UTEP IT Needs: Student Perspective

raw data from a survey done February-March 2009

The Invitation

Dear xxx,

A UTEP faculty committee is requesting your input regarding Information Technology here at UTEP, by participating in a 4-question online survey.

We all rely on information technology every day, but some say that the current services and service levels provided to students are not adequate. Your input will help us gauge the current situation, and guide us as we develop a plan for improving IT at UTEP.

URL

Solicitation

This was sent to about 700 students, taken from the student directory, starting with A and going partway through C. A dozen or so students did not have @miners emails listed (having instead hotmail or gmail etc. ) and were not contacted. Several dozen of the emails bounced. Due to an mailing error, about half the invitations directed students to the survey intended for faculty and staff, however at that point the faculty responses had trickled off, so it was possible to approximately separate out the student responses. The questions on both surveys being only slightly different, the student responses to both are included here. In all there were 33 responses.

The Survey Questions and Responses

This scope of survey includes all of Information Technology (IT) at UTEP, from email to distance learning support, on-campus and remotely, including software, hardware, people, and processes.

We are especially interested in the big picture: going beyond the incidentals to think about how IT is helping you or hindering you as a learner and as a member of the UTEP community.

All questions are optional.

1. Please list two or three of the best things about information technology at UTEP.

Answers in the first textbox:
1. Free Access
2. easy access from off campus sites
3. Overhead projectors in every classroom.
4. Plenty of computers available
5. Wireless Access/ help desk is friendly.
6. Problems are addressed quickly
7. you provide us with pc's.
8. The conversion to Live Mail as it allows forwarding of school mail to my cell.
9. helps with info
10. WebCT
11. computers are fast
12. The help desk. They are always very helpful.
13. Basic issues resolved in timely manner
14. Availability
15. No matter what I have called about the problem is always resolved in an efficient and timely manner.
1. Calling IT usually resolves problems
2. cost
3. students can work at their own pace
4. mspace
5. It easy to explore the website
6. Quick navigation
7. [staff comment]
8. The field guys have become more proactive as far as line activation and fixing problems on the computer.
9. me
10. Technology in the classroom
11. Tech support for problems are always on call
12. mspace
13. Some professors do an exellent job
14. Quick to fix network problems
15. They are helpful to resolve things over the phone
16. Interlibrary Loan
17. WRDS database
18. technicians that come to office professional

Answers in the second textbox:
1. Webdrive and use of my documents folder is very useful.
2. large amounts of space to save and document
3. Computers contain updated technology
4. Students have access to subcriber only site IE library data bases at home and wireless connections.
5. Students are updated to problems
6. It's pretty reliable.
7. helps fix simple problems regarding internet
8. Remote Connection
9. IT help is effecient
10. The campus news is excellent. We stay updated.
11. Access to scanners
12. Always respectful no matter what.
1. People are pretty friendly
2. can work anywhere, ie. library, office, home
3. webct
4. it is not electronically "heavy"
5. little to no malfunctions
6.
7. the usage of library
8. Computers provided in COBA
9. many wifi areas around campus
10. updated web page
11. Some interesting subjects
12. Knowledgeable on the phone
13. Most times you do not have to hold
14. Email
15. SAS (portable on laptop)
16. available for problemshooting

Answers in the third textbox:
1. Free way to communicate with fellow students and faculty
2. Computer labs conveniently located
3. Speed of wireless connection.
4. UNIX Labs (Awesome)
5. Library online nugget. Can access from home-Great.
6. Late hour operation
1. Myspace on-line storage
2. I like the grading table where the instructor inputs all of our grades during the semester
3. very easily accessible
4. useage of technology
5. Wifi
6. websites are easy to use and not complicated
7. high speed connection
8. They are friendly
9. my utep (access WebCT, Goldmine, etc)
10. response usually quick

2. Please list two or three of the worst things about information technology at UTEP.

Answers in the first textbox:
1. They are localized to certain areas on campus.
2. Thursdays are bad days for database service
3. None.
4. No one to assist with specific programs
5. Too intrusive. feel that a student's privacy is not a consideration.
6. the pc's are very slow running
7. Web CT simply because many profs use it exclusively and I am not allowed to access that during the workday. Teachers give short noticed instruction there. Not enough time to react.
8. sometimes its too busy
9. Occasional outages of my.utep.edu
10. not enough computers
11. email that requires a pass word for encrypted messages.
12. never answer phone
13. Incorrect faculty Email Setup (pop)
14. cleanliness
15. I wish they worked on the weekends, sometimes problems arise during this time and we have to wait until Monday to have the problem resolved.
1. Cannot print if you run out of credits and printers will not indicate the issue
2. availability
3. Can not just go to office and ask questions
4. slow computers
5. I cannot sent any emails to my instructor, so I have to do it thru utep livemail instead
6. update webpages
7. [staff comment]
8. The help desk is still clueless when it comes to assisitng on IT stuff
9. classrooms
10. Computer Access Control to faculty (PhD students)
11. wifi areas are weak in signal needs upgrade to N1+not G
12. Service during weekends
13. Unclear MSIT degree
14. On campus computers are slow (outside library)
15. You have no idea when they are coming
16. People complain that when I use the UTEP address, they don't get the messages.
17. Projectors in COBA classrooms have weak illumination, in 301, all lights need to be turned off to see projection. In room 312, some lights need to be turned off.
18. routing issues

