About Desktop Systems

The most familiar task of the Desktop Systems team is staffing the Faculty and Staff Support Desk. Desktop also manages the Student Technology Consultants (STCs) group who run the Student Support Desk at the STC Station on the 1st floor of Jesup.

The Desktop Systems team supports personal productivity on faculty and staff office desktop workstations, including help with supported desktop software, printing, email, and network connections. The group helps determine what hardware and software will be deployed to faculty and staff and what systems will be recommended to students for purchase. They prepare the machines, deliver them, and follow up with individuals. The Desktop Systems technicians repair broken hardware or provide replacements. Major campus-wide upgrades like the move to Windows XP or MAC OS X are managed and coordinated by the Desktop Systems team. The team also writes much of the documentation found in the FAQs and Documentation areas.

The Desktop Systems staff supports personal productivity in a number of ways:

• Solve daily problems
• answer phones
• maintain problem tracking database
• make trips out to the field
• e-mail follow-up on problems not solved
• maintain solid knowledge of both IBM and MAC platforms
• Help solve major problems causing daily problems
• evaluate and improve printing and backups
• identify problems and trends
• lead in general solutions
• work with Network and Systems group
• Choose supported systems (hardware/software)
• research
• test upgrades and new software
• analyze
• work with Network and Systems group on technical considerations
• Support hardware allocation and distribution
• determine placement methods
• coordinate with faculty/staff for delivery
• Student Services
• work with student managers
• hire / fire / track student workers
• organize student teams for specific problems
• track tasks and problems
• hold weekly meetings to hire students for special projects throughout OIT
• be liaison between students and Networks & Systems
• hold meetings and provide guidance and training both in substance and in how to do their work
• keep up with a workforce that changes annually -- new needs for orientation and training
• Software support
• test latest versions
• be current in knowledge of latest versions for support to customers
• Major upgrades
• develop testing plan
• create distribution plan
• work with Network and Systems group
• learn it!
• plan migration
• plan how to handle mixed campus and software compatibility
• WEB use for desktop systems
• write documentation on new installations for simple setups
• write documentation on answers to common problems
• write FAQs