Comments on our staffing

[Theresa M Rowe <rowe () OAKLAND EDU>]

Our terrific Helpdesk & Security Manager has decided to resign to move to another state for family reasons.  Every loss 
is an opportunity to check what you're doing to make sure it continues to make sense.

I'd like your opinions on our organization.

As a background:
Hours - Our Helpdesk is open Monday - Friday 8 AM to 5 PM (open through lunch).

Ticketing - We use Footprints as our ticket managing system.  Tickets can be mailed to the system 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week.

University - We are a public university with 17,500 students enrolled.

Due to budget cuts and the particular and special skills of the individual, we combined front-line security and 
internal security audits with the traditional helpdesk functions to handle a budget cut a few years ago. This is a 
management position that supervises several areas and we are small staffed.  There are 3 full time professionals 
reporting to this individual, and the equivalent of 12 FTE in students.

The current job functions are:

1) Security awareness programming
Develop and deliver programs on security awareness and training based on current threats, targeted at students, faculty 
and staff.  Deliver security awareness messaging.  Represent current security issues at the departmental Change 
Management meeting.

2) Security audit
Coordinate internal security response and audit.  Support and handle PCI audits, Incident Response documentation and 
follow-up, DMCA formal responses, etc.  Over-see internal department audits of firewall rule implementation done by the 
network team, log review of system logs from the architecture team, audit Banner ERP security access forms to system 
implementation matching what is authorized on paper to what is implemented in Banner, department audit of  handling of 
keys and door locks, etc.

3) Helpdesk services
Provide the initial entry point for technology use at OU, supervising staff answering questions in email or by phone, 
providing self-help documentation, and providing Front Line response.

4) Desktop installation and repair
Order new PCs, coordinate installs, order and install software.  Back-line response. Make sure that desktop/laptop 
installs are secure.  Evaluate and plan for desktop and laptop mobile security.

5) Evaluation and consultative services
Provide initial consultative services to individuals requesting initial technology project assistance.  Look at 
projects such as group software purchases, software discounts for students, etc.  Manage the Microsoft Campus Agreement 
and similar software support for Apple.  Pattern recognition and analysis in trouble-tickets.  Identify common security 
issues through helpdesk ticket analysis.  Customer survey response analysis.  Deliver system change announcements as 
part of the change management committee.

6) Confidential systems support
Provide private and confidential desktop support to the President's and Board of Trustees office (usually personally 
supervised by the manager).  Handle private requests for the Office of the General Counsel.  Including support for 
executive hand-held computing.


We like to be innovative and creative in our response and management.  What do you think - does the job make sense?  
Looking out over the next 5 years, what is missing?  What should be removed?  Overwhelming job?  Not so bad?   
Something worth growing?  Time to split it all apart?

Just interested in your comments.

Thanks much.
Theresa Rowe
Assistant Vice President
University Technology Services
www.oakland.edu/uts - the latest news from University Technology Services