Information Technology Services is a busy place at the start of a school year—in the first two weeks of classes, the Help Desk assists more than 7,000 students and employees with tech questions.

The most common requests for help are related to HawkID passwords, email, ICON (the online course-management system, Iowa Courses Online), Microsoft Office, and configuring wireless.

To get everyone ready for the new school year, ITS is introducing some new tools and resources:

• Getting Started Guide: A new Get Started with Technology Guide provides a handy checklist to get students set up with technology before coming to campus and once they arrive.
• HawkID password change tool: A new HawkID password change tool makes resetting passwords much easier.
• Additional Help Desk station: To lessen lines the first week of classes, the Help Desk will set up additional stations on the second floor of University Capitol Centre (Old Capitol Town Center).
• Orientation staffing: Help Desk staff will be at most campus orientations to assist with IT needs.
• Support articles: More self-help content has been published on the ITS website.
• Improved wireless: Wireless service should be noticeably better thanks to new access points installed in residence halls and other campus buildings over the summer.

"Right now ITS is busy gearing up for the start of the semester, preparing for the influx of new students, faculty, and staff," says Jamie Matthews, the recently hired manager of the ITS Help Desk. "We have a great team. Everyone in ITS is pitching in to help, and we feel confident that these changes will allow us to help respond to everyone quicker."

In addition to addressing the flurry of start-of-semester questions, the Help Desk provides support on a variety of IT topics, including consulting on and troubleshooting ITS services, software, operating systems, networking, personal computer security, and technology purchases.