Information Services Newsletter
News from IT User Services

For the past three years, it has been customary for me to include a brief review of services in the Autumn issue of our Newsletter, and I will do so again.

IT User Services has been at the forefront of significant change over the past three years as a quick review of post Newsletters reveals. In 2001 we launched the ISD Helpdesk and introduced a much enhanced video conferencing service; in 2002 we assumed responsibility for the centrally managed classroom media technology service and had 20 rooms available with “fixed provision” at a cost of £0.25m and around 4,000 students participated in our student induction programme; in 2003 we achieved a major breakthrough in the resilience of our corporate IT laboratory service and continued to expand the schedule of classrooms with fixed media technology services, as well as equipping each room with a new PC. So what has happened over the past summer period?

The digital classroom initiative has completed its 3 year development programme with a further 41 rooms being equipped. The successful conclusion to the programme has provided an opportunity to review the loan service. A major review of digital media services has concluded with the University’s senior committees fully endorsing its recommendations to develop and expand our services as well as to withdraw conventional TV studio activity from our services portfolio. ISD has launched its Student Charter and we are in the final stages of commissioning 3 electronic lecture theatres that incorporate video-conferencing capabilities.

Our services are driven by our close working relationship with people through formal and informal contacts and our commitment to strategic change. This proactive approach will continue as we embark on the delivery of further service enhancements, the first being to provide a wireless service on the strength of the work being undertaken by our colleagues in the Network Team.

 In concluding, I fully recommend to you the articles in this issue that serve to provide additional details on what I’ve referred to and may other innovations from the rest of ISD. Regrettably, I also note with sadness the deaths of two colleagues over the summer. Bob Cordiner, who employed me as a programmer in 1973, passed away in July; he will be remembered for his pioneering work in the field of computing within Northern Ireland. Also Robin Wilson, who joined Bob’s team ever earlier than I did, and who was responsible for systems work over a period of many years, spanning mainframes, mini-computers and the ubiquitous desktop generation, died following a short illness at the end of August. Finally our colleague Denis Loughran retired in May. He had a long career with the institution and was a key player in several technological changes associated with media technology services as well as serving on the University Council. We wish him a happy and active future.

Noel Wilson