University Times

The service center in the Litchfield Towers Lobby has a new identity. Panther Central is now the name for the facility where faculty, staff and students get their photo I.D.s and where students can go with issues pertaining to housing and dining services.

The service center was first established a year ago to provide a central location where members of the University community could go to take care of many basic service needs.

Panther Central currently encompasses three campus services: I.D.s, housing services and dining services. According to Joseph Phillips, assistant vice chancellor for Business, plans call for placing parts of some other units under the center, such as student parking permits. "We'd like it be a hub and the first point of contact for auxiliary services, but not for things like financial aid," Phillips said.

While primarily a student service center, Panther Central does provide some services for faculty and staff, including obtaining Pitt Funds and activating I.D. cards as MAC cards through PNC's work-place banking offer, Phillips said.

"People need to have a place they can turn to for answers and that is what we are here for," said Aimee Bender, coordinator at Panther Central.

Panther Central, which is open 24 hours, can be reached at 412/624-7632 for help or information. A new Panther Central web site (www.pc.pitt.edu) is expected to be on-line by mid-September, according to Colleen Mayowski, web team manager at University Marketing Communications.

–Peter Hart