Information Resources and Technology
Policies

Customer Support Services is committed to providing timely, professional, and competent technology support services to the campus community. The purpose of this document is to provide computer users with information specifically about policies and procedures regarding trouble reporting and resolution.

Technology HelpDesk
The Technology HelpDesk is located near the reserves area of the library on the main level (x2964). Telephone and walk-up support services are provided approximately 100 hours a week. Problems that are unable to be resolved by a student consultant are dispatched to a system, software, or network specialist for follow-up. All trouble calls are tracked via the Remedy Action Request System.

Hardware Repair
Customer Support Services provides on-campus repair for standard, supported computer equipment. Repair services, including parts and labor, are provided by Customer Support Services for five years on most equipment as long as parts are available at a reasonable cost. There are some exceptions to this five-year support policy.

• If obsolete parts are available, or are only available at high cost, the user department may be required to purchase parts or replacement equipment. Often, replacing the equipment is a more cost-effective solution in these situations.
  
  
• Laptops: Laptop computers are supported for three years; however, departments are responsible for repair costs outside of the warranty period. Most laptops come with one-year standard warranty. Because of the high cost of laptop repair, we recommend purchasing an extra two years, for three-year total warranty coverage. Repairs not covered by warranty will be the responsibility of the department.
  
  
• Printer repair: Departments will be responsible for repairs outside of the warranty period. Departments will be responsible for routine maintenance costs (parts only), and consumable items such as toner and ink cartridges.
  • Some low-end printers such as Inkjets and Deskjets are considered by the manufacturer to be "disposable" items, and in most cases will need to be replaced by user department rather than repaired.
  • Use of remanufactured/recycled toner cartridges is prohibited as it voids the manufacturer's warranty. User department will be responsible for repair/replacement costs if anything other than new toner is used.
  
  
• Customer Support Services reserves the right not to attempt repair on obsolete and/or non-supported systems. We recommend replacement of most equipment on a three-year cycle wherever possible.

Please note: Repair services are only offered for Bradley-owned equipment purchased through campus computer sales. Other systems such as Sun computers and servers often have special support and/or maintenance agreements, which are separate from this document.

Software Support
Customer Support Services provides telephone and on-site help with operating system and supported application problems for Windows and Macintosh computers. Assistance with non-supported software may be provided in some cases as time and expertise permit.

If a system problem requires that a computer be re-imaged, the user will be required to provide media (program on floppy disks or CD) for any non-supported software they wish to have re-installed on the computer. There is a $20 per application fee for installation of software.

Requests for hard-drive backup to removable media will be responded to as time permits, at a fee of $25 per CD-ROM disk copied. Purchase of a CD-RW is recommended for removable data storage.

System upgrades on existing computers (Win98 to WinXP, for example) should only be requested when necessary. Upgrades are resource intensive, often taking several hours and requiring hardware upgrades. Requested upgrades are subject to a system review to determine eligibility. There is a minimum fee of $100 per system upgrade in addition to the software cost.

Network Support
Computing Services provides network testing and repair for several thousand network ports on and off campus. In some cases involving wiring or jack installation and repair, telecommunications or facilities may be called in to work on a network problem.

Projects such as labs are billed separately (Ron Robinson will provide cost estimate).

There will be additional charges if there is no wired jack currently available for the requested network connection.

*Exceptions are buildings that have been re-wired with CAT5 wire (Olin and Library). There will be no network moves possible, only additions of ports at $250 each.

Student Computing
Students may call the HelpDesk at x2964 for assistance. Students who bring their own computers to connect to the campus network are required to follow the guidelines set forth in the Virus Protection Policy .

Last Updated 8/25/2006 by D. Randall