Tackling Tech Troubles as the Academic Year Begins

As thousands of students pour into Ohio State’s campuses each August, joining faculty and staff ramping up for the new academic year, technology troubles are inevitable. From Wi-Fi connection issues to forgotten passwords, and the occasional Blue Screen of Death, the IT Service Desk team is ready to jump into action. This trained team of technology experts in the Office of Technology and Digital Innovation (OTDI) connect with users to fix tech issues online, in person and over the phone.  

Now that technology touches every part of the higher education experience, the Service Desk plays a vital role in making sure something as simple as a faulty Wi-Fi connection doesn’t derail someone’s day. “Our primary focus is to answer IT-related questions and resolve IT-related issues so that the university community can focus on the teaching, learning, research, and outreach work that brought them here,” said Max Treboni, Director of Service Operations.   

From the earliest days of move-in through the first week of classes, the Service Desk handled 396 wireless network connectivity tickets. Still, those tickets only added up to the fifth most common issue the Service Desk has seen in August. Password and identity management, BuckeyePass trouble and university email support all caused more contacts to the Service Desk. The teams’ largest group on tickets were desktop support items for Managed IT Services (MITS) customers. The Service Desk covers onsite desktop support for all six Ohio State campuses as well as Ohio State extension offices and research stations across the state.  

The Service Desk partners with Classroom Services, an OTDI team housed in Learning and Collaborative Environments (LCE). These technicians support over 350 classrooms and pool spaces. LCE works continually to update pool classrooms to improve teaching and learning environments, adding new technology and maintaining the AV and IT systems in these spaces. 

As classes get back in session, Service Desk agents field calls and dispatch support for non-MITS customers via the Learning Environments Classroom Helpline (614-688-4357 / option 4). Classroom-related issues are routed to LCE. With MITS customers, Service Desk agents also provide onsite support. Before the academic year even begins, all MITS-supported learning spaces are given “health check-ups” to fix issues preventively.  

Even with preventative measures, technology hiccups can happen, and these teams are ready to respond. Keep in mind all the ways to find tech support through the Service Desk.  

How to contact the Service Desk: 

24/7 Phone Support  

The university community doesn’t stick to a 9-to-5 schedule, especially when it comes to students and midnight deadlines. The Service Desk offers round-the-clock assistance, ensuring that help is always available any time of day. When a late-night technical glitch is causing panic, the Service Desk team is just a call away at 614-688-4357. 

IT Self Service Portal 

The IT Self Service portal is a treasure trove of resources available on-demand. Users who know what issue they’re trying to solve can search the Knowledge Base for FAQs, how-to guides, and troubleshooting tips. For more guidance, users can click “Need Some Help?” and choose to submit a ticket or call the Service Desk. IT Self Service also lets users check the status of their ticket and make comments to provide additional information.  

Walk-In Support 

The Service Desk also offers in-person support on each Ohio State campus. The BuckeyeBar, located in Thompson Library on the Columbus campus, operates 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Additional walk-in support desks are available at each regional campus; locations and hours are available on the IT@OSU website.