User Services

To assist IT Services in realizing and maintaining its vision through ICT related support and training. User Services specifically ensures that all ICT support are timely and of good quality. Its training function ensures that all University users are of a capable literacy standard that allows for productivity and enhanced knowledge. The divisions that make up User Service are:

Student Support Services

• The basic responsibility of the Student Support Team is to ensure that all services provided to students are well maintained. This includes student training, lab facilities, email service, internet and online information availability.
• For more on Student Support, please visit their Student helpdesk under Our Services.

Staff Support Services

• Staff Support is the designated team that looks after services provided to all staff of the University. As part of this, we ensure that all staff are provided with the necessary access and online material to carry out their daily duties. This includes staff training, desktop support, back end support, and other online services.
• For more information on the Staff Support, please visit the Staff helpdesk under Our Services.

Training

• This is with relation to staff training. The team has been assigned to selecting and preparing training documents for all staff. Training is conducted through out the year and is subject to conditions.
• For more information on training, please visit their page on Our Services.

Back End Support

• This has seen the incorporation of other sections of IT Services into the User Services to assist our team with better and more skilled troubleshooting techniques.
• This was also brought about to ensure that problems are handled, if possible, from the first point of entry at our helpdesks.

Systems and Networks

To maintain and optimize the distribution and development of Quality ICT Services and network infrastructure through effective Capacity planning, on-going technological enhancements and service monitoring. As part of this, the team is composed of three divisions:

Systems Administration

The team is dedicated to ensuring that all our back end services are well maintained and that constant improvements are made to ensure fast and cosistant retrival of information is possible through our online services.

Infrastructure

• Telecommunications
  • This team looks after the well maintaining of our telephony systems and ensures that services are always available to users. They also handle requests for service which can be further detailed under Our Services.
• Networks
  • As far as the network infrastructure and servicing of the USP network, this would be the team that looks into it. The team ensures that network connectivity and consistancy of communication across their infrastructure is maintained and always improved. For request information, visit their site under Our Services.

USPNet

USP Net is the service that provides communication between the main USP Laucala Campus and our remote centers. For a detailed outlay of their team, visit the USP Net page under Our Services.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

Vision

We envision working with users and putting in place a Corporate Integrated Information System and its support mechanisms that would facilitate USP's operational, managerial and executive functions across and within departments.

Functions

Oversee overall Application and Data Base acquisition for USP and to effectively Develop, Acquire and Implement Applications and Database Solutions as required by USP.

Supported Applications

Sungard SCT, Banner Application

The Banner Suite of software that USP employs to facilitate its administrative functions is one that is used widely in the United States of America and Canada. According the providers Sungard SCT, they have more than 50% of the market in US in terms of Tertiary Educational Institutions using their product.

Banner is a highly Integrated Information System whose makeup is as follows:

• Students Administration Admissions
  • Registration
  • Fees Assessment
  • Examinations/Results Processing
  • Curriculum Advisory Planning Programme
• Financial Management/Accounting General Ledger
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Accounts Payable
  • Purchasing
  • Fixed Assets
  • Budget
    
• Human Resource
  • Position Control
  • Payroll Process
  • Human Resource Administration

MIS-Online

MIS-Online is a suite of Web based applications that has been developed in-house. The applications range from reporting/querying on the current Banner Database to specific applications. The following applications make up the MIS-Online.

• Management Reports on Students
• Student Search/Querying
• Consultants Database
• Facilities/Utilities Management
• Stock Control/Inventory
• Student Meal Book System
• Asset Tracking/Monitoring
• Room Booking System

The Project Management section has two core functions:

• Management of all ICT Project initiatives undertaken by the University.
• Development of all ICT resources in remote campuses.

A.  Project Management:

The Project Process developed by the team receives project requests from teams within the University or where areas of mutual interest allow, from bodies external to the University, identifies resources required for implementation and then upon executive endorsement, manages the implementation of these projects to successful conclusion.

The typical range of projects could involve;

• Development of a new application
• New modules to existing applications
• Database and system upgrade
• New infrastructure for buildings
• Extension and upgrade of USP'S wide area network

To lodge your project request, you need to complete and submit the Project Proposal Form to the Staff Helpdesk at the ITS office. 

B.  Regional Development:

The extension of the unit's function has been essentially geared to ensuring that ICT development is extended to all regional campuses and that the Univeristy's regional academic strategy is supported by ICT infrastructure and Services.

Among the key tasks performed are:

• Development of a staffing structure to support current infrastructure and services.
• Development of USPNet to supplement regional extension of the University.
• Communication of regional project initiatives as well as being the focal point for all ICT development issues.

For further information on current regional ICT initiatives please contact:
Section Manager, Mr Fereti Atalifo.