ITS?saves sanities, computers
Jancy Nightingale
Issue date: 2/12/09 Section: Focus
Whether dealing with a typical frozen computer or a coffee-corrupted laptop, the people at the college's Information and Technology Services are here to right our technological wrongs. Besides resolving technical difficulties, they work behind the scenes of several daily campus activities.
ITS executive director David Zenz said his office has its hand in everything on campus.
"We do our best work when we're not even noticed," Zenz said.
For example, student e-mail and Blackboard stay up and running because of ITS' maintenance. They block spam and fight off hackers. They maintain the entire Hillsdale network, including the college website, registration and ID numbers. ITS also develops progressive features on the side.
Zenz said they're currently constructing a student portal, which he describes as "a one-stop spot for you to get all your information," including e-mail, student accounts and WebAdvisor.
Zenz said this feature will formally launch later this semester.
When it comes to physical technology, ITS rarely receives complaints about its services.
Associate Professor of Speech Kirstin Kiledal said she came to ITS when she converted from a Dell PC to an Apple Mac computer. She ran into trouble with her Mac account, and appreciated ITS' hard work.
"They always did everything they could," she said. "Most of us aren't technologically minded and we find it really easy to blame the people as opposed to the technology."
Sophomore and student technician Nicole Napierala said there are nine student employees, all who undergo training to learn the basics such as how to run everyday programs and manually repair.
Before working for ITS, Napierala dropped her laptop, which cracked her screen, leaving her without a computer for four months.
The estimated cost was not worth the fix, but her holding out paid off.
Since she became associated with ITS, she now knows how to fix that typically expensive problem, without paying the high price.
ITS executive director David Zenz said his office has its hand in everything on campus.
"We do our best work when we're not even noticed," Zenz said.
For example, student e-mail and Blackboard stay up and running because of ITS' maintenance. They block spam and fight off hackers. They maintain the entire Hillsdale network, including the college website, registration and ID numbers. ITS also develops progressive features on the side.
Zenz said they're currently constructing a student portal, which he describes as "a one-stop spot for you to get all your information," including e-mail, student accounts and WebAdvisor.
Zenz said this feature will formally launch later this semester.
When it comes to physical technology, ITS rarely receives complaints about its services.
Associate Professor of Speech Kirstin Kiledal said she came to ITS when she converted from a Dell PC to an Apple Mac computer. She ran into trouble with her Mac account, and appreciated ITS' hard work.
"They always did everything they could," she said. "Most of us aren't technologically minded and we find it really easy to blame the people as opposed to the technology."
Sophomore and student technician Nicole Napierala said there are nine student employees, all who undergo training to learn the basics such as how to run everyday programs and manually repair.
Before working for ITS, Napierala dropped her laptop, which cracked her screen, leaving her without a computer for four months.
The estimated cost was not worth the fix, but her holding out paid off.
Since she became associated with ITS, she now knows how to fix that typically expensive problem, without paying the high price.
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