Last Saturday, in a proactive move to keep up to date on skills and ensure compliance, the Student Technology Services (STS) department organized additional training sessions for student staff from both STS and Tech Den. The focus of these sessions was to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the newly updated ServiceNow dashboard functionalities, provide comprehensive training on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and cover procedural changes in various policies.
In addition to FERPA, the training covered procedural changes to the laptop loaner policy, operating system reinstalls, and updates to the Dell repair process. Given that these updates are crucial for ensuring that the student staff are well-informed and prepared to address technological issues efficiently, STS makes sure of taking the initiative to regularly retrain the student staff.
Lastly, Larissa Bray came in to do an in-person training with the students on recent updates in ServiceNow dashboard, a platform that WashU uses for technology ticketing and IT asset management. With the new training, the student staff would be able to successfully navigate the updated dashboard to ensure the tech needs of the WashU student community are fulfilled.
The training sessions also welcomed the newest employee, Gabbi Arguello, who attended her very first day at STS. Gabbi had the opportunity to introduce herself and meet everyone, setting the stage for her integration into the team. The inclusive environment of the training sessions allowed for positive interactions and team-building. Returning Level II Tech, Eric Fang, also made a notable return from his study abroad semester in London. His presence added valuable experience to the training sessions, and his participation contributed to the collaborative learning atmosphere
Registrar Keri Disch was able to conduct the FERPA training in person. The session proved to be highly informative, with the student techs gaining valuable insights into their rights and responsibilities associated with handling student educational records. This comprehensive understanding of FERPA regulations further encourages the student staff to uphold high standards of privacy in their daily responsibilities.
All members of the STS student staff and a great portion of Tech Den student staff actively participated in the training sessions, demonstrating their commitment to staying current with technology and university policies. The hands-on nature of the training facilitated not only skill development but also team bonding.
Oana Jackson, the Assistant Director of Student Technology Services, stated “I was very pleased to see 100% of STS’s student staff attend Saturday’s spring tech training, on an incredibly cold day nonetheless. Going forward, we plan on incorporating a spring training session into the STS schedule, not only as a welcomed refresher on tech issues, but also for the beneficial network effect of having all our student staff come together for the first time in the new year.”
The successful completion of these comprehensive training sessions marks an important step forward for all student staff. We are excited to see them well-prepared to leverage the updated ServiceNow dashboard, adhere to FERPA guidelines, and navigate procedural changes with confidence.