Overview of services and provision
Information Technology and Resources (ITR) is an office of the Information and Corporate Services Division and is comprised of 5 specialist units, Communications Systems and Architecture, Videoconferencing and Audio Visual Services, Computing Systems and Architecture, High Performance and Research Computing and Information Systems and Architecture which provide infrastructure and systems management support for Teaching and Learning, Research, and Corporate Information Systems.
Each unit provides services to clients, being staff and students from all sectors of the University community and affiliate organisations of the University including but not limited to Cooperative research Centres (CRCs), Colleges and Halls of Residence, Student Union and wholly owned subsidiaries of James Cook University.
Some services are supplied direct to clients. These services are listed below with their contact point:
| • Audio Visual (AV) equipment loans | - Information Services, Lending Services |
| • Videoconference bookings and training | - ITR, AV and Videoconferencing |
It is a Divisional goal to provide a single service contact point through InfoHelp, a unit of the Information Services (Library) Office. Thus, most ITR services are not supplied direct to the end user in the first instance. All other services are supported by a three tier support structure:
- InfoHelp provides Primary support direct to clients or via the phone and email.
- Secondary support is delegated to and provided by IT Support staff, employed by Faculties and Schools, Divisions and Offices and other autonomous super-structures of the University.
- ITR staff provide Tertiary support for these IT Support staff. This is provided directly and through IT Support staff meetings.
The Office advertises, where possible and appropriate, outages and changes to services provided to clients. Notification of outages and changes to service are provided by bulletins posted to the JCU News and Events Web page and by direct mailing to IT Support staff and clients.
ITR staff continue to strive to provide the best service, making best strategic use of available resources. An ITR Status Report can be obtained 24 hours a day by dialing +61 7 4781 6555.
Most services are provided and supported from Central Operating funding (COS funding) and grants. In some instances, either where insufficient COS funding is available or it is policy to charge to ensure equitable and appropriate use of a service, charges are passed on to clients. In particular these services are:
- Phone charges; call charge and mobile rental components
- Handset and Cabling for voice services; small jobs are managed internally and the equipment and upgrade component recovered and larger jobs ITR staff organise contractors and pass on the contractor charges.
- Australian Academic Research Network (AARNet) Internet Accounting charges; traffic charge component
- Audio Visual equipment loans; equipment replacement charge
- Videoconferencing charges; call charge component with Restructuring and Rationalisation funding subsidy applied until 2001
- External account provision; visiting and honorary staff and affiliate organisations eg CRCs, Colleges and Halls of Residence, Student Union
- Binding Services; work other than University Library collection maintenance
Responsibility for the day to day running of ITR is vested in its Director, who is responsible to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Information and Corporate Services Division). Services, policy and charges are the responsibility of the Director, who continues to negotiate supplier and partner arrangements to best meet the ongoing Information Technology and Resources requirements of the University. The Director also maintains committee memberships, affiliations and agreements, as appropriate and required, to meet the objectives of the Office, the Division and the University.