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Systems Support Users
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Systems Support Users
Group Minutes |
Units who use student employees will need to decide what computer “rights” they prefer their students to have, so Systems Support (SS) may set them up accordingly. Access may be limited by one or both of the following:
1) User Ids only work on specific computers
2) Lock down of computers according to times that machines may be used.
User Group members need to get input from their units and apprise SS of how to set machines.
SS Support of Educating Illinois
General consensus of the Users group was that SS should articulate their support of Educating Illinois, however indirect that support is. The statement would include efforts to enhance progressiveness and forward-thinking of employees regarding technology and how it can improve employees’ support of Educating Illinois, e.g., foster a “training-for-the-future” attitude and inspire employees to try new products. Another compelling component of the statement should be that staff need to be trained to a level technologically consistent with and compatible with students and faculty. The underlying objective is to attain and maintain state-of-the-art technology at Illinois State so that operations and interaction among campus units is maximized. It is indirectly and image and recruitment aspect, i.e., for Illinois State to be on the cutting edge of technology. The big challenges related to these efforts are that employees are resistant to learning new techniques and applications because they are comfortable and familiar with what they currently have and because it takes time to learn new techniques.
Training Suggestions
1) Sessions need to be more interesting
2) Sessions could be segregated by “beginner, intermediate, and advanced” content or users
3) A liaison with each unit could be appointed to deal with basic instruction in their areas
4) Analyze and categorize the Help Line requests and design training sessions accordingly
5) Provide support and training for Macs (e.g., ¼ computers in UA use Macs); routinely get these staff together to update/upgrade/share information
6) Training on Database is needed. (Hodges explained that we are moving from Access to SQL Server, which is the biggest engine product available)
File organization will be dealt with as SS deploys Windows 2000 during the next couple of months. SS needs to raise consciousness for all employees about the emerging scarcity of storage space and the necessity for routinely purging individual computer file.
SS will alert users that there is a harmless, but pesky, virus appearing in various locations on campus. It begins with an e-mail from “postmaster something” and, if the attachment is opened, has the ability to generate e-mails under employees names. Hence, users think they are getting an official intra-university communication.
The Users Group will brainstorm ideas for training sessions and develop a training syllabus.
Meeting
brief prepared by
Cheryl Young
5/17/02