Posts by Daniel Statum | Today at 黑料不打烊 | 黑料不打烊 /u/news Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:57:15 -0400 en-US hourly 1 黑料不打烊 begins planning transition to Canvas learning management system /u/news/2026/02/12/elon-begins-planning-transition-to-canvas-learning-management-system/ Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:30:11 +0000 /u/news/?p=1038536 黑料不打烊 will聽begin planning a transition to Canvas聽by Instructure聽as its learning management system, following an extensive聽evaluation process led by Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT)聽in partnership with Academic Affairs听补苍诲 informed by faculty,聽staff听补苍诲 student feedback.

The transition planning phase reflects a clear institutional decision and does not聽represent聽an immediate change to how courses are taught or delivered. Moodle will remain fully supported;聽no Spring 2026 courses are affected,听补苍诲 no action is聽required聽from faculty or staff at this time.

Why now?

Over the聽fall semester, Teaching and Learning Technologies, in partnership with academic and IT colleagues, conducted a comprehensive review of the university鈥檚 learning management system. That process included open forums,聽surveys听补苍诲 structured feedback from more than 125聽faculty and staff members and more than 400聽undergraduate and graduate students.

The evaluation highlighted聽the importance of聽adopting聽a learning management system to support聽current and聽evolving approaches to learning and engagement.

Beginning the transition planning now allows the university to move forward deliberately, ensuring the transition is well supported and aligned with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 broader commitment to engaged learning and student success.

Why Canvas?

Canvas was selected following a careful review of faculty and student input,聽market聽analysis听补苍诲 platform capabilities.

鈥淭his decision was guided by the needs and hopes of our faculty and students,鈥澛爏aid Rebecca Kohn, provost听补苍诲 vice president of academic affairs.聽鈥淥ur community asked for a system that is reliable and flexible; one that can adapt to diverse approaches to teaching and learning. Canvas聽emerged聽as the platform that best aligns with those priorities as we look ahead.鈥

What this means and what鈥檚 next

As planning moves forward, a few key points may be helpful to keep in mind:

  • Moodle聽remains聽fully supported聽through the transition.
  • No action is required聽from聽LMS users聽at this time.
  • No change will be made to how courses are taught or delivered for Spring 2026.

Teaching and Learning Technologies will lead the transition聽process in close partnership with academic and IT colleagues. TLT will coordinate training, support and future communications, ensuring faculty,聽staff听补苍诲 students聽have clarity and guidance well in advance of any changes.

As details take shape, including a clearer transition timeline and answers to聽frequently聽asked questions, TLT will share updates with the campus community.聽Additional聽information is expected before March.

鈥淭ransitioning to a modern, user-friendly platform like Canvas supports engaged learning and student success,鈥 said Kelly Reimer, senior director of Teaching and Learning Technologies. 鈥淥ur goal during this early phase聽of work聽is to establish a strong foundation for both the technical transition and how we will support faculty and students in ways that minimize聽disruption聽to teaching and learning.鈥

Faculty engagement & Next Steps

Faculty involvement聽remains聽central as the transition planning continues. Opportunities for faculty engagement, support and training will be communicated by Teaching and Learning Technologies as plans are refined.

鈥淎s a member of the LMS evaluation project team, I was grateful for the聽quantity and聽depth聽of feedback we received from colleagues and students,鈥 said Eric Bauer, faculty fellow for technology and assistant professor of biology. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see how聽my colleagues creatively use the many new tools within Canvas to make their classes even more engaging and easy for students to聽navigate听补苍诲聽look forward to exploring with them the possibilities of the new LMS.鈥

The transition to Canvas will be implemented over time, with ongoing communication and support as the university moves through the next academic year.

]]> A shared approach to leave planning begins in 2026 /u/news/2025/12/03/a-shared-approach-to-leave-planning-begins-in-2026/ Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:45:04 +0000 /u/news/?p=1034462 Starting in 2026, 黑料不打烊 will introduce a leave requests and approvals process that offers a shared, university-wide approach to planning time away from work.

