Category: Staff Resources

Information Technology Acquisition

Posted on by Greg Diment

Need to consider new technology to better serve your students or department? Information Services is here to help! Contact the Help Desk to get started.

We are eager to be your partners in the investigation and acquisition of new technology, whether you are considering hardware, software, or services; for on campus implementation, a subscription on a vendor site, or developed in-house.

We can best help when you involve us early in the process. We’ll help you identify and document your needs and features, and help you determine if there are already solutions available, and if not, work with you to identify and acquire appropriate solutions that are compliant, integrate well with existing systems and data, and provide a good user experience.

For more information, see the Information Technology Acquisition Policy, the Business Office purchasing policies, and our web accessibility policy. Contact the Help Desk early in your search so that we can help!

We Stand with You. We Support You.

Posted on by Katrina Frank
a city protest with the statement Black Lives Matter overlaying the image.

To our campus community:

As many of you know, our department typically publishes content related to technology resources, system maintenance, and user education of our tools. We’re reminded that questions of technology, digital access, and data are not separate from social justice and racial equity. We must further admit that, although we try to be as helpful and proactive as possible, we have the privilege to wait for our users to come to us.

Essentially, you tell us what you’re trying to accomplish—what you need. However, with the unjust events that have transpired and continue to occur in our country it is our time to come to you. To our Black community we understand that there can be no peace without justice, and we stand with you, we support you.

Sincerely,

The Information Services Staff

Resources to Be an Ally

Please refer to the list below to support the Black Lives Matter movement and the victims of these heinous crimes. Also recognize this is the first step to becoming an ally and it is critical that you continue to educate yourself, to listen, to watch, to raise your voice, to engage, and to act.

Microsoft Teams Now Supports Up to Nine Cameras

Posted on by Josh Moon
K College Librarians with a 3x3 camera view on a Microsoft Teams meeting.

We’re pleased to share that Microsoft has successfully implemented a 3×3 camera view in Teams and this is now available at Kalamazoo College!

The ability to view nine participants simultaneously should be activated by default for all Calls participants. Seeing additional participants has been a popular request, and we hope this will encourage more users to explore Teams as a video conferencing, chat, and collaboration tool.

Microsoft has expressed an intent to expand beyond nine cameras as part of their roadmap but not offered a target date. We will keep users updated on any new features that enhance Teams functionality.

For more information about using Teams Calls, please visit the Videoconferencing page on the Information Services website.

Additional Information on Teams

Are you new to Teams and need further instruction on how to use this tool effectively? View our Microsoft Teams Tour video or visit the Microsoft Teams page for more specific information and instruction.

Faculty

Would you like to talk more about using Teams with students in class? Feel free to email the Educational Technology Specialist, Josh Moon at josh.moon@kzoo.edu.

Staff

For questions on using Teams for departmental communication and collaborations visit the Microsoft Teams page or the Help Desk at HelpDesk@kzoo.edu.

Students

Need help on using Teams? Visit the Microsoft Teams page or email the Student Computer Consultants at StuTech@kzoo.edu, Monday – Sunday from 8 a.m.-10p.m. EDT.

Introducing Tech Talk!

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Information Services would like to announce the revival of our video series, Tech Talk!

Tech Talk is the Information Services channel on Microsoft Stream answering good questions and providing even better solutions. On the Tech Talk channel you can watch tutorials showcasing the technology offered at Kalamazoo College. All K College faculty, students, and staff have access to use Microsoft Stream with their campus Office 365 account. Popular videos currently on Tech Talk include:

Suggestions

Do you have a suggestion for a Tech Talk video? Feel free to email the Web Services Specialist, Katrina Frank at katrina.frank@kzoo.edu.

Safeguarding PII While Working From Home

Posted on by Greg Diment

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is information that, when used alone or with other relevant data, can identify an individual. Many employees work with PII about students, staff or alumni. Find a more detailed definition of PII and Kalamazoo College’s policy for protecting it on the IS Policies page.

  • Follow the steps in our earlier post “Tips for Working Securely from Home.” In particular, employees should be extra vigilant when working from home against social engineering attacks.  It might be harder to tell if that email from your supervisor or colleague is legitimate when you are not located down the hall from them. If you receive a request for PII, we suggest that you get verbal/video confirmation from the requester.  
  • Try to minimize how much PII you work with from home. 
  • Never send PII through email 
  • If you need to work with PII, the best way to keep it secure is to store it on a computer that is on campus under IS management. This would include the KFiles server. We do not recommend storing PII on cloud-based services or on your device at home.  
  • To work with PII, you can also use remote access via our VPN to connect using Remote Desktop to a campus computer. Another advantage to connecting with remote desktop is that if your home internet connection is unstable, your work is preserved on the campus desktop if you get disconnected.
  • If you have further questions or need help getting set up for remote access, please contact the Help Desk.

Tips for Working Securely from Home

Posted on by Carolyn Zinn

One of our goals is to enable faculty and staff to work as securely as possible from home.

