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Technology Service and Resources
The first personal computer in the College of Education was a rudimentary computer built by Dr. Bill Engle using a model kit purchased from Radio Shack. Dr. Frank Breit related that Dr. Engle programmed the computer and demonstrated its use to students in his mathematics education classes.
When Dr. Bill Katzenmeyer came from Duke University to become the Dean of the USF College of Education in 1977, he realized that there were major shortcomings within the institution in regards to technology. He believed that if the College was not up to speed in faculty use of computer technology in their teaching and research, it would become irrelevant as a college of education. He asked for faculty volunteers who would be provided release time to be trained to use computer technology in their classes. Dr. Andrea Troutman, Dr. Frank Breit, and Dr. Bill Engle accepted the challenge. They not only assisted other faculty members but became the founding faculty of the Instructional Technology Program in the College.
Technology support at USF was initially centralized. It was not uncommon for College of Education faculty and staff to wait two to three weeks to have a computer problem solved. In 1990, the Support Team for Academic Computing (STAC) department was formed to meet the ever-growing computer service needs of the College. With Dr. Andrea Troutman as its director and with Craig Woolley and Scott Seifreit in supporting positions. The wait time for resolving a computer problem was reduced to one day or less. STAC was also charged with the responsibility to infuse technology into the everyday endeavors of the faculty and staff. It provided workstation configuration, the set-up and repair of computers, software research and acquisition, technology inventory, network administration, and provided instructional support for faculty and staff. The department changed its name to Technology Services and Resources (TSR) to reflect its role in supporting all forms of technology, not just computers.
When Dr. Troutman stepped down as director in 1995, Craig Woolley and Scott Seifreit were appointed to their respective positions as director and associate director. TSR now had four full-time and one part-time staff members. TSR’s support services expanded when the Internet and e-mail began to play a major role in education and research.
Craig Woolley and Scott Seifreit, as noted within the “College of Education Building II Section,” were instrumental in assuring that fiber optics be installed throughout the building’s infrastructure. This insured that the College would be able to expand upon the use of state-of-the-art technology for many years. TSR also worked closely with the building committee and architects to develop the specifications for all classroom technology in the new building and the following renovation of the original Education building.
During the construction projects, TSR expanded its staffing to meet the needs of the additional technology resources available to the faculty. When the new building opened, TSR had five full-time and one part-time staff members.
By the 2005-2006 school year, TSR was under the direction of Scott Seifreit and had grown to eight staff members. Currently, it supports the technology needs of 188 faculty members and staff members within the Tampa campus of the College of Education. TSR also provides support to several locations beyond the main College complex. These include: the Preschool for Creative Learning, USF/Patel Charter School, and Pizzo Elementary School.