Overview
Beginning Fall 1998, the University of Texas System has participated with Microsoft Corporation through the Microsoft Campus Agreement (MSCA). The MSCA provides students, faculty, and staff access to Microsoft's popular computer software, including operating systems and desktop productivity tools.
Through the MSCA contract, every student, faculty member, and staff employee in the University of Texas System will have access to the latest versions of this important suite of software for use both on campus and at home.
We believe this will give the UT System a competitive advantage in recruiting and retaining students, as the software tools they most often need (and usually buy on their own) will now be available to them at no additional cost by attending UT System schools.
The most popular desktop packages from Microsoft are included for PC and Macintosh platforms as well as for use by thin clients in conjunction with Microsoft Windows Terminal Services.
Cost and Eligibility
The software products covered under this agreement are available at no additional cost to users who are eligible.
Computers owned by UT
All computers that are owned by institutions in The University of Texas System are covered by the Microsoft Campus Agreement. Departmental staff may install covered products for use for the duration of the agreement.
Computers owned by Students
Students are eligible provided they are currently enrolled in a degree-granting program at institutions in The University of Texas System. Correspondence and Long-Distance students are not eligible under the MSCA unless they are also officially admitted to a UT System institution.
Students are permitted to run covered products on one personally-owned machine for use for the duration of the agreement. The one exception to this is Office which can be installed on one desktop computer and one portable computer for your exclusive use.
When students graduate, they become permanently licensed for products covered at the time of graduation. If students leave the University without graduating, they must remove all products obtained under the MSCA.
Computers owned by Faculty and Staff (home use)
Faculty, faculty emeriti, and staff at institutions in The University of Texas System and at UT System non-profit wholly-owned and operated entities¹ are eligible for work-at-home use with certain restrictions. Retired faculty and staff are not eligible.
Faculty and staff work-at-home users are permitted to run covered products on one personally-owned machine for use for the duration of the agreement, provided that:
- You only use software products that are provided for your use at work though the versions may vary. For example, if you have Office 2000 on your work computer, you can install Office on your home computer.
- You use the software for University-related business.
Work-at-home users must uninstall the software from their personally-owned computer when they leave employment at the UT System, or if the software is no longer made available for their use at work.
¹ UT System non-profit wholly-owned and operated entities (employees of which are treated as employees of the UT system with respect to this agreement):
- UT Southwestern Health Systems
- UTHSCH University Care Plus
- UTHSCSA University Physician's Group
- UTMB Family Health Care Systems
- UTMDA Physicians Network
- UTMDA Services Corporation
- UTHCT East Texas Quality Care Network
- TTUHSC Health Care Systems
These entities will be treated as departments within UT System for purposes of this agreement.
Who is not eligible?
Individuals are not eligible under the MSCA unless they meet the specific criteria above. Such ineligible individuals consist of (but are not limited to):
- Anyone enrolled exclusively in non-credit courses
- Conference attendees
- Alumni
- Visitors
- Companies, and their employees, who have been hired on a contractual basis for services on or off campus. (i.e., individuals not directly employed by UT System)
- UT System employees who do not use a computer at work
- Retired faculty and staff
System Requirements
Requirements vary by product. Please refer to the Microsoft Web site for detailed information.
