Tech Support

The IT Service Desk should be your first point of contact for technical assistance. We are operating under a modified schedule, and not currently accepting walk-in customers without a scheduled appointment. Contact the Service Desk by sending an email to helpdesk@unca.edu or calling 828-251-6445.

Schedule an appointment using our online appointment form.

Service Desk Hours

Phone and email support are available during on the following schedule:

Appointments are available Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Schedule an appointment using our online appointment form.

Email monitoring will be used to assist users after hours and on weekends as available.  Voicemails left after hours and on weekends will be returned the following business day.

The IT Service Desk Self-Service Portal is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The self-help portal will allow you to request assistance from ITS via a simple web form.

Supported Hardware & Software

ITS sets yearly standards for supported hardware and software. Hardware standards are agreed upon by UNC Asheville and UNC General Administration as part of the Combined Pricing Initiative (CPI). CPI allows us to leverage the buying power of all the UNC institutions when purchasing desktop and laptop computers with specific configurations. Standard configurations are designed to cover 95% of the computing needs of the campus.

Software standards are based on business needs, vendor support, and licensing availability and restrictions. ITS has established campus-wide site licenses for very common software (Windows and MacOS operating systems, Microsoft Office, anti-virus software, etc.) and provides access to software available through UNC-GA system-wide site licenses (SAS). ITS also works with departments on campus to provide site licenses for specialized software which multiple disciplines use (ArcGIS, MiniTab). Whenever possible ITS will provide Open Source and/or free software analogous to each commercial software package available (OpenOffice, Firefox).

Only computers, peripherals, and software appearing on the “standards” list and which are leased/purchased through ITS are supported. These standards are set to ensure stability and compatibility with the university computing environment. With the vast array of hardware and software options available, supporting non-standard equipment and software is unsustainable and would be prohibitively expensive to the university.

Given the broad range of disciplines on campus there will be requests for hardware and/or software outside of ITS’ standards. In the interest of facilitating the university’s academic and administrative missions ITS will assist in the procurement of such hardware/software, but we cannot support it. Usually this type of hardware/software is extremely specialized and the requester is already very familiar with the products.

Faculty & Staff Support

ITS supports university-owned computers, peripherals, and software. This support includes fixing hardware and software that’s not working correctly; it does not include training. Each individual is responsible for being familiar with the software they need to perform their job duties. Personal equipment cannot be serviced by ITS.

How to get help

First, contact the IT Service Desk. Depending on the nature of your inquiry, we may be able to help you over the phone or we may need to create a service ticket for you.  When we create a ticket, you will receive an email with a link to our online ticket tracking system. You can log into the IT Service Desk Self-Service Portal at any time to check the status of your tickets.

An ITS staff member will be assigned to your ticket and will contact you within one business day. If the issue you are reporting affects many people, or is a work-stopping issue, we will prioritize your ticket accordingly. When we believe we have “fixed” your issue the ticket will be closed and you will receive an email confirming that we have completed work on the ticket along with a link to a satisfaction survey. If you feel that your issue has not been resolved, please contact the Help Desk with your ticket number so that we can re-open the ticket for you and follow-up.

Student Support

The IT Service Desk provides free, basic software technical support to all UNC Asheville students.  This service is provided by UNC Asheville students who are mentored by the Information Technology Services staff. Typical services provided by the group include assistance in removing malware/viruses, help connecting to the campus wireless network, and troubleshooting operating system and application problems. The IT Service Desk does not provide hardware support. If IT Service Desk determines that your issue is hardware related, we will refer you to a local repair shop or your computer’s manufacturer/vendor for warranty support.

The IT Service Desk Walk-In Center is located in Ramsey Library, room 118 (in the main lobby behind the “Research and Technology” Desk). While classes are in session, students can walk-in during the following hours:

The ITS Service Desk is currently not accepting walk-in customers. In-person support is available by appointment only. Please contact us at helpdesk@unca.edu or 828-251-6445 to request assistance.

The IT Service Desk also offers assistance on a per appointment basis for more complex problems.