Keeping a computer up-to-date with its patches is vital to our security as a university. We need all machines properly patched because for a skilled hacker, just one un-patched computer can open the door to the entire network. It used to be that a hacker would steal your data, and you would never know. Now they are encrypting your data and you are completely locked out unless you buy their decryption key. Departments at other universities have had to take months and completely rebuild every machine on their networks due to this type of attack.
Updates are not always timed predictably. ASCTech issues updates on a regular schedule, but also deploys them in reaction to security events in the real world. Keeping a computer on when idle ensures it is as up to date as possible.
The less frequently you use a computer, the further out of date it gets and the easier it becomes to hack.
Keep it safe. Keep it up to date. Keep it on.
More information about ASC patching (requires login)