Telecommunications policies and procedures manual

MISSION STATEMENT

It is the responsibility of Southern Connecticut State University's Telephone Services to assist the CSU Telecommunications in supporting all voice communications systems and wide area network services throughout the university system. The goal of these areas is to maintain high quality communication facilities, as well as provide timely response to all user needs and requests.

FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

1. Telephone Service
   Southern Connecticut State University provides individual telephone numbers to all faculty and administrative staff, as well as local access to each university within the CSU System and their respective calling areas via the intercampus network. State-of-the-art telecommunications systems enhance productivity by ensuring that network facilities are available for incoming and outgoing calls and that calls to university staff do not go unanswered through the use of telephone system features and voicemail.
   
   Various types of telephone sets are provided based on the functional requirements of a position. The CSU policy regarding telephone sets is maintained as follows: all faculty and academic department heads are provided the 8110 (Exhibit B) model telephone sets; for secretaries and executives down to the director level, the more expensive 7406 (Exhibit C) and 7410 (Exhibit D) model telephone sets are provided. In a few extraordinary circumstances, such as a direct answer station (i.e., computer desk helpline), the 7406 models may also be provided.
    
2. Telephone Usage
   The policies as outlined by the state of Connecticut regarding the appropriate use of state telephones apply to telephone usage at Southern CT State University. This specifically applies to the use of State telephones for personal business.
   
   State telephones are not to be used for personal business.
   
   Telephones in university offices are to be used for state business only. Personal calls should be made at public telephones located in most University buildings. In addition, collect and/or third-party calls billed to any university telephone number (including student numbers) are not allowed.
   
   Long distance service is for official university business only. Personal long-distance calls may NEVER be charged to a university telephone. Individuals charging long-distance calls to university numbers are violating federal and local tax laws. In an emergency, an individual may make personal long-distance calls from a university telephone by:
   • Charging the call to his/her home telephone
   • Charging the call to his/her personal telephone credit card
   • Reversing the charges

   Up to now, some individuals who have made personal long-distance calls have reimbursed the university by issuing personal checks or providing currency to cover the cost in accordance to state rates. Often, this has meant writing out a check or submitting small coins for a ridiculously low sum. It is very expensive for the university to handle small amounts of cash and personal reimbursement checks. As a result, this method of reimbursement for personal calls is to be avoided.
    

3. Voice Mail
   Voice mail is provided to all faculty and administrative staff. It is the responsibility of the owner of the voice mailbox to initialize his/her mailbox when it is assigned. Mailbox initialization consists minimally of recording the mailbox owner's name and changing the default password; a system tutorial steps the user through this process.
   
   To access the voice mail system and the system tutorial, dial the main voice mail number (25700) and follow the system prompts. The "Quick Reference Guide" (Exhibit E) will also provide a summary of features concerning the voice mail system.
   
   The main Voice Mail Systems number for SCSU is 25700 [(203) 392-5700].
   
   The CSU Telecommunications Department monitors the voice mail system for mailboxes that have not been initialized. A list of uninitialized mailboxes is provided to SCSU periodically. These uninitialized mailboxes are usually deleted from the system.
   
   Voice mail passwords are to be kept confidential. If a password is suspected of being compromised, it should be changed immediately. Additionally, if a password is forgotten, the CSU Telecommunications Help Desk should be contacted to reset the password (X611). For identification purposes, the CSU Help Desk staff will request the Social Security number and date of birth of the person to whom the mailbox is assigned. If this information is not provided, the password may not be changed over the phone; instead a Telecommunications Service Request will be required to change it.
   
   The Octel Quick Reference Guides (Exhibit E) provide detail instructions on how to use the features of the voice mail system. Additional user guides may be obtained from the Telephone Services Office, Facilities Operations Building (Mary Robinson, Ext. 27001, e-mail: robinsonm3). Questions or problems not addressed in the guides may be directed to either Mary or the CSU Telecommunications Help Desk (X611).
    
4. On-Line Telephone Directory
   Southern CT State University maintains an automated telephone directory service that enables a caller to locate the telephone number of departments, faculty, staff, and students at any of the four campuses. To use the system, dial the campus' directory number. Using the telephone dialpad, follow the system prompts to spell the name of the person or university department to be located. The system will respond with the telephone number requested. (The directory system can only be used with a touch tone telephone.) The directory information numbers are as follows:
   • CCSU 23567 [(860) 832-3567]
   • ECSU 55010 [(860) 465-5010]
   • SCSU 26999 [(203) 392-6999]
   • WCSU 78900 [(203) 837-8900]

   Information for the on-line telephone directory is obtained from the facilities management system database maintained by the CSU Telecommunications Department. The information contained in the directory is only as accurate as that received by the CSU Telecommunications Department. Therefore, it is essential that any telephone number, location, or name changes be communicated to the CSU Telecommunications Department via a Telecommunications Service Request (the Station Information and Directory Information sections of the form should be completed).
   
