Sacramento City College ITPAC
April 22, 2008 at 10:29 pm | In Uncategorized | 36 CommentsThis is a test of the Sacramento City College ITPAC Forum. Welcome! Add your comments about anything related to computers and technology at SCC.
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Although I understand that the computer support staff are quite busy, I am tired of not being able to get an individual file/site on Blackboard for my courses. Instead, I’m continually fobbed off, and required to affix my materials to another instructor’s site. This is confusing for students and, frankly, it’s intolerable.
Does anyone else have this problem, and how have you dealt with it?
Comment by Gina Holland — April 22, 2008 #
This is in response to your request for comments about computers on campus. I work at Delta College as well as SCC and Delta uses Macs for many of the classrooms including the instructor station. As a business instructor I find that the software does not covert smoothly and the screen displays are not accurate compared to a PC. Please do not replace our smart rooms with Macs.
Thank you
Comment by Shanna Stein — April 22, 2008 #
Since the door was opened, “Your chance to talk about your views, opinions, and suggestions, about computers on campus.” I know that some will find my opinion excessive but …
if we are here to educate our students “academically” (since I was once told that campus life has no value) then only what is in our curriculum should be made available.
#1 – No Computer should be allowed to look at porn. If a class has it in thier circulium then maybe there should be a designated comeputer.
#2 – If any website causes the excessive use of bandwidth (example: MySpace) then it should be blocked.
Comment by Monica Souza — April 22, 2008 #
[...] Computers on Campus–suggestions wanted Do you have suggestions, concerns, ideas, or anything else to say about computers on campus? SCC will be holding a forum on the topic next week. Come to LR105 in person from 12:00 to 1:00 on Monday or Tuesday, or leave a comment at the open forum blog. [...]
Pingback by Computers on Campus–suggestions wanted « The Reader — April 24, 2008 #
Regarding “not being able to get an individual file/site on Blackboard”, you need to browse and attach the files in the category you wish to have it post it up. In case if you are unable to post or attach a file, it could be Blackboard server is down; and gets timed out for taking too long.
As for “screen displays on the Mac”, Apple now offers BootCamp which allows users to install Windows on the Mac. The downside, the Mac requires an Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
Comment by Cha Thao — April 25, 2008 #
I don’t think the computer labs have enough weekend and evening hours. This is a problem since not all software necessary for the classes I take are installed on computers in the library/”learning center”. The software is apparently “balkanized” into computer labs located near various depts — and they don’t have convenient hours for working students. Perhaps the justification is so that someone who knows the software is always available — nice thought. But once you learn the software, you just need to get your project done and need the software availability to do so.
Wouldn’t it be great to have software itself made available via VPN or something over the web? I used to access ArcView software this way at a job.
Comment by C Lewis — April 26, 2008 #
I don’t personally believe that educational institutions should be in the censorship business. It seems logical to block porn, youtube, mySpace, and other ‘time wasters’ – and many workplaces do — but an academic institution is different than a private business. Who gets to decides what is and is not academically oriented web content? See brouhaha over Johns Hopkins blocking the word “abortion” from their Popline research database. I think that usage time limits can control the monopolization of computer terminals for “porn” so that students with legitimate needs to work can have access to terminals. Limits on pop-ups and spyware, etc, will limit the IT destructiveness of some of these sites.
Comment by C Lewis — April 26, 2008 #
I think the computers and availability on our campus is outstanding….I only wish the Tech support was also outstanding, if we need to hire more tech support to meet the needs, I think it is well worth it. Last fall I took a Gcom class and there was not enough tech support, so there wasn’t Timely…tech support and it was 2 to 3 weeks or more before we got the help we needed…by then I was behind and I dropped the class. The classes are challenging enough without having to deal with sub-par support. If you are willing to give us the best computers and software, etc….be willing to give us the best tech support and timely service. You may think that the instructor involved can wait…but you are not making the instructor wait…you are making me wait….and everyone else in my classroom. I think it is about time SCC had a reputation for not only the most outstanding teachers and computers, but the most outstanding support.
And while we are on the subject of computers and software…let’s talk about how the system in Financial Aide is causing us students to have to put up with another area that is distracting us from our learning. If they have to be understaffed, then they need to have an automated system that can scan and send out automated emails when needed. Let’s get real, if SCC’s fincancial aid were a bank, most of us students would have fired them and found a new bank a long time ago. If we can have the best teaching in Sacramento…why can’t we have an exemplary Financial Aid system as well?
Comment by Windy Dawson — April 26, 2008 #
When the LRC computer lab at Sac City College is full and there is a long line of students waiting for a computer, I always try to use a computer in the Business Lab. The “open computer lab” closes early in the evening and frequently, I am unable to gain access to a computer to do my homework. RISE computer lab and Disabled Students computer lab also close early in the evening. This leaves ONLY the Business Bldg. computer lab as my alternative option to do my homework.
