OIT Technology News: Back to School 2018 Edition

In this edition of OIT's Technology News, we highlight the new Security Report, an improved booking system for Advisors, a change to the my.SMU navigation, an update on the Phone Replacement Project, plus much more.

Classrooms Receive Technology Upgrades and Inventory Over Summer During the summer, OIT was busy making changes to more than 40 rooms, compiling a full classroom AV inventory, building a webpage that allows faculty and staff to locate rooms that match their technology requirements and installing two new lecture capture solutions in 7 rooms.

Improved Booking System Simplifies Advising Appointments Last spring, a new easy-to-use web platform was introduced to improve advisor and student experiences. Advisors have more flexibility with scheduling, can require advance notice for bookings, and collect student data prior to their appointments. Students can navigate the system much more efficiently to select the best appointment time for them. SMU Linux User Group Arriving in September We are excited to announce the formation of a new Linux User Group (LUG) for SMU. Starting this September, the LUG will be open to any campus community members who share an interest in the Linux operating system, free and open source software and other related topics—both technical and non-technical.

Summer 2018 Security Report Now Available Our latest edition of the OIT Security Report is now available. In this edition, we show you how nearly everything that happens when you use a computer is written to a log on your computer or a server somewhere, discuss the new European privacy law called the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, and see how you can bring a Security Minute to your next meeting.

Changes to my.SMU Navigation Last summer we started a journey towards a more intuitive my.SMU by releasing mobile-friendly navigation and a completely updated financial interface. This summer, we have been working on the next critical step in this journey by creating the framework for easier navigation through the entire system. Phone Replacement Project Update The phone replacement project is now in flight. In June, OIT held a project kickoff meeting with our third-party support team, Integration Partners. The platform selected to replace our phones is Microsoft Skype for Business.

New Year, New Site! Check Out OIT’s New Web Page During the summer months, a lot of stuff still goes on here on the Hilltop. With summer classes, freshening up buildings and lawns, and welcoming new Mustangs to campus, it’s a busy time! OIT has been hard at work on several initiatives this summer, with one resulting in a brand-new website.

Canvas Corner: August 2018 Edition This month in Canvas Corner, we cover New Student Dashboard, New Scheduler Workflow, Stacking Replies, Longdesc Whitelist, and mobile updates. Notes from InstructureCon: What's New & Next in Canvas Late last month, OIT’s two intrepid Canvas administrators, Steve Snider and Cassidy Porter, traveled to Keystone, Colorado for the annual InstructureCon conference. There were a lot of exciting developments this year, and Cassidy and Steve have brought back a few to discuss.

Kaltura Unveils New Capture Software Kaltura has been hard at work releasing new features to their already robust video capture platform. We recently let you know about the new features in video quizzes. Now, an entirely new video capture application is replacing the previous software, CaptureSpace. Kaltura Adds New Features to Video Quizzes If you have built video quizzes in your Canvas courses using the Kaltura video capture service, you’re in for a pleasant surprise! Kaltura has introduced a few new features to improve the value of using video quizzes. If you have not used this feature before, you will want to check out this tool for adding interactivity to your Canvas Courses.

IT Help Desk: Fall 2018 Hours We’re in full swing with back-to-school! If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us via phone at 214-768-HELP or by email at help@smu.edu. Our 7-day a week schedule is available for both remote and walk-in support. Quick Tip: The IT Help Desk Knowledgebase In this installment of the OIT Quick Tip, learn about the new IT Knowledgebase that can help solve your technical issues using real-world IT Help Desk know how.