Currently, many teams manage leave in various ways. Some teams use spreadsheets, some use email and all processes include retroactive entry in OnTrack. This updated approach encourages planning when possible, which will create shared expectations between employees and supervisors, and improve how we communicate about time off across departments.

While time away cannot always be planned, this new tool makes it easier for employees to be proactive and collaborative with their leave planning and reporting. The goal is to reduce ambiguity, strengthen coordination and build confidence in how time off is submitted, reviewed and tracked.

Employees and supervisors will use OnTrack to request and approve time away. Requests will be submitted and tracked in a single, consistent system, helping ensure that time away is visible, timely and clearly understood by everyone involved.

This process is designed to support:

  • Thoughtful planning between employees and supervisors
  • A shared understanding of time-off timelines
  • Coordinated scheduling that supports team operations
  • Confidence in how time away is managed across the university

Time off matters 鈥 for each of us, for our teams, and for the way we work together.聽By using a consistent, transparent system to plan time away, teams can communicate more easily, and employees can feel confident and supported whenever they need to take time off.

Janet Williams, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer

A screenshot of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Self-Service 鈥淟eave鈥 page displays an employee鈥檚 leave information. At the top, a navigation breadcrumb reads 鈥淓mployment > Employee > Leave.鈥 Below it, two summary boxes show Vacation Hours (12 used, 212.16 balance) and Sick Hours (39 used, 206 balance). To the right of the summary boxes is a table listing a submitted sick leave request for 8 hours on September 26, 2025. On the far right side of the page, a large blue 鈥淩equest Leave鈥 button is highlighted. Farther down, a detailed leave table shows multiple leave categories with columns for Starting Balance, Earned, Used, Adjustments, Balance, and Actions. Leave types displayed include Vacation, Sick/Emergency, Personal Leave, Bereavement, and Volunteer Leave, each with corresponding hour balances. A vertical navigation bar appears on the left side of the screen, and the top header displays the 黑料不打烊 logo and account options such as Sign Out and Help.
The updated Self-Service Leave interface provides a clear view of leave balances, request history, and available actions.
A screenshot of the Self-Service Leave page shows an employee鈥檚 leave information. On the left, a Leave Balance section displays two summary boxes: Vacation Hours, with 12 hours used and 222.16 hours remaining; and Sick Hours, with 55 hours used and 198 hours remaining. On the right, a Leave Requests table lists several recent leave entries, including sick leave, vacation, and personal leave. Each row includes the leave type, total hours, date range, actioner, and a status tag such as 鈥淪ubmitted鈥 or 鈥淎pproved.鈥 A blue 鈥淩equest Leave鈥 button appears at the top right of the table. Navigation controls for viewing multiple pages of requests are located at the bottom of the table. The interface uses a clean white background with gray section dividers and simple icons representing leave types.
A view of the Self-Service Leave page, showing vacation and sick leave balances alongside recent leave requests in the updated interface.

Training and support

黑料不打烊 is committed to ensuring staff are supported throughout this transition. Leading up to the January and February launches, Human Resources is offering multiple training options to help employees and supervisors engage with the new process and feel informed and prepared. Staff can explore:

Step-by-step training guides – Currently available in document form and coming soon to a centralized page on the HR website. Direct links will be shared in upcoming campus emails.

Video walkthroughs of the process in action

  • Bi-Weekly-Paid Staff Video Walkthrough is coming soon

Live training + Q&A sessions

“We understand that adjusting to something new takes time,聽鈥 said Melissa Clodfelter, associate vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer. 鈥淥ur focus is on making this feel manageable and supportive, whether that means walking through it together in training, or giving you tools you can use on your own terms.”

Missed the preview sessions?

Employees can still watch the Nov. 12 sessions and submit their thoughts:

Feedback from pilot and preview participants has already shaped training materials, and every additional voice helps strengthen the experience.

Questions

For questions at any time, contact hr@elon.edu or visit the .

