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| About the Student Assistants |
Each of the open access labs is usually staffed by one or more Computer Lab
Student Assistants (SAs) employed by Student Computing Services to
assist users with the university's computer resources. They can also
help you get onto the system you need to use and to get a printout
of your work when you're finished. They cannot do your computer assignment
for you or teach you all you need to know to use a computer system
or application.
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| How to get
an SA to help you |
SAs are required to wear badges with their names on them. This enables you
to determine who is actually on duty as an SA at any point in time.
The best approach for enlisting an SA's help is along the lines of
going up to the SA desk located in the front of the lab and saying,
"Excuse me. Could you help me?"
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| What help can
SAs give you |
| Experience shows that lab users may ask for anything. However, not all SAs are familiar with applications and programming languages that fall outside the basic core of
the SA Help Areas, listed below.
Keep in mind that lab policy requires that there be one SA behind the SA desk at all times. If there is only one person there and you need someone to come to your workstation, you may have to wait until one is available.
Though SAs may occasionally be working at one of the computers in the SA area, their desk work is secondary to helping you with yours. If the SA is on duty (wearing an SA name badge), feel free to ask for his/her help.
SAs are expected to be able to help users in a number of very specific areas
which are listed below. Many SAs have other areas of expertise and
may be able to help you with their expertise if time permits. Please
understand that the SA's priority is to the supported areas listed
below. |
| SA help areas |
- Anything to do with any of the printers in the labs
- Logging in to PrideMail and Novell accounts
- Using PrideMail
- Accessing the Internet
- Getting started and using basic features in the following applications:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Basic file handling on the Windows and Macintosh operating systems (saving, moving, mailing, and deleting files)
- Using the common menu and graphic user interfaces in Windows and Macintosh applications
Though only a percentage of all SAs are computer science or BCIS majors, all of those who have worked more than one semester as an SA are fairly knowledgeable in a wide range of common lab user problems and their job is to help you. They may not be able to give you more than five minutes at a time, but you should be able to get that help without too long a wait. If they aren't too busy, many of them will be delighted to give you as much time as they can.
SAs are trained to help users get started in applications and to help solve
specific computer related problems. They are not expected to be
experts in applications and may have no prior exposure to many applications
used in Hofstra classes. They are not expected to "teach users how
to use an application", though sometimes they may choose to do a
little of this. SAs are specifically instructed that they should
NOT do homework for students and except on rare occasions, should
have the students typing on the keyboard rather than doing it for
them. SAs are there to help you learn how to use the lab facilities.
They are not there to use those facilities for you.
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| Want to Work
Here? |
Student Assistants are Hofstra students as well as Hofstra student employees. They come from diverse backgrounds and have a wide variety of interests AND majors. While they do receive training, most of their knowledge is gained on the job. Each semester SCS recruits and hires new candidates for this part-time student position. If you're looking for a challenging on-campus position and would like more information about becoming an SA, visit the SCS lab office (106C Calkins) or E-Mail SCSJOBS@office.hofstra.edu.
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