Robert Ruskin, a graduate student working on his doctorate in watershed management, needed technical information related to his dissertation. So he dropped by the Center for Computing and Information Technology Help Desk in Room 218 at the Computer Cente r.

Ruskin, who works "strictly through the Internet service and computer system," said he did not own a program that could do regression analysis, but needed to find someone who did.

Linda Drew, manager for the Information Center and Help Desk consultant at CCIT, said Ruskin was trying to use the computer's statistical program but was not familiar with how it worked.

"Thank God! There is light at the (end of the) tunnel," Ruskin said after Drew made arrangements for him to meet with a statistician.

The Help Desk, which can also be reached by telephone and through the Internet, is a service that helps people use computing and information technology on campus. If students, faculty or administrators need help opening accounts or have questions about co mputer hardware, software, modems or networks, the Help Desk is the place to go, call or log into.

As computers and more computers become the norm in today's society, UA students are finding that being computer-literate and Internet-oriented is a plus.

"Almost everyone needs to use computers in daily life. It can be confusing when you get started," Drew said. "The Help Desk is a friendly place where people can get help."

She said students seek help because more classes are requiring students to interact with professors through e-mail or conference-calls.

Jill Karpinski, political science senior, came across that requirement this semester. Although she is versed in Word Perfect, Karpinski ran into some problems when she tried to access her professor's Web site. She said she had trouble logging into her pro fessor's home page where the homework assignment was listed.

She dropped by the Help Desk and sought guidance from Ricardo Maduro, management information systems senior and Help Desk consultant. Maduro helped ease Karpinski's confusion by showing her how to log in.

"He took me step by step and showed me what to do," Karpinski said. She is now able to get to her homework assignments.

Approximately 15 consultants work part time at the Help Desk. Staff members, however, are full-time employees. Each student-consultant is required to put in 12 to 15 hours per week answering questions at the desk. An additional five hours per week are spe nt on projects, researching problems they could not answer, and getting more training.

Three telephone lines and four consultants at the receiving end are prepared to answer simple or tough questions on "computing and information technology."

"The beginning of the semester is the busiest time of the year because students need help opening accounts," said Scott Macdonald, Help Desk consultant and computer engineering freshman.

Drew said 30 or 40 contacts per hour are usual on a normal day. But on a busy day, consultants will get close to 1,000 calls.

The Help Desk answers 80 to 90 percent of customers' questions, Drew said. But the complex problems are turned over to analysts, system programmers and statisticians at CCIT.

Drew said the work of consultants is much like driving a car with a five-speed, manual transmission. She said consultants have to be able to "change gears" to match the level of knowledge customers have about computers.

"You really have to like people and not get tired of answering the same questions 100 times a day," Drew said.

The Help Desk phone number is 621-HELP and the info page address is http://www.ccit.arizona.edu.