Outstanding Unit

CaTS Help Desk staff members.

The Computing and Telecommunications Services Help Desk received the 2018 Outstanding Unit Award for its strong support services and consistent, effective assistance to students, faculty and staff.

Mark Anderson, director of marketing, praised the Help Desk team for assisting the Offices of Marketing and Communications with their move back onto campus in 2018. After returning to campus, the offices relied more on the Help Desk for support. Anderson said the help the offices received has been phenomenal.

“The Help Desk has performed flawlessly, ensuring our staff are able to stay focused on marketing and communications instead of technical issues related to our move,” he said. “They are modeling customer support levels that other areas of the university should be emulating.”

Over the years, both the Help Desk’s services and its role at the university has changed. Terri Klaus, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, said she has seen the Help Desk grow into an extremely commendable service. The Center for Teaching and Learning and the Help Desk often collaborate to solve technical problems, giving Klaus a firsthand look at the dedication of the Help Desk staff.

“It is clear that the customer is top priority when approaching their daily tasks and regardless of the customer’s role, student, staff, faculty or alumni, the dedication to finding a solution is the same,” she said.

The Help Desk staff does more than help with technical difficulties. The staff also open classrooms on weekends, place class schedules, ensure printers operate properly and participate in new student orientations.

Kenneth Coon, director of client services, commends the Help Desk staff and Reid Allen, IT services manager, who is oversees the Help Desk.

“I often marvel at how well this group has functioned this year given the circumstances,” Coon said. “It is a testament to their leadership and his ability to create a culture that rises above the challenge and the service attitude of the entire group.”

Many people are impressed by the efficiency and effectiveness of the Help Desk. In the face of limited resources, the Help Desk has managed to answer phones faster, respond to emails more accurately and deal with peak times efficiently. Clients often spend very little time waiting for help while on the phone, and once they reach a staff member, their problems are solved effectively.

“The Help Desk organization should be proud of their work,” Anderson said.