West Virginia University students unable to get telephone installations for their off-campus residences during the Verizon strike will receive some relief.

Ken Orgill, associate provost for Information Technology, said WVUs new White Hall Computing Center soon will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as soon as night workers can be hired. The extended hours will provide round-the-clock access to email, the internet and various computer programs. The White Hall Computing Center, which opened in April, features 140 high-powered, flat-screen personal computers, 17 Macintosh computers and four computers with specialized equipment for students with disabilities.

Orgill noted that many professors require students to email them and use the internet for class work. The extended hours for the White Hall facility will continue through the end of the fall semester. WVUs other computing centers in schools, colleges and residence halls will operate on normal schedules.

“We are monitoring the situation and have also decided to offer voice mail as an option for students without phones,”said Vice President for Student Affairs Ken Gray.”This will allow parents to leave non-emergency messages for their students.”

To set up a temporary voice mail account, students without phone service should contact Judy Shackelford at 293-4079 or jshackel@wvu.edu ,or stop by her office at Room 2216 of the University Services Center building. Students will be able to check their temporary voice mail accounts from any telephone.

Parents who need to contact students during emergencies can call the Office of Student Life at 304-293-5611, or the Parent Advocate at 800-WVU-0096. After office hours, parents can contact the Department of Public Safety at 304-293-3136.

“Student Affairs encourages students who have working phones to help out fellow students by offering their working phone numbers to be used in case of emergency,”Gray added.

Students living on campus have not been affected by the telephone worker strike, but many are receiving assistance from WVUs Technology Support Center (WVU-TSC) in setting up their personal computers to connect to the internet from their residence halls.

Program Coordinator Michael Cooper said the WVU -TSC staff has fielded well over 500 telephone calls since residence halls opened last Thursday. In addition, staff members have made about 100”house calls”and helped about 100 more customers who brought their computers to the WVU -TSC in the Mountainlairs Whitewater Room.

“Right now over 1,600 students have their connections working, which is well over half of what we expect,”Cooper said.”Its phenomenal how everyones come together. We have people from Student Affairs, the Office of Information Technology, Academic Computing and Extension Services working together to help the students with this transition.”

Right now, Cooper said technicians are working as late as necessary to assist students. Regular hours for the WVU -TSC will be 8:15 a.m.4:45 p.m. Students can call 29FIXPC for assistance and for appointments outside regular office hours.

Students interested in working the night shift at the White Hall Computing Center should call Academic Computing at 293-2900.