New mac user needs help - applications file missing?

Ok. I have a mac for work, and do basic web searches, paperwork, and e-mailing on it. It's configured so only the administrator (someone in our tech dept) can download anything, including updates to software that's loaded on the computer.

Last night I fell asleep to a DVD with the timer function on. Two dogs who could potentially have stepped on the keyboard were in bed with me.

This morning, it's extremely slow to log on, and when it does open to the desktop, my links to word, excel, and PowerPoint on the dock are question marks, as is my whole applications folder. Firefox and AppleMail won't open, stating "the application cannot be found". Makes sense since the application folder appears to be missing.

Is there anything I can do? The tech dept didn't give me a disc with the computer. I've restarted probably 10+ times.

I'm stuck!

If the Applications folder were deleted somehow by your dogs or yourself while sleeping... it would be in the Trash. Unless you emptied the Trash?

Make sure you're logged on to the correct account and not some guest account that might not have any applications assigned to it. Without the startup disk for the machine there's no way to run a FSCK (file system check) to see if any damage to the file system occurred.

Regards.