Office Technology Support and Services

Need Help?

For fastest service, use the online request: TUHelp (http://tuhelp.temple.edu) or call 215-204-8000. College of Education faculty and staff only may contact the Education Tech Support Team at 215-204-6227.

Understanding Technology Support in the College

The Temple University Help desk (x1-8000 or help@temple.edu) provides university-wide support for office computers and technology issues. Faculty and Staff will receive priority service by requesting help online using TUHelp (http://tuhelp.temple.edu). The HELP desk should be considered your primary, central contact for assistance.

How does the Help Desk work?

When you initiate a service call either by calling, e-mailing, or filling out an online request to the Help Desk, a ticket number is issued and the following process occurs:

A tech associate at the Help desk tries to resolve your problem by either walking you through a solution or by accessing central systems to reset passwords or implement other administrative solutions. They can also assist you with information about services available and how to access/request those services.
If the tech associate cannot resolve your issue, your "ticket " is referred to the most knowledgeable group related to your issue. For example, if you report being unable to access the internet, then network services would receive your ticket. If, on the other hand, you report problems with Blackboard, then Instructional Support Center receives your ticket.
1. If your ticket is related to your Office computer, it will be forwarded to the College of Education queue, where it will be taken care of on a first-come-first-serve basis by the Education support team (Lori Bailey, Quaiser Abdullah, Steve Toy, and David Matthews). We usually complete tickets within 4-6 hours of receiving them. You can contact the Help Desk for a status at any time.
2. Issues that the College is unable to handle internally are escaled to MicroComp/Lan Service and Support.

Meet the College Tech Support Team

The College technology support team includes:

Steve Toy, Technical Support Specialist
David Matthews, Computer Lab Support Specialist
Keith Collins, Web Applications Developer
Quaiser Abdullah, Assistant Director of IT for the College and Tech Support Manager for ECC lab
Lori Bailey, Director of Information and Instructional Technology

Technical Support Specialist

Steve Toy's primary responsibility is to provide support for the College's faculty and staff offices, including all three departments and two centers. Steve receives assignments via TUHelp or as directed by the Asst. Director of IT. The College also maintains a small student support staff, who works with Steve, to assist with setups and installation of hardware and software and to quickly resolve smaller support issues.

Senior Technical Support Specialist (Computer Lab)

David Matthew's primary responisbility is to insure the smooth operation of our multi-classroom computer lab, the ECC (Education Computing Center). David oversees the maintenance of all hardware and software in the lab, insuring we have current and working equipment for use by our instructors and students. He assists in managing the student workers who provide coverage and support during lab hours. Dave also assists with Education faculty & staff support issues, as assigned by the Asst. Director of IT.

Assistant Director of IT and Technical Support Manager of the ECC

Quaiser Abdullah's primary duty is manage the technical support needs of the College and to insure the smooth operation of our multi-classroom computer lab, the ECC (Education Computing Center). Quaiser is the primary contact for faculty and staff requesting technical support in the College. He manages the TUHelp queue, makes assignments to our support team, and follows-up to insure issues have been resolved to the satisfaction of our faculty and staff. Quaiser is also available to help instructors prepare for classes, learn new software and technologies, and get on-demand assistance during class.

Director of Information and Instructional Technology

The College established the Director of IT position to oversee management of technology throughout all our programs, departments, and centers. Lori Bailey's primary responsibilities are to develop systems of data collection and reporting, track and oversee acquisitions of technology assets, develop and promote technology integration in the curriculum, and oversee and manage technology-related projects and spending. Lori also serves as the College's Data Security Liason and Assessment and Evaluation technical support specialist.

Education Tech Support and the 5-Minute Rule.

While the Help Desk should be the primary contact for office support issues, the Education Tech Support Team assists in resolving small issues quickly and efficiently. Thus, we apply the 5-minute rule: if our staff can resolve the issue in 5 minutes or less, we will. If however, the issue is more complex, requires follow-up, or is related to network systems not under our domain, we will refer the user to the Help Desk to submit a formal request.

Director of IT as Help Desk Liaison

In addition to answering your simple tech support issues, the Director of IT serves as the College's liaison between users and the Help Desk. If, after contacting the Help Desk, your issue remains unresolved after 72 hours, unresolved after a visit from tech support, or expands to include new and additional concerns, you should forward your ticket number, along with a brief history of the problem to the Director of IT. The Director will then work with the necessary Temple services to resolve your issue promptly and completely.

Before You Call

Before you call for tech support, please make sure you rule out these common errors:

Access or Power Issues: Insure cords and plugs are securely attached.

Passwords: be sure you are using your current password, the caps lock key or number lock key is correctly set, and type slowly and carefully.

Printers: Do not change the ink cartridge until printing is noticeably lighter. If jobs do not print, go to your PRINT QUEUE and clear all jobs. Turn the printer off, pause, turn on again and retry your print.

Who Should I Call?

Below is a short list of issues and the recommended first-responder for each. If you cannot find your issue or are still unclear on who to contact, your best option is to contact the Help Desk (x1-8000, help@temple.edu, or TUHelp online request form).

Contact Education Tech Support Team

Online: TUHelp (http://tuhelp.temple.edu), preferred
Email: quaiser.abdullah@temple.edu
Phone: 215-204-6227

Who to Call
Issue/Request	Who to Contact First
Purchase/install new software	Department*
Purchase/install new hardware	Department*
Reinstall/update existing software	Help Desk / TUHelp
Can't login to e-mail, TUPortal, or Blackboard	Help Desk / TUHelp
Request NEW access to shared or network drive	Help Desk / TUHelp
Can't access EXISTING shared or network drives/printers	Help Desk / TUHelp
Cannot login to Windows (your computer)	Help Desk / TUHelp
Help creating blackboard account or content	Instructional Support Center
Reserve "Smart Cart" or equipment for your classroom	Classroom Technology Support
Reserve "Smart Cart" or equipment for special event	Department
Training on new or existing technology or software	Director of IT
Printer jam or malfunction	Help Desk / TUHelp
Printer supplies (paper/ink)	Department
Computer won't turn on or serious malfunction	Help Desk / TUHelp
Mouse or keyboard stops working	Help Desk / TUHelp
Adapters, extension cords, USB memory sticks (flash memory)	Department
Pick-up of unused or surplus items	Department
Help with home computer	Help Desk / TUHelp
Submissions to Ed's Up (College of Ed Newsletter)	ednews@temple.edu

*All requests for purchases of new office equipment or software must be approved by your grant P.I. or department chair.