Computer Lab hours discourage usage

By Lauren Dake

TSC Writer

The constant change of computer lab hours has many students feeling like they don't have access to the educational tools they are paying for.

Ross Dykes, a recent graduate of Santa Clara, was hired this year as the school's first computer lab manager. "We are painfully aware that the students have issues with IT [Information Technology] service," Dykes said. "We have a very small IT staff for a school that has this much network coverage."

Every residence hall room at the university has Internet access and two phone lines. All students have e-mail accounts and access to two computer labs, Orradre and Kenna. According to Dykes, Santa Clara has one of the most extensive network coverage of any California university.

This coverage means the resources of the small IT staff are stretched thin. Labs, therefore, are basically run by students. A shortage of student Technology Assistants (TAs) has a lot to do with the inconsistent lab hours.

"We don't have enough man power in IT to man all the labs, so it all depends on when a TA can work," Dykes said. "Usually we have up to 40 TAs, and right now we only have 20. If I had another 20 walk in today and say that they wanted to be a TA then the lab would be open 24 hours a day." Dykes also asks that students be patient, because the beginning of the academic year things tend to be a little more disorganized than usual. This is especially true because much of the IT staff is devoted to the implementation of two phone lines in every dorm room.

"The general student population doesn't always understand how hard it is to keep everything in line," Dykes said. "We have people literally working 24 hours a day trying to fix problems. At one time most of us were students here and we understand how frustrating it can be. We are trying our best."

Senior TA Shawn Lawn agrees that lab hours should start becoming more consistent."Ross is doing a good job trying to get more TAs, and our schedules are more organized and stable now that we have settled into our classes," Lawn said.

The IT building is the nerve system of the university. The building and its staff are in charge of the university's phone lines, access cards, payroll and air conditioning among other things.Current lab hours are posted at http://labs.scu.edu.