Answers in the second textbox:
1. Links are slow
2. Student aids are too social
3. not enough computer labs.
4. i dis-like that i have to pay for the paper
5. Too many emails I don't care about & Website is not functional for things like paying for print services. The traffic site is separate and weird.
6. too busy
7. That's about it.
8. not enough space in between the computers
9. Notices of email being tampered, and password needs change
10. It takes too long to be attended
11. printers not setup when new computer is brought in
12. Help desk assistants
13. When letters A-F had to reset their passwords.
1. Some labs will allow you to print w/o credits, but most wont
2. speed
3. might not email students back quickly
4. search ability of utep.edu
5. I am confussed about how to post messages in the discussions forum.
6. [staff comment]
7. The IT lines are expensive and should be free for staff working at teh university.
8. music program sucks
9. Log Scripts take forever
10. A bigger lab facility to ensure shorter waiting times,ex LART
11. Not all labs open during weekends
12. The project specifications required to graduate
13. It can be an emergency and do not get the help you need.
14. Internet is often slow and getting worse
15. no details on work done or cause of problem

Answers in the third textbox:
1. Access on campus seems more complicated than off campus
2. labs are ugly.
3. stuffy warm rooms
4. The computers in the COBA lab are ridiculously slow or dysfunctional all together.
5. not enough printers
6. Notice of needed password change at any time.
7. printers
1. We do not seem to have the latest equipment or if its available it is not easilty accessible.
2. people
3. changing over to an all MAC campus, no room for upgrades and less supporting software
4. WebCT is very unintuitive and is time consuming to use. Is there a better product? (e.
5. prevention of problems

3. What should be the top priorities for things to improve right away?

Answers in the first textbox:
1. Availiability of use.
2. Let anyone on campus with Wi Fi use internet
3. Getting an IT onsite at every comp lab
4. Make it know you care about a student's privacy and adjust monitoring.
5. Better wi-fi signal in buildings
6. cooler rooms
7. Make links and functions accessible or at least take off the options that say things like buy more prints when you in fact cannot do it on the web site.
8. using technology for campus safety
9. Times it takes to sign on.
10. more computers
11. Keep emails secure, so no UTEP ID or passwords need changing.
12. be fast
13. Training
14. staplers and hole punchers accesabilty (liberal arts)
15. Trying not to interfere with student use of internet services.
1. Print credits- There should be a warning that you are about to run out of funds
2. speep up the wireless connection
3. Not grading too harsly. Since there is no direct professor, is it difficult to understand how he/she wants essays, hw, written assignments
4. slow computers
5. Create an icon that clearly says " post message" in the disussions forum
6. downloadable software
7. [staff comment]
8. response time
9. music program
10. PC Access Controls mentioned in number 2.
11. wifi router upgrades,N1+ = more coverage & fewer routers
12. Labs
13. Graduation project
14. Help find a way to update livemail time! Email messages never have the correct timestamp.
15. When they will arrive to fix the problem
16. Quality
17. Projectors in COBA
18. Info on IT entities, who does what at IT

Answers in the second textbox:
1. Links should be more direct
2. Student aids that are more tech savvy
3. remodel computer labs. equipment is just ok, but make them look modern, cool and fun to be in.
4. new paint job
5. Upgrade sites so that students can log on via mobile devices.
6. faster utep webcite
7. Servers! This will improve log on speed.
8. more credits per semester
9. Reduce the need to change password for email.
10. be patient
11. cleanliness of keyboards
12. LiveMail emails should have the local date and time, if that is possible.
1. that the system doesn't crash often
2. search ability of utep.edu
3. an easy way to contact the instructor directly
4. [staff comment]
5. more efficient way of getting network connection
6. labs
7. Security Awareness
8. page errors are common, move server host to el paso and not Huston,=faster web loading
9. Computer maintainance
10. Advising
11. Virus protection
12. Consistency
13. WebCT replaced with a better
14. What services are available?

