What are some of the new and continuing I.T. services for faculty and instructors this fall? Below are some of the resources and pilot projects that are designed to assist faculty in their teaching and research endeavors.

The 1997-98 Faculty Services Guide, now available online at http://it.ucdavis.edu/fsg, provides expanded descriptions for these and other services.

The Arbor Opens Its Doors

The Arbor, the new faculty center for teaching and technology, is open and free to all instructors on campus. It was designed as an extension of the Teaching Resource Center's successful Summer Institute on Technology in Teaching, a week-long program in which faculty participate as both instructors and students in the aim of promoting understanding and access to instructional technologies. The Arbor will continue and maintain the work of the Summer Institute by offering a range of services, including drop-in consultation, workshops and informational sessions, special-interest group meetings on specific issues or applications, seminars, and guest speakers.

All campus instructors are welcome to attend The Arbor's official opening on Tuesday evening, September 30, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Faculty members of The Arbor's oversight committee will be demonstrating programs they've created for use in the classroom, and refreshments will be served.

For more information about programs, classes, and services provided by The Arbor, call 754-2115 or view http://arbor.ucdavis.edu.

Mediated Classrooms

All general assignment classrooms are equipped with a slide projector, an overhead projector, and a screen. An increasing number of classrooms also have video projectors, Video Playback Center connections, television monitors and other audio/visual aids. The Network 21 team is in the process of connecting a number of classrooms to the fiber optic network, and some classrooms also have computer projection capabilities. For information about specific facilities and upgrades, see http://it.ucdavis.edu/fsg/teaching/mediaclass.html.

Quick Response Team

The Quick Response Team (QRT) will provide timely technical support for anyone having difficulty with any media equipment or services in a mediated classroom. The program's goal is to respond to any problem within minutes and to have the faculty member back in operation with as little class disruption as possible. For emergency service, call 752-3333 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. For more information about the QRT, call 752-3553.

I.T. Offers Training

I.T. Training offers training to faculty and students on the basics of Netscape, Eudora, Windows 95, the Mac operating system, and Microsoft Word. To consult the Fall Quarter schedule, go to the Web at http://it-training.ucdavis.edu/schedules/student-faculty.html or call 754-8091.

RAMP

Scheduled to begin this fall, RAMP (Remote Access Management Project) is a pilot project for faculty who connect to the campus network from off campus for the purposes of research and teaching. RAMP will test newer remote access technologies and evaluate their instructional and research benefits. This pilot project will help to identify longer term solutions and future funding options for remote access for all UCD network users. For more information, please e-mail ramp@ucdavis.edu.