The computer lab in the Business Bldg. at SCC directly next to the “open lab” is used to hold CIS computer classes. I understand when CIS computer classes are in session – unless you are registered in a CIS class – non CIS students are banned from using that lab.
However, it makes NO SENSE to ban students from using the CIS computer lab when NO CLASS is scheduled, the LRC computer lab has a long waiting list line and the Business Bldg. “open computer lab” is closed.
In my personal experience, the CIS computer lab staff in the Business Bldg. is preposteroulsly unreasonable with their adamant refusal banning registered students from doing their homework when the CIS computer lab has dozens of available computers no students are working on.
I have been turned away and refused access to a computer I need to do my homework when up to 20 empty computer terminals were sitting idle, with no students using them. When I tried reasonsing with CIS computer lab staff, it turned on deaf ears. Frankly, I am positive this problem has NOTHING to do with serving the CIS students, but everything to do with “contol” and elitism.
I am too poor to own a printer for my home computer. I frequently need to print homework and the LRC computer lab is backed up with a line of students clamoring to use a computer. When RISE, Disabled Student Center and the “open computer lab” in the Business Bldg is closed at SCC – the ONLY place on campus I can print my homework is the CIS computer lab. If unused computer terminals are available NOT during CIS class time – why on earth does the staff refuse a students request to do their homework?
It stinks – in fact, it stinks on ice!
Thank you for your serious consideration of my request.
Colleen Whalen
Comment by colleen whalen — April 26, 2008 #
Cha, I may not have made myself clear in my post. Delta has the correct software loaded, including all of the Microsoft pieces. It plain and simply does not convert it smoothly nor accurately. The formatting is shifted, bullet points are changed, etc. In the business world, specifically accounting, we use Excel and the Mac conversion is inadequate.
Comment by Shanna Stein — April 26, 2008 #
I would like to say that in the Technology center the computers are state of the art and very easy to use along with the outstanding help and knowledge that works in the MacLab. And as for anyone having problems with the computers, thats your problem, the school has supplied the basics and thats really all they need to do. When they give us something like the MacLab with all of the high tech printers and expensive programs, we should be grateful we are attending a school that can provide us with those types of things.
Comment by Sable — April 26, 2008 #
I am a high school student taking only one SCC class at this time. I have to take two busses then light rail to get to the college after school. On several occasions I have arrived only to find a “No class today” note posted on the classroom door. I then have to take light rail then two busses to get home. In a world full of email and text message technology–especially with gasoline at almost $4.00 per gallon–I think teachers should be required to notify students personally if they do not intend to hold class.
Comment by Nick — April 26, 2008 #
I’m a coordinator at the Mac/CAD lab. As noted above, we have exceptionally good hours and are open 7 days/week. We’re getting high usage and you may not be able to get on a PC if there are CAD or MET students there (they have preference), but there is almost always a Mac available. The Macs have all the Microsoft Office software and printing for homework assignments is available.
My main concern with how things have been run on campus is the obsession with standardizing everything, to the detriment of students. As was mentioned above, Blackboard and the various other ways that instructors have to interface with students are not very efficient. When students can’t upload their homework or download their assignments, we lose them, plain and simple. They decide their time is better spent elsewhere and rightly so. IT needs to be reminded that we are all here for the students, not the other way around. (Perhaps everyone should spend a little time in part-time faculty shoes, to really understand how important student retention is: no students, no classes, no job!)
Another example is the network we have in the lab. It used to be a Mac-native network that worked pretty much flawlessly. But IT had to standardize it with the rest of campus, so now we have a network that frequently will not print Adobe files.
Imagine for yourself how embarrassing and stupid it is to have to explain to a student that the lab that was created specifically to cater to these programs can’t print them without a time-consuming workaround. All in the name of someone doing cost-cutting standardization. Penny-wise and pound-foolish.
I would like to see a much more holistic approach to IT services on our campus, starting with a bottom-up awareness of what the actual needs of the campus are, rather than the needs of the bureaucracy involved in providing those services. Buy software that works for what it is intended, not because you got a good deal on a 500-license pack.
I would also ask further posters please to stick to the subject at hand. This is not the place to vent about your personal problems with other aspects of the campus experience, but to give feedback so that IT can meet our future needs.
There will be no budget gravy train to get on in the foreseeable future, so they’re going to have to provide the maximum amount of services with the minimum amount of money. Let’s help them to hear exactly what it is that we need, rather than complaining about what other campuses or departments do.
