Student workers at the Gregg Triad computer lab can take phone calls, watch the doors and check out cameras. But they typically are not educated on how to help out with major technical problems and computer assistance, said Don Braswell, lab coordinator for the Center for Academic Technology Support.

This will all change in the fall semester.

The lab is implementing a program that coordinators hope will bring in student workers with more hands-on technical training.

Braswell said that Eastern is behind other state universities in providing technical assistance from student workers. Bigger universities such as University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin and Notre Dame already have similar programs in place at their on-campus computer labs.

“Other colleges have already been doing this forever,” said Claire Martinkus, student worker at the Gregg Triad and sophomore elementary education major.

If all goes as planned, these trained students will be able to help out at all other computer labs on campus as well.

“We’re hoping that we can branch this out and help other labs on campus,” said Braswell.

At the Western Illinois University Help Desk, student workers are hired to assist with technical difficulties anywhere on campus, said Dan Miller, technical assistant at Western’s Help Desk.

“We’ve been doing this as long as I can remember,” Miller said.

But not all of the workers are required to be computer science majors. Like Western and other universities, the Triad will test students on their knowledge of technical problems, including fixing server, network and disk drive problems.

“The old way, the student worker was basically there to check out a camera.and watch the doors,” said Braswell. “In our current hiring process, we’re looking for students with more of a technical background.”

Martinkus said she can answer most disk drive and server questions, but said sometimes there are questions she is unable to answer.

Generally in the afternoon, student workers are the only help available, she said, and admitted that she may not be rehired for the same position next year.

If Martinkus is rehired, she said the job will probably become much more difficult than other jobs on campus that pay the same amount of money.

“When I can work in the dining hall washing dishes for $6.50 an hour, it’s a lot of work,” she said.

But whether or not she is rehired for her position, Martinkus expects the new program to benefit the students overall.