One of the main goals of the Office of Technology Services? (OTS) spring 2004 reorganization was to provide the campus with better and more direct technology support services.
Over the past several months, OTS? Technology Support Services unit has tackled this goal, evaluating the campus? support needs and responding by planning for new services and by enhancing and expanding existing services. The following information provides the key changes to technology support that will go into effect for fall semester 2004. Feel free to scroll through this announcement for specific information on the topics:
o Distributed Support for Faculty and Staff
o Student Support Now Handled By Student Computing Services (SCS)
o Technology Training Manager to Merge Training Efforts
o Expanded Mac Support Services
o CIAT?s Web Development Resources Available to Staff
Distributed Support for Faculty and Staff
In an effort to bring OTS? services closer to faculty and staff, a new model will distribute technology support based on three geographic regions on campus. A campus map showing the three regions (east, central and west) can be viewed at {http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/fieldsupport/documents/2004_fieldmap.pdf}.
A team of Field Support staff members will be assigned to and based in each of the three regions, providing face-to-face service and support for specific technology issues and problems. In addition, Field Support managers will serve as liaisons to the seven colleges, fostering strong working relationships between the groups by regularly meeting with leadership and conducting needs analyses. By doing so, OTS will provide faculty and staff with:
o more personalized service
o better communication, collaboration and cooperation
o more timely responses to problems
o increased preventative maintenance for solving issues before they become problems
o enhanced assistance with departmental technology planning
o increased satisfaction and quality assurance
Through the fall semester, faculty and staff should continue to use the Help Center (410-704-5151, {helpcenter@towson.edu}, Cook Library, room 5) as their primary point of contact for technology issues.
Field Support will implement a ?triage? system whereby technology issues are sorted and resolved based on their level of severity and other priorities.
The Help Center will continue to resolve simple issues over the telephone or through remote access services. More in-depth problems will be handled through a field visit or, depending on its nature, by another OTS unit. Clients will be informed of a plan of action, including who will visit them, within a matter of hours.
Student Support Now Handled by Student Computing Services
Effective Monday, Aug. 30, Student Computing Services (SCS) will handle all technology support for students to further its mission for student technology orientation and skills development in computer software and computing resources.
Students should go to the general PC lab in Cook Library, room 35 for walk-up support instead of the Help Center in Cook Library, room 5. The lab is currently being expanded to include a walk-up service desk with trained TU student employees that will provide students with self-help resources to resolve issues. By integrating the help counter into the PC lab, students using the lab will experience closer and more direct support.
Support via telephone and e-mail will continue to be available through SCS. Students may call 410-704-5151 (the same technology support number as usual) or e-mail {scs@towson.edu}. Students will also have the option of scheduling one-on-one appointments with a representative from the Student Computing Learning Center, located adjacent to the Cook 35 lab.
SCS will also continue to offer student workshops. These 60-75 minute workshops are directed toward beginner and intermediate level computer users and address the computing applications and topics in most demand across campus. For more information, go to {http://wwwnew.towson.edu/adminfinance/ots/scs/workshops.asp}.
Technology Training Manager to Merge Training Efforts
Recently, OTS refilled its Technology Training Manager position. Ms. Nancy Quinn, who joined OTS on Wednesday, Aug. 11, will be responsible for guiding the direction of all technology training materials and opportunities at Towson, as well as heading the Technology Support Services (TSS) Training Center.
One of Nancy?s first goals will be to merge the training efforts of the Center for Instructional Advancement and Technology (CIAT), SCS and the TSS Training Center.
All workshop opportunities will be consolidated to a single training calendar offered online, rather than three separate ones for each center. A comprehensive registration system will also be created, whereby individuals can register for any training opportunity offered by the three centers at one online location. Faculty, staff and students will then be able to locate information and register faster and easier. Look for more information in Daily Digest over the next couple months.
Expanded Mac Support Services
To better serve the university?s Mac users, OTS? Field Support staff is expanding its Mac services, as well as creating several new options for support.
Over the next month, a Mac support team will be formed consisting of three to four staff members specifically trained to troubleshoot, resolve and support the Mac platform in addition to their general support roles. Furthermore, all other Field Support staff members will be required to attend a mandatory Mac orientation and training program.
Other new services include:
o a Web-based Mac owners registry to facilitate critical communications
o Mac users group meetings twice a semester
o a Mac Web site housed within the OTS site that will offer tips, resources and links to useful articles
o a ?Mac Corner? in TechTalk@TU, OTS? quarterly e-newsletter, that will provide Mac-specific information
CIAT?s Web Development Resources Available to Staff
As part of the spring 2004 reorganization, CIAT expanded its support team by merging with the campus? Web development group. As such, CIAT would like to remind staff members that Web development resources are still available to them. This is the only CIAT service offered to both faculty and staff, whereas all other services are reserved for faculty.
CIAT will continue to provide the same instructional technology services for faculty, including workshops, multimedia development, technical consulting, LearnOnline support and instructional development opportunities. Faculty members are encouraged to visit CIAT?s open lab in Cook Library, room 405. For more information, go to the center?s Web site, located at {http://www.towson.edu/ciat}.
