What is 414-251-5050 (or "5050")

The 414-251-5050 (or "5050") number is "UWM Canvas/Digital Learning Environment Support", a phone number that has been set up by UWM's Digital Learning Environment support offices (CETL, with partnership from Campus Technology Support, and University IT Services) to provide a single phone number for all Canvas users to contact for phone-based support.

What is the Digital Learning Environment, and why does it need a phone number?

Canvas is the UWM tool for offering technology-enhanced or online courses of a for-credit and non-credit nature. But Canvas is the center of the UWM Digital Learning Environment, with more than a dozen spokes supported by UWM, and dozens more supported by other companies. In addition, students enrolled in UWM courses can be enrolled at any of the UWM campuses, at any of the University of Wisconsin System universities, and can also be taking non-credit courses from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or anywhere in the world. The diverse support cases make offering one route of support very complex. 

This phone number enables all Canvas users to contact one phone number for support for any service, regardless of Canvas usage. And, the touch tone system is designed to route people to the correct office to minimize transfers, email exchanges, and case escalations which means faster service for everyone who relies on phone-based support.

What is happening to the Help Desk and CETL phone numbers?

All of the other phone numbers used at UWM will continue to work and are not changing at this time. This number is intended to help route people to the right office, and 5050 relies on the Help Desk, CETL, and other phone numbers to function correctly.

Will other Canvas Support phone numbers still work?

If you are used to calling the toll-free phone numbers provided by Instructure, you are welcome to continue calling them. You may wish to consider switching to 5050 because it offers a path to phone support for services other than Canvas. Instructure's Canvas Tier I Support has a limited ability to support tools integrated with Canvas. On the other hand, 5050 is designed to help people needing phone-based support find the correct office for the fastest help. In other words, 5050 is designed to help you get support faster without waiting for Instructure to redirect you.

Can I still contact Canvas support, Zoom support, or other services online (by chat, email, etc.)?

You are welcome to contact any support office in whichever way serves you best. UWM is offering 5050 to help people who prefer or depend on phone support, but 5050 is not intended to be the only route to support. 

I take UWM classes but attend another UW System university. Who should I call?

You are welcome to use 5050 and follow the prompts. In most cases, the prompts will guide you to the correct support office. If in doubt, check with your instructor for the best support number to call as each UW System university has a support model designed for that university's audience. 

I don't know which option to choose. What should I do?

If you aren't sure which option to select, press zero (0) to be routed to someone who can help get your support question to the right office. In all parts of the touch tone system, pressing zero will route you to a general support office. Note that depending on where you are, you may need to hit zero more than once to clear a menu.

I write documentation for my audience. Should I use 5050 in my documentation?

You are welcome to list 414-251-5050 as the phone number for support for your Canvas courses. If you find the phone number does not meet your audience's needs, contact the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to report your concern. 

What are the options and routes provided when using 5050?

If you work in a support office, and need to direct a customer to use 5050, this information will help you direct the customer to select the correct option. (At this time, our touch tone system cannot support extensions.)

As a convenience to students and instructors, option 7 will route callers to support phone lines for the most used digital textbook publishers at UWM.

Why does the phone number end in 5050?

The decision was made to use 5050 because it is relatively easy to remember, and is similar to (but distinct from) the UWM Help Desk's phone number.

What can I do if I find a problem or have a suggestion?

Please report the issue to the UWM Help Desk.