Adobe History at WSU:
Why Are You Seeing a Change to Your Adobe account?
WSU technology costs trend up every year as state and university budgets continue to seek reductions. Information Technology Services takes great care to protect important system-wide technology needed for teaching, learning, and business support while also finding innovative paths to stretch those dollars.
To provide needed access to Acrobat Pro DC, WSU’s previous Adobe contract required faculty and permanent staff licensing for the Creative Cloud application suite at an annual cost of $59 per license, amounting to a total of $312K system wide. However, a recent analysis revealed that only 17% of our faculty and staff actively engaged with the Creative Cloud tools available through this suite.
How Can We Do Better?
Equipped with this data, ITS and system technology partners successfully renegotiated the WSU contract ahead of the December renewal schedule.
We are pleased to inform you that the team reached an agreement with Adobe to move up access for fall semester start, avoid anticipated cost increases, and provide licensing to not only our permanent faculty and staff, but for the first time ever, our students have Adobe access at no additional charge to them, also!
Licensing in the New Agreement: A Little Different
Again, based on historical utilization, the team reduced full Creative Cloud costs by identifying the following licensing allocations*:
- Permanent Faculty and Staff:
- At any one time, 20% of our permanent faculty and staff can utilize Creative Cloud licensing, including Acrobat Pro DC
- The remaining 80% of our permanent faculty and staff will have Adobe Express and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC licensing
- Students (numbers are based on anticipated course and degree programs requiring Adobe):
- At any one time, 10% of our students will have access to Creative Cloud licensing via invitations by their instructors
- The remaining 90% of students will have access to Adobe Express (no Acrobat Pro DC)
This is an exciting change, offering students these resources and offering WSU a cost-management opportunity.
One Year Trial
This agreement is structured as a one-year term with optional extensions allowing the flexibility to assess WSU’s experience with this licensing structure and whether utilization aligns as planned.
We Ask for Your Partnership
To facilitate a successful trial year, we urge you to adhere to the deployment instructions provided below to guarantee that the correct students, faculty, and staff have access to the Creative Cloud suite. Our priority is to ensure that those who truly require these resources can utilize them effectively.
Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to this initiative. Together, we can make the most of our resources and support the creative endeavors of our university community.
Adobe Licensing Instructions and Information
Adobe Express
WSU’s newest contract provides Adobe Express to all WSU faculty, civil service employees, administrative professional employees, and students. A terrific, easy to use tool, Adobe Express offers a wide range of customizable templates, graphics, and more for creating professional slideshows, presentations, videos, and social media content in minutes.
Learn more about how to access Adobe Express.
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC continues to be offered for all WSU faculty, civil service employees, and administrative professional employees. Student Adobe Express licensing does not provide them Acrobat Pro DC.
Learn more about how to access Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud is now free for active WSU faculty, civil service employees, administrative professional employees, and students on a limited basis and by request only.
For assistance requesting a WSU Adobe Creative Cloud license, please contact your local IT support team.
Renew Your Adobe Creative Cloud License
WSU employees with existing Creative Cloud access through the university must work with their local IT support team to renew their Creative Cloud license by Friday, Aug. 30, to maintain uninterrupted access to Adobe services.
Access to all Creative Cloud applications may be temporarily suspended if a Creative Cloud license currently assigned to an employee is not renewed by Aug. 30. If Creative Cloud access is temporarily suspended, please be assured that all existing Adobe content will become accessible again when the license renewal is approved.
Additional Licensing
ITS continues to provide for Shared Device Licensing (SDL) for Adobe Creative Cloud. Students, student workers, hourly/timeslip employees, affiliates, courtesy employees, and emeritus faculty are eligible to access Adobe Creative Cloud with SDL as needed on a WSU-owned computer located on a physical WSU campus connected to the WSU network.
To learn more about Creative Cloud SDL, please visit the WSU Knowledge Base.
If any WSU users require full Adobe software access and are not currently covered under new WSU’s Adobe licensing agreement, departments can continue to purchase standalone VIP Licensing for Creative Cloud or Acrobat Pro DC.
To learn more about Adobe VIP Licensing, please visit the WSU Knowledge Base.
WSU as an Adobe Creative Campus
The university’s new recognition as an Adobe Creative Campus reflects long-standing efforts to advance digital literacy skills by facilitating access to the latest technologies.
Now, with the ability to expand access to Adobe resources and tools to all users, the university can further integrate creative technology into curriculum and business practices, preparing individuals for academic and professional success at and beyond WSU.
Contact Us
Local IT support teams are available to assist with installing Adobe software on a WSU-owned device and gaining access to Adobe Creative Cloud as licenses remain available.
For more information on Adobe licensing and services, please review the Adobe support articles in the WSU Knowledge Base or contact Crimson Service Desk at crimsonservicedesk@wsu.edu or 509-335-4357.