This struck a painfully responsive chord with me . . . I thought others might've had the same experience. Marcy =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Marcy Bauman Writing Program, University of Michigan-Dearborn 4901 Evergreen Rd, Dearborn, MI 48128 fax: 313-593-5552 http://www.umd.umich.edu/~marcyb [log in to unmask] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 12 May 97 16:33:03 EDT From: Steve Gilbert <[log in to unmask]> To: American Association for Higher Education <[log in to unmask]> Subject: AAHESGIT125: Symptoms of Support Svc. Crisis (5/12/97 AAHESGIT #125. Approx. 30 lines from me. Here's a quick, surprising response to a question I've been asking frequently during my presentations -- "Have you experienced any 'symptoms' at your own institution of the 'Support Service Crisis'?"). Steve Gilbert ---------------------------- I am often invited to try to describe recent trends and changing conditions with respect to educational uses of information technology. I usually mention the "Support Service Crisis," and how my earlier predictions of it were timid underestimations of what is happening now on many campuses. I usually describe some of the following: - the rapidly widening gap between available resources and the expectations of faculty and students; - the likelihood that technology support service personnel are over-worked and over-stressed -- especially if the institution has been successful in finding funds for a significant investment in establishing or upgrading a campus- wide network; - the typical frustrations of faculty members who find they cannot get the kind of help they need to move ahead with technology; and - how and why faculty and students need MORE help from librarians and faculty development professionals. Finally, I note that most institutions have been unable to increase the availability of support staff or support services commensurate with the rapid growth in local availability of hardware and Internet access. If I hear moans and laughter from the audience (signifying that I've described painfully familiar experiences), I ask for examples of additional symptoms of the Support Service Crisis that they have noticed at their own institutions. Last Friday during my plenary presentation at West Chester University, someone identified a "symptom" that ended the conversation: "The help desk now has an unlisted number." =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Information below last updated: 4/27/97 TLTR Summer Institute -- July 11-16, 1997 Phoenix, Arizona Steven W. Gilbert, Director, Technology Projects American Association for Higher Education 202/293-6440 X 54 FAX: 202/293-0073 [log in to unmask] http://www.aahe.org [includes TLTR Web Site] SCHEDULE FOR 1997 TLTR WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE FROM AMANDA ANTICO 202 293 6440 EXT 38 [log in to unmask] Order TLTR Workbook at Special AAHESGIT Reader Rate: Call 202/293-6440 x 11 and give code "SGIT 4/97" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOTE: Anyone can subscribe to the AAHESGIT Listserver by sending the EMail message (with subject line left blank): SUBSCRIBE AAHESGIT yourfirstname yourlastname to [log in to unmask] If you would like to post a message to the AAHESGIT Listserv, send it to [log in to unmask] With over 6,000 subscribers, not all messages sent to AAHESGIT can be posted. Those that are selected for posting are reviewed and may be edited for clarity. Authors are often asked to expand or clarify their messages before distribution to the List. Facts, including URLs, are not checked or confirmed by me. Opinions expressed in AAHESGIT's postings do not necessarily reflect those of anyone officially affiliated with AAHE. I intend that each posting be protected by copyright as a compilation. As the copyright holder for the posting, I give permission ONLY for duplication and transmission of each compilation complete and intact including this paragraph. Duplication and/or transmission of any portion should be guided by "fair use" principles, and explicit permission should be obtained when needed. Permission to duplicate or transmit any portion written by a contributor must be obtained from that person. - Copyright 1997 Steven W. Gilbert