Category: Faculty Resources

IT Tip – Using “Focused Inbox” in Outlook

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Welcome to our new series, IT Tips!

IT tips are meant to expand your understanding of the technology offered here at K and improve your experience using that same technology. For our first IT tip, you can learn more about the Focused Inbox feature in Outlook.

If you have a topic that you would like us to cover in the future please complete the IT tip suggestion form or by emailing, Katrina Frank at Katrina.Frank@kzoo.edu directly.

Katrina Frank, Web Services Specialist

Katrina Frank, Web Services Specialist

Focused Inbox

IT Tip written by Technical Support Specialist, Stefan Nash and editorial support by Systems & Networking Associate, Peter Zillmann

If you use Outlook to check your email, you may have noticed the new Focused Inbox.

Focused Inbox is a feature that attempts to help with email overflow. When active, it separates your Inbox into two tabs, “Focused” and “Other.” Emails that are considered important are displayed on the Focused tab while the rest are shown in the Other tab. Focused Inbox doesn’t move your emails out of the Inbox folder, but tries to keep less-important email out of your way until you look for it.

“Emails are on the wrong tab…”

Sometimes, Focused Inbox will move an email to Focused when you would prefer it in Other, and vice-versa. You can specify which tab an email should appear in by doing the following:

From your inbox, select the Focused or Other tab, and then right-click the message you want to move.

  • If you’re moving from Focused to Other, select Move to Other if you want only the selected message moved. Select Always Move to Other if you want all future messages from the sender to be delivered to the Other tab.
  • If you’re moving from Other to Focused, select Move to Focused if you want only the selected message moved. Select Always Move to Focused if you want all future messages from the sender to be delivered to the Focused tab.

Turn off Focused Inbox

You may prefer to turn off the feature entirely. Here are the steps to turn off Focused Inbox:

For the Outlook desktop application

  1. Select the View tab.
  2. Select Show Focused Inbox.

The Focused and Other tabs will disappear from the top of your mailbox.

For Outlook on the web

  1. At the top of the page, select Settings icon.
  2. In the Settings pane, move the Focused Inbox toggle to off.

Have More Questions?

See the Focused Inbox for Outlook documentation for more instruction.

The Virtual Reality Lab is Open Again!

Posted on by Josh Moon

We are open!

The Virtual Reality Lab inside the Library’s Center for New Media Design has returned! Students, staff, and faculty are once again welcome to experience our Oculus Rift S headset for education, entertainment, and exploration. We are currently still taking safety precautions so we ask that you limit the number of guests to four individuals per session and clean the VR headset between uses with sanitary wipes. Our staff is available on site to help with any questions.

Book the Lab

The Virtual Reality Lab has a new, easy-to-navigate online booking page where you can reserve up to 50 minutes in the Lab. Walk-in guests are welcome if the Lab is available! Our waiver is now also online. If you plan on visiting the Lab, please complete the waiver on Microsoft Forms before your arrival. We do ask returning users who previously filled out a paper waiver to complete the online form.

Teaching & Learning with Virtual Reality

If you’d like to organize a visit for your class, department, or student organization, please contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at josh.moon@kzoo.edu. We can also discuss options for bringing a mobile VR setup to rooms on campus. In addition, groups may contact us for approval to stream live events using the Kalamazoo College Virtual Reality Lab Twitch account.

3D Printing is Now No-Cost

Posted on by Josh Moon
3D printed purple Octopus sitting on one of the Kalamazoo College 3D printers.

No-Cost 3D Printing

Information Services is pleased to announce that our 3D printing services will be no-cost for students, staff, and faculty effective immediately. We hope this invites new ideas, increased participation, and opens up access across campus. The College reserves the right to limit the size/number of prints for individual use, vet appropriate applications, and prioritize academic projects in the printing queue.

Students in the Center for New Media Design will be operating our MakerBot printers and learning skills in 3D printing. We thank you in advance for your patience as everyone begins training this fall.

Want a Model 3D Printed?