   Current telephone directory information may also be obtained from the following web address: www.ctstateu.edu/telephone.html
   
   In addition, a hard copy telephone directory for SCSU's faculty and staff are distributed to university departments shortly after the start of each fall semester. Periodic updates to the telephone directory are also distributed throughout the academic year. Questions concerning SCSU's telephone directory can be addressed to Mary Robinson, Telephone Services Office, Facilities Operations Building, Room 48 (Ext. 27001, e-mail: robinsonm3). 
    

5. Telephone Number Changes
   To help keep the telephone directory as current as possible, minimize changes to printed material and#151; such as business cards, and to preserve numbering sequences within departments, the following standards apply for changing telephone numbers when staff change locations.
   
   When moving within a department, the telephone number will move with the person and remain the same. When moving to a different department, it will be left to the departments involved to determine if the number(s) will move with the person(s) or change. In either case, the CSU Telecommunications Department must be notified of the move via a Telecommunications Service Request to ensure that the directory information (telephone number and location) is updated in a timely manner.
   
   Please note: Main departmental telephone numbers cannot be moved with a person to another department.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE REQUESTS

1. General Information
   
   Service requests are for planned changes and include, but are not limited to the following:

   • Changes to telephone set feature configures
   • Change type of telephone set
   • Additions or moves of existing telephones
   • New voice mailboxes
   • Directory name changes
   • Requests for new lines
   • Changes in restriction levels (determines where calls can be placed to)

   All requests for service related to the CSU telecommunications system are made by completing a Telecommunications Service Request (TSR) form (Exhibit A) which can be obtained from Mary Robinson, Telephone Services Office, Facilities Operations Building (Ext. 27001, e-mail: robinsonm3).

   The usual turnaround time for a service request is five working days from when it is received and logged by the CSU Telecommunications Department. Telephone service requests are handled on a first-come, first- served basis. In some instances, however, where an urgent need is identified, service requests may be expedited; such requests will be evaluated on an individual basis.

   Service requests are not to be used to report problems related to telephones, lines, or data equipment. The procedure for reporting such problems is described in the Trouble Reporting section of this manual.
   

2. How to Submit a Telephone Request
   
   • Requester is to complete all applicable sections of the Telecommunications Service Request (TSR and#151; Exhibit A) form (copy of the request form and instructions on how to complete it are included on the backside of the form).
   • The completed service request should be reviewed and signed by the appropriate Department Head approving the request.
   • The TSR should be forwarded to Mary Robinson, Telephone Services Office, Granoff Hall, Room 48, for review and processing.
   • A control number will be assigned to the TSR. This number is used for referral and tracking purposes.
   • After the control number is assigned, the TSR will be forwarded to the CSU Telecommunications Department.
   • The CSU Telecommunications Department will review the service request for completeness. If information is missing from the form, the CSU Telecommunications Department, depending on what is needed, will either call the contact indicated on the TSR for the information or return the form to SCSU for completion.
   • The TSR is logged into a service request system and is either assigned for completion to a CSU Telecommunications staff member, campus telecommunications technician or referred to a vendor.
   • Upon completion of the service request, the requester will be contacted to confirm that the work was completed satisfactorily.
   • The CSU Telecommunications Department will forward a copy of the completed TSR to the SCSU Telephone Services with the completion date noted.

   Copies of competed service requests are returned to Telephone Services only- they are not returned to the person requesting service. If a copy of the request is required, please contact Mary Robinson at Ext. 27001 (e-mail: robinsonm3).
   

3. Billing Statements
   
   Southern Connecticut State University is billed monthly for telephone services (usage and monthly service) by means of a transfer invoice sent to the respective business offices by the CSU Telecommunications Department. The bill amount represents the monthly total for the agency.

   A statement detailing the long distance calls made from each telephone will be distributed to Southern on a monthly basis. It is the responsibility of the System Office and the University to distribute the statements. It is the responsibility of each assigned user to check the billing against their telephone number to check for accuracy.

