24x7x365 Technical Support to Be Available to Global WT Community

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas —West Texas A&M University will have round-the-clock technology support beginning this fall.

A new collaboration between WT’s Information Technology department and Blackboard will allow students, faculty and staff access to support via chat, email, web and telephone through Blackboard 24x7x365.

“We are committed to providing a technology-rich learning experience with high-quality services and support,” said James Webb, vice president for IT and chief information officer. “This support will be available wherever and whenever it’s needed, either for our on-campus community or for our students connecting from around the world.”

This first level of support — considered Tier 1 in IT terms — will include assistance with Blackboard Learn, which WT has used in its WT Class learning management system since 2015. Blackboard also will provide general troubleshooting for issues with hardware, software, printing, network, VPN, telecom, web browsers and applications such as Microsoft 365. More advanced issues — or Tier 2 or 3 — will be handled by WT’s IT team.

The service, which will be accessed at support.wtamu.edu, will include toll-free and local technical support numbers, live chat and a link to open a case, as well as general help topics and answers to frequently asked questions.

“Many of our students are taking courses and working full time. With the addition of Blackboard 24x7x365 support for our students and faculty, they now have even greater flexibility and immediate support for their needs based on their respective schedules,” said Dr. De’Arno De’Armond, associate dean of graduate business programs and Paul Engler Professor of Business & Finance.

This will reduce the time it takes to solve issues, Webb said.

“Speed and responsiveness to our faculty and students are key objectives for us, and this collaboration will provide a better online learning experience for everyone,” he said.

Calls will be answered in an average of two minutes or less, and requests will be handled in an average of eight minutes, Webb said.

The University’s technical support center, located in the Hastings Electronic Learning Center, will continue to offer support in person and via telephone.

Technology is an integral part of WT’s generational plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, particularly as the University provides more online education options. WT has been a pioneer in online education since 1997, and the University’s online programs rank highly in key measures.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 38 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

About Blackboard

Blackboard is the largest education technology and services company in the world, serving nearly 100 million users in countries in every region around the globe. WT adopted the learning management system in 2015 for online classes and other course-related content. 

—WTAMU—