Information Technology Services
Message
from the Associate Vice Chancellor for
Information Technology
Welcome to Information Technology Services at the University of Missouri
- St. Louis. This site will lead you to a wide array of technological
services that we have made available to support teaching, learning,
research and administration at UMSL. These services include voice,
video, Internet and computing services as well as consultation, programming,
training and operational support.
Over sixty technology enhanced classrooms are equipped with instructor
stations and high-definition projection systems providing “electronic
blackboards” for classroom presentations. Eleven of these smart
classrooms also provide network-attached computers at each student
station as well as an instructor station. In addition, there are four
classrooms with interactive videoconference capability. These facilities
are complemented by student computer laboratories, strategically located
throughout the campus.
“MyGateway” (http://mygateway.umsl.edu) is a center piece of support for learning, providing on-line course materials as well as Web-based tools to communicate among students, professors and colleagues. It also links to Registrar’s grades and schedules and to other campus services.
Faculty teaching and research are supported as well. Large disk arrays, software libraries, and specialized computing systems, including a 128 node high-performance Beowulf cluster computer, are available to support faculty research. The Faculty Resource Center (FRC) is an area set aside for faculty use in the development and preparation of technology-based instructional materials. Within the FRC, faculty can find an selection of hardware and software designed to make this process easier by mirroring that available in classrooms and laboratories. Skilled consultants are available to assist faculty in their efforts. The center is also open some evenings to support faculty who are unable to use it during the day.
We have deployed wireless data services in several areas on campus, including the Millenium Student Center. This technology continues to evolve quickly, and to manage our technological and financial risk, we have been careful to deploy in areas with most immediate need. We began primarily in shared social spaces since the first uses are likely to be collaborative situations.
Technology pervades our daily lives; we believe that technology can also help advance the university’s mission. But the availability of technological tools and services is only the starting point. A more subtle and important result of familiarity with technology is the ability for UMSL constituents to think critically about information technology, its role and its appropriate uses.
Information Technology Services will continue to strive to bring innovations to the University of Missouri - St. Louis; we need to make certain that our community participates fully and critically in the information technology revolution that is changing the way we work, learn and grow.
Jim S.C. Tom, Ph.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology