Resident Experts Are Convenient Help is a group of departmental members who are willing to advise their colleagues on computer matters. A member might be faculty, staff, or student; he or she might be employed for computer support, or might be a volunteer. But all members have agreed to share their knowledge with their colleagues, and if they don't know an answer, to at least point people to the appropriate Technology Solutions support service.
If you have a technology related question, particularly about local network connections or services, by all means consult your departmental REACH member but please don't ask REACH members from other departments. Many REACH members are not paid to do computer support, and they have other reponsibilities.
REACH is not a replacement for the Service Desk or consult@uic.edu. But sometimes there are more difficult questions, perhaps about installation or configuration of programs, or upcoming policy changes, or new software, that are better handled by asking your friendly neighborhood REACH member. Each REACH member has access to a private LISTSERV list, to ask other REACH members and Technology Solutions staff members for advice. They are quite willing to ask questions on your behalf, if the question is not appropriate for consult@uic.edu.
An additional important function of REACH is to allow Technology Solutions to keep in better contact with departmental needs. If your computing needs are changing, or if you find yourself seeking new options, the REACH members will let us know that our support focus must change, also.