ITS Desktop Computer Support Policy
rev. March 2023
The document that follows explains in detail the scope of the coverage provided. It includes the following topics:
- Purpose
- Definition of Full Support
- Support Methodology - How support services are delivered
- Request Procedure - How to report problems and get assistance
- Desktop Backup of Personal Data
- Supported Hardware
- Supported Software
- Replacement Cycles
- Special Support
Purpose
Wesleyan University's Desktop Support Specialist (DSS) Staff are high touch, customer service-oriented professionals who provide comprehensive technology service and support to staff and faculty throughout the University. A part of the ITS User Services organization, under the direction of the Director of User Services, DSS professional staff develop strong relationships with the faculty and staff to ensure that they have the IT service, support, instruction, and resources to effectively use and interact with campus technology and IT services across campus.
The basic desktop support policy is to support all faculty and staff with their use of various information technologies on the Wesleyan campus. All standard laptop and desktop computers (PCs and Macs) purchased through the ITS Service Center and configured by ITS staff receive full support. Every effort is made to respond to all requests for service and support in a timely manner. The DSS team's approach is to take a proactive role and work with the university departments and individual faculty and staff members to make sure that their technology needs are supportable and sustainable.
Scope of Coverage
Definition of Full Support
Full support for computers and software includes the following:
- Initial installation and setup
- Customization for the user or department
- Upgrades (as needed)
- Diagnosis and correction of reported problems
Requests for hardware upgrades will be evaluated to determine if they are appropriate and recommendations will be made. Please refer to the Computer Replacement and Purchase Policy.
Support Methodology
Each DSS is assigned to a specific group of departments. They evaluate, prioritize, and respond to all requests for assistance from faculty and staff in the areas for which they are responsible. The list of departments and their corresponding DSS can be found on the web on the ITS Desktop Support Services page. The following list describes their method of operation:
- Once a request is received, a DSS will respond either by phone, by email, or in person within 24 hours.
- Requests are handled during normal working hours, Monday through Friday.
- Requests will be prioritized according to urgency and number of users affected. Problems affecting an entire department (i.e. the inability to connect to the network or access a departmental printer) will usually take priority over individual problems. Non-operational computers/technology will receive a higher priority than non-critical or intermittent problems. Requests of approximately the same urgency will be handled on a first-come-first-served basis.
- If the computer will be out of commission a temporary replacement will be provided by the ITS Service Center when availability allows.
- When appropriate, the DSS may dispatch a reliable student worker to attend to the problem.
- The DSS will utilize remote control tools when appropriate to provide quick problem resolution (the user's permission is required for remote control access).
- The requestor will be notified via email when the request is considered complete. If the requestor indicates that problems still exist or that additional assistance is needed in this matter, the DSS will continue working on the problem until both parties are satisfied. If new, unrelated problems have occurred, the user should submit a new request.
Request Procedure
All requests are logged into Service Now, ITS' service management platform. Any faculty or staff member who would like assistance can submit a support request by visiting service.wesleyan.edu. All Wesleyan departments and their assigned specialists are listed on the ITS Desktop Support Services page.Should a DSS be off campus, the queues are monitored and other staff members will be assigned to the requests. This will not happen if personal email or voice mail is used to request help. The ITS Service Desk may also be contacted for all ITS service and support needs at
Desktop Backup of Personal Data
The University recognizes that its employees may occasionally make personal use of University owned computers and does not wish to prohibit such use altogether. However, the University will not be responsible for the backup and restoration of non-work related data including: music, personal pictures, games and non-Wesleyan owned software. The University may ask for such data/software to be removed if it is hampering the function of the computer and the ability of the employee to perform his/her job function. In the event the employee gets a new computer or hard drive replacement, the University will not be responsible for the restoration of personal data. It is recommended that personal data is stored on external devices such as external drives which are to be purchased with personal funds. The Desktop Support Specialist who is performing the data transfer or configuration will have discretion in identifying personal data. By default, only the local C: drive or the primary Macintosh Hard Drive will be backed up. Users requiring additional volumes or external drives that contain scholarly data to be backed up must specifically request this from their Desktop Support Specialist. Additionally, as a general guideline, files in My Pictures and My Music, including iTunes, will not be included in nightly backups nor will this data be transferred to a new hard drive. Users will assume responsibility for this transfer should it be desired. Please note that music, photographs, and videos used in scholarly work are exempt from this policy amendment.
Supported Hardware
Computers
Full support is provided for desktop computers purchased with Capital funds by the University through the ITS Service Center for faculty and staff use.
Set-up of New Computers: Full support for new equipment includes pre-configuration of all hardware and software to Wesleyan standards by the ITS Service Center and on-site and/or remote set-up by a DSS. The specialist will make certain that the new machine is fully functional and that the user can access any resources (via the campus network or the Internet) that are needed to perform job responsibilities. Before removing the old computer, all data from the old machine will be backed up and the DSS will selectively transfer the needed files the new computer.
