And as college officials have lamented historic cuts to higher education funding this year, only 20 percent of schools’ IT budgets are used to manage the campus residential network, according to the ACUTA research.
College students might expect anytime, anywhere access to a high-speed internet connection, but most have become accustomed to limited IT support. One in 10 colleges surveyed by ACUTA provide 24-hour support for students with computer problems.
Most students, however, come to school with more than a basic understanding of how to connect their various mobile devices to the residential network, said Corrine Hoch, ACUTA’s executive director.
“The students are much more savvy and self reliant today,” she said. ”They interestingly don’t need as much support as they once did.”
The ACUTA survey showed that college IT helpdesks, for the most part, have fallen behind students’ penchant for online chats and text messages.
Eleven percent of respondents said their school answers IT questions via text message, and two in 10 schools have a live chat system, with technology staffers ready to answer student questions. Call center and eMail support are the most common methods for IT support, according to the survey.
The University of South Florida is among a handful of campuses that have launched IT helpdesk Facebook pages. Students visit the page, post a question to the wall, and wait for a staffer’s response.
Hoch said expanding IT helpdesks with Facebook and Twitter pages could be a long way from becoming commonplace in higher education.
“People are watching [social media] in order to keep a pulse on what’s happening in the student community,” Hoch said. “It’s only in its infancy as far as colleges and universities are concerned, so we’ll see where it goes from here.”
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