Comment by Elizabeth Stevenson — April 26, 2008 #
My only two concerns with the computer labs are that one, they close early,and so those of us that can only take evening classes because of work have no access to the computers. Those of us who take night courses pay the same amount of tuition, but don’t recieve the same resources for success. Two, the computer labs are always full, which I could understand if people were actually using them for course related work. Half of the students taking up the computers are on my MySpace, or other various chat sites. We are all paying money to have these resources available for SCHOOL work.
Comment by Emilie — April 26, 2008 #
Presentations, which use the pull-down screens, always seem to be difficult in academia institutions. First, there are no written instructions to help with the set up, second there are usually problems with the equipment, i.e. damaged cords and such when using computer laptops. As far as computer availability and quality in the library building, I feel it is adequate at the present time.
Comment by Carol — April 26, 2008 #
sac city does a great job trying to give access to computers for all students. i think some kinks could be worked out, like more help available to those who need it( i’m analog in a digital world) but all in all, keep up the good work!
Comment by RQ Bella — April 26, 2008 #
I have been at SCC for the past 37 years, the last 20 trying to make the Mac a more used computer at the campus. Not only is computer services not interested in Macs they are not interested in anyone even touching their computers. We are treated as children and in some cases that is justified. Giving more people Macs means they have less control of your computer so forget it if you think you will get more access to the computers. Now that Macs are Intel based we have the opportunity to have the best of both world on one computer but I doubt if that will ever happen. I run Windows Xp and Mac OSX seamlessly and I love it….
Comment by Carl — April 27, 2008 #
here are a few comments:
1. Peoplesoft should not list “wait list” students all semester. Neither should it list “permission numbers” after they expire.
2. I agree with others’ comments that students need more access to computers and printers during late hours and on weekends.
3. I am happy with the tech support that I have received, except on occasion when I’m working after 5 pm and my office computer-to-printer connection won’t work. (Why can’t I be given training & authorization to fix this problem myself?)
4. Someday in a few years, I sure do hope that the district can provide more laptop computers to faculty. Going mobile would make things really nice. Thanks.
Comment by MH — April 27, 2008 #
I have use the computers in the library (upstairs and down stairs in the computer lab) as well as the computers in the business center and find that they all serve my needs when trying to complete an assignment. In the library computers there too i found not only do they serve my needs but there is a staff member there who is willing to help me if I do have problems. thank you
Comment by Myran Crawford — April 28, 2008 #
Computers in the business room do provide me to my needs, and there I can use Microsoft Word to type my assignments. I love to go there, but not many times. I will be in a torpor. Especially by sitting three hours in the chair writing my assignment while having pain in the butt. I usually go in the business room because there are more computers than in the library.
Thanks to Computers @ SCC, I feel no need for buying a computer.
Comment by TC — April 28, 2008 #
re: e-mail asking about your views, opinions, and suggestions, about Computers on Campus
I am a Graphic Communications student and I think they do a great job in the Mac Lab. They are open late on week nights and on Sat. during the day. I work during the day, so this makes it possible for me to do my homework. The staff/tutors are always friendly and helpful, and the computers and programs are current.
They did have a problem with the network (getting things to print) recently, but other than that, everything has always worked very well for me there.
Thanks for providing this wonderful resource!
Comment by Miriam — April 28, 2008 #
I agree w/ many previous posters that in general, computer services are very well-managed. It would be nice, however, if the school could provide ESRI and other spatial analysis / mapping software such as ArcView or AutoDesk. I’m sure thsi would prove invaluable to students in planning, archaeology, biology, history, sociology, and many other departments.
Comment by markwchin — April 28, 2008 #
The world wide web is a unique and open environment that has launched many innovations. Our faculty and students rely on the web for research, information and content creation. Actually all members of our campus community reply on the web – not as a place (a hard and fixed location) but as a resource for our daily lives.
The Ingeniux content management system was mandated from district/chancellor and pushed by President Art Tyler. I was asked by the Academic Senate President, Linda Stroh, to work with a campus team to review Ingeniux and to report how it will fit within our organization. That was back in October 2006.
Our team looked at the general features of Ingeniux and considered how the district-wide adoption would benefit all of us. We agreed that the adoption of a new robust CMS was in our interests.
Then the web work began. However, the network team at District Office imposed campus login restrictions that do not allow off-campus access for our authors. OK, some campus authors can access from off-campus but with difficulty. This location-brick wall will stifle the innovation offered by the world wide web.
The strength of the web is anywhere access – to view and to edit. I can’t believe we are endorsing a process that takes access away.
To compare the way our learning management systems and our Manila web environment have flourished with open access, I predict that the Ingeniux platform will not be embraced by faculty, staff and students.
