Guide to Services 2003-2004: Office of Information Technology

Departments and Services

Center for Instructional Technology | Enterprise Technology | Office of Systems Development | Network & Computing Support | Telecommunication

The Office of Information Technology, or OIT, serves the University community by providing the technology resources faculty, staff, and students need. Offering the diverse tools required in various academic endeavors, the OIT departments provide unique services while working together to achieve common goals. This guide provides an overview of the different areas that comprise OIT and the services each provides. Those needing assistance in finding or using any of these resources should call the HelpDesk at 348-2435 or send e-mail to Help.Desk@ua.edu.

Center for Instructional Technology

The Center for Instructional Technology consists of the Classroom Resource Center (CRC), the Faculty Resource Center (FRC), and EventTech. All of its services are designed to enhance the teaching and learning process using technology.

The Classroom Resource Center

• multimedia classrooms
• portable equipment rental
• video library
• media services

The Classroom Resource Center designs, constructs, and supports media-enabled classrooms. Individual and group training on multimedia equipment as well as on-line manuals are available. (If possible, training should be requested at least 24 hours in advance.) Portable equipment such as laptops, projectors, and camcorders can be rented from Classroom Support Services, a part of the CRC.

The CRC maintains a video library for faculty use. The online video catalog at crc.ua.edu includes a wide range of subjects, including American studies, documentaries, drama, and professional development. The staff members of the CRC also assist with videotape duplication, transparency production, document digitization, and lamination.

The CRC Web site at crc.ua.edu has additional details about these and other services provided, as well as contact information.

The Faculty Resource Center

• instructional technology
• Web site development
• graphic design
• multimedia production
• faculty computer lab

The Faculty Resource Center offers seminars and workshops on technology use in teaching. In addition, one-on-one consultation and hands-on assistance are available. Assistance with the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of Web pages and instructional materials for Web sites is provided for faculty members.

The Web Development team, part of the FRC, also contracts to produce Web-ready graphics or entire Web sites for faculty, staff, and departments.

The current schedule of events is located on the FRC Web site at frc.ua.edu. This site also features online courses on Web publishing, photographs of campus scenes, PowerPoint templates, other audio/video files, and examples of Web sites developed by the FRC.

For assistance with Web sites or information about contracting for Web services, interested individuals should contact the FRC's Web Development group at 348-6095 or lennie@frc.ua.edu.

The Faculty Resource Center provides the following audio and video production services:

• Audio recording and conversion
• Digital photography
• Scanning
• Video production, compression, and streaming
• CD-ROM and DVD-ROM authoring

The contact for audio services is Emil Kunze in Faculty Development at 348-6017 or ekunze@frc.ua.edu. Rick Dowling in Instructional Technologies handles video projects and can be contacted at 348-6086 or rick@frc.ua.edu. Imaging Services in Instructional Technologies offers digital photography and scanning and can be contacted at 348-2403 or candy@frc.ua.edu.

The FRC maintains a computer lab for faculty use in room A-204 Gordon Palmer Hall (across from the HelpDesk). It is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. The FRC lab has current hardware and software for multimedia creation, including flatbed scanners with autofeeders, OCR software, video digitizing equipment, a slide scanner, and both Macintosh and Windows computers. Those interested should call 348-3026 or 348-9780 for more information.

EventTech

• audiovisual equipment
• equipment operation for University events

EventTech installs, configures, and operates sound and video projection systems for University-related special events. This group can be contacted at 348-0481 or via its Web site at eventtech.ua.edu.

Enterprise Technology

• support for academic and administrative computing
• network infrastructure

Enterprise Technology maintains the network and computer systems that provide connectivity both within the University and to the outside world. The University of Alabama has a switched gigabit network backbone connecting University buildings to each other and to the outbound connections. Approximately 70% of all University desktops have switched 100-megabit connectivity to the backbone, with the rest scheduled for upgrade over the next few years. The University is connected to the Internet, Internet2, and the Alabama Research and Education Network (AREN).

Enterprise Technology administers and maintains bama.ua.edu, a Sun Solaris server that acts as the University's central academic computer. In addition, Enterprise Technology staff members are responsible for the daily operations of UA2MVS, an IBM Enterprise Server used for secure administrative applications. More information about Enterprise Technology projects is available on its Web site, enterprisetech.ua.edu.

Office of Systems Development

• custom administrative applications
• auxiliary systems support

The Office of Systems Development (OSD) provides support and customized applications for centralized administrative systems such as financial reporting, human resources, and student information. OSD also supports a number of auxiliary systems, including Action Card, parking, and telecommunications. The OSD Web site at osd.ua.edu contains more information about the department, its staff, and its ongoing projects.

Network & Computing Support

• HelpDesk
• computer support
• e-mail
• local networks
• training
• hardware repair contracts
• Unix support

University users having problems with office computers, applications, network connections, or e-mail should call the Network and Computing Support Help-Desk at 348-2435, come by A-203 Gordon Palmer Hall, or send email to Help.Desk@ua.edu. The HelpDesk is staffed with student employees and professional staff members who solve computer problems over the phone or make service calls to campus offices. The PC Support team, part of Network and Computing Support, performs more advanced computer troubleshooting and problem solving than the HelpDesk and also assists with computer setups and configurations.

The LAN Support team maintains servers and local networks for many departments on campus. These supply e-mail, network printer access, and shared file storage. The Unix Support team provides assistance and support for faculty, staff, and students programming or running applications on bama.ua.edu or other Unix/Linux machines on campus.

The Documentation and Training team provides advanced computer training for University staff members in conjunction with Human Resource Development. Schedules and curricula are determined on a semester basis and vary by class popularity and -instructor availability. The HRD office conducts beginning computer training and handles registration for all training classes.

IT Equipment Services works on hardware-related problems on a departmental contract basis. Its technicians are certified to repair PCs, Apple computers, and printers. They can be contacted at 348-7509.

The main Network and Computing Support Web site is located at ncs.ua.edu. The HelpDesk also has a Web site, helpdesk.ua.edu, with information about campus computing.

Telecommunication

• telephone service
• cellular phones
• network wiring

The Telecommunication department provides telephone service to all campus offices and residence halls. Available options include voice mail and caller ID. Those whose jobs require them to be in constant reach can request cellular phones from their departments. Contracts and phone purchases are handled through Telecommunication. UA employees needing a cell phone for personal use may also get a discount on a calling plan.

The Telecommunication Web site at telecom.ua.edu has more information about services, calling plans, and phones for University departments as well as the employee cellular service discount. Departmental administrative staff members may use the request form on this site to add or change telecommunication services.

Telecommunication is also responsible for the physical wiring of the University's network. Most offices have active network connections. For additional connections, departmental administrative personnel should fill out the network service request form on the Telecommunication Web site. If an office's connections are not working, University personnel needing assistance should call the HelpDesk at 348-2435 to request activation.