Information Technology Services (ITS) provides computing, networking, and technical support services to the UNC Asheville community. We plan, implement, and manage all campus IT needs–from email and web services to virus removal and hardware repairs. The IT Service Desk should be your first point of contact for technical assistance. Walk-in customers are always welcome but, please consider a scheduled appointment. The IT Service Desk Self-Help Portal is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The self-help portal will allow you to request assistance from ITS via a simple web form.
You can also consult ITS’s knowledge base, a repository of helpful information, guides, and services provided by ITS.
UNC Asheville’s ITS division consists of five distinct units:
ATS handles most aspects of more than 110 computer labs and 15 smart classrooms on campus. We maintain the computers in each space by installing software and updates, updating computer hardware, and configuring Windows and Mac computing environments to suit the needs of instructors. Additionally, ATS installs, maintains, and upgrades classroom audio visual equipment including projectors, document cameras, smart boards, sound systems, and more. We maintain an emergency help line for immediate assistance in a lab or classroom. ATS also offers training sessions on classroom equipment upon request.
Faculty, staff, and students are likely most familiar with our end-user support services including the IT Service Desk. In addition to user support, CTS also manages the over 1600 computers on the UNC Asheville campus. Through the Computer Refresh Program and CPI, CTS upgrades and replaces approximately 1/4 of the computers on campus each year.
ESA is responsible for implementing enterprise systems to meet the strategic goals of the university.
Additionally, Network and Infracture manages the virtual infrastructure upon which most of the university’s servers run. We also provide systems administration services for both Windows Server systems and Linux Server systems. Since 2007 we have grown from around 20 “stand alone” servers to over 90 servers running in a virtualized environment.
AUX provides support for many major systems across campus.
NIS has two primary areas of responsibility — the campus networking infrastructure and central core systems. Networking involves the design, implementation, maintenance, support and enhancement of the campus network. This includes the physical network infrastructure, network electronics, network management tools, bandwidth management, security and firewall management. A combination fiber optic and CAT5e UTP backbone provides switched Ethernet connectivity to all campus offices, classrooms, and residence hall rooms in addition to a high speed link to the external Internet. Secure wireless access is provided in all academic spaces, as well as in the residence halls. Infrastructure & Systems includes systems management, systems programming, operating systems and hardware maintenance for specific central core servers. NIS manages the campus network, a fiber optic backbone that connects all campus buildings and provides high-speed connectivity to all spaces on campus where people live, learn, and work — residence hall rooms, classrooms, offices, and common areas.
NIS performs systems programming & management for several different central core server platforms. These core servers support campus services such as: domain name service, user authentication, and network, administrative, and student services. NIS installs new systems software releases and recommended patches on the central core systems, implements security procedures for system files and application programs, monitors and enhances system performance, and installs and maintains a number of third-party systems software packages, including several networking software packages. Networks and Infrastructure staff oversee daily and weekly backup of the central core systems, archiving/restoration of file systems, and maintenance of the backup environment.
ITS provides IT-related purchasing assistance to academic and administrative departments for computers. IT-related peripherals can be purchased by departments without pre-approval.
ITS manages software licensing for campus site-licensed software and works with departments to ensure that software is licensed, legitimate, and up-to-date.
Personal purchases are not supported. Employees and students can purchase software for themselves at a discount through our partner.
Auxilliary IT Services (AUX) is charged with coordination and approval authority for the purchase of enterprise applications; these are applications that involve the use or download of institutional data. The purpose of this approval authority is to ensure that university funds are not spent on products which cannot be integrated, or for which not enough campus resources exist to implement and maintain the product. AUX will evaluate software applications and will work with the requesting department to resolve issues of support, expectations, and timeframe of implementation before making a recommendation to the Purchasing Office to proceed with the purchase. Please note that IT purchases not in the category of Enterprise Applications should following the guidelines outlined in IT purchasing.
Examples of software needing approval by AIS include:
Technology-enhanced, or “smart”, classrooms are learning spaces with integrated technology for use in pedagogy. The typical smart classroom has a computer, projector, projection screen, DVD / VHS player, sound system, and podium with AV controls and laptop connections. Some specialized classrooms have document cameras, smartboards, and other equipment relevant to the coursework or discipline being taught in the space. ITS works with faculty, departments, and vendors to provide classroom technologies that are functional, dependable, easy to use, and consistent across the entire UNC Asheville campus.
ITS provides technical support and management for approximately 110 smart classrooms across the UNC Asheville campus. Please contact the ITS Help Desk for technical assistance with a smart classroom.
Most computer labs on the UNC Asheville campus are open to all faculty, staff, and students when the facilities are not in use for a class. Computer lab patrons must be able to produce a current, valid UNC Asheville ID (OneCard) if asked. Activities in the computer labs are subject to the UNC Asheville Student Computing and Network Usage Policy and Faculty/Staff Computing and Network Usage Policy.
