Newest computer room is already the second-busiest

Information and Educational Technology has converted the former home of the IT Express walk-in desk, 182 Shields Library, into a computer lab. The change accompanies an expanded availability of the password reset feature that was the most popular service offered at that location--and adds more open-access computers and printers to a campus that needs them.

The room closed as an IT Express location Aug. 15. Low walk-in traffic, the chance to better meet students' needs for computer access, and the ability to reset passwords at more locations sealed the deal.

The re-opened 182 Shields now has 38 computers (including an ADA/accessible computer station), plus printers, and has been added to the wireless printing network. The room proved instantly popular. In its first two weeks, it attracted 10,560 visits, enough to rank as the second-busiest of Computer Lab Management's 18 computer rooms. (MU Station came first with 15,856.)

Demand for computer stations keeps growing as instructors and students make greater use of technology in their work. Classroom Lab Management, the unit of IET that runs the computer labs, "recorded the highest number of total logins and reserved computer classroom hours in our history" in spring 2008, according to its spring 2008 quarterly report. This fall, log-ons to computers in all of the rooms combined are running about 1,050 per weekday higher than they were a year ago.

The library already hosts a computer lab in 163 Shields. IET appreciates the library's willingness to share its space and allow computer labs in both 163 and 182 Shields, said Liz Gibson, director of Academic Technology Services in IET.

Meanwhile, password resets for faculty, staff and st udents can now be done during more of the day at several computer labs across campus: 182 Shields (the service was temporarily available in 163 Shields this summer); MU Station; 1154 Meyer; 15 Olson; 1101 Hart; and 75 Hutchison.

(Some departments often send new employees to 182 Shields to create their campus computing accounts. That's not necessary, because the task can be easily handled online, from anywhere. Click here, select "Get your UC Davis Computing Account," and follow the step-by-step instructions.)

The reset service will be available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays. The service will not be available when the rooms are closed, so please check individual computer lab hours.

Contact IT Express, the Campus Computing Services Help Desk, at (530) 754-HELP (4357).