The following message from Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Jeff Rubin was initially sent to all students, faculty and staff on Aug. 29, 2024.
Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer Jeff Rubin
Welcome to the fall semester! Whether you are a student, faculty member or staff member at Syracuse University, the start of a new academic year is full of excitement and opportunity.
This is particularly true today. As the University’s senior vice president of digital transformation and chief digital officer (as well as an alumnus and a School of Information Studies faculty member), I am proud to say that we believe Syracuse University is the nation’s most connected campus. Continue Reading
ITS staff members are excited to welcome you to campus later this month. When you arrive, you will experience the upgraded AirOrangeX network. Last month, the AirOrangeX wireless network transitioned to a new model that does not require users to log in. Combined with the largest private wireless network in higher education, providing Wi-Fi free of authentication makes Syracuse University the nation’s most connected campus.
Get the answer on the latest “Behind the Monitor” podcast episode featuring Newhouse School of Public Communications Advanced Media Management Program Director Adam Peruta, who discusses various forms of artificial intelligence (AI).
Ahmad Alawaad’s MakerSpace internship at Syracuse University profoundly influenced his decision to study electrical engineering, fostering key skills, relationships and a clear path toward technological innovation.
Explore our digital maps at maps.syracuse.edu, where you can sort locations by type (buidings, parking, etc.). Click “Wayfinding” and select “Show Only Wheelchair Accessible Routes” to find wheelchair-friendly paths.
Answers has migrated to the cloud, providing improved collaboration, new features and enhanced knowledge management. ITS has compiled a list of frequently asked questions for your reference.
ITS is a new access partner with Aira Visual Interpreting Service. This means anyone—including students, faculty, staff, families and other visitors who are blind or have low vision—can use the Aira Explorer mobile app’s on-demand visual interpreting service to navigate the campus environment.
To maintain secure access to your University accounts (email, Microsoft applications, etc.), ITS recommends setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA). Download and configure the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device for enhanced security.
The ability to create Google shared drives has been discontinued for all students. It is recommended that existing shared drive data should be backed up and migrated to Microsoft OneDrive.
If you have trouble connecting to a campus website or system, the System Status page on the ITS website can help you determine whether there is an issue with your computer or something else.
Beginning Fall 2024, all University Blackboard courses will be offered in Ultra Course View. The ITS Online Learning Services team will continue to provide a diverse set of resources during the transition, including synchronous training opportunities and asynchronous materials.
Join the “Get Started with Gradescope” workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 1-2 p.m. Learn to integrate Gradescope with Blackboard, set up assignments, grade efficiently and use analytics. Register online or watch the recording later. For details, visit Syracuse University’s Gradescope webpage.
The Open-Source Program Office will host an in-person Computing 101 Workshop Aug. 12-15, covering computing basics and Python with lectures and labs. Open to students, faculty and staff.
Answers has migrated to the cloud, providing improved collaboration, new features and enhanced knowledge management. ITS has compiled a list of frequently asked questions for your reference.
AirOrangeX’s upgrade eliminates login requirements, combining with the largest private network in higher education to make Syracuse University the most connected campus nationwide, offering seamless wireless access.
Faculty or staff may now create shared drives in Google Workspace by request for academic purposes only. Students are no longer able to create Google shared drives. To request a new shared drive, please submit an Orange Tracker form.
ITS is a new access partner with Aira Visual Interpreting Service. This means anyone—including students, faculty, staff, families and other visitors who are blind or have low vision—can use the Aira Explorer mobile app’s on-demand visual interpreting service to navigate the campus environment.
To maintain secure access to your University accounts (email, Microsoft applications, etc.), ITS recommends setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA). Download and configure the Microsoft Authenticator app on your mobile device for enhanced security.
Explore our digital maps at maps.syracuse.edu, where you can sort locations by type (buildings, parking, etc.). Click “Wayfinding” and select “Show Only Wheelchair Accessible Routes” to find wheelchair-friendly paths.
If you have trouble connecting to a campus website or system, the System Status page on the ITS website can help you determine whether there is an issue with your computer or something else.
Do you need to find contact information for someone at the University? You can use Outlook’s “Search” feature to find contact information for faculty, staff and students.
Faculty or staff may now create shared drives in Google Workspace by request for academic purposes only. The ability to create Google shared drives has been discontinued for students. Faculty requesting a new shared drive or staff making a request on behalf of faculty should submit an Google Shared Drive Request Form in Orange Tracker.
Newly created shared drives will have a storage quota of 20GB. This amount is subject to change.
It also is recommended that faculty back up their existing shared drive data and migrate it to another location that is better suited for university bulk storage. If existing shared drive data is not used for academic purposes, it could be subject to removal.
Google Workspace is targeted for academic use only. With a larger capacity, Microsoft OneDrive is the recommended solution for bulk storage.
In classrooms across Syracuse University, faculty use microphones engraved with the words “Property of Syracuse University”—a detail that marks a lasting contribution from a motivated student, Ahmad Alawaad.
Ahmad’s decision to attend Syracuse University was heavily influenced by his immersive internship at the ITS MakerSpace as a high school student. The experience provided him with invaluable hands-on skills, deep personal connections and a profound understanding of his potential in electrical engineering.
Growing up in a home where technology was a regular topic of conversation, Ahmad naturally gravitated toward the MakerSpace.
“I’m very interested in information technology and I’ve always tinkered around with it because my dad does IT here,” says Ahmad. His father, Alaa Alawaad, serves as a computer consultant for the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Syracuse University.
“Once I heard there was an internship, I jumped at the chance to do it.”
One of Ahmad’s MakerSpace creations
At the MakerSpace, Ahmad explored advanced tools that brought his theoretical knowledge into the practical world. “I was able to learn to use a laser machine, do shirt embroidery and more 3D printing. That’s what I love to do,” says Alawaad.
The MakerSpace served not only as a lab for experimentation but also as a classroom without boundaries. Ahmad’s work on various projects, including the opportunity to teach younger students and take on specialized tasks, furthered his passion for the craft.
“I helped them design, and that was so much fun.”
One memorable assignment involved engraving microphones with the words “Property of SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY,” a task that gave him a tangible sense of contribution to the campus community.
Microphones Ahmad engraved
The relationships Ahmad formed during his internship were pivotal. Meeting fellow students and mentors deeply embedded in the technology field offered him both guidance and inspiration. These connections were instrumental in his technical and personal growth.
“I met two college students, Andrew and Anya, and I made deep connections with them. They taught me a lot.”
The culmination of Ahmad’s experiences at the MakerSpace was his participation in the summer college program, where he delved deeper into electrical engineering. Living on campus and interacting with a diverse group of students and professors made his college decision easy.
“After that two weeks, it really solidified my choice of going to Syracuse University.”
As Ahmad looks forward to starting his freshman year at Syracuse University, he is clear about his path: majoring in electrical engineering with an eye toward innovation.
“I intend to work for a company like JMA, CNS, Lockheed—one of those big companies, and invent stuff,” he said.
He looks forward to returning to the MakerSpace not just as a student but also as a mentor and innovator, contributing further to the community that helped him chart his own path.