Answers in the third textbox:
1. IT techs online would be nice
2. Readable guidelines on individual programs
3. HAVE COMPETENT IT guys/girls in the labs to help you out if you should need it.
4. Unify webCT/live mail so that students don't have to have completely different locations to access their information/classes.
5. Lowering price on Color prints.
6. representatives need to be more helpful
1. the network at the computer labs at electrical engineering
2. improve scripting time when logging on an off
3. more teachers
4. upgrade to windows 7 ultimate...best OS yet can even help improve older computers(
5. Faster internet

4. What should be the top priorities for information technology at UTEP over the next few years?

Answers in the first textbox:
1. Increasing availiabliity and presence on campus.
2. Expand database
3. Provide wireless access throughout the University if not already provided.
4. Comp labs in every building
5. stay adhead of the curve, bring the best and newest stuff hell we pay enough for it.
6. updating the equipment
7. More integrated access so that students can connect through mobile devices to all websites and services.
8. technology and safety
9. Upgrading OS's in all computers... At least Vista for PC's, but hopefully Windows 7.
10. more computers
11. Make sure students at computers in Library are UTEP students, or create a UTEP STUDENT AREA ONLY place in the Library.
12. fast mantience
13. keep up with new technologies
14. Making the internet services as user-friendly as possible.
1. Upgrading computers in all computer labs
2. better computer equipment
3. expand to offer many more courses throughtout semesters/summers
4. e text books
5. to increase the number of courses offered
6. updating webpages
7. Move to an entirely wireless campus
8. faster network
9. guest login for internet access
10. larger lab area and more computers
11. More computers
12. 3.1
13. Quality
14. same as in 3., "Right away" might turn into a few years
15. Public Relations

Answers in the second textbox:
1. Use of technology is largely not taught to people or left for them to figure it out on their own.
2. Increase access
3. Student training siminars.
4. change the furniture
5. Teach professors how to use the tools so that students can get what they need from the website.
6. helping its students with tec issues more
7. Get Microsoft Visual Studio for CS/EE majors.
8. more credits per semester
9. wheel chair accesability
10. Updating the technology so that faculty and students can utilize the best technology available.
1. better local networks
2. to offer 9-week courses
3. Improve the ability of Faculty and Staff to Access Campus networks, systems to run faster and safer
4. reconsider the taking over of hybrid classes for 1st and 2nd yr students
5. Specializaed training for empoyees
6. 3.2
7. Consistency
8. Staff development

Answers in the third textbox:
1. Faster links
2. guest wi-fi accesability
1. efficiency
2. Change server host to utep a location closer than Huston
3. speed

Comments, suggestions, etc.

1. I am not very up to date on the latest electronic gadgets.
2. I hate the new UTEP home page. It is juvenile and screams junior college. EPCC on orange steroids is a good description. Why would I want to see photos of random people I don't know? This isn't high school yearbook where we put our friends pictures in every page of the yearbook. UT Austin has the tower on their website. Texas Tech has the seal and their campus. UTEP has such distinct architecture and is a gorgeous campus. Why is it not the focus? Those people do not reflect every student. The campus is the unifying symbol along with the Miners. It makes no sense the way it was changed. Even after all this time, it still irks me when the page loads. Other students have shared the same opinions.
3. There really isn't anything horrible about the IT at UTEP. Coming from EPISD, I must say UTEP's IT is a million times better, and a massive improvement.
4. Needing to use a computer as a student is essential. There needs to be UTEP student only areas first, and second, REPAIR computers that are not working!!!!! We log on to the 'available' computers, only to find that the computer is NOT working, or that highschool students or others are hogging them up. Really frustrating!
5. -WHen a coworker received a new computer, the computer was not setup properly. The coworker had no access to critical information in Outlook due to incorrect setup (pop). -Printer was not setup as well, when asked about it IT rep said that they would come back to set it up. IT never showed up to set it up. -Coworker was not able to access some other information off of Banner correctly -All of the issues above (Except for banner issue) were corrected myself. I believe that there is a lack of training with some of the IT departments (Local engineering IT vs real campus wide IT). A lot of times something like this leads to a lot of downtime.
6. Representatives need to be more helpful then they are. Printers are always out of paper and no one makes rounds to check this. The kewboards and screens are very dirty.Computers that do not work are not noted.
1. No real issues against IT
2. UTEP needs not to be fooled by business offers made by large corporations into conforming to an all Mac standard. The average price of a Mac vs. PC is almost always double in price. That is for all part and eventual upgrades. The prices of PC's have dramatically declined over this past year and have a larger support group from the leading software manufactures. PC is the more commonly used OS and it would lead to more expenses having to be paid out not only by the University but as well as the students.
3. It is unclear for quite some time now whether or not the MSIT degree has been accepted or not. I'll be graduating this semester and have no information on what is expected from your graduating project. I tried contacting my professor, but with no luck. Also our advisor seems to be unaware of his surroundings some times. I'm not sure he understands what it is to be an advisor.
4. I am a TA, and one of my grading policies includes electronically submitting assignments. The students are required to submit their electronic versions by a certain time. When I receive them, the time is never correct. Usually separated by several hours. Have any ideas how this can be corrected? This is my main concern.
5. Could this survey be done on some other site? I called the helpdesk to verify that this was a ligitmate email. Surveymonkey for the University that is professional.
6. For the most part we call IT when we have a problem or installation needs. Would like to call IT regarding the enhancement of operating systems and IT development.