[337] in resnet
Re: Student support
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sonya Zuker)
Tue Nov 6 12:35:23 2001
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Message-ID: <B80D5DD3.53DE%sonya_zuker@redlands.edu>
Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 09:28:51 -0800
Reply-To: Resnet Forum <RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu>
From: Sonya Zuker <sonya_zuker@REDLANDS.EDU>
To: RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu
In-Reply-To: <3BE81911.DDDE5B2C@res.kent.edu>
I don't think it is so much combining forces, but having each side, ResNet
support and Help Desk, cognizant of what each group does. ResNet and Help
Desk are extremely visible on our campus. Faculty have been known to pull
the student aside, sometimes during class, to work on their computer.
Students have been known to contact the Help Desk.
There are similarities to what ResNet and Help Desk Technicians (HDT) does
on our campus now that we are networked. RCCs and HDTs troubleshoot calls
over the phone and in person. In time of need, RCC have gone over to Help
Desk to assist with calls and vice-versa.
As there are similarities, there are differences. Clientele base,
expectations of service, turn-around time, hours of availability, etc., are
different.
As a side note:
It is quite an interesting can of worms to open up when considering the
support structure for technology at an academic institution. With the staff
side of support, our campus is cookie-cutter like. We have three types of
machines on campus: Tangent (phasing out), Dell (phasing in), Apple
(administration can't get rid of them :). The student side, we have a
cornucopia of machines: new OS vs. old OS, home built vs. store bought,
laptop vs. desktop, top-of-the-line machines vs. stock machines, etc.
If anyone can find a happy medium of support, or a happy marriage between
student and staff support, please let me know. Redlands may try to
co-locate ResNet and Help Desk in the near future, and it would be great to
see if another school has come up with a plan that makes both sides of
campus happy.
As I digress...
Sonya
U of Redlands
--
> From: Wendy Shih <wshih@RES.KENT.EDU>
> Reply-To: Resnet Forum <RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu>
> Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2001 12:08:33 -0500
> To: RESNET-L@listserv.nd.edu
> Subject: Re: Student support
>
> I agree on your comment on consolidation of one phone number. I also can see
> using the same HelpDesk software will benefit users to get their requests
> routed more efficiently. My area currently has over 4000 ResNet student
> connections and our function is very different than the Help Desk for
> staff/faculty - since most colleges have their own computer support person,
> so the the Help desk is not exposed much to non-phone support. Yet, in the
> ResNet area, we answer calls, do nic installations, take computers in for
> most of hardware/software troubleshooting, room visit and port and switches
> troubleshooting since we are responsible for all switches and ports. With
> several different subnets, our environment is already quite complex for
> studnet staff to learn, I can't imagine to put both HelpDesks together.
> The quality and response time will suffer I think.
>
> Chuck Steel wrote:
>
>> We also have separate support groups for employees vs students, kind of.
>> Our user support group is called Response. I am the Student Coordinator,
>> and as such, I am responsible for coordinating support of the student
>> body. I have 14 students that work for me and they are responsible for
>> troubleshooting student machines.
>>
>> There are 4 full time technicians that support the employees plus a
>> Helpdesk Coordinator and our Director. They avoid having students work
>> on employee machines since they don't think that the Faculty and
>> Administrators would like the students having access to their machines
>> (which is something that I don't buy into).
>>
>> The one area that I feel could greatly benefit from consolidation would
>> be the Helpdesk. Currently employees call one number and students call
>> another. That means you have to have more people working the phones than
>> necessary, since a centralized helpdesk could route requests to the
>> appropriate workers just as easily.
>>
>> ***************************************************************
>> Chuck Steel
>> Student Coordinator, Response
>> csteel@gettysburg.edu
>>
>> "Let us not forget that each particle of knowledge that we gain
>> helps us cement the foundation of the future."
>> - Ernesto Che Guevara
>>
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