Motivation for a Prioritization Policy
CSEHelp can receive dozens of help requests in any given day, and must also tend to the integrity of CSE's core computing infrastructure. Typically, requests are handled on a first-come-first-served basis within each service area (Desktop, Education, Research, and Core Infrastructure), with long tasks being multi-tasked to ensure quick response to small requests. Occasionally, such as near the beginning of a new quarter, not all requests can be immediately fulfilled. This document covers these exceptional situations. CompCom's principle is that CSEHelp should always be maximizing its value to the community. In particular, at any given time, the project engendering the greatest good at the lowest effort (cost) should be given top priority. should be given top priority.

Prioritization Policy
CompCom directs CSEHelp to prioritize and triage supported requests and projects according to the following criticality categories:

1. Failure, inaccessibility, or imminent threat to computing services. These include power outages, network outages, data loss, and security attacks.
2. Projects of strategic long-term value, such as installation, replacement, or upgrade of computer, software, or services infrastructure.
3. Questions or customization.

Clarification and Interpretation

1. CompCom is responsible for clarifications and exceptions to this policy.
2. To a degree, CSEHelp's staff is specialized both by expertise (e.g., operating system knowledge) and by service area. Lower priority tasks may be scheduled over higher ones when appropriate staff are unavailable for the higher priority task.
3. As part of triage, a temporary or degraded solution may be fashioned. For example, loss of a group's or individual's printing maybe ameliorated by providing access to a general-access printer.