.
Similarly, UC Davis spokesperson Bill Kisliuk explained that the new pilot program provides a way for the university to better serve the technology needs of its students.
“By augmenting the Virtual Lab, IET is redesigning support for campus open-access computer labs to better meet student needs and increase access, while stewarding fiscal responsibility,” Kisliuk said. “We are investing in services to improve student access through this pilot.”
The decision to close the labs has received mixed responses from students, with some even launching an online petition to try to convince the university to keep it open. In a discussion on the UC Davis subreddit, r/UCDavis, one user lamented the labs’ closing.
“UCD has made its budget cuts and, sadly, I don’t think there is a way to change this decision,” a Reddit user said. “I did some research, and all of the other UC’s have some sort of laptop lending service. I hope that UCD will at least do this with some of the computers from the labs.”
Others raised concern over students being able to access online resources if they do not own personal computing devices.
“If the university expects people to use online communication for classes/jobs/etc, then the university needs to provide computers that people can use for that,” another commenter said. “I myself use the campus computer labs at least once a week.”
On that same Reddit post, some users explained that they saw the move as a step forward, noting their belief that the computer labs had become obsolete.
“I don’t see a compelling reason to keep the general computer labs open,” a Reddit user said. “They made sense years ago when personal computers were expensive and not everyone had access to one at home. But today, computers are everywhere.”
After June, students will still be able to access other non-IET operated on-campus computer labs through specific colleges and departments, including the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the College of Engineering and the Department of Design. However, these resources may be limited in capacity and restricted to students based on their major and/or college.
Written by: Rachel Tran — campus@theaggie.org