Our partner in security awareness training, SANS, offers these five steps, also available in more detail as a Top 5 Tips for Working Securely from Home download (PDF, 1.04 MB).

1. YOU are the best defense against social engineering attacks

Don’t let attackers trick you into giving them your login information or personally identifiable information (PII). They’ll try to do this by creating a sense of urgency, posing as tech support or someone you know. Information Services will never ask you for your password.

2. Secure your wireless network

  • Change the default administrator password
  • Enable strong security by requiring a password and enabling encryption
  • Make the passwords strong

3. Be smart with passwords

SANS recommends using a multi-word passphrase to ensure a strong password with many characters. Use different passwords for your KNET account and other accounts, and manage all the passwords with a password manager such as KeePass.

4. Keep software updated

Ensure your computers and mobile devices install software updates promptly, enabling automatic updating whenever possible.

5. Keep kids and guests off your work devices

They can accidentally erase or modify information, or, perhaps even worse, accidentally infect the device.

Start Guide to Help you Work Remotely

Posted on by Katrina Frank

New Start Guide for Working Remotely is Available!

For the most recent guide please see the Start Guide to Work Remotely – Fall 2020 post.

Our ultimate goal is to support you with your technical needs throughout this difficult time. We appreciate all of your patience as we continue to handle requests.

Virtual Resource Centers

Specific Tools to Work Remotely

Internet Access to Michigan Residents

Resources to gain low-cost internet access as shared by the Library of Michigan:

Phones, Voicemail, and Email

  • Voicemail Quick Reference – allows you to check your voicemail off campus, listen to your messages and to record a new greeting
  • Forwarding Calls – Forwarding calls is only available to local phone numbers with a 269 area code. If you would like to forward your calls to your local phone number please complete the forwarding calls form.
  • Email and Webmail – Review our documentation on using your Kalamazoo College email via Outlook (if it was installed on your device) or anywhere on the go with webmail.

File Sharing, Instant Messaging/Chat, and Videoconferencing

  • File sharing – There are many ways faculty and staff can share files remotely. Feel free to choose which K approved method(s) works best for you and your team!
  • Instant Messaging/Chat – Learn more instant messaging though Microsoft Teams or Pidgin
  • Videoconferencing – Do you need to meet with your colleagues virtually? Learn how you can do so with our newest platform.

Personal Computing

Security

Getting Help

If you are unable to find the information you need from the resources listed or from the IS website, you may contact the Help Desk. Please understand that the Help Desk team is experiencing a high volume of calls and requests and response times may be longer than usual.

Welcome Back Students, Faculty, and Staff!

Posted on by Katrina Frank

Welcome back to K!

The Information Services (IS) team is here to help get your technology in order for the new year! View all of the helpful resources below to see how to get connected, access your accounts, and who to contact in need whether you’re a student, faculty, or staff member.

Remember, if you need help Information Services is here for you! Please feel free to connect by:

  • Stopping by the Tech Help Desk (located in the Upjohn Library Commons)
  • Sending us an email at HelpDesk.kzoo.edu or
  • Giving us a call at 269.337.5800.

We’re open Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Student Tools

  • Eduroam – How to connect to the campus wireless network
  • Student Webmail – How to access your Exchange email messages, calendar, and contact information
  • Office 365 – Your free access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and OneDrive
  • Moodle – where most of your instructors will post course materials and grades throughout the quarter.
  • Printing – Learn more standard, color, and 3D printing options available to you.

See the Student Tools page for more information on your resources to utilize 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.

Who Should I Contact?

Help Desk

Email: HelpDesk@kzoo.edu

Contact us for:

  • Computers
  • Passwords
  • Campus email
  • Websites
  • Wireless access
  • Telephone service
  • Hornet Hive
  • Hornet HQ
Center for New Media Design

Phone: 269.337.7137
Email: Graphics@kzoo.edu

Contact us for:

  • Graphic design
  • Camera checkout
  • Scanning
  • Image editing
  • Desktop publishing
  • Large format printing
Video Production Studio and Editing

Phone: 269.337.7245
Email: KMedia@kzoo.edu

Booking Classrooms

To book a room, use the Room Reservation system or visit the Book a Room website

Facilities Coordinator

Phone: 269.337.7138
Email: BookaRoom@kzoo.edu

Educational Technology

Phone: 269.337.7415
Email: Josh.Moon@kzoo.edu

Contact Josh for:

  • Integrating technology into teaching
  • Moodle LMS
  • 3D printing
  • Virtual reality
Library Services

Visit the Kalamazoo College Library website!

Additional Library Points of Contact:

Media Services

Phone: 269.337.7138
Email: KMedia@kzoo.edu

Contact us for:

  • Audio/visual questions
  • Scheduling computers
  • Video
  • And/or public address equipment for classes and events
  • Video acquisitions
Audio Studio

Phone: 269.337.7138
Email: KMedia@kzoo.edu