SBCC IT Service Level Guidelines

Purpose

The purpose of this Service Level Guidelines document (SLG) is to define the service levels provided to the staff, faculty and students (customers) at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) in order to ensure supported business needs are met. This document identifies customer expectations and defines services provided by the Information Technology department (IT), stating agreed-upon service level goals, operating practices, and reporting policies.

Commitment to Excellence

IT is committed to delivering excellent customer service by:

• Responding to requests for support within published time frames.
• Interacting with the SBCC community in a respectful and courteous manner.
• Requesting feedback for opportunities for improvement.
• Continuously working to improve quality of service.
• Regularly reviewing and monitoring performance based on this SLG.

Scope of Support

IT provides technical support to SBCC employees in the following support categories:

• Campus computing devices that adhere to the District standards – desktops, laptops, etc.
• Campus audio/video (AV) equipment
• Telephones, Fax machines
• Operating system, firmware, and supported software updates on campus devices
• Anti-virus and power management software
• Access to shared folders
• Peripherals such as printers, scanners and multifunction copiers
• Consultation and assistance regarding hardware or software purchases
• Network hardware management
• Training staff on current and emerging technologies
• Internet connectivity, wireless access, and core phone systems/services
• Core Enterprise Applications (Banner, Pipeline, Blackboard, Google Apps, etc.)
• Single-sign-on services
• Reports: Issue with Existing, New, & Modification requests
• Network equipment installation and configuration

IT provides technical support to SBCC students in the following support categories:

• Pipeline user account troubleshooting such as password reset, secret question reset, account access, and access to other enterprise level systems available through Pipeline.
• Provide technical support for Canvas.
• Provide entry-level support for SBCC’s WiFi infrastructure.

Out of Scope

Support is not provided for any equipment or software that is not owned by Santa Barbara Community College District, or is not under the purview of the IT department, such as:

• Personal computers, laptops, tablets, smart-phones or other devices belonging to faculty, staff or students.
• Third party software that has not been installed by IT.
• Home networks or residential internet connections.
• Equipment or machinery that is not “information technology” (e.g.: document shredders, facilities, electrical equipment, manufacturing equipment, lighting, etc.).

NOTE: District or College purchased software cannot be installed on personal systems unless granted permission through a campus-wide license agreement (e.g. Microsoft Office). Please check with IT if you have questions about software licensing.

Hours of Operation
Normal hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM PST, and Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.  All campus-observed holidays are excluded.

How to Request Service and Assistance

Customers can request support from IT via the following contact methods:

• Phone: Call the IT Support helpdesk at 805-965-0581 ext. 2215
• Email: A work order can be generated by sending an email to itsupport@pipeline.sbcc.edu 
• Contact form for STUDENTS: http://sbcc.edu/support/contact/
• Web self-service for STAFF AND FACULTY: http://helpdesk.sbcc.edu
• In person: The IT Support Desk office is located on the second floor of the McDougall Administration building on the main campus (by appointment only).  

Priority Levels and Response Times

IT will make every effort to resolve issues during the initial call. If the problem cannot be resolved over the phone, a work order will be generated by the IT Support Desk staff. IT will assign priorities for all requests not resolved at the time of the initial call, based on the below definitions. Requests will be handled according to the priority of the work order, as determined by IT.

The following table briefly describes priority levels assigned to work orders and initial response time expectations. While every effort will be made to resolve all issues immediately, circumstances may delay remediation or repair (see the “Exceptions” section below). In such cases, a resolution path and approximate time frame will be determined and communicated to the customer.

“Initial Response” is defined as the first contact from an assigned technician during normal hours of operation.

Project Lead Times

A 90-day advance notice is mandatory for all projects requiring IT participation, support, or resources. IT resources encompass a wide range, such as programming, data reporting, computer equipment, networking, WiFi, electrical services for computers or peripherals, multimedia tools (projectors, TVs, audio), and the relocation of any of the mentioned equipment from one location to another. This lead time is essential to guarantee the availability of required resources and to facilitate proper scheduling amid other projects in the queue. Projects should be coordinated with itmanagement@sbcc.edu.

Exceptions

Initial response times listed above do not guarantee resolution times, although every effort will be made to resolve all work orders upon first contact. If an immediate resolution is not available, interim solutions may be suggested and made available, or the IT technician will provide an estimated time of resolution.

During traditionally busy times, such as the first week of a semester, response times may be longer than normal. IT Support Desk staff will inform customers if a delay is to be expected.

Examples of reasons why delays can occur:

• A part needs to be ordered to return a computer to operation.  
• A subject matter expert must be contacted in order to resolve the problem.
• An increase in the number of support requests during peak periods, such as the start of a semester.

Escalation

If a work order issue is not being addressed in accordance with this SLG, the issue can be escalated by contacting any of the following, in order of escalation:

1. Call or Email the IT Support helpdesk, itsupport@pipeline.sbcc.edu, 805-965-0581 ext. 2215
2. Email the IT Management group: it-management-group@pipeline.sbcc.edu 

Customer Responsibilities

To help facilitate the IT support process, the SBCC community is requested and expected to:

• Provide a clear, detailed narrative of the problem, including location and contact information, and system information where applicable. Issue resolution may be delayed if this information is not provided.
• Make efforts to be available to communicate with the technician. IT staff will make 2 attempts to contact the customer over the course of 5 business days via email or telephone. If no response comes from the customer, the ticket will be closed.
• Provide a clean, safe and hospitable work environment for IT staff while they are in your office, classroom, or lab.
• Interact with IT staff in a respectful and courteous manner.
• Notify IT in advance of any predetermined need.
• Refrain from abusing or misusing equipment provided by the college.
• Adhere to laws, licenses and copyrights related to use of technology and software.
• Adhere to all college policies and procedures, including BP/AP 3270 Computer and Network Use.
• Attend training opportunities made available by SBCC for technology that will be used, including cybersecurity awareness training.
• Never share your password with anyone for any reason.

Note About Cables and Peripherals

The IT department does not provide cables to connect personal/portable devices to the classroom multimedia systems. Examples of these types of cables include audio cables for iPods, HDMI cables, Apple adapters, VGA adapters, etc. Faculty and Staff must acquire their own cables, adapters, and peripherals for their devices. They can then use their personal cables in whichever room they choose, and they should keep them in their possession afterwards. Cables left in classrooms tend to disappear almost immediately.

For More Information

Questions about these guidelines can be addressed to the IT Management group this email address: it-management-group@pipeline.sbcc.edu 

Rev: 2022.11.04.JAC