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Tech Tips: January 2024 Faculty and Staff Newsletter

This message was originally shared to all faculty and staff via email on Jan. 17, 2024.

Classroom Resources and Technology Sessions Available 

Would you like to learn more about the technology available in your classrooms? Review the Classroom Resource Guide and Hybrid Classroom Technology Guide or request a training provided by ITS Learning Environments and Media Production. To request a classroom technology overview session, please complete the Classroom Training Request Form.

Upcoming Faculty Workshops: Blackboard Ultra Course View Transition

The ITS Online Learning Services team will offer a set of workshops in January to help instructors prepare for teaching with Blackboard Ultra Course View. Each event is scheduled as an hour-long workshop on a specific aspect of Ultra courses. Details, including topics, dates and registration links, are available on Answers. Instructors also can sign up for access to tutorial videos and a sandbox course in which they can test and build in the new view at any time. Instructors who wish to begin teaching in the new view can request to have their original courses replaced with Ultra courses.

Upcoming Answers Cloud Migration: What You Need to Know

As part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, ITS is re-envisioning Answers in the cloud. ITS will migrate existing public Answers spaces to the new cloud platform over the next eight months. Within the next month, owners of these spaces will receive communications with timelines and next steps for this migration. As we shift our focus to a unified, publicly accessible self-service resource, Intranet and personal Answers Spaces will be discontinued at a later date. Answers administrators will contact owners of these spaces within the next month. If you own one of these private spaces, you can take action today by inventorying your space(s) and reviewing the alternatives found at Alternatives to Answers Private Spaces.

Bring Your Ideas to Life at the ITS MakerSpace

Open to University students, faculty and staff, the ITS MakerSpace provides a collaborative space to bring your ideas to life! The ITS MakerSpace is home to more than 20 3D printers, laser engravers, embroidery and sewing machines, a music studio and more! Equipment usage is free of charge. Learn more on the ITS MakerSpace website. Makers of all experience levels from all schools, colleges and units are welcome!

Watch Out for Phishing Scams

ITS has seen high volumes of phishing activity in recent weeks. Watch out for suspicious links, urgent demands and job offers that seem too good to be true. REMEMBER: Your password and MFA codes are just for you! There is never a reason to share them with anyone else. If you need more information or assistance with verifying any email messages, please contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.

Poll Everywhere Campus Site License Now Available

ITS has licensed Poll Everywhere for use by all faculty, staff and students at no additional charge. Poll Everywhere is an audience response system that can be used for in-person events and classes as well as for online sessions. Questions can be integrated into a wide variety of applications including PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, Teams and Zoom. For more information, please contact the Online Learning Services team at help@syr.edu.

Recent Changes to Google Workspace

Effective Jan. 3, 2024, faculty members and instructors are limited to 60 GB of storage within Google Drive (or “My Drive”). These users still have the ability to create and manage Shared Drives, which do not count against individual storage quotas. Any faculty member or instructor currently over this quota will receive an extended storage quota until the beginning of the Fall 2024 semester. Please consult your local academic IT support for more information and assistance in identifying available storage solutions. You also can visit Answers to learn more about this change.

Turnitin AI Detection No Longer Available

The free preview of the Turnitin AI Detection Tool has expired as of Jan. 1, 2024. Due to concerns about the reliability of this tool and the significant cost, ITS has decided not to license this tool at this time. The standard plagiarism detections tools will continue to be available via Turnitin. For more information, please contact the Online Learning Services team at help@syr.edu.

New Year’s Tech Resolutions

A new year and a new semester offer opportunities to build new habits and skills. ITS surveyed members of the University information technology community for their recommendations on how technology can help you be more creative, more productive, more secure and more efficient in 2024.

Orange Online: January 2024 ITS Student Newsletter

This message was originally shared to all students via email on Jan. 17, 2024.

Campus Resources: Digital Maps and Bus Schedules

If you haven’t already done so, check out our digital maps on maps.syracuse.edu, where you can sort by a range of location types (buildings, computer labs, parking, dining options, etc.). You also can find wheelchair wayfinding routes by clicking on the “Wayfinding” button and selecting “Show Only Wheelchair Accessible Routes.” In addition, bus schedule information is available at subus.syr.edu.

New Year’s Tech Resolutions

A new year and a new semester offer opportunities to build new habits and skills. ITS surveyed members of the University information technology community for their recommendations on how technology can help you be more creative, more productive, more secure and more efficient in 2024.

Bring Your Ideas to Life at the ITS MakerSpace

Open to University students, faculty and staff, the ITS MakerSpace provides a collaborative space to bring your ideas to life! The ITS MakerSpace is home to more than 20 3D printers, laser engravers, embroidery and sewing machines, a music studio and more! Equipment usage is free of charge. Learn more on the ITS MakerSpace website. Makers of all experience levels from all schools, colleges and units are welcome!

Watch Out for Phishing Scams

ITS has seen high volumes of phishing activity in recent weeks. Watch out for suspicious links, urgent demands and job offers that seem too good to be true. REMEMBER: Your password and MFA codes are just for you! There is never a reason to share them with anyone else. If you need more information or assistance with verifying any email messages, please contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.

