CHAPTER ONE

1. BACKGROUND OF THE JU.ICT

1.1 INRODOCTION
When Jimma University begun to integrate ICT in its system, it
established the computer center to handle issues related to it. The
organization of this computer center has been working closely with
different offices of the university to bring in ideas of ICT, to set up about
new technology in to the university and most importantly to help the
students acquire basic computer skills which is required in the market.
These serves have been evolving with the growth of the university to
incorporate additional tasks.

For a long time, the major task of the computer center had been creating
conductive environment ICT related courses by providing computer labs
and relevant software and hardware support. However, in the recent years
the involvement of the computer center in course offerings is significantly
reduced since most of the facilities have stabilities their own computer
laboratories. The other area which the computer center is involved in
providing short-term trainings to the university community. Cisco
Networking academy hosted by the university to provide Cisco certified
Network Associate (CCNA) course is also temporarily under the super
vision of the computer center.
Recently, the main focus of the computer center is shifted to the newly
built campus-wide network of the university. From the conception to the
implementation of the network infrastructure, the computer center has
been enthusiastically participating in every activity. In fact, the network
project was under the direct supervision of the computer center since the
Beginning. However, after the implementation, the relationship between
the network services and the computer center has become vague.

Apart from these activities the computer center is highly involved in

developing specification for purchase order of computers and accessories
troubleshooting and maintenance of equipment’s and purchase of
software required for the academic and administrative tasks.

The strategic plan of the university States that the future academic and
administrative tasks of the university highly depend on the effective
utilizations of ICT infrastructures and services.Management information
system (MIS) will implement to take the administrations of the
university to higher level. The requirements of the academic wing are
also expected to increase to integrate e-learning with the classical
teaching-learning process in the near future.

1.2 Establishment