Microsoft Campus Agreement

On March 30, 2006, Rice University signed a campus agreement with Microsoft, entering into a subscription-based licensing program for Microsoft software applications. For an annual fee, the Subscription Licensing program allows departments the right to run selected products—including upgrades or downgrades of those products—for the designated term.

Can my department participate? Yes!

Our initial subscription will be for the Desktop bundle, which includes Microsoft Office Professional (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access) for Windows and Mac OS, the Windows desktop OS upgrades*, and Core CALs (Client Access Licenses). Core CALs are important for accessing Rice’s Exchange, Sharepoint, Windows, and system and management servers. The annual fee of $47 per FTE will be charged to the department as long as the department uses the software.

*Note: Computer operating systems must already include some version of Microsoft Operating System. The Desktop bundle can only be applied to computers with an existing Microsoft Operating System.

Participation in the Rice Microsoft Campus Agreement must include the entire department and be coordinated through the Office of the Vice Provost for Information Technology (IT). Contact Charlita Marrs, Manager for Procurement and Vendor Relations, at 713-348-4979.

Need more information? Check out the frequently asked questions (FAQs) for the Rice-Microsoft campus agreement. Download the FAQs (185KB pdf).

To see a list of campus departments involved, see the list of participating departments.

Other Microsoft products may be available through subscription; contact Charlita Marrs to determine availability and pricing. In addition, individual purchases of Microsoft software applications can still be made with the Rice educational discount through Technology Marketplace: http://www.rice.edu/market/departmental/software

Do the Math

A department with 50 FTEs may own 150 or 200 computers, including those in their student labs. By opting into the campus agreement, the department pays for 50 FTEs, but all the computers owned by the department are covered under the campus agreement and each of these computers can have the software installed. Due to this expansive coverage of all department-owned computers, the campus agreement can only be entered into by the department as a whole. For example, this same department of 50 FTEs could not secure the Microsoft package for only 15 of their faculty and staff members. The bundle will also feature work at home rights for Microsoft Operating System.

Reduce Licensing Overhead

A department that utilizes the campus agreement won't have to order or track individual licenses for products in the desktop bundle. Departments can reduce some of their software ordering and tracking overhead by opting into the campus agreement. This is just one of the reasons that three departments have already agreed to participate in the campus agreement. IT, the Office of the Registrar, and Facilities, Engineering and Planning have all opted into the new program.

Enrollment Periods

There are two thirty-day enrollment periods each year. April is the annual enrollment period for the twelve-month program. In September, a six-month prorated option is available. Participants who join in September pay only half of the annual fee for that year, but are obligated to a full year's subscription on the campus anniversary date (April 30 each year).