Orange AI: Chat Session with Newhouse Professor Adam Peruta
Thursday, April 23, 3-4 p.m.
Graham Scholarly Commons (Bird 114)
Want to learn more about AI and put your prompting skills to the test? Join ITS and Newhouse professor Adam Peruta for the first Orange AI: Chat Session on April 23 from 3-4 p.m. in the Graham Scholarly Commons (114 Bird Library). Food and beverages will be provided.
Every time you connect to the internet on campus — whether you’re submitting an assignment, checking your email or streaming music between classes — your device is making thousands of tiny behind-the-scenes requests to reach websites and online services. And not all of those destinations are safe.
That’s where Information Technology Services comes in.
In just one month, ITS automatically blocked 2.9 million malicious or suspicious connections before they ever reached a device on the Syracuse University network. That means 2.9 million potential threats — phishing attempts, malware, data theft schemes — stopped in their tracks every month, often without anyone on campus even noticing.
This protection is powered by Infoblox BloxOne, a security tool that Syracuse University has relied on for the past year. It monitors network traffic in real time and automatically blocks harmful connections before they can cause damage. It runs quietly in the background, 24/7, so you don’t have to think about it. Whether you’re in a residence hall, a classroom or the library, Infoblox BloxOne is constantly watching for anything that looks out of place and acting fast to shut it down.
Keeping Syracuse University’s network safe is an ongoing commitment — one that ITS takes seriously so that students, faculty and staff can focus on what matters most.
This message was originally shared to subscribers March 19, 2026.
Looking for ways to use AI to get more done at work? Join us for AI at Work: Claude Success Stories on March 25 from 2 to 3:15 p.m. in 216 Marley and on Microsoft Teams to hear faculty and staff share how they’re putting Claude to work in real, practical ways.
Most of us use it to write and brainstorm, but connect it to your Microsoft 365 account and it becomes a whole lot more powerful. Suddenly Claude knows your inbox, your calendar, your files, and your Teams messages — so you can ask it to summarize unread emails, draft a reply to your department chair, or prep an agenda for tomorrow’s meeting. No copy-pasting, no extra context needed.
Ready to try it? We put together a step-by-step setup guide and some sample prompts to get you started.
Higher education is confronting widespread AI misuse, from fake research citations to tools that can’t reliably detect cheating, forcing a shift in assessment models. At the same time, AI skills are now baseline job requirements amid uneven workforce disruption. Organizations are struggling to move AI into real operations, accelerating demand for new leadership roles, while growing reliance on AI is beginning to reshape human reasoning.
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other paywalled content is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.
To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:
“You are my thinking partner, not just an answer generator.
I’m working on: [describe a project, class, or problem].
Instead of giving me a quick answer, do the following:
Ask me 2–3 clarifying questions to better understand my goal.
Point out any assumptions I might be making.
Suggest 2 different ways to approach this (including one I might not have considered).
Then help me build a clear, step-by-step plan.
Prioritize depth, critical thinking, and insight over speed.“
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
This message was originally shared to subscribers March 5, 2026.
Have you found a useful way to use generative AI in your work at Syracuse University? We’re inviting faculty and staff to share real-world examples during AI at Work: Claude Success Stories on March 25 from 2 to 3:15 p.m. in 216 Marley and on Microsoft Teams. If you’d like to highlight how you use Claude in your role, email itscomm@syr.edu to share.
Learn how to customize Claude using Skills, which allow you to create reusable instructions for specific tasks. This short video shows where to find Skills in the Claude interface, how to enable the Skill Creator, and how to build, upload and manage your own Skills. It also includes a quick demo of using a newly created skill to draft content in Claude.
Companies are replacing roles with AI tools, while cybercriminals are using AI to accelerate attacks. New efforts aim to verify what’s real online as deepfakes spread. At the same time, researchers are studying how people collaborate with AI, how it affects workplace relationships and how emerging “agentic” AI could transform higher education and the future of work.
Access to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and other paywalled content is available to all students, faculty and staff with a valid Syracuse University NetID. Learn more.
A prompt is how you ask generative AI tools to do something for you (e.g., creating, summarizing, editing or transforming). Treat it like a conversation, using clear language and enough context to get the result you have in mind.
To get more practice, use the generative AI tool of your choice (for example, Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI ChatGPT or Anthropic Claude) to execute the following prompt:
“You are an AI collaboration coach.
I am working on this task: [DESCRIBE A TASK YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON].
Help me use AI effectively by:
1. Breaking the task into smaller steps.
2. Identifying which steps AI could help with.
3. Suggesting prompts I could use at each step.
4. Pointing out where human judgment or expertise is still important.
Present the steps clearly so I can follow them and work alongside AI, not rely on it completely.“
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
This message was originally shared to all students via email on March 5, 2026.
Each month, Information Technology Services provides tech tips for the Orange community. Pressed for time? Here are this edition’s topics:
Phishing is often the security threat people know best, but it’s not the only risk facing our campus community. Our latest Information Security Awareness articles highlight other important topics you should understand:
Review these articles to better understand your responsibilities and reduce potential risks.
Need a quick break from studying? Stop by and see ITS at our upcoming Study Breaks. We’ll be at the Digital Scholarship Space in Bird Library on March 26 with cupcakes. Grab a treat, say hello, and learn more about ITS services, events and newsletters. Learn More.
Student musicians! Join us March 16 or April 6 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the MakerSpace in Marshall Square Mall. Meet fellow SU musicians, find collaborators and tour our music and tracking rooms. All genres welcome. Space is limited to 30 per session—sign up today! Register.
Help us plan our next AI event! We’re designing a student-focused session on generative AI and want your input on format, topics and activities. Take our quick 2-minute survey and help shape the event. Your feedback will directly influence what we create! Take Survey.
Join us for upcoming sessions: Tech Topics: Digital Accessibility 101 (March 19, 1 to 2 p.m., Teams), AI at Work: Claude Success Stories (March 25, 2 to 3:15 p.m., 216 Marley and Teams), and AI at Work (April 15, 2–3:15 p.m., 216 Marley and Teams). Register.
If you will travel for spring break, it’s a good idea to configure your multifactor authentication (MFA) methods to ensure you retain access to your University accounts wherever you go. ITS recommends you download and configure the Microsoft Authenticator app on the mobile device you will take with you. MFA.
To ensure an accessible conversion from a Microsoft file (e.g., Word or PowerPoint) to PDF, go to File, then Save As (or Export) and select PDF from the dropdown menu options. Avoid all other PDF conversion methods when saving. For detailed guidance, visit our Saving as an Accessible PDF page. Office Hours.
Explore the latest in artificial intelligence with AI Insights, the newsletter for all things AI. Whether you’re looking to enhance your work with smart tools or simply stay informed, each issue brings you news from higher ed and the tech world and weekly AI tips. Newsletter.
Stay connected and ahead with Tech Tips Weekly—for quick, practical advice to make the most of campus technology. Each week, our new newsletter delivers easy-to-follow how-tos, timely service updates and insider looks at the newest features, tools and resources. Subscribe.
ITS and the campuswide information technology community are available year-round to help with your tech questions. Resources include:
Thank you for reading. Go Orange!