If you’d like to discuss having a model 3D printed, stop into the Center for New Media Design during our business hours or contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at 269.337.7415 or Josh.Moon@kzoo.edu.

3D Printing Questions, Ideas or Problems?

Visit the 3D Printing and Scanning Technology section of our website or contact Josh Moon, Educational Technology Specialist, at 269.337.7415 or Josh.Moon@kzoo.edu.

Welcome Back – Fall 2021

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Welcome Back

Welcome Back!

K Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Welcome back to K! Whether it is your first or last year at the College, the Information Services (IS) team is here to help you get ready for the new year. Please review the resources below to see how to get connected, access your accounts, and who to contact in need.

Tech Support

The Information Services Website

Use the IS Search field on the right sidebar (or near the bottom of the page if on a mobile device) to find the information you need faster.

Contact the Help Desk

Email: HelpDesk@kzoo.edu

In-Person: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Student Computer Consultants: Generally available in labs Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. If you are seeking help in the library, SCC’s will be working during library hours.

Moodle Support

Are you having issues with Moodle? If so, please inform your professor and they will help direct you from there.

Library Support

Your Librarians are here for you! Connect with your librarians on the Library website!

Student Tools

  • Hornet Hive – The Hornet Hive is the campus hub for announcements, event listings, and links to campus web resources.
  • Office 365 – Free access to Office 365 which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Sway, Teams, Stream, and online file storage space in OneDrive.
  • Moodle – Where you can access instructor course materials, your grades throughout the quarter, and more.
  • Printing – Information on standard laser printing, color and large format/poster printing, 3D printing, printer locations, cost, print credits allotments, and how to set up wireless printing.
  • Connecting to the Internet – Use the eduroam network! Setup takes a few minutes, but it will work all year, all over campus, and at other campuses all over the world.

Visit the Student Tools page for more resources and student IS news throughout the year.

Faculty Tools

Visit the Faculty Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Staff Tools

View the Staff Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Additional Resources Worth Mentioning

Email & Webmail

Returning students, faculty, and staff should now access their webmail accounts at https://outlook.office.com.

Wi-Fi Issues

  1. Visit the Wi-Fi troubleshooting page to assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.
  1. Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.
List of Required Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

Microsoft Teams Support Request

If faculty and staff are unable to solve their issue by reviewing the information provided on the Microsoft Teams page, they can submit a Teams Support Request to the Help Desk.

Portable Voice Amplifiers

Posted on by Greg Diment

In partnership with the Academic Planning Task Force, Information Services has procured a number of portable voice amplifiers for use in the classrooms. Here’s a video that demonstrates the unit. We will check these units out to individual faculty that request them; if you’d like one, please send an email to Media Services as soon as possible so that we can appropriately adjust supply based on demand.

The amplifier will be checked out to the faculty member for as long as needed. The user will be responsible for bringing to their classes and for charging the rechargeable batteries.

Greg Diment

Chief Information Officer

Change: eduroam to Require @knet.kzoo.edu in Username

Posted on by Peter Zillmann

Previously, we instructed (but did not enforce) that users include the @knet.kzoo.edu suffix as specified in their eduroam network configuration. Beginning Monday, August 23, we will enforce that change. If you omitted that suffix, please update your devices: here’s how to properly configure a device for the eduroam network.

New Tool Available – Microsoft Bookings

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Hello K College Faculty and Staff,

We would like to share a new tool available to you! Microsoft Bookings may be useful to individuals or departments that offer appointments for services.

Microsoft Bookings logo.

Want to Learn More About Microsoft Bookings?

Microsoft Bookings Support

We are still refining the best ways to support you and welcome your feedback during the process! If you would like to receive additional support for Bookings, please contact the Help Desk at HelpDesk@kzoo.edu with questions.

Welcome Back – Spring 2021

Posted on by Katrina Frank
Information Services Staff

Welcome back to K!

The Information Services (IS) team is here to help get you ready for the quarter! Please view all of the helpful resources below to see how to get connected, access your accounts, and who to contact in need.

Please feel free to connect by sending us an email at HelpDesk@kzoo.edu. Note that we’re open Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with staff at the Help Desk from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. beginning the second week of the quarter.

