Re-purposing a Student Tech Service Group? 185
discards writes "I help run a student group at a Canadian University. For almost 15 years we've provided students with services such as web space, email, wireless internet on campus, cvs/svn, database access, mailing lists, etc., all using Linux and FOSS. In recent years, however, we have faced becoming obsolete. The university now provides wireless access, people get their email from other places such as Google, which also provides free svn access, web space, and so forth. Since we have a large amount of decent, usable hardware, as well as space, funding and a very fast internet connection, we are looking to possibly reform instead of just withering away and dying. We would like to ask Slashdot for ideas as to what we could do; preferably something that cultivates student research or provides an otherwise useful service to students, though all ideas are welcome."
What a similar group does (Score:5, Informative)
I have just joined a similar group, the Harvard Computing Society (http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/ [harvard.edu]). We try to provide more up to date web services to student organizations. We provide web hosting for student groups that is capable of running all the latest web goodies like Drupal, Mediawiki, sql, and the like. We also maintain mailing lists for student organizations, and advocate for better tech practices at Harvard. There are also lots of other cool projects in the pipeline that may or may not go anywhere but are fun to work on: IPtv, content aggregation from student org websites, internet phone, and other off the wall ideas. I am still new to the organization, but everything seems to work very well.
Taking this successful example, I would suggest taking advantage of the fact that you can be less bureaucratic than the school's general IT staff to provide more modern web tools to student organizations.
Back up service (Score:4, Informative)
How about offering a back-up service for students work? Sure, you currently offer services that could be used as such but your average student has no idea how to do it. Offer a nice simple web interface that allows them to upload files that they really wouldn't want to lose.
As other posters have pointed out, you could also move into entertainment services and help for recent graduates.
I wouldn't ditch things like the svn/cvs, webspace and database access though. My CS department used to run their own services and having them on campus was great since I could go ask our helpdesk people if something went wrong or I needed extra space etc.
Telecoomunications (Score:2, Informative)
Student research... (Score:4, Informative)
...like private email (Score:4, Informative)
Do It Better (Score:1, Informative)
I've been to a university and college, both in the same city as Carleton, and their IT services were mostly lackluster. So my suggestion is: Compete! Keep maintaining your wireless internet, or even improve on it. Make a really good bulletin board/forum for trading, advice, anything a student might need. Even with all the free offerings floating around the 'net, I would have still preferred one specifically for my campus.
You can probably drop email, but for everything else, have a look at the services Carleton offers. If you think you can do better, then do it! Even if the services are equal, it's an incentive for Carleton not to let their own offerings turn obsolete. My experience is that as long as they can advertise it to prospective students, your typical post-secondary institution doesn't care how useful their services are.
Re:A few basic needs. (Score:2, Informative)