Recent Changes to Google Workspace

Effective Jan. 3, 2024, students using Google Drive (“My Drive”) with their g.syr.edu account have a 10 GB per user storage quota and are not able to create Shared Drives within the University’s Google Workspace. Users over the quota are presented with a warning and are able to view, export and remove files to bring their My Drive storage consumption under the quota. Users who exceed the storage quota are not able to create, upload or modify files within their My Drive. For more information, please review our Answers resource on this topic.

AirOrangeX Wireless Network

If you have recently returned to campus, you might need to disconnect your personal cellular hotspot. When someone uses a hotspot on campus, the signal competes with the AirOrangeX wireless network. Wherever you study on campus, AirOrangeX provides fast, secure connection for computers, smartphones and tablets. You can find configuration instructions at its.syr.edu/connected. Connecting to a campus network such as AirOrangeX instead of a cellular hotspot is a great way to improve the campus computing experience for everyone.

Upcoming Answers Cloud Migration: What You Need to Know

ITS will migrate existing public Answers spaces to the new cloud platform over the next eight months. Within the next month, owners of these spaces will receive communications with timelines and next steps for this migration. Intranet and personal Answers Spaces will be discontinued at a later date. Answers administrators will contact owners of these spaces within the next month. If you own one of these private spaces, you can take action today by inventorying your space(s) and reviewing the alternatives found at Alternatives to Answers Private Spaces.

New Year’s Tech Resolutions

A new year and a new semester offer opportunities to build new habits and skills. ITS surveyed members of the University information technology community for their recommendations on how technology can help you be more creative, more productive, more secure and more efficient in 2024.

  • Upskill by learning a new technology that sparks your interest (for example, learning about AI capabilities). We have LinkedIn Learning as one place to gain foundational knowledge on lots of different topics. — Susan Watts, ITS
  • I use January as a time to unsubscribe from all the clutter emails I’ve accumulated during the previous year, and do a general email cleanup and organization time. — Paula Maxwell, School of Education
  • Digital detox! I’m entering a year of balance where I actively allocate tech-free time and touch grass. A well-rested mind is a creative mind, and my role thrives on creative solutions. I’m using Opal currently, but if I was a student, I would use Flipd. — Andrea Reynolds, ITS
  • I’m enjoying the new iOS 17.2 “Journal” app, which is touted as an app that “helps users reflect on everyday moments and special events in their lives.” The key feature for me is the personalized writing prompts. For example, I took a photo at my son’s track meet last week and the next evening it prompted me to make a new entry on the meet (which I did). — Christian Kirkegaard, ITS
  • Every year I map out a series of professional development segments through Microsoft Learn, LinkedIn Learning and occasionally others. Along those lines, the decision to pursue my graduate degree at the iSchool was both personally and professionally rewarding. Whenever I engage a professional development activity, whether an hour-long module, or a semester-long graduate course, I try to put at least one thing I learn into practice; it doesn’t always work out but it is a pathway to improving my own daily efforts. — Dan Cohen, ITS
  • Start using a recurring subscription tracking app like Subby (Android) or Outflow (iOS); both are free with a one-time, low-cost pro option. Once you enter your miscellaneous paid subs, it helps give a big picture to decide whether you need all of them. — Andrew Molloy, School of Architecture
  • Start using a password manager. — Dennis Wenthen, College of Arts and Sciences

 

Orange Online: December 2023 ITS Student Newsletter

This message was originally shared to all students via email on Dec. 6, 2023.

‘Tis the Season: Watch Out for Increased Phishing Activity

Phishing activity often increases during the holidays, says ITS information security analyst Andrew McClurg. Watch out for suspicious links, urgent demands and job offers that seem too good to be true. If you need more information or assistance with verifying any email messages, please contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.

Upcoming Changes to the Syracuse University Google Workspace

Beginning Jan. 3, 2024, students using Google Drive (“My Drive”) with their g.syr.edu account will have a 10 GB per user storage quota applied and will not be able to create Shared Drives within Syracuse University’s Google Workspace. Users over the quota will be presented with a warning and be able to view, export and remove files to bring their My Drive storage consumption under the quota. Users who exceed the storage quota will not be able to create, upload or modify files within their My Drive. For more information please review our Answers resource on this topic.

In addition, as of Jan. 3, 2024, Google Photos will no longer be available as a supported app in the g.syr.edu Google Workspace. Before this application is discontinued, users should migrate photos to a personal Google account or download them to a personally owned device. Once you have moved your photos, be sure to delete them from Google Photos. Photos that are not deleted could count against your 10 GB storage quota discussed above.

You’re Invited: Help Create the New Syracuse University Mobile App

You’re invited to apply for a Student Advisory Committee dedicated to the creation of the new University mobile app. Your input will help create a user-friendly tool to enhance communication and engagement within the campus community. Plan to meet for no more than 1-2 hours each month during the Spring 2024 semester to provide feedback on features and usability. If you’re interested, please fill out a short questionnaire on Qualtrics.