   Calls appearing on billing statements may be reviewed by the university to assess telephone usage. Therefore, privacy of telephone numbers cannot be guaranteed; all numbers dialed from university telephones may be printed on call details. If you do not want a dialed number known, it must be placed from a pay telephone.

   Please note: It is the responsibility of every staff and faculty member to review his/her individual telephone bill for accuracy.

   Any discrepancies should be so noted on the statement and the statement returned to Telephone Services Office, Granoff Hall, Room 48. If the statement is correct to the best of the recipient's knowledge, it should be signed and returned to the department secretary and filed for possible future review by the state auditors.

   Please note: Take special note of the hour of day and date of all calls to be sure they were placed by you. See Exhibit F for a guide to reading monthly bills.

4. Authorization Codes
   An authorization code is no longer required on most, but not all, faculty and staff telephones. An authorization code can only be used from a telephone restricted to a certain calling area, such as campus or local dialing. The code is entered after the dialed number; the telephone system checks it for validity and places the call. If a telephone is unrestricted, i.e., calls can be placed to any destination from it; the telephone system will not prompt for the entry of an authorization code.

5. For security purposes, telephones in open areas, such as house or lobby phones, are restricted to allow calls only to other extensions on campus; the outside operator for calling card or operator assisted calls, and the campus police for emergencies (x888).

   Calls placed using an authorization code will appear on the call detail for the extension associated with the person to whom the code is assigned.

CABLE AND FACILITIES

It is the policy for Southern Connecticut State University to maintain a single telecommunications system. Therefore, it is necessary that the CSU Telecommunications Department be involved in the planning of telecommunications facilities for new projects as well as the use of existing cable and facilities. (Cabling facilities include copper and fiber cable as well as the conduits in which they are placed and#151; inside and outside plant). Involvement by the CSU Telecommunication Department will ensure the integrity of the CSU network and adherence to CSU telecommunications wiring standards.

1. Use of Existing Cable and Facilities
   
   The CSU Director of Telecommunications must be notified in writing of any anticipated request for use of cabling facilities. The notification is to include the application for which the cable will be used as well as the cable capacity required. Ample lead time (approximately two months) for such notification must be given to allow for review of the project by the CSU Telecommunications Department, preparation of any resulting recommendations and subsequent approval by the vice president for Finance and Administration. In addition, any use of cabling facilities for purposes other than originally planned for in the telecommunications project (voice and data transmission, video conferencing, and distance learning) must be approved by the vice president for Finance and Administration.

    

2. Installation of New Cable and Facilities
   Involvement by the CSU Telecommunications Department must occur during the initial planning stages of any renovation or new construction project. The CSU Director of Telecommunications should be contacted to coordinate this activity; all applicable blue prints and construction drawings should be provided to the CSU Telecommunications Department at this time.

   Relocations or additions that are part of a construction project are to be coordinated by Facilities Operation and Finance and Administration, depending on where the project is located, in conjunction with the CSU Telecommunications Department.

TENANT SERVICE

Telephone service provided to outside organizations, service providers or contractors located on a university campus is referred to as a "tenant service." The procedures for faculty and administrative staff as they relate to service requests and trouble reporting also apply to tenants and#151; TSRs are submitted and approved of as described above.

Basic tenant service includes: a telephone number, one voice mailbox, on-campus 5-digit dialing, and access to the campus' local calling area and outside operators for collect or credit card calls. The following features are also included in the basic service: call forwarding (on-campus only), call waiting, 3-way conference calling, and speed calling (five numbers).

TROUBLE REPORTING

1. Procedures
   All telephone, voicemail, or line problems should be reported to the CSU Telecommunications Help Desk (X611). General questions regarding the telecommunications system may be directed to SCSU's Telephone Services (Ext. 27001).

   The CSU Telecommunications Help Desk can be reached by dialing "611" from any campus phone or (860) 493-0123 from off-campus. Normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During non-business hours and on holidays, calls are directed to a voice mailbox where a brief message may be left for non-critical problems. Callers who leave a voice mail message are called back the next business day.

   The trouble will be logged and dispatched for analysis and resolution. All attempts will be made to resolve the trouble at the time it is reported. Turnaround time for resolution is based on the severity of the trouble. Critical troubles are responded to within four hours and resolved as soon as possible. Minor troubles are responded to and resolved within 24 hours. Upon resolution of a trouble, the user will be contacted to confirm that the trouble was resolved satisfactorily.

