Hot on the heels of ASU enlisting Google's help for e-mail, the University announced it would be replacing more of its in-house technology through a partnership with Canon U.S.A.
The contract was signed on Sept. 22 and would replace current office equipment with Canon products and also sell Canon items in the ASU Bookstore. The partners plan to meet soon to discuss what products could be sold and at what price.
Canon sells a variety of consumer products including cameras, camcorders, printers, scanners and other supplies, according to their Web site.
The alliance is in its first stages, said Ray Jensen, University Business Services associate vice president.
"The contract is very general," Jensen said. "What we've announced is we've opened the door."
Canon will help to improve ASU's copying centers and document management and will implement other systems, according to the contract.
The University wastes too much paper when managing documents, Jensen said.
"The first step is ... to transition our document output devices to Canon," Jensen said. "That's including our office machine needs, our copy center needs [and] our library [needs]."
Replacing most office equipment should be done by January, with other developments occurring over a few years, Jensen added.
ASU was an attractive partner to Canon because of the University's technological views, said Bill Joseph, Canon Business Solutions-West President.
"We're so excited about this strategic alliance because so many times with our customers they want just the basics of the technology," Joseph said. "They're not really looking ahead at how to maximize the technology.
"[But] ASU has that interest."
Canon hopes to be involved in a big way with the University, including a showroom on campus and being involved in some student activities, Joseph added.
ASU hopes to improve efficiency for both students and faculty when dealing with documents - and Canon can help, said Adrian Sannier, University Technology officer. The concept would be to offer every document a student or faculty member might need online, Sannier said.
"The idea that we're passing forms out and carrying them around by hand - I think this [partnership] is going to greatly accelerate moving away from that," Sannier said. "I think that's a pretty big benefit for students."
There could even be a discount rate on Canon products for students, Sannier added.
The decision to seek help with document management came from a new take on the University's technology, Sannier said.
Rather than trying to develop their own technologies and apply them, ASU will seek out industry front-runners and focus on the application of their technologies, he said.
"[It's] a world of difference from when we try to provide those technologies on our own," Sannier said. "Suddenly we make a quantum leap in terms of what we're providing to students."
Replacing EMMA with Google's Gmail is one example, he said.
Despite taking away in-house technology, there wouldn't be any job cuts, Sannier said.
Shannon Hughes, a fine arts senior with a photography emphasis, uses Canon cameras and lenses and thinks the relationship is great.
"I trust their products - the quality of them," Hughes said.
If their consumer products are any indication of their other equipment and services, the partnership will be good for everyone, she added.
"I think it would be really beneficial to a lot of students [and] programs here," Hughes said.
Reach the reporter at Matthew.G.Stone@asu.edu.
