Distributed Support Services

Mission
DSS Program Overview
How DSS Operates
Contact Information
DSS Organizational Chart

Mission

Distributed Support Services facilitates the localized application of information technology, serving area-specific and institution-wide needs by consistently providing high quality professional IT support.

DSS Program Overview

The DSS group was formed in response to needs expressed by campus during a campus-wide survey of departmental IT support needs*:

• “Departments need an in-house person with (tech skills) who is able to work with an entire department.  …who understand what (our) business is, what (our) needs are; anticipate problems, etc.”

• “(We need) …someone who ‘owns’ (the IT support issues for our) area and takes pride in the area.  … This person needs to have a regular presence in the office(s) he/she supports and needs to be familiar with the day to day operations of (our) department.  This person should offer solutions because they are familiar with how a department works.”

* 2000/2001 Campus Pipeline survey 

Since its formation in 2001, the DSS group has grown its services to include:

• Full-time and half-time dedicated IT support services from OIT managed staff who reside on-site in the departments they service.
  
• “Fractional Support Program”:  (established in 2007) Dedicated support to participating departments who have IT needs which can be met on a part-time basis – most typically, smaller sized departments.) 

The DSS Program gives Notre Dame department executives the option of obtaining professional IT support staff in a way which relieves much of the training and managerial overhead burden from the department -- DSS staff are managed and trained by the OIT, yet, their services are dedicated to the departments to which they are assigned. The program provides advantages such as, budgetary flexibility, and freedom from the burdens of screening, hiring and management. In addition, DSS Field staff have access to the backing of the entire Distributed Support team.

How DSS Operates

The DSS employees are physically placed into the departments they serve. While managed by the OIT, they have a "coffee cup in the break room" and participate in meetings as a typical employee of the department in which they are placed. The working priorities of the field staff are guided by a designated individual within the partnering department, typically a manager or director familiar with the day-to-day user and departmental computing needs, typically a Manager or Director.

Collectively, the DSS staff form a team of IT professionals dedicated to helping each other be successful in their respective areas. They often will assist each other for special projects or as a backup during vacations.

Contact Information

To learn more about the benefits of joining the DSS program, please contact:

• Steve Sporinsky, Distributed Support Services Manager: 574-631-4297
• Corrie Klimek, Distributed Support Services Manager: 574-631-8879