• Support for Discipline-Specific Computer Labs
• Guidelines for operation of networks in the labs

Several academic units (colleges and departments) have discipline-specific computer labs. Examples are the College of Business Administration's MIS lab and the art and journalism labs in the College of Letters and Science. These labs provide vital support for the academic unit's curricula. Funding to create and maintain these labs comes either from Lab Modernization allocations or college and/or department funds.

The Information Technology Division supports the campus-wide technology infrastructure (those technology services available to all faculty, staff, and students, including the general access computer labs, campus wide area network, administrative computing systems, desktop support, and email). In addition, Information Technology supports discipline-specific computer labs as follows.

Academic Computing provides support for the operation of those labs in the following ways:

• Respond to requests from academic units for help with selection of hardware and software, network devices, and lab planning.

• Respond to requests for help with installation and maintenance of hardware and software that conforms to the UW Oshkosh Computer Hardware and Software Standards.

Telecommunications and Applications Programming provides support for the operation of those labs in the following way:

• Respond to requests to install and help maintain network devices connected to the campus network and in isolated labs using hubs, switches and other network connectivity devices that have been approved by the campus network administrator.

Academic Units operate their labs in the following ways:

• Consult with Academic Computing and Telecommunications regarding hardware and software selection (except discipline-specific choices), wiring, network devices, and lab planning.

• Install and maintain discipline-specific hardware and software.

• Maintain day-to-day administration of network objects, such as user accounts, scripts, print queues and backup of pertinent information on a timely basis.

• Provide staffing to operate and manage the labs.

  Deans may request exceptions when a College or department is temporarily unable to meet its responsibilities, and where a delay will seriously impact the delivery of services to students. Requests are forwarded to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Information Technology for review and should include a justification explaining the extenuating circumstances that prevent the College or department from meeting its established responsibilities. Requests should state what measures will be taken to remedy this temporary situation and the expected timeframe. Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis and neither set precedent nor modify the primary responsibilities of Information Technology.

Guidelines for operation of networks in the labs are:

• Information Technology highly recommends that academic units consult with Telecommunications and Academic Computing regarding wiring and network hardware prior to installing labs, whether or not the lab is expected to be connected to the campus network.

• The academic units will obtain the approval of Information Technology for any proposal to extend the lab network by installing connectivity devices in any data jack connected to the campus network.

• The units and Academic Computing staff must ensure responsible use of the lab/campus network interface in ways that minimize errors and excessive traffic and ensure maximum performance for the labs and the campus network.

• Academic Computing will install and support file servers and network operating systems, where appropriate, with oversight provided by Academic Computing Local Area Network staff.

• Wiring in any discipline-specific lab connected to the campus network must be installed by Telecommunications. Academic units may choose to contract with Telecommunications to install wiring in isolated labs. Telecommunications charges a fee for wiring installation.

• Labs that connect to the campus network must follow Ethernet and campus standards before they can be connected (see the Information Technology Position Statement on Connecting Devices to the Campus Network.

• Information Technology supports network connections from the data jack back to the central campus switch. Hubs, switches, and other network devices in labs are owned and supported by the academic units. Lab Modernization and Classroom Modernization requests frequently include costs for upgrading the campus network infrastructure in a building to facilitate connecting a discipline-specific lab to the campus network. Network infrastructure devices purchased with Lab Modernization or Classroom Modernization funds become part of the campus network infrastructure. As such they are installed, configured, located, and serviced by Information Technology. Academic units do not receive compensation for use of such devices by other units.

• The academic units are responsible for day-to-day administration of network objects such as user accounts, scripts and print queues and for backup of pertinent information on a timely basis.

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