Office of Information Technologies

The Office of Information Technologies (OIT) provides telecommunications, networking, and general computing services to University students, faculty, and staff, integrating technology into the learning, administrative, and residential environments on campus.

OIT maintains a state-of-the-art computing network. Almost all University buildings, including residence halls (but not Family Housing), have direct high-speed ethernet connections to a campus network backbone. OIT provides dial-in modem connections and software for students living off campus, and wireless access to the network from several places on campus.

Computing facilities include kiosks for email, personal computer labs and classrooms. Each student has 30 MB of disk space for storing email messages and 100 MB of disk space for storing web and other files. OIT helps people protect their computers from viruses by distributing site-licensed anti-virus software and scanning email attachments for known viruses.

Other services provided by OIT include managing site-licensed software and access to many of the Library's online databases.

All facilities and services described above are available to students at no additional charge. OIT computing accounts are available from the OIT Help Desk, in Lederle Graduate Research Center, on presentation of a UCard.

Students use the SPIRE website to register for, add, and drop classes with the exception of Continuing Education courses (see the Division of Continuing Education section for more information). In addition, students can view and print their unofficial transcripts, class schedules, financial aid, current financial records, and "service indicators" (holds) with detailed information on how to resolve them. Everyone, including prospective students, can search the online course catalog and current course offerings.

The Assistive Technologies Center, a collaboration of OIT, the Library, Learning Disabilities Support Services, and Disability Services, is open to all individuals who have an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-defined disability.

OIT provides assistance, consulting, and training services to members of the University community through the Help Desk and Hardware and Software Support. The online help pages provide a search by keywords of online documentation. OIT computing workshops include "Formatting a Thesis at UMass Amherst" (there is a fee for the workshop).

For more information on OIT, visit www.oit.umass.edu/.