The closing of Information Technology’s Help Desk has left a void in the operations of some of SIUC’s colleges, but others are getting along well without the facility, administrators said recently.

C. Michael Williams, executive director for budgeting and information resources, closed the center at the recommendation of IBM, which studied IT facilities and suggested starting a new help center.

Williams said the desk did not provide the level of service SIUC needs, and the volume of complaints he received about the desk reflected its shortcomings.

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The closure has received criticism from several faculty members who said poor service was better than no service and that having no help desk would hurt their work.

In a letter sent to Benjamin Sheppard, vice president of academic and provost, Business Administration Dean Thomas Keon wrote My main concern is that without this support, work in the college will be greatly impaired. Keon also wrote that he had only heard positive comments about the help desk’s service.

Keon said the Finance department would be especially hurt by the closing because they handle a large volume of statistical data and programs which were aided by the help desk staff.

Joe Foote, dean of the college of mass communications and media arts, said he knew of one incident where a computer problem forced an instructor to stop a lab session. He said the problem may have been solved if the desk was still in place.

Other instructors said they have not experienced problems without the desk.

Pierre Barrette, an associate professor in curriculum and instruction said he has not missed the desk because the College of Education hired three computer specialists last year. He said the help desk was not very helpful before the specialists were hired.

We had more problems before (the closing), Barrette said. The specialists have been extremely helpful. They’ve been a godsend. It was a very wise decision on my dean’s part.

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Barrette expressed sympathy for Williams because of the criticism he has received for closing the help desk and for only being able to provide minimal service before the closure.

He’s getting burned at both ends, Barrette said. I wouldn’t want to be in his job right now.

Williams said more than $500,000 has been allocated for the new IT Customer Service Center. The money covers such costs as space rental in Lentz Hall, hardware and furniture, but Williams said IT’s budget does not have sufficient funds to staff the facility.

He said the Customer Service Center will open on or about the end of the month, but would not elaborate on how much staff the center would have to provide technical assistance.

SIUC President John Guyon said more money would have to be eventually allocated to IT, but there would be no immediate addition to its budget.

Williams has previously said that the help desk was not closed to pressure administrators into give him more money for the new facility.

Guyon defended Williams from any accusations that the closure was motivated by money.

That’s just not something Dr. Williams would do, he said.