It is nearly impossible to get through the first month of a college experience without becoming computer literate.

To that end, the Center for Computer and Information Technology has several open access labs around campus.

The personal computer labs have been on campus since about 1987, said Michael Alcorn, a senior support systems analyst for CCIT.

There are 100 DOS stations, 100 Macintosh stations and 24 stations that can run both operating systems, Alcorn said.

What software these systems run is based on the demand for certain programs, Alcorn said.

"I can't really say we're cutting edge, but we do the best we can with the money we have," Alcorn said.

The personal computer labs are primarily used for word processing and spreadsheets, Alcorn said.

"You can tell classes let out. Ten minutes before class people come running in to print papers," said James Diorio, a lab monitor and economics senior.

"Every month, it gets busier and busier," said Diorio, who has worked in the personal computer labs for nearly two years.

There is a 2 to 5 percent increase in lab use every year, Alcorn said.

The peak use times in the personal computer labs are the first two weeks of classes, when professors send students to get familiar with the computers, and the two weeks before exams, when students work on their last papers, Diorio said.

"It's a zoo," Diorio said, but he said students generally face little or no wait.

Derek Van Liere, a management information systems senior, Hall.

In the long run, the university would like to see all students have their own lap top computers, Alcorn said. Then, students could use the labs to plug in.

"When that would happen is anybody's guess," Alcorn said.

The labs are open 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., everyday, and are free of charge with valid UA identification.