IT Service Center / Alumni Help Desk
- (401) 863-4357
- help@brown.edu
- Page-Robinson Hall, Floor 5
Office of Information Technology
Get Help
Service Hours
The OIT Service Center will be closing at noon on Wednesday, November 27. Please plan accordingly.
- Onsite Appointments, Onsite Walk-ins, Phone, Live Chat, and Online Help Request Support
- Service Hours:
- Monday-Friday 8:30am - 6:00pm
- Saturday: 2:00pm - 6:30pm
- Sunday: 2:00pm - 6:30pm
Support Services
Our centralized on-site IT Support Consultants (ITSC) and departmental on-site Departmental Computing Coordinators (DCCs) are available to assist you with repairs to Brown-owned equipment and troubleshooting/general inquiries both Brown and personal computers. More information about what we support and how to get help can be found in the Knowledgebase.
- For normal computing issues (configuration changes, software installation, new computer set-up, etc.), please contact your assigned ITSC directly to set up an appointment.
- If you have an urgent issue (i.e., critical problems that require resolution within 2 hours) and your ITSC is unavailable, please send an email to HELP@brown.edu and follow with a phone call to the Service Center, 401-863-4357 for immediate triage.
ITSC departments are always welcome to call the IT Service Center at x3-4357 for questions regarding common applications (Word, Excel, Chrome, Acrobat, etc.).
ITSC Services for Department-Owned Devices
The IT Support Consultant teams support computing activities within academic and administrative departments. Your ITSC will set up an appointment with you at a mutually convenient time.
ITSCs work with departmental staff members to develop technology plans for departments that include all hardware (computers, printers, scanners, mobile devices, etc.), software, cycles for hardware replacements, and future technology needs.
With approval from your departmental budgeting staff, your ITSC will assist you with placing orders for standard hardware (computers, printers, mobile devices, etc.), and will consult with you for any additional departmental purchases related to specialized technological academic needs.
If ITSC is handling purchasing of equipment for the department, ITSC staff are responsible for providing specs and quotes. The purchase approval is handled by the department. Once approval is granted, ITSC staff will handle the purchasing of equipment through the appropriate channels. The timing of equipment delivery is outside ITSC’s control.
ITSCs manage the paperwork, including contacting Facilities Management for pickup. Additionally, we manage any technical requirements to get old and outdated computing equipment removed from your department.
ITSCs use enterprise-class tools to manage Brown University-owned computers. Specifically we use Microsoft Intune for Windows, and JAMF Pro for Mac, for inventory, patching/updating, and for remote support (screen sharing). This remote technical support allows us to fix problems quickly from almost any location (on or off campus).
Brown University computers should be on supported operating systems (see what is current on Windows and Mac) and should use University-licensed software. Managed Windows computers are updated remotely in mainly "silent" fashion; on occasion you will be notified of a required reboot to finalize system updates.
OIT is a large department with many areas of expertise. ITSCs are familiar with the structure of OIT's organization and services. Part of the ITSC role is to serve as liaison between OIT's teams and our supported users, so that your questions and needs can get prompt attention.
Accounts and Access
Request New or Modify Existing Access to Applications
- Fill out our request form, choosing "Access Request" as the request type.
- A list of applications we manage will appear. If you are unsure about what you're requesting or having difficulty with the form, please email cap@brown.edu.
Manage Your Brown Account
Additional Access Forms
Electronic Services Policies
Other Support Organizations