Public computers in Ramsey Library and Highsmith Union can be used at any time the buildings are open.
ITS provides a basic set of applications in every computer lab. Specialized software may only be available in particular labs. All labs are configured to prevent changes to the computer and erase all saved files when the machine is rebooted. “Courseware” and other specialized software required or requested by academic departments must be supplied, with proof of ownership, by the requesting department at least 3 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester. Before making any software purchases intended for lab installations, please contact the ITS Help Desk to schedule a consultation with our Lab Managers.
Lab patrons must save their work to Google Docs, a USB key, or other external storage to avoid data loss. ITS cannot retrieve data lost in the computer labs.
In the event of inclement weather the university will make the decision to cancel or delay classes, and announce it via email, text-message, and the Bulldog Alert webpage. In the interest student safety, the labs will operate as follows:
UNC Asheville recognizes the vital role the Internet plays in education. ITS supports university-wide network connections, from ethernet connections in individual dorm rooms to widespread wireless access. The UNC Asheville backbone is connected to the Internet through a 1Gb channel, provided by the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC). The MCNC network, NCREN (North Carolina Research and Education Network) utilizes fiber optic circuitry to provide UNC Asheville with a high bandwidth connection to other UNC campuses and to the larger Internet. Networks and Systems designed the campus backbone with significant excess capacity to support future applications such as campus video distribution, voice applications and building controls systems. UNC Asheville redesigned and implemented a complete network equipment refresh and implementation of a VOIP Unified Communications System for the campus during the spring of 2009. All academic buildings and dorms are wired with CAT5 cable, and support speeds of 100Mb/s. Wireless access is provided via 802.11g (54Mb/s) access points.
In 2009, the University of North Carolina Asheville signed a lease with NWN Corporation on behalf of Cisco Systems for a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone system. The following types of phones were agreed upon for use by UNC Asheville personnel.
For assistance with CISCO VOIP telephones, fax lines, emergency telephones or elevator telephones, please contact the IT Service Desk at (828) 251-6445 or helpdesk@unca.edu.
To connect to the UNC Asheville wifi network, your computer or device must be configured while on campus. Guests on campus may connect to the “UNCA_Guest” wireless network.
Please note that while we are happy to assist in getting you connected to campus wireless, ITS does not otherwise support personally owned equipment.
Need help getting online? Call the ITS Service Desk at (828) 251-6445, or send us an email at helpdesk@unca.edu.
UNC Asheville utilizes the XpressConnect software to automate your connection to the campus wireless network. The Cloudpath setup must be performed on campus while connected to “UNCA_Guest” network.
If you have trouble connecting to the wireless network please visit the ITS Service Desk (located in the Ramsey Library behind the Reference Desk).
Need help getting online? Call the ITS Service Desk at (828) 251-6445, or send us an email at helpdesk@unca.edu.
The following is a brief description of the wireless networks (SSIDs) you’ll see on campus.
Chief Information Officer
Office: 104B Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-5007
Email: mculbert@unca.edu
Windows System Analyst
Office: 13A Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-6632
Email: tjacobs1@unca.edu
Security Information Officer
Office: 009 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Email: mrobin10@unca.edu
Service Desk Supervisor
Office: 118 Ramsey Library
Phone: 828-232-5142
Email: adkins@unca.edu
Client Support Technician
Office: 014 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-6430
Email: lcavende@unca.edu
Academic Support Technician
Office: 017 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-250-2315
Email: jchen2@unca.edu
IT Security Analyst
Office: 010 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-232-5006
Email: gcheng@unca.edu
Manager of Distance Learning Services
Office: 126 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-231-6333
Email: gregd@unca.edu
Technology Support Tech
Office: 023 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-232-5016
Email: lfitz@unca.edu
Endpoint Management Analyst
Office: 015 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-6647
Email: dgeiler@unca.edu
Director of Client Technology Support
Office: 016A Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-232-5130
Email: agirelli@unca.edu
Distance Learning Service Technician
Office: 127 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-6057
Email: cbhedric@unca.edu
Client Support Technician
Office: 016 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-250-2338
Email: zghegwoo@unca.edu
Director of Academic Technology Support
Office: 022 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-6724
Email: ahmitche@unca.edu
Systems and Network Support Administrator
Office: 021 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-251-5017
Email: reynolds@unca.edu
Senior Network Administrator
Office: 020 Rhoades/Robinson Hall
Phone: 828-232-5019
Email: jsteven2@unca.edu
Contact the Service Desk by sending an email to itservicedesk@unca.edu, or calling (828) 251-6445. Schedule an appointment using our online appointment form.
Office Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
104 Rhoades Robinson Hall, CPO 2410
1 University Heights
Asheville, NC 28804
(828) 251-6445