Service to Existing Computers: A DSS will respond to all requests for assistance and evaluate the nature of the problem. Most problems can be corrected on site, including simple hardware replacements, software installation, upgrades, or re-configuration. In more complex cases, the specialist may consult with ITS network support or server support staff, or other technical specialists to fully diagnose the problem and determine if the cause is within the computer or caused by external factors. If extensive or specialized hardware repairs are required or a complete re-installation of the computer's software is necessary, the machine may be brought to the ITS Service Center for repairs. In such cases, if the computer will be out of service for an extended period of time, a temporary replacement will be provided when available. The temporary computer may not be the same make/model computer and may not have all of the same capabilities, but it will perform the basic functions required for desktop computing (email, Internet access, the standard Wesleyan software configuration).
Obsolete Equipment: As computers age, components begin to fail and it becomes increasingly difficult to find compatible parts for repairs or upgrades. Once they no longer have the ability to run currently supported software it becomes increasingly impractical to invest time and money into their maintenance. For this reason, ITS will not support or service desktop and laptop computer equipment older than 8 years old and campus network access may be restricted. The useful life of Wesleyan campus desktops and laptops is 8 years or less. After 8 years hardware begins to decline and become obsolete and often is no longer compatible with required software and security updates. Desktops and laptops older than 8 years will be taken out of service and recycled / disposed of appropriately.
Other Hardware Devices
All faculty and staff should consult their DSS before purchasing any special-function computer equipment. The DSS can recommend equipment that will be compatible with the computer and operating system. The equipment should be purchased through the ITS Service Center to ensure that any problems with the equipment on delivery or during warranty will be handled expediently. ITS cannot guarantee support and service equipment purchased independently without the consultation of ITS.
Research and scientific equipment falls into a special category. In light of the enormous range of specialized devices that can fall into this category, the DSS may have no experience with the specific type of equipment and cannot guarantee that it can be made to function properly if problems develop. When purchasing specialized equipment it is important to consult with the DSS to determine the level of support that can be provided. In some cases it will be necessary to arrange for on-site service from the vendor or ensure that the faculty/staff of the department has been trained in its use and support. If the device must connect to any Wesleyan systems or to the campus network, the DSS should always be consulted on compatibility issues.
Supported Software
As with hardware, when the software installed on a computer is out of date, servicing it becomes more difficult and time consuming. Beyond a certain point, technical assistance can no longer be obtained from vendors, compatibility problems arise, and familiarity of the DSS with the software diminishes. For this reason, there are also minimum supportability standards for computer operating systems and commercial software.
Operating Systems
DSS support all current versions Microsoft Windows and Mac OS operating systems. ITS also offers support for Linux/UNIX computers.
Commercial Software
Faculty and staff should consult their DSS before installing software on their desktop machines.
In order to comply with software licensing regulations, a DSS will install only legally licensed software, freeware, or shareware.
Microsoft Software
Wesleyan has negotiated a special software agreement with Microsoft that licenses all Wesleyan faculty, staff, and students for the Microsoft 365 suite. All software in this category is fully supported, however, users should not attempt to upgrade operating systems themselves and should request assistance from their DSS.
Obsolete Software
As software companies release newer versions of software, the old versions eventually become obsolete for the following reasons:
- The software vendor no longer offers technical support for problems encountered
- The files or documents created by the software may be in a format no longer recognized by current software, making them un-sharable
- The original installation packages from which the software was installed may have been lost and can no longer be replaced
- The software will no longer run under current computer operating systems
The DSS team does not support software that falls into these categories. If a user or department needs assistance with such software, the DSS will recommend a currently supported software package that will perform the required functions and assist the user in making the transition to the new software.
Replacement Cycles
Wesleyan hardware is on a four-year replacement cycle. Departments should work with their Desktop Support Specialists prior to the outset of the fiscal year to determine replacement for that year.
Additional policies specific to faculty technology acquisition are covered in Computer Replacement and Purchase Policy.
Special Support
Professors Emeriti
It is important that Professors Emeriti, like all other supported faculty and staff, have computers that meet the ITS minimum supportable standard. This is cited as a special case since many departments do not budget for replacement of the computers for these faculty members and the state of their equipment is often far below that of the rest of the campus. While it is not necessary that they have new equipment, the department must provide these professors with a computer that meets these minimum standards in order to benefit from desktop support.
When a service request is received, the DSS will make a brief diagnostic visit. If the problem can be quickly and easily resolved, the specialist will do so. If the equipment does not meet the minimum standards and more extensive work or hardware repairs are required but not justifiable due to the age of the computer, it is the department's responsibility to provide a machine that meets the minimum hardware standards. The DSS will assist in backing up any data stored on the old machine so that it can be copied to the new one. The replacement computer will be configured with current standard ITS-supported software.
If the equipment meets minimum requirements, but extensive work is required to correct the problem, the DSS will arrange a schedule for this work, but the request will receive a lower priority than requests from active faculty and staff.
Faculty and staff working off-campus
The DSS group is unable to provide on-site service for computers located off-campus. Faculty on sabbatical or faculty and staff working remotely from off campus locations who require ITS service may Request IT Support via Service Now or call the ITS Service Desk / Help Desk at