Alcove

Overview

The Alcove is designed to be a comfortable, computer-enhanced group learning space for students, staff and faculty. One of the newer computing spaces on the College Avenue campus, the Alcove moves OIT in an exciting new direction - one in which students can access computers in comfort and collaborate together on projects. How OIT ended up moving in this new direction is a story of staff initiative, student involvement and cooperation among numerous parties throughout the university. [Get the complete story]

The Alcove features:

• A conference room equipped with an interactive white board
• Round tables with plenty of workspace
• iMac computers at each table fully equipped with over 30 software programs
• Projection capabilities from in-house computers or from your laptop
• 46" Flatscreen TV's for presentations
• RU-tv
• Plenty of plugs and RU-Wireless connectivity for your laptop
• Couches and lounge chairs

Computer-Enhanced Collaboration

There are two rooms in the Alcove. The larger room can accommodate 18-25 students and is furnished with large tables, lounge chairs, and a couch. There are 18 seats at the tables, plus 7 lounge chairs and a small couch. Ideally, groups of 3 to 6 students at a time can work together discussing and perfecting their ideas. Instructors looking for a presentation space for a small class will also benefit from use of the Alcove. Each table can project to a nearby wall-mounted LCD display, so presentations can be viewed on a large screen.

With lounge chairs, couches, and plants, this lab is designed to be roomy, comfortable, and eye-pleasing - the type of space students would not mind hanging out in for long periods of time to work on a lengthy project.

Computers and Collaborative Technology

The Alcove has six 24" iMac workstations. 2 are located along walls directly under 46" Sony Bravia Flatscreen televisions which allow for projection of the desktop onto the TVs for enhanced group and collaborative work. The other 4 iMacs are located on two round tables with ample seating and space for a group to work on a project. These iMac workstation also project onto 46" Flatscreen TV's.

Along with the iMac's each table is configured with VGA/Audio inputs to allow group members to connect their laptops for projection on to the TV's. Instructions for the use of laptops and the iMac workstations are provided at each table, along with a chanel guide for RU-TV.

The back conference room is a private eight-person meeting space that contains a computer, wall-mounted monitor and interactive whiteboard that can be used to digitally record your brainstormed ideas.

Reservable Conference Room

To reserve the Alcove Conference Room, please stop in the Records Hall lab on the day you wish to book the space.  Reservations are only taken for that day based on availablity on a first come, first serve basis.

• Conference room reservations can only be made for the same day.
• You must have at least 4 people present for staff to open the room.
• Teaching Lab policies apply to the Alcove
• The larger lounge area may only be booked by classes in the schedule of classes not exceeding 24 persons.
• Professors wishing to use the lounge for their class should submit a request off of http://iml.rutgers.edu/
• No conference room reservations are permitted when classes are scheduled in the Lounge.

On-Site Support

To answer your questions, a lab consultant will be at the College Avenue Computing Center consultant station during all hours of operation. Please click here for information on the CACC's hours.

We Want to Hear Your Feedback!

Please share your feedback on your experiences in the Alcove (or any of of the other OIT Computer Labs) by completing our short survey below.

As an added bonus, if you complete the survey, you will be entered into a random drawing for a $25 gift card for Barnes & Noble!

Take the OIT Computer Lab Survey, and enter for a chance to win today!

Questions/comments regarding the OIT Computer Labs can be directed to: feedback@computerlabs.rutgers.edu