Student Orientation—Success starts in the lab

Since student orientation is largely centered in campus computer labs, Director of IT Managed Services Trieu Ly and his team play a pivotal role in whether things run smoothly or not. With so many incoming students scheduled back-to-back, there is no room for lengthy delays or incomplete fixes. Ly’s team began preparing for 2024 orientation long before students arrived. They set up all computers to automatically forget cookies at the end of each session, updated all software so no pop-ups distracted students, and set up mobile carts with projectors in each lab. The team also created a backchannel wherein people can more easily communicate—and therefore, more quickly fix—issues needing troubleshooting, such as Wi-Fi problems. 

“New student course registration could not happen—it would be a complete barrier for enrollment—if students could not get onto Wiser, either because of a multi-factor authentication issue or if they need a password reset,” says Teresa Goyette, Director of the Student Success Center for the College of Science and Math. “A little technical problem that a student could have would actually cause quite a big delay with their whole enrollment process.” Goyette praised the way that the IT staff proactively anticipated issues, which she noted was not always the case during previous orientations. For example, knowing that students have to watch security videos and answer questions in order to log back in after a lock out (from too many failed logins), laptops were earmarked specifically for this purpose, with IT staff there to help students rejoin the group as soon as possible.   

Gone are the days where students had to be sent to the third-floor service desk in Healey library whenever they experienced a technology problem, because Ly’s team ensured that knowledgeable staff were close by at all times. In 2024, there were stations set up in front of every lab for each orientation session. Four professional staff members and an additional four student staff members were made available at all times. In fact, though many IT staff have hybrid schedules that do not require them to be on campus each day, Ly requires his team to all be on campus for orientation. In the past, a student could miss 30 or 45 minutes of orientation while waiting to get their account fixed.  

The staff’s presence in the lab made many small processes easier. For example, it is often difficult to get cellular service in the computer labs in the Healey library. In situations where a student was required to receive a phone call to authenticate their account, it would have been impossible for them to both answer the call and click the necessary computer buttons at the same time. Because Ly’s staff members were around, they were able to send students to areas with reception and sit at the computer to complete that portion for a student before things timed out. Mobile Specialist Anh Do notes how students do not always even know they have an issue. For instance, they may wait and wait when faced with a blue/green screen after logging into Wiser, not realizing this means it is not loading properly. Without staff there to help, students are likely to waste precious time when all it takes is a new tab to solve the problem.  

The IT Department’s work during orientation is not only a benefit for students, but also the staff tasked with helping students navigate this important time. For Goyette, this has led to feelings of collegiality and a sense of partnership with the IT Department. “We are developing a relationship. There’s a bond that we are establishing, and it really goes back to the urgency that is required in that moment,” she says. “The friendliness factor is just off the charts, and that really matters. Even when we are not in a situation where any of the staff need help, when we see the IT employees, we just have friendly conversations. It is a personal relationship now. We are not just a number.”