EDUCATION: An exploration of ideas, issues and trends in education : IN BRIEF : Many Cal State Students Support Technology Fee

Nearly two-thirds of Cal State students would be willing to pay a student technology fee to fund unlimited Internet access, computer software and a 24-hour computer help desk, according to a new survey.

The statistic intrigues Cal State administrators who have been casting about for a way to pay for improvements in campus technology since they pulled the plug last year on a proposed $300-million partnership with Microsoft, GTE and other firms.

Charles B. Reed, chancellor of the 22-campus system, said he is not considering a fee at this time, but is intrigued by the students’ hunger for computer services.

The comprehensive survey, which interviewed 3,107 students on 20 campuses last year, underscored the growing reliance on computers:

* About 85% of students own a computer and, of those who do not, most have access to a computer at home or school.

* More than two-thirds use a computer every day, most often for word processing, and 54% had recently taken a class that required using a computer in the classroom.

* Slightly more than 65% would willingly pay a technology fee for Internet access and other amenities; 71% of them are willing to pay $10 or more a month.

“Students realize how unlimited access to technology has become important to their studies and their competitiveness to get a job,” Reed said. “And they’re starting to understand, it’s not free.”