2.1  New Hires

Once the departments know their new hires (faculty, instructors, and staff) in their area, several actions must occur before the new employees start work. Please note that the chronological order of some of these steps is essential to execute a smooth transition.

After an official offer is accepted by the new hire and before any other services can be requested, a member of the department office staff must obtain a CWID for the individual, which is done by creating a New Faculty/Staff Set-up Form. (See New Faculty/Staff Set-up Form at https://hr.ua.edu/payroll/payroll-forms-guides for more information.) This form must be completed if an individual needs email access before their start date (i.e., a faculty member arriving in the summer). The date entered on the Faculty/Staff Set-up Form must be when the individual should have access – not their official hire date. The CWID will be required to set up any technology-related systems for the new hire and many other services around the University. Email and access to UA systems are automatically generated once the new employee is in the Banner system.

For new hires who are located or teaching in buildings that are set up with electronic locks, the department administrator needs to place a request for swipe-card access by filling out the form at https://etech.as.ua.edu/forms/as-building-and-classroom-access- form/. If the individual will be working in areas that have alarms, please include alarm-code activation information with the individual’s CWID and a personally selected 4-digit alarm code (must not begin with a zero or a one) on the request form.

The departments can use the A&S New Hire Onboarding Checklist found at https://etech.as.ua.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/New-Hire-Onboarding-Checklist-Fillable.pdf.

2.2  Faculty

After new faculty accept a position within the College of Arts and Sciences, the Dean’s Office sends each new hire an acknowledgment letter, including directions for requesting a new office computer. When the computer request form has been completed, an auto-response is generated, allowing new faculty to review their submission and request software.

New faculty requests for A&S-issued desktops are also eligible for A&S-owned iPads. Information for iPads will be sent to new faculty after the opening of the new semester. To get their device, new faculty must attend an iPad session. During this session, eTech staff will assist the faculty in setting up their iPad (email, wireless, registration) and offer general information on how to use the iPads. Additional information on using the iPad for presenting and in the classroom can be obtained on the eTech website at https://etech.as.ua.edu/hardware-software/ipads/.

Faculty who are issued laptops do not qualify for iPads. 

2.3  Staff

All staff employed through state funds are issued A&S desktops and eligible for A&S-owned iPads. To get their device, new staff must attend an iPad session. During this session, eTech staff will assist the staff in setting up their iPad (email, wireless, registration) and will offer some general information on how to use the iPads. Additional iPad uses information can be obtained on the eTech website at https://etech.as.ua.edu/hardware-software/ipads/.

Staff who are issued laptops do not qualify for iPads.

2.4  Instructors

Instructors with 3-year renewable contracts are assigned to A&S desktops and are eligible for A&S-owned iPads. All instructors must attend one of the iPad setup sessions to get their devices. During this session, eTech staff will assist the instructors in setting up their iPad (email, wireless, registration) and offer general information on how to use the iPads. Additional information on using the iPad for presenting and in the classroom can be obtained on the eTech website at https://etech.as.ua.edu/hardware-software/ipads/.

Instructors who are assigned laptops do not qualify for iPads.

Due to limited resources and budget constraints, less than 3-year contracts, part-time, and non-renewable instructors are not eligible for iPads.

Computers recovered during the computer replacement program will be reallocated as instructor stations. Although the College will do its best to supply computers for as many instructors as possible, space limitations and technology availability may require some groups of instructors to share technology. Due to limited supplies of returned technology, the College will use the technology inventory system to determine the greatest need for reallocation within A&S. Priority distribution for returned computers will be given to department labs and instructors.

NOTE: If new faculty or instructors are placed in rooms that have not previously been used as offices or have not been used for a while, the department will need to verify that there are functioning network/internet jacks available before any computers may be installed. To do this, the departments can visually verify whether there are network jacks and call the IT Service Desk at 205-348-5555 to request that OIT ensure they are active.

2.5  Exiting Employees

When faculty, instructors, or staff leave the College of Arts and Sciences, department chairs or Technology Equipment Coordinators (TECs) must follow the steps below to ensure that the proper systems are deactivated, and that equipment is recovered.

The departments must note the employee’s status and why they are leaving (retiring versus resigning) since their cut-off dates for access to various University systems will depend on this information. For example, a fired employee will immediately lose access to the system, while a retiring professor may be allowed access to some areas under emeritus status. All departments should use the Employee Out-processing Form to ensure that the exiting individuals have done everything needed before leaving. See the out-processing form at https://www.as.ua.edu/facultystaff- resources/as-employee-out-processing-forms/.

When departments are notified that staff, faculty, or instructors are leaving their department, the TECs should notify eTech at etech@ua.edu and arrange to return the individuals’ iPads and any mobile technology.

Departments must submit termination PAs for all exiting employees, which are used to deactivate email, access to UA systems, and action card access. Access to myBama, general UA systems, and email will be effective through the employee’s last day of work.

Staff who retire may not be allowed to come back to work at the University for up to two years after they leave. If there is a desire on behalf of the staff member to return to UA after this time, the department should notify eTech. eTech can then request that OIT keep the staff member’s email address on file for two years so it may be reinstated if the individual is rehired.

Access can be removed earlier than is posted above if the departments notify eTech before an employee’s last day. It is recommended that department chairs forward emails for terminated employees to their email accounts to prevent unanswered emails.

All A&S-issued technology must be returned to eTech when faculty, staff, or instructors leave or retire from the College. Retired faculty are not allowed to keep their iPads, even if they continue to do research for the College of Arts and Sciences. Emeritus faculty may use computers if the equipment remains on the UA campus.

Retired faculty and staff cannot take state-owned technology home for any reason.

2.6 Department Technology Equipment Coordinators (TECs)

One staff person in each department is designated as a Technology Equipment Coordinator (TEC). The TECs:

• Act as liaison to the eTech office concerning faculty and staff technology needs.
• Assist eTech in performing annual technology inventory audits.
• Track technology within the department by maintaining a department inventory database that corresponds to the master inventory system of the College.
• Notify eTech whenever there are technology changes within the department, faculty moving to different offices, changes in department computer labs, relocation of graduate student offices, etc.
• Notify eTech whenever there are personnel changes in the department.
• Facilitate recovery of portable technology (iPads and laptops).
• Coordinate with eTech the recovery or surplus of older technology.
• Request departmental (non-individual) email accounts, group calendars, etc.
• Attend annual meetings with eTech to track technology updates and policy changes.