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By Lynn Buffing (lbuffing@oregon..uoregon.edu)
In July 2000, when the renovation of Grayson Hall (the former Law School) is complete, several key Computing Center services will be moving across the courtyard to spacious new quarters. Microcomputer Services, Computer Accounts, Electronics Repair, and the Documents Room Library are among the existing services that will be housed in Grayson, as will several public access workstations and two new microcomputer labs.
Microcomputer Services: Microcomputer Services will be moving its entire operation to Grayson Hall. This group, which creates and distributes the UO's Duckware CDs, offers help with almost any personal computer-related question you may have--including connecting to the Internet, solving virus problems, setting up and troubleshooting computing accounts, and performing file recoveries and transfers.
The new Microcomputer Services area in Grayson will include a larger reception area on the first floor at the north end of the building, and new staff offices. In addition, space has been created for several multimedia stations that students, faculty, and staff may use to scan images, capture video, and manipulate large media files.
In its new Grayson Hall location, Microcomputer Services will be close to several large classrooms, new computer labs, the Documents Room Library, and the Electronics Repair Shop. By bringing these services closer together, we hope to offer improved consulting services to an expanded range of customers.
Computer Accounts: The administration of user accounts on the academic and administrative computers (Darkwing, Gladstone, and the VMScluster) and Oracle database systems will also move to the first floor of Grayson's north wing.
Computer services consultants will be available to assist users on account access and password questions and to process administrative requests for BANNER access and password changes.
Documents Room Library: The move to Grayson Hall will give the Documents Room Library more than twice as much space as it has now. In addition to providing space for its growing collection and increasing its accessibility to all patrons, the new Documents Room will include a small conference room, plenty of seating near windows overlooking the courtyard, and carrels where students can connect their laptops to the Internet.
Electronics Repair: The Electronics shop will continue to serve the campus with quality computer hardware repair and upgrades. Its convenient proximity to our other services will enable our new facility to provide faster lines of communication between technicians and reception staff.
The new reception area has been designed with customer convenience in mind, including increased storage for stocking cables and other supplies and lower counter heights to facilitate equipment drop-off and pick-up. The facility will be located adjacent to a loading dock, which will expedite shipping and receiving, and we will have more 24-minute parking spaces, making it easier for customers to access our services.
Microcomputer Labs: The Grayson project has provided a unique opportunity to increase microcomputer lab access on the west side of campus. The Computing Center will operate an instructional lab with 20 Windows-based computers and an LCD projection unit. An open lab with drop-in access will be equipped with approximately 25 workstations with Windows and Macintosh computers, color scanners, and laser printers.
Faculty wishing to reserve the instructional lab for fall term 2000 should contact Mary Bradley (mbradley@oregon.uoregon.edu, 346-1737).
Network Access: The Computing Center plans to use Grayson's spacious first-floor corridors to provide easy network access. Public access workstations will be installed in the corridors to allow students to check email or perform other system functions between classes. Network access will also be provided at the Cyber Cafe (an EMU-managed facility adjacent to the Documents Room).
In addition to the space allocated to the Computing Center, the Grayson renovation project will add approximately 1400 classroom seats to the university's classroom pool. Grayson will also house the departments of History and Ethnic Studies, the Social Science Instructional Lab, and the Oregon Survey Research Lab.
These renovations were made possible by gifts to the university, including $1,500,000 from Jeffrey and Susan Grayson and matching funds from the State of Oregon.
If you would like more information about this project, please contact Lynn Buffing (lbuffing@oregon.uoregon.edu, 346-1772).