Telecommunications Guidelines

The purpose of these guidelines is to define the standards and procedures related to the campus telephone system.

 I. General

  • The Office of Technology Services (OTS) is the custodian of the telephone system
  • All telephone service requests must be submitted to the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center. Help Center staff will create a ticket in TechHelp to schedule work to be completed. OTS will not schedule work that is not submitted to the OTS Help Center.
  • Service requests will be processed in the order in which they are received and will be completed as soon as possible
  • OTS will make every effort to meet specific deadlines and expedite work upon request; however, specific due dates cannot be guaranteed unless approved by the Associate Director of Communication Services

II. Use of Telephone Equipment

  • Telephones used on the campus system must be obtained from OTS
  • OTS will only service equipment supplied by OTS
  • Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Associate Director of Communication Services

III. Use of the University Telephone System

  • University telephones are provided to conduct University business
  • Local personal calls by employees using University telephones may be permitted, subject to approval by the employee's department
  • Departments that allow personal calls by employees assume responsibility of seeking reimbursement for associated long distance charges

IV. Departmental Telephone Coordinators

  • Each department must assign a Departmental Telephone Coordinator
  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator is responsible for authorizing and submitting all telephone-related service requests
  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator is responsible for consulting with OTS about new telephone installations, telephone moves, and telephone changes that affect the departments station cabling and equipment use
  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator reviews OTS billing to determine the validity of the charges and credits to the account/fund number cited
  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator reviews and updates their departmental faculty and staff phones, FAX numbers and modem numbers on a quarterly basis

V. Telephone Service Requests

  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator must contact the OTS Help Center for the following services:
  1. New telephone installation and service
  2. Telephone moves
  3. Restrictions or changes to telephone services
  4. Auxiliary Telephone Equipment (longer station cable, longer phone set cable, headsets, etc.)
  5. Voice Mail
  6. ACD information and consultation
  7. Cellular telephone services
  8. Estimates involving remodeling, renovation, and new construction.
  9. Telephone, Voice Mail, and ACD Training
  10. Telecommunication consulting services
  • The Department Telephone Coordinator must provide the following information to begin the work order:
  1. A primary contact name (Department Telephone Coordinator), phone extension, building and room number
  2. A secondary contact name, extension, building and room number (in the event the primary contact is out or unavailable)
  3. A detailed description of the service request
  4. A building and room number where the work is to be done
  5. A Stratus Cost Center for billing purposes
  • Except for repair requests, request for service will not be scheduled without a Cost Center.
  • Requests for service must be placed by University personnel authorized to charge work to the provided Cost Center.

VI. Telephone Repair Requests

  • Requests for repair must be submitted to the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center 
  • Requests for repair will not be scheduled without the following information:
  1. A Primary contact name, phone extension, building and room number
  2. A secondary contact name, extension, building and room number (in the event the primary contact is out or unavailable)
  3. A detailed description of the problem or service needed
  4. A building and room number where the work is to be done

VII. Telephone Calling Restrictions

  • Departments may request that OTS place restrictions on an individual phone sets. For example, a phone could be restricted to only make local telephone calls. OTS will provide consultation service on such requests.

VIII.  Telephone Directories

  • OTS compiles the individual and Departmental information found in the campus directory from the Towson University online directory and information solicited quarterly by each Departmental Telephone Coordinator.
  • Changes to departmental and individual telephone listings must be emailed to by the department's telephone coordinator.

IX. Telephone Billing

  • Charges for OTS-provided services appear on the department's monthly Stratus report distributed by Financial Services.

  • OTS, through Financial Services, provides campus departments with a web based monthly billing statement for dial tone and usage charges.

  • Upon request, OTS may investigate unidentified toll charges and rebill if necessary. Charges for long-distance calls may be adjusted if the call was improperly placed or billed in error.

  • The Departmental Telephone Coordinator must contact the OTS Help Center for all departmental billing related matters.

  • Telephone calls, telex, or facsimile messages may not be charged to the main campus number.

X. Right to Privacy

  • To assure individuals' rights to privacy, OTS protects telephone call records from routine disclosure except when needed by: 
  1. Departments to review monthly bills and charges for validity
  2. The Towson University Internal Audit Office for audit of record keeping procedures or for investigative purposes
  3. The Towson University Police Department for investigative purposes. University Counsel for investigative or legal purposes
  • Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the OTS Chief Information Officer.
  • Tracing or trapping calls may be performed in the case of threats to life or property. Such traces or traps must be authorized by the Towson University Chief of Police (or designee) or University Counsel.

XI. Access to OTS Telephone Facilities

  • Only personnel authorized by the OTS may have access to distribution closets and switch rooms.
  • Access to the OTS facilities by OTS employees will only be granted to OTS employees whose job duties require frequent access to such facilities.
  • Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Associate Director of Communication Services.

XII. Cabling

  • OTS exercises management and control of all inside and outside plant communications cables, ducts, frames, and distribution closets.

  • OTS reviews and approves building drawings, cable sizes, and cable routes, and other materials provided by design consults for renovation and new construction projects.

  • Provides engineering specifications for inside and outside plant cabling to design consultants for new construction and renovation projects.

  • Approves and oversees the installation of all outside and inside plant communication cables. 

  • Building project budgets fund all inside and outside plant cabling for renovation or new construction projects.

XIII. OTS Responsibilities

  • OTS plans, coordinates, and provides for delivery of Telephone services for on- campus sites, including all residence halls with the exception of Millennium Hall, Harris Hall and Tubman House.
  • Provides consulting services to departments for technical and fiscal advice on Telecom matters
  • Acts as the office of record for communications cable and wiring documentation.
  • In conjunction with Financial Services, provides, at no charge, a web based monthly billing statement for dial tone and usage charges to each department.
  •  Maintains, through the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center, an online campus telephone directory for faculty, staff, and students.