Student Tools

  • Hornet Hive – The Hornet Hive is the campus hub for announcements, event listings, and links to campus web resources.
  • Office 365 – Free access to Office 365 which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Sway, Teams, Stream, and online file storage space in OneDrive.
  • Moodle – Where you can access instructor course materials, your grades throughout the quarter, and more.
  • Printing – Information on standard laser printing, color and large format/poster printing, 3D printing, printer locations, cost, print credits allotments, and how to set up wireless printing.
  • Connecting to the Internet – Use the eduroam network! Setup takes a few minutes, but it will work all year, all over campus, and at other campuses all over the world.

Visit the Student Tools page for more resources and student IS news throughout the year.

Faculty Tools

Visit the Faculty Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Staff Tools

View the Staff Tools page for more information on other resources to utilize throughout the year.

Additional Resources Worth Mentioning

Wi-Fi Issues

  1. Visit the Wi-Fi troubleshooting page to assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.
  1. Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.
List of Required Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

Microsoft Teams Support Request

If faculty and staff are unable to solve their issue by reviewing the information provided on the Microsoft Teams page, they can submit a Teams Support Request to the Help Desk.

Wi-Fi Troubleshooting and Reporting

Posted on by Katrina Frank

K Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The I.S. Team would like to introduce two new resources to help with Wi-Fi:

1. Wi-Fi Troubleshooting

We have provided new information on Wi-Fi troubleshooting that may assist you in resolving your issue. Please attempt all troubleshooting tips that apply to your circumstance before completing a report.

2. Wi-Fi Outage Report Form

Due to the complexities of Wi-Fi-related problems, specific details are needed to help resolve Wi-Fi related issues. You must provide the following in order to submit a Wi-Fi Outage Report.

List of Helpful Information to Complete the Wi-Fi Outage Report Form
  • Name
  • The wireless network you were attempting to connect to
  • Screenshot of the error you encountered or the exact error message as displayed on your device
    • Note: A full screenshot of the error you are encountering is the most reliable way we can assist in resolving your issue
  • Date of occurrence
  • Time of occurrence
  • Location of occurrence
  • If this issue has happened elsewhere on campus. If so, the location(s) it has occurred
  • If the device was able to connect successfully in any other locations on campus. If so, the location(s) it has been successful
  • Type of device experiencing the issue –
    • Note: If you are using a device running on Android 10 or iOS 14 you will need to disable MAC randomization on your device first. See the Wi-Fi Troubleshooting section for instructions.
  • MAC Address – If you are unsure where to locate your MAC Address please see, How to Find Any Device’s IP Address, MAC Address, and Other Network Connection Details article by How-to-Geek.
  • If there were any other apps running on the device while the issue was experienced. If so, which apps

We understand that Wi-Fi outages and slow speeds can negatively impact your academics, work, and home life. Thank you for your patience and collaboration while we solve these Wi-Fi related issues.

Flipgrid Integration is Now Enabled on Microsoft Teams

Posted on by Josh Moon

Information Services has enabled Flipgrid integration for Microsoft Teams as a test of compatible third-party applications and to meet the needs of instructors who are already using this tool in their courses. At the moment our ability to support new adopters of Flipgrid is limited, but we hope this is beneficial to experienced instructors.

Using Flipgrid

Flipgrid can now be added as a Teams tab, and students can “Join with Microsoft” to use their Kalamazoo College login without registering separately for Flipgrid. Be aware that this automatically places users onto the recipient list for Flipgrid promotional emails, but these emails provide an option to “unsubscribe.” For information about getting started, please view Flipgrid’s Teams Integration Help Center Page.

Share Your Technology Needs

Flipgrid is a third-party application but is owned by Microsoft. Information Services agreed to open the availability of this tool after a review and vetting. In anticipation of Fall 2021, we will be studying this third-party integration through the rest of the academic year. We remind everyone that you are welcome to share with us your technology needs and interests by originating a request at our Help Desk. Please review the Information Technology Acquisition policy if you have any questions.