   • Minor Troubles
     Minor troubles are those that do not interrupt the operation of a department. They include:

     • No dial tone on an individual telephone
     • Inability to hear caller
     • Bad dial pad
     • Inability to leave or retrieve messages from an individual voice mailbox
   • Critical Troubles 
     Critical troubles are defined as problems that have a sever impact on the operation of any area. The trouble can be either hardware or network related and include the following:

     • No dial tone on many phones
     • The campus operator is without service
     • No power to telephones
     • The telephone system is partially or completely down
     • An entire dormitory is without telephone service
     • The Police Department is without telephone service
     • The campus cannot receive incoming calls
     • The campus cannot make outgoing calls
     • The voice mail system is partially or completely down
     • The network between CSU campuses fails
     • The PBX or remote node rooms lose power
       
2. Vendor Response to Troubles
   Vendor repair technicians are instructed to check-in at the campus police station both during and outside normal business hours. The purpose is to ensure that police are aware of who is on campus as well as to obtain access or keys to the location of the problem.
   
3. Access for Repair and Facility/Administrative Areas
   It is necessary to inform the CSU Telecommunications Help Desk at the time the trouble is reported if access to the location is limited to specific times or days. Otherwise it is assumed that a repair technician will have access to the location during normal business hours. If an area is inaccessible, and no prior arrangements were made for access, repair of the trouble may be delayed beyond 24 hours.
   
4. Access for Repair in Dormitory Rooms
   Repairs that require a technician to visit a student's dormitory room are scheduled through CSU Telecommunications Help Desk; the student must be present while the repair work is being done. Further, an escort must be provided by the campus Housing Office (e.g., a resident assistant) to accompany the repair technician while he or she is working in a student's room.
   
5. Emergency Contact Procedure
   A CSU Telecommunications staff member is on call to address critical problems that arise during non-business hours and can be reached by pager. Callers who dial x611 and reach the CSU Telecommunications Help Desk voice mail are instructed to call the campus police at x888 to report a critical problem. The campus police will notify the on-call staff member of the problem who will work to resolve it. The on-call staff member will monitor the situation until it is resolved and will notify the campus police of such resolution.
   
6. Power Outages and System Failures
   In the event of a power outage, the voice mail systems at each university will remain operational. Each system is on an UPS (uninterruptible power supply) system and is backed up by a generator. However, if the backup power systems fail, telephone and voice mail service will be interrupted.

STOLEN OR VANDALIZED TELEPHONES

Theft or vandalism of telephones must be reported to the Southern Connecticut State University Police Department.

A stolen or vandalized telephone is considered "out of service" and should also be reported to the CSU Telecommunication Help Desk (x611). The Help Desk will follow the procedure described in "Trouble Reporting" and the telephone will be replaced within 24 hours.

A charge may apply for replacement of stolen or vandalized telephones. Currently the charge consists of the cost of the replacement set and $75 for labor and material.

DIALING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Telephones
   
   • To reach another university extension dial the five-digit extension number (last five digits of telephone number).
   • Faculty and administrative staff may dial the five-digit extension number of any university number. Students have five-digit capability for extensions on their campus only.
   • To reach a telephone number off campus, dial "9"plus the telephone number (preceded by "1" plus the area code for in-state and interstate long distance numbers;"011" for international calls).
   • If a telephone is restricted to a specific calling area (local, campus only, etc.), the telephone system will prompt you to enter an authorization code (or personal identification number for students) with three quick beeps. At this point, enter the code and the call will be processed.
   • To reach the SCSU telephone switchboard operator dial "0".
   • To reach an outside operator Dial "9" plus "0".
   • To place a calling card call Dial "9" plus "0" plus the telephone number. Enter calling card number as directed.
   • For EMERGENCIES ONLY dial "911".
   • For questions or help with your telephone or voice mailbox, dial "611" (CSU Telecommunications Help Desk).
     
2. Fax Machines
    
   For all numbers dialed from an unrestricted fax machine (no authorization code required), follow the above dialing procedures.

   For numbers dialed from a restricted fax machine (an authorization code required), use the following procedure:

   • enter "9" plus the telephone number (include "1" plus area code for in-state and interstate long distance numbers; "011" for international calls)
   • enter 4 pauses ( a fax machine function)
   • enter the authorization code
   • press "start" or "dial" on the fax machine to activate the dialing sequence
   • call will be processed

HARASSING TELEPHONE CALLS

Harassing, threatening or abusive telephone calls should be reported to the Southern Connecticut State University Police Department. A formal complaint must be filed with the campus police before the CSU Telecommunications Department will become involved.