New Employees - Office Space & Equipment

You should review this information if you are hiring a new employee and need to request office space and/or equipment.

Request Office Space

UW-Madison Campus (within Extension's current allocation)

A. For Space Assignment within Extension's UW-Madison Campus Allocation

To request that an employee be located on the UW-Madison Campus in Extension's existing campus allocation of space, the Supervisor/Hiring Manager should complete the Space Assignment Request Form (within Extension's campus allocation) and send on for approvals.

Download Space Assignment Request Form A (within Extension's campus allocation)

The Facility Manager will then evaluate the request; seek input from requesting Director and others as appropriate; suggest options; identify solution; confirm suitability of solution with requesting Director; seek approval from the Associate Dean of Policy, Operations, and Stakeholder Engagement. Factors for consideration would include proximity/availability of suitable type of space, potential need for furniture, etc.

Space requests involving multiple individuals and/or moves would typically trigger the Facility Manager to coordinate with Extension's Planning Manager, and seek approval by the Associate Dean. More complex space planning efforts might require substantially more lead time, and warrant an interactive process and possibly approval by the Dean’s Leadership Team (e.g. Pyle to Extension Building move).

Off-Campus OR UW-Madison Campus (beyond Extension's current allocation)

B. For Space Assignment beyond Extension's UW-Madison Campus Allocation

Download Space Assignment Request Form B (beyond Extension's current allocation)

1. Employees Covered by County Contract*

              * As revised for 2023.

    • Co-funded positions per the 136 contract do not need assignment requests if they will be located in a county owned/leased space. These positions are typically covered by Sections 3.2 or 3.3 of the 136.
    • To seek assignment of an employee that is not co-funded, but likely in state-funded position serving a regional, or statewide, to a county-owned/leased location, complete the Space Assignment Request Form (beyond Extension's current allocation), send it to the Planning Manager and Area Extension Director (AED) and Assistant Dean.

2. Employees NOT Covered by County Contract

In consultation with the appropriate Associate Dean(s), identify a preferred location, complete the Space Assignment Request Form (beyond Extension's current allocation), send it to the Planning Manager and Associate Dean, and then together determine next steps. 

a. Extension-Managed, UW-Owned Locations

To seek assignment of an employee at WGNHS, Upham Woods, Great Lakes Visitor Center or Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve (LSNERR) locations, please also reach out to the Natural Resources Institute Director in addition to the Planning Manager to clarify protocols and seek approvals.

b. Non-Extension, UW-Owned Locations

To seek assignment of an employee at a UW-owned location (non-Extension), in addition to the Space Assignment Request Form (beyond Extension's current allocation), work with the Planning Manager to prepare a space request and identify next steps. An Inter Agency Agreement will likely be required. 

c. Locations NOT Owned or already leased by UW

To seek assignment of an employee at a location not already owned or leased by UW, in addition to the Space Assignment Request Form (beyond Extension's current allocation), work with the Planning Manager to prepare a space request and identify next steps. A Space Rental Agreement or Lease will likely be required. 

3. Non-Employees (e.g. Sea Grant, WDNR, Friends of LSNERR)

For assignment of individuals who are not Extension employees (e.g. Sea Grant or WDNR or Friends of LSNERR colleagues), to an Extension-controlled location, please discuss requests with the Planning Manager and appropriate Associate Dean – these arrangements may require processes and approvals by Dean’s Leadership Team and/or other UW colleagues. 

4. Any other Category of Individuals

For assignment of space to any other category of individuals not covered above, requests should be discussed with the Planning Manager to determine how best to proceed.

Note: This process conforms with the Dean's Leadership Team action from August 2022 during which the "UW-Madison Division of Extension - Office Space Planning and Assignment Guide 2022" was approved. 

Request Equipment

Please initiate all hardware requests by filling out the following form: https://forms.gle/SBPVqdw7yHCMSMFn8

Requests for new computers and equipment are reviewed on a twice-weekly basis. Once these have been reviewed and confirmed, they are passed along to DoIT Departmental Support. Once that request is submitted to DoIT, the actual process of setting up the computer begins. This is on average a 2-week process for hires on campus, and a bit longer for those who are off-campus. Having the NetID for the person who will be using the requested computer is a critical part of the setup process, especially for off-campus users. 