Comment by Melissa Green — April 28, 2008 #
Generally speaking, SCC has met my IT needs over the years. Lately, those needs have been pretty basic: lots of Blackboard and Word; it has been some time since I did any web page creation or anything that required special software.
The only thing that puzzles me at the moment is the hardware configuration of the workstations; okay, my workstation. I have had a “new” computer for several years now, the second machine in my nine years, this one running a P4 2.6 chip with 256 M of RAM! Now, predictably, the machine is lagging. What I need is more RAM, of course, and I don’t know why the workstations come with near current speed CPU’s and a bare bones RAM and graphics profile. Kicking up the RAM when the machine is first delivered, or as it begins to show age, and adding some kind of entry-level above-board graphics card would add longetivity and functionality to the machines. Pairing a fast chip with teensy RAM is like paying for twice the chip one actually utilises.
In the long term, Vista and its later incarnations (Windows 7) are going to demand RAM and graphics upgrades; as are three dimensional online environments (Second Life) which, in my view, are beginning to show genuine instructional potential.
Oh, and especially with a wireless network and continuing student use, we need the fattest pipeline to the Web we can finagle.
Other than that, my thanks to Elaine, Melissa and all the people here that have facilitated such dramatic transitions in the last 9 years!
Comment by Troy Myers — April 28, 2008 #
I would like it if the people who work in the computer labs were actually trained to help with common computer problems and even difficult ones.I also would like for the cost of printing to go down and for all machines to except change. there should be more places on campus like the rise center, they give you 10 free pages a day but they are very small and always crowded.
Comment by Sha'ron — April 28, 2008 #
As a program coordinator, I would really like to be able to access the PeopleSoft rosters of the classes and students for which I am responsible. I simply want to monitor numbers, adds/drops, and wait lists – that’s all. As it is now, I have to make a request of each faculty at various points during the semester, bother the Dean, or just hope everything’s okay.
Comment by Ada Boone Hoerl — April 28, 2008 #
As student, I think that how can be possible that the student board ascepted the professor to use
sofr ware that are not longer in sale, nor the book store in campus can get it, such as MS 2003!
Comment by oscar soto — April 28, 2008 #
Most students who attend a city college cannot afford certain computer programs let alone a computer. If the college is serious about education then the students should have “Access!” to the programs they are being taught in class. The computer labs should be open 7 days a week for at least four hours.
Comment by Gerard Johnson — April 29, 2008 #
I would like to see 2nd-floor LRC computers–both public and reference desk–updated to Internet Explorer 7 (released in 2006). Thank you!
Comment by Jeff Karlsen — April 29, 2008 #
The chairs in the business bldg are really bad and they hurt my back while trying to take computer courses. Especially room b204.
Comment by bell — April 30, 2008 #
I am with Troy Myers.
More RAM.
Every single computer I see that has been purchased at SCC college has the bare minimal RAM one could possibly purchase at the time. The newest computer I have seen is 6 months old and only has 1 gig of RAM. Todays applications eat RAM like a kid eats M&M’s. Purchasing RAM is a highly cheap and efficient way of making your computer purchase last the duration of time it takes until the replacement cycle kick in.
And also, Thank you so much for asking for input and everything the IT department does. The response time to calls, and the efficiency in fixing the problem the first time, is amazing, especially in a place this size!
Comment by Shawn Ledet — April 30, 2008 #
SCC and ARC have the same problem they spend money on every thing but computers. I’m at the A station in the SCC lie-bary computer lab (LRC) The program is 2000. This is 2008 and 4 months. It does no good having a new building with old and to few computers . Get rid of the stupid coral stations and put in more up to date computers.
Comment by Steven Fosseen — May 1, 2008 #
i don’t know why the losrios e-services got kind of complicated. i like the old version better.
Comment by Sergey Slabosnitskiy — May 5, 2008 #
I agree with a C Lewis, a comment that was posted on April 26. The computer labs and library resource center really do need to extend there weekend and week day hours. I am student that works a ridicously amount of hours during the week and weekends, and when i get off at 830 at night, i only have one hour to do my assignment, and thats not including the time I use to drive to campus and walk to the lab. For working students like myself, it creates a huge hassle when you know you only have a limited amount of time to finish an assignment or whatever that needs to be finished. Other then that though, I see no present or future problems.
Comment by natalie — May 5, 2008 #
I would like the Libary’s computers have micrsoft word for those you have class where they to type and the Libary’s computers don’t have that and I bet that some kids don’t a computer.
Comment by Jessica Hatfield — May 7, 2008 #
Regarding the new e-Services layout, I am sure it is improved but unfortunately it is harder to browse it. Especially when we are going to enroll for courses it gets way too complicated to sign up for them. Sometimes simple practical steps are more helpful.
Comment by Alizer — May 30, 2008 #