...
WCTS stands for Whitman College Technology Services. We manage and support Whitman College's shared technology resources. Our main office and Help Desk are located in Olin 168, with several other offices around campus. WCTS maintains an extensive website that includes everything from information about the staff and technology-related College policies, to detailed instructions for using many of the technology resources on campus. We encourage you to browse our site at http://wcts.whitman.edu.
Who should I call if I have a problem or a question about my
...
Whitman-owned computer?
If you have a problem or general question about your computer or software, or if you aren't sure who to ask, call the WCTS Help Desk at 509-527-4976. You can also email your question to helpdesk@whitman.edu. The Help Desk consultant will either answer your question or forward your inquiry to the subject expert. You may also submit a service request at any time via our website https://webapp.whitman.edu/wcts/.
If you are an administrative user and have questions about computer upgrades, hardware purchasing or software please contact Joelle Chavre, Director of IT Client Services or chavrejc@whitman.edu. If you are from an academic office, contact David Sprunger, Director of Instructional & Learning Technolgy at x4762 or sprungde@whitman.edu.
If you would like assistance with an instructional issue that concerns using technology in teaching or research, including hardware purchasing, please contact the Instructional & Learning Technologist for your division.
How do I get a Whitman network and/or email account?
All faculty, staff members & students automatically receive a Whitman account. The credentials for this account enable you to access a personal Zimbra your Whitman email account, use Whitman wireless, and connect to the Whitman wired network. Connecting to the Whitman network allows you to access networked fileservers various resources such as networked file servers and printers. Your account should be created upon hiringprior to arrival, but it is necessary to activate it before use by going to https://rs.whitman.edu/activate/.
If you will be working with DatatelColleague, you should also receive information for a separate Datatel Colleague account. The password for this account will be different than that for your standard Whitman account.
Contact the Help Desk (x4976 or helpdesk@whitman.edu) or visit the WCTS office in Olin 168 for information about accessing and using your accounts.
See Whitman College's network account policy.
How do I log-on to my
...
Whitman-owned computer?
Your office computer will be running either Windows 7, 8, 10, or Mac OSX.
To log on to the computer, just enter the credentials as prompted. The username and password are your Whitman username and password that you received upon arrival at Whitman. These credentials are 'case sensitive' so capital letters must be entered as capitals. If you forget your password, contact the Help Desk (x4976 or helpdesk@whitman.edu) for assistance in resetting it. This log on process will also be required to access lab, library, and many smart classroom computers.
...
- Security & Updates: Information on specific topics such as backing up, virus protection, passwords, updates, and more.
- Email: Setting up and using your Whitman email account. Topics include forwarding your email to another address and setting vacation messages.
- netFiles: What netFiles is and how to use the service. To access netFiles directly, go tohttps://netfiles.whitman.edu.
- Network File Storage: All about storing files on the Whitman servers. This includes information on how to access your K: drive.
- Printing: Instructions on how to print from your computer.
...
Just go to the "Higher Education" area on the manufacturers website and links should point you towards using an educational discount. You can purchase computers and equipment by credit card or check, and have the merchandise sent directly to you.
Does WCTS provide hardware maintenance and repair for my
...
Whitman-owned computer?
Yes. WCTS supports , WCTS provides full support for all College-owned equipment that is is purchased and installed allocated by WCTS . We also provide desktop support for equipment purchased by your department, if it is purchased either through, or in consultation with WCTS , and is included in the College's equipment inventory. Some equipment purchased with departmental or special budgets (such as grants) may not be in the "replacement cycle" (i.e., not be eligible for WCTS-funded replacement), unless replacement funding was planned by the original purchaser.
We do not cannot guarantee support for all types and brands of equipment, which is why it is important to check with us to see if the specific brand or piece of equipment you are thinking of purchasing meet required specification standards and is something we are able to support.
...
WCTS provides full support for Whitman's "Standard Software Package", when installed on College-owned computers. Supported software includes the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint), as well as a large collection of additional software packages. Contact the Help Desk (x4976 or helpdesk@whitman.edu) or your Instructional & Learning Technologist, if you need information about availability and support for specialized software applications.
If I am interested in having my students use certain computer applications for their coursework, can WCTS assist in showing students how to do this?
Yes. WCTS staff can come to your class to demonstrate certain software, or can schedule workshops at other times to show your students how to use a particular application. Contact either your Instructional & Learning Technologist or Rich Hinz.
Can WCTS help me evaluate software or figure out what I need?
Yes. Contact your Instructional & Learning Technologist.
Do students have access to the network from residence hall rooms?
All residence halls, Fraternity houses, and Interest Houses are networked. This means that a student with a network-ready computer can connect directly to the campus network.
Can I send a message to all the students in my class without having to type all the email addresses?
We highly recommend using the CLEo Learning and Collaboration System. Contact Rich Hinz if you want to try.
You can also create a mailing list yourself. See "For Faculty" page for information page.
Is it possible to view class enrollment information on-line?
Whitman currently offers the ability to view live enrollment information on-line through Whitman's web site. See Faculty web-access (QUACK and WebAdvisor) for instructions.
How do I arrange to use a computer and have access to the Internet for a class session?
Most classrooms already have network/Internet connections available; including some "smart" classrooms which are equipped with a permanent computer installation. This information is available on-line athttp://wcts.whitman.edu/resources/ims/classroom.html.
If you use a computer frequently in your teaching, we encourage you to schedule your class in a "smart classroom," or at least in a room with a network connection. If you have an occasional need for equipment, you may check out a mobile multimedia cart located in your building, or contact Instructional Multimedia Services (IMS) in advance to arrange for equipment delivery.
Where can I get access to a scanner or other equipment that I don't have in my own office?
Scanners are available in numerous locations around campus, including the WCTS training room (Olin 180) which is available for you as a workspace when workshops are not in session. . Some departments/divisions have equipment such as scanners and specialized printers available in division office and/or departmental labs.
General access scanners are located in the Library, Olin computer lab (Olin 165), Maxey lab (Maxey 107) Maxey lab, Science 127Lab, and the Hunter Multimedia lab. For information on setting up and using printers and scanners, please see our Printing guide.The Hunter Multimedia Lab Development lab. The "MDL" in Hunter also offers access to more advanced equipment such as slide scanners, film printers, CD burners, camcorders, and more (see the WCTS packet for the MDL website for details). Some departments have equipment such as scanners and specialized printers available in departmental labs as well. Contact the WCTS Help Desk (x4976 orhelpdesk@whitman.edu) if
Contact the WCTS HelpDesk if you need information about equipment availability.
How can I get my
...
Whitman-owned computer upgraded?
For Staff: WCTS equipment is normally on a four or five year replacement cycle. You will be contacted when your machine is slated for replacement. If you have concerns or computer needs, talk to Joelle Chavre, she can tell you more about procedures for requesting equipment.
For Faculty: Communicate with your Instructional & Learning Technologist about your equipment needs. Better yet, talk about what you need to be able to accomplish using your computer so we can work toward identifying equipment that will do what you need.
Do you have laptop computers that I can check out?
YesFor Faculty & Staff: Yes. WCTS maintains a small pool of Macintosh and PC 'loaner laptops'. They are available for short term checkout (less than 2 weeks) for Whitman-related use, on a "first-reserve, first-pickup" basis. Contact Ronnelle Partlow (x5415) or the Help Desk (x4976 or helpdesk@whitman.edu) to request a laptop loan.
For Students:
Do you offer workshops or training on using certain programs or creating web pages?
...