Winter Break Travel Tip: Multi-Factor Authentication

If you are traveling during winter break, please remember to configure your multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods to ensure you retain access to your University accounts (email, Microsoft applications, etc.) wherever you go. ITS recommends you download and configure the Microsoft Authenticator app on the mobile device you will take with you. You can learn more about how to manage your MFA on Answers.

Course Feedback Window

With the semester coming to a close, it’s time to provide course feedback for each of your classes. Course surveys are accessed via Blackboard (Tools). Course feedback is an important way for you to share what worked for you and what didn’t with your instructor. Your responses are confidential, and no identifying information is recorded or distributed on the reports that are generated. Reports are released after final grades are submitted. If you have any questions or issues, please contact the Syracuse University course feedback team.

Research Computing Profile: Postdoctoral Research Associate Raj Kumar Manna

In our latest Research Computing Profile video, physics postdoctoral research associate Raj Kumar Manna talks about how he uses help from the Research Computing team to advance his research in soft matter and biophysics.

ITS Service Center Winter Break Hours

ITS support staff is available by calling 315.443.2677, emailing help@syr.edu or chatting with us on answers.syr.edu or its.syr.edu during regular business hours through Tuesday, Dec. 19.

Phone support will be available as follows during the break:
• Dec. 20-23: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Dec. 24–Jan. 1: CLOSED
• Jan. 2: Regular phone hours resume

In-person support will be closed from Dec. 20-Jan. 12, resuming Jan. 13.

Additional Resources

ITS and the campuswide information technology community are available year-round to help with your tech questions. Resources include:

• Answers, a knowledge base for tech-related questions
• The ITS Service Center
• The Self-Serv NetID and password management portal

Thank you for reading. Go Orange!

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Defend Your Digital World, Hollywood-Style 

By: Andrew McClurg

In the world of cybersecurity, October is no ordinary month—it’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time when individuals and organizations alike join forces to fortify their digital defenses. This year, we’re taking inspiration from Hollywood to cast a spotlight on the critical components of online security: the need for strong passwords, the power of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and the art of spotting phishing attempts.  

Scene 1: The Importance of Strong Passwords  

In the digital realm, your password is your first line of defense, just like a fortress protecting valuable treasures. But if your password is as easy to guess as “123456” or “password,” you might as well leave the drawbridge down.  

Imagine you’re the star of your own cybersecurity thriller. Your mission? Creating uncrackable passwords. Start by using a mix of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters. This complexity stumps cybercriminals, making it difficult for them to break into your accounts.  

Additionally, avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays or common phrases. Your favorite movie quote can make for a unique and secure password. For example,   

E_T_phoneh0me  

or  

Maythe4thBwithU!  

Remember, sequels are always a box office flop when it comes to passwords. Never reuse passwords across multiple accounts. You wouldn’t wear the same thing twice on the red carpet during awards season; you shouldn’t use the same password for multiple online accounts either. Password managers can help you keep track of passwords without breaking a sweat.  

Scene 2: The Power of Multi-Factor Authentication  

In a blockbuster film, the hero always has a trusty sidekick. In the world of cybersecurity, MFA is that sidekick, adding an extra layer of protection to your accounts. It’s like having a secret handshake only you and your trusted companion know.    

MFA works by requiring two or more forms of verification before granting access. Typically, this includes something you know (your password) and something you have (a mobile app, text message, or email code). Even if a bad actor manages to obtain your password, they won’t make it past the second act without MFA.  

Scene 3: How to Spot Phishing Attempts  

Phishing attempts are the sneakiest adversaries in the cybersecurity world. They disguise themselves as trustworthy entities, just like shape-shifting aliens in a sci-fi blockbuster. But with the right knowledge, you can unveil their true identity.    

Phishing emails often come with a sense of urgency, pushing you to act quickly. They might claim your account is compromised or that you’ve won a prize. Take a step back, breathe and scrutinize the email. Check the sender’s email address. Does it look official, or is it a remake that pales in comparison to the original?  

 Hover your mouse over any links without clicking. Does the URL match the legitimate website it claims to be? Trust your instincts; if something feels off, it probably is. Legitimate organizations won’t ask for sensitive information via email. For example, IT doesn’t need your password/MFA codes to assist you, nor will they ever ask for them. Those are for a private showing just for you.  

 Practice your cyber-survival skills by questioning the legitimacy of any suspicious emails you receive and forward any emails to infosec@syr.edu you feel InfoSec should be aware of. The more you can identify these threats, the safer your digital world becomes.  

 Conclusion: Your Cybersecurity Blockbuster  

 In the world of cybersecurity, every day is a thrilling adventure. As we embark on Cybersecurity Awareness Month, channel your inner Hollywood hero. Only cast the strongest passwords for your accounts and enlist the power of MFA for your productions. Finally, sharpen your critiquing skills and give phishing attempts two thumbs down.  

Remember, in this blockbuster of a digital age, you are the star. Your choices determine the plot. With the right cybersecurity practices, you’ll ensure a happy ending where your digital world remains secure, and you stay one step ahead of the bad actors.