PASTA

Department of Computing

Providing Area Schools with Technical Assistance

 

pasta surplus laptops
pasta wilson wallis lab
pasta extra monitors

Providing Area Schools with Technical Assistance (PASTA) is a program run by the ETSU Department of Computing. The program provides refurbished computers and other information technology hardware to local publicly funded K-12 schools. PASTA also works with the Department of Computing  Senior Project Class to provide technically trained service learning students to schools, local non-profits and ETSU.

  • TN Donation Locations
    To date, the PASTA program has donated to more than 60 schools in 18 East Tennessee school districts.
  • PASTA Lab
    The PASTA Program is located in room 101 of Wilson Wallis Hall. This area serves as an ETSU Department of Computing teaching lab, in addition to the Program’s computer processing and storage facility.
  • PASTA Leadership
    The PASTA program is managed by a Director who works for the Department of Computing and also usually each semester has a student worker as well as an occasional STEM scholarship student.
  • ETSU E-Waste Policy

    Another role that PASTA plays on campus deals with ETSU's E-Waste Policy. The Policy can be found here: 

    Click here to see ETSU's Electronic E-waste Policy

 

Photo of David Robinson PASTA Director / Asst Systems Administrator

David Robinson

PASTA Director / Asst Systems AdministratorComputing

 

PASTA History

  1. 1999

    The Beginning

    Two students were recruited for a special topics class to work in Carter County School System to help with tech problems. (The current director, David Robinson, was one of those two students.)
  2. 2000

    Least Cost Replacement

    ETSU converts to Least Cost Computer Replacement Program.
  3. 2002

    4770/4800

    CSCI 4770/4800 officially becomes part of the Department of Computing curriculum as a required class for IT and IS students.
  4. 2003

    Donations to Public Schools

    ETSU and TBR agree to let the PASTA Program sanitize and refurbish surplus computers for donation to publicly funded K 12 Schools.
  5. 2005

    New Director and Move

    PASTA director hired and program moves to basement of Wilson Wallis.
  6. 2006

    TN Tech Service Award

    The PASTA program was given Tennessee Tech Service Award for use of technology in education.
  7. 2016

    All Surplus IT Equipment

    ETSU officially changes policy so that the PASTA director is given responsibility for all surplus IT equipment disposal.
  8. 2017

    10k!

    PASTA program donates 10,000th computer.
  9. 2018

    Cocke County

    The PASTA program donates 1,000 more computers and begins sending surplus machines to Cocke County for the first time.
  10. 2020

    12k! and Hawkins

    The PASTA Program donations pass 12,000. Computers are sent to Hawkins County for the first time.
  11. 2022

    14k!

    The PASTA Program passes 14,000 computers donated to local schools.