Classroom Media Assistance Service Level Agreements
From ITS Wiki - Information Technology Services - University of Rhode Island
This information pertains to the Kingston Campus Classroom Media Assistance Centers only.
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Portable equipment
Portable equipment rental requires a 24-hour reservation to guarantee a 15-minute pick-up interval. Exceptions to this guarantee include any time when the instructor requires training or assistance or during peak business periods (such as the beginning of the semester when the CMA Center may be deluged with requests for training).
- If no reservation has been made, faculty can “drop in” to request equipment as a check-out. If equipment is available, the request can be accommodated within half-an-hour if the faculty member has previously been trained on the equipment.
- If no reservation has been made, and the faculty member has never used the requested piece of equipment before, he/she should book a training appointment one business day in advance of the equipment request.
Installed Media Equipment Classrooms
Access to media equipment installed in classrooms is provided after a training session. Access to media equipment may be through either electronic card readers for URI ID cards and/or locked media cabinets that require keys. Keys are distributed through the CMA center in the lower level of the Kingston Library and are checked out for a semester.
To accommodate the large number of requests for training at the start of each semester, CMA publishes a schedule of training sessions. CMA offers multiple sessions for similar or unique venues. Because of the high demand for training at the start of each semester, we strongly encourage faculty to attend these sessions. If individual training is needed, requests for training should be submitted 3 business days in advance of event/course start. This allows sufficient time to identify a time when both staff and room are available. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to train in a similar classroom when the requested room is unavailable for training.
Student Media Assistance Program
Faculty can request a Student Media Assistant for either a one-time event or semester-long course support. A minimum of two-weeks lead-time is required for all Student Media Assistant requests. These requests should be submitted online.
Equipment Troubleshooting
Classroom Media Assistance provides equipment troubleshooting during class on an “as needed” basis.
- If the problem is in Swan Hall, faculty should call 874-4720. A student will be dispatched from 301 to provide troubleshooting assistance. If the problem is in Chafee Building, faculty should call 874-2148. A student will be dispatched from Chafee 217 to provide troubleshooting assistance. If no other requests for assistance have been reported, response time will be relatively quick in these locations.
- Faculty experiencing equipment issues in all other general assignment classrooms should call 874-4278. A student tech will be dispatched immediately from the central CMA location in the lower level of the library. Response time will depend upon the location of the classroom and the number of trouble calls being concurrently reported at the time.
- Whenever possible, equipment troubleshooting will begin on the phone. A student will be dispatched when it is clear that the problem cannot be resolved over the phone.
Follow-Up on Reported Classroom Problems
Classroom problems reported by faculty and staff are followed-up by student technicians and/or staff depending upon the problem reported. CMA staff will notify the reporting faculty or staff that the problem has been verified and will either coordinate the repair or escalate the issue to Facilities or the Classroom Management Team as necessary. every effort will be made to repair problems as quickly as possible. Some issues--such as burned out projection bulbs in data/video projectors, may require an opening in the classroom schedule to fix. If the problem cannot be fixed immediately, back-up equipment (when available) will be placed in the classroom until the equipment can be repaired.
Equipment Privileges
When faculty or students do not return equipment as scheduled, it places other users at risk for non-availability with already-booked reservations. Repeated abuse of equipment returns will result in loss of equipment privileges. The department chair will be contacted if an instructor fails to return equipment more than twice in a semester. If the failure to return equipment results in its loss through negligence, that instructor will lose privileges for the remainder of the semester.
Room Checks
To ensure equipment is in working order, Classroom Media Assistance checks all general assignment rooms with installed equipment once per week. Problems reported by faculty and staff are followed-up within two business days, regardless of the last time the room was checked. Estimated time of repair depends upon the type of issue and room availability. However,
- Burned out overhead transparency projector bulbs are normally replaced within 24 hours--depending upon when the room can be accessed.
- Data/video projector bulb replacement depends on whether the bulb is in stock and room availability and the height of the projector.
Equipment Loans to Students
Classroom Media Assistance provides equipment rental and training services for portable equipment to be used by students to fulfill assignments in Film Studies and some Communication Studies courses. Students must be on the roster provided by the instructor to have access to equipment. At equipment pick-up students must present their student id that is scanned and kept with a copy of the inventory of equipment checked out. The Film Studies department, as well as the Dean of Arts and Sciences, has provided specific equipment for use of students enrolled in specific courses. This equipment may not be checked out by other faculty or students without special permission of those departments and faculty.