The following questions are critical to the request process:

Is this person located on the UW Madison campus, or are they located off Campus?
Is the person county-based? If so, does the county provide them with their primary IT support?
Is this position a revenue generation-based position?
Is this position funded with grant dollars?
Is this a multi-county or state specialist position?
Is this position based out of Madison with a home office on campus?
Is this a leadership position (AED, Program Manager, Coordinator)?
What is the NetID of the person needing a computer?

This information is vital, as it helps to direct you to the correct route to take when requesting this computer hardware. 

FAQ

How long does the process take?
Typically this process takes 2 weeks for on-campus staff, and 2-3 weeks for off-campus staff. This additional time for off-campus staff is due to both shipping times as well as the need to arrange a remote session to finalize the setup of the computer prior to shipment.

What can I do to help speed this process up?
Submitting the request as early as possible, and ensuring the request has both the funding string as well as the NetID for the new user will help speed this process along. Requests for off-campus users can be sped up by having the new user pick up their new computer from the Extension building during normal business hours. This will allow them the connect to the campus network, thus eliminating the need for a remote setup session.

What do we do if we have a special computer or accessory request?
Please contact Tony Roman directly if you have any special needs or requests related to IT hardware. These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Are there short-term loaner laptops available for special events?
Extension has a small pool of loaner laptops available for special events. Please reach out to Tony Roman for details. 

Details on the ordering process and timeline

The process is as follows:

  1. The Computer and Hardware request form is filled out and submitted - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd255OcsvtRfTVfgXLViuyWebSQ6ZwYbhvakWE2fM1tER33TQ/viewform
  2. DoIT orders the laptop.
  3. If requested, DoIT will order any of the following as part of this new computer setup:
    1. Monitors
    2. Docking Station
    3. Keyboard and Mouse
  4. Upon DoIT receiving the computer, Doit Departmental Support will setup the computer. This includes:
    1. ‘Imaging’ the computer – Setting the computer up with campus licensed software
    2. Installing and configuring Endpoint Management tools
    3. Installing and configuring Endpoint security Tools
    4. Setting up and configuring any specially requested and supported software in rare situations
  5. Once the setup is completed, the new user is granted access to the machine via their NetID

 

At this point, things differ, depending on whether the user  is on the campus network (typically this means physically on the UW Madison Campus, but can also include if they are based out of the Milwaukee Extension office or at Upham Woods).

On Campus Staff

For Campus based Users with a campus office or those who can come to Madison to pick up their computer:

  • The equipment is setup at their campus office and connected to the campus network.
  • With the computer connected to the campus network, they are able to login using their UW Madison NetID and Password.
    • This initial login while connected to the campus network ‘caches’ their login credentials (NetID and password). Once this has been done, the user’s login information is ‘cached’ on that computer and they can login without needing to be on the campus network.

Off Campus Staff

Off-campus users are a little more time-consuming, as there is an extra two steps that cannot be completed until after the equipment has been ordered and configured by DoIT.

For off-campus users:

  • The user will be contacted once their computer is setup (this initial setup process can take on average 2 weeks).
    • DoIT Departmental Support sets up an appointment to have the user remotely access their new laptop and remotely cache their login credentials.
  • Once login information has been cached, the computer is shipped to the user.
    • Shipping times vary and are outside of our control.

Background

  • When looking to purchase new computer hardware, your first point of contact should be your local IT support team. For county-based colleagues, this is typically the local county IT department.
  • Computer systems used by Division of Extension staff must follow UW Madison Department of Cybersecurity policy.
  • The Division of Extension requires that all computer hardware requests and purchases go through your primary IT Support unit (typically either your county IT unit or ODS - Office of Digital Solutions.)
  • Requests will be routed to ODS via the DoIT Help Desk.
  • At this time, Extension is utilizing UW Madison's recommendations for supported hardware. 
  • This includes a small number of specially configured Dell Laptops and Desktops as well as a few printer options. The currently supported hardware list https://kb.wisc.edu/it-equipment-guide
  • ODS will work with you to determine how the computer will be supported, and how best to proceed with your order.

