When you think of the words, “college dorm,” your mind may jump to the school year — moving in during the Fall, late night study-sessions and impromptu gatherings in your hall. However, the summer season doesn’t slow the activity in Carolina’s residence halls. In fact, the three vibrant months bring an entirely new set of tech needs with them.
Known as the team you call when your Wi-Fi isn’t working, ResNET is trusted with providing on-site IT support to campus residents. Their efforts further impress when you learn how much the team members accomplish throughout the summer.
Summer support
No matter the season, Carolina’s residence halls are kept busy with a wide range of occupants. Some 450 graduate and undergraduate students use housing in the summer. In addition, nearly 5,000 conference and camp participants require residency. For ResNET, summer doesn’t mean vacation — the ITS group’s support is crucial year-round.
A prime example of ResNET’s busy schedule is orientation, when about 10,000 students and family members visit campus.
“We provide extra laptops for staff and help set up the areas where people check in and out,” said Phil Young, ResNET director. “We make sure everyone has Wi-Fi that’s working and that residents can get onto it easily. That means opening security protocols to special guests, things like that.”
On top of this, ResNET also prepares for the Fall semester. The group’s work includes things like preparing digital signs in the lobbies and testing routers in the Carolina Gaming Arena, a venue in Craige Residence Hall that ResNET also manages.
“We set up our students for success by making sure all this work in the summer is done, so when they come back in the fall things are nice and ready to go,” Young said.
Managing challenges
But how does a team that drops from 45 Residential Computing Consultants (RCCs) in the academic year to only four in the summer manage such a high demand?
“A part of it is using the technology we have,” Young said. “The ticketing system allows us to maintain our service level agreement — to reach out within 24 hours — and it’s really important for us to maintain that.”
The customer support ticketing system is only one part of the group’s success. Sometimes upgrades in the residence halls require temporarily shutting off the internet — which, as one can imagine, could quickly disrupt residents. Yet, ResNET’s staff members’ meticulous planning makes for smooth operations.
“We try to work around student schedules; a lot of this kind of stuff is done in the early morning. Or if we have one in the afternoon, we make sure there are no camps or conferences going on that day,” Young said.
ResNET also coordinates closely with Carolina Housing and the ITS Networking team. It’s remarkable to consider that every resident’s experience has a solid support system built on the work of ITS employees and other departments.
ResNET’s value
“We know the mission,” Young said. “We live the mission every day for housing. The key to it is, we understand how important it is to make someone feel like this is their home.”
What makes ResNET’s work so valuable in the summertime transcends past technological services; ResNET makes its interactions with residents personable.
“What I like about our services is we can send someone to help you in person,” Young said. “There’s lots of devices we can look at: someone’s TV, PC or their wireless. Whatever it is, we’re going to send someone to look at it.”
It’s these types of interactions that are so essential for Carolina. Many people staying during the summer are just being introduced to campus — orientation students, new members of camps and conferences. ResNET makes them feel like they belong here.
“When we talk to parents, they want their kid to come live at Carolina housing because this type of support is important to them,” Young said. “Our service is something that sets us apart, and that’s the overall value we bring to the University.”
Natalie Gonzalez, who wrote this piece, was one of those summertime residents. She joined the ITS Communications team in June, before she attended orientation.
“My first glimpse of Carolina’s dorms came during orientation, where I spent the night in Hinton James Residence Hall. Initially, I was worried about how I’d adjust from the comforts of my own room to an entirely new living environment. Luckily, orientation served as the steppingstone I needed for my transition into dorm life.
After my stay, I felt completely at ease; I slept well, familiarized myself with the dorm layout, and grew more comfortable with my future housing. I’m grateful for ResNET’s strong behind-the-scenes support, as it allowed me to leave orientation excited to move in for my Fall semester.”
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