Note on Unsupported Hardware

UW System has adopted a very specific set of rules around hardware security. This applies to what are known as endpoints - desktop computers, servers, laptops, or tablet computers with access to the internet. (This includes Android tablets and iPads, as well as Chromebooks). As a result of these new changes, Division of Extension staff are only able to purchase hardware that can be officially supported and secured. This is a significant change from prior years. As of March 2022, Division of Extension staff are limited to purchasing endpoints that are fully secured and managed either by their local County IT department or by UW Madison DoIT Departmental Support. Please contact Tony Roman tony.roman@wisc.edu or Deanna Schneider deanna.schneider@wisc.edu with any questions related to this. 

Supported Hardware

  • At this time Division of Extension only supports equipment that has been approved by DoIT Departmental Support
  • If you are located on the UW Madison campus and eligible for DoIT Departmental Support services, you may request a Mac. Please note that while DoIT Departmental Support does provide Apple/Mac support services, this support is limited. Their preferred technology is the Dell Windows based laptops and desktops. 

DoIT has developed the following guidelines to assist you in selecting the correct computer based on a person's job responsibilities. Full details on this can be found via the following link:

https://kb.wisc.edu/it-equipment-guide

Choosing A Computer

When choosing a computer, it is important to make a selection to best meet the user’s needs. To make the selection process easy, options are organized into different levels based on typical activities and software used.  The hardware options are selected based on staff input and were configured to meet the hardware requirements of commonly used software across the organization.

General User Typical Activities

  • Presentations (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi)
  • Training (e.g. Captivate, Camtasia)
  • Data Input (e.g. CBS, MS Office, Web)
  • Customer Relationship Management (e.g. Salesforce, Cherwell)
  • Project Management (e.g. SmartSheets, MS Project)
  • Productivity & Collaboration (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint)
  • Monitoring (e.g. Nagios, Web, Management Consoles)
  • Remote Administration (e.g. GlobalProtect, Bomgar) Web & App Development (e.g. VMWare, Developer Tools, Scripting.)
  • Lite Graphic Design (e.g. Creative Cloud, OmniGraffle)
  • Telecommuting (e.g. GlobalProtect, Remote Desktop, Web, MS Office)

Power User Typical Activities

  • Occasional Video Editing (e.g. Final Cut, Premier)
  • Lite Database Administration (e.g. Oracle, SQL, Developer Studio)
  • Occasional use of Data Analytics software (e.g. MS Office, Tableau, R, PowerBI, XL Connect)
  • Occasional Use of Engineering Software (e.g. AutoCAD, ArcGIS)
  • Management Consoles such as Palo Alto)
  • Occasional Testing (e.g. VMware Virtual Machines)
  • Server Administration (e.g. VMWare, Compilers, Scripting Tools, Management Consoles)
  • Graphic Design (e.g. Creative Cloud, OmniGraffle)

Drafter/Designer/Data Analytics Typical Activities

  • Heavy use of of Video Editing (e.g. Final Cut, Premier)
  • Database Administration (e.g. Oracle, SQL, Developer Studio)
  • Data Analytics software (e.g. MS Office, Tableau, R, PowerBI, XL Connect)
  • Engineering Software (e.g. AutoCAD, ArcGIS, Management Consoles such as Palo Alto)
  • Testing with Virtual Machines (e.g. VMware Virtual Machines)
  • Graphic Design (e.g. Creative Cloud, OmniGraffle)

Headsets and Webcams

At this time, ETS recommends the following Headsets and Webcam. High definition web cameras are strongly advised. For headsets, we recommend one with some form of built-in noise cancellation. The items listed below are not an exhaustive list, but rather are the most budget-friendly recommendations. 

  • Webcams
    • Logitech C920 
    • Logitech C930

  • Headsets
    • Poly 3220 (Wired USB-C)
    • Dell WH5024 Pro Wired Active Noise Canceling Headset

Get Help

Questions? Contact hr@extension.wisc.edu



Keywords:
space request hire computer laptop monitor mouse headset 
Doc ID:
117189
Owned by:
Nathaniel S. in Extension Handbook
Created:
2022-03-07
Updated:
2023-09-28
Sites:
Extension Handbook