]]> A familiar connection with a wider reach: 黑料不打烊 fully transitions to eduroam in January /u/news/2025/11/19/a-familiar-connection-with-a-wider-reach-elon-fully-transitions-to-eduroam-in-january/ Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:01:20 +0000 /u/news/?p=1033755 The eduroam logo appears in large white and blue letters over a dark blue digital map background with connected lines and network nodes.

黑料不打烊 is making an important update to this fall, shifting from elonu-secure to eduroam, a trusted wireless network used by thousands of colleges and universities across the US and around the world.

This transition will provide the same secure and reliable connection the campus community is used to, just under a new name. Faculty, staff and students can begin connecting to eduroam now and should make the switch before elonu-secure is retired after December 2025.

A student with long dark hair sits in a bright study area by large windows. She wears a cream and navy striped sweater and white pants, and is seated at a small table with a laptop covered in stickers, a tablet in a case, and a smartphone in her hand. Soft natural light fills the space, and trees are visible through the windows behind her.
Chloe Berkowitz-Pereyra 鈥26 works in Belk Library, switching between her eduroam-connected laptop, phone, and tablet to complete coursework.

鈥淢y transition with eduroam was seamless,鈥 said Melissa Clodfelter, associate vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer, who used eduroam regularly at Wake Forest University before joining 黑料不打烊.聽鈥淲hen I arrived at 黑料不打烊, it connected automatically. It was one less detail to manage during onboarding and provided a sense of familiarity during my transition.鈥

鈥淚 first used eduroam while I was studying abroad in Australia,鈥 said Chloe Berkowitz-Pereyra 鈥26. 鈥淚 didn’t have a choice while I was at the University of the Sunshine Coast 鈥攊t was the only option鈥 but it worked great. When I came back for J-Term, my phone and laptop immediately connected to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 eduroam, which I didn鈥檛 even know existed at the time. I remember my MacBook acted a little funny, so I restarted it, and I haven鈥檛 had any problems since.鈥

To ensure a smooth experience, users should remove (鈥渇orget鈥) elonu-secure from all their devices before connecting to eduroam. This step helps prevent conflicts between networks and ensures devices connect automatically when on campus or visiting other .

A world map highlights countries where eduroam operates, shaded in dark blue, with lighter blue areas showing pilot regions as of April 2021. Text on the image reads: 鈥渆duroam worldwide.鈥 Below the map, key facts appear in large lettering: 鈥106 countries,鈥 鈥4 billion authentications a year,鈥 鈥渆asy to use鈥攄evices automatically connect when in range,鈥 and 鈥渟ecure鈥攅nd-to-end encryption for maximum security.鈥 Logos for eduroam and G脡ANT appear at the top right.
An illustrated map highlights eduroam鈥檚 worldwide reach, connecting 黑料不打烊 to thousands of institutions across more than 100 countries.

In addition to local convenience, eduroam extends 黑料不打烊鈥檚 connectivity globally. Members of the university community can securely log in at more than 10,000 participating institutions worldwide without needing new passwords, portals or required setup.

鈥淚 first used eduroam while visiting other universities for conferences,鈥 said Robert Johnson, director of event and space management. 鈥淥nce it was activated at 黑料不打烊, I appreciated experiencing it with fresh eyes. It鈥檚 a small change, but it makes a big difference in how easily we can move, connect, and collaborate across institutions.鈥

黑料不打烊u-secure will be deactivated after December 2025, with eduroam becoming 黑料不打烊鈥檚 primary Wi-Fi network starting in January 2026. Devices that can鈥檛 connect to eduroam, such as smart TVs, smart sticks, gaming systems, or printers, should continue , which provides the same fast, secure network connection for those devices.

If you have questions or need help connecting, contact the Technology Service Desk at (336) 278-5200 or .

]]> 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Information Security Director named president of new Cloud Security Alliance chapter /u/news/2025/09/08/elons-information-security-director-named-president-of-new-cloud-security-alliance-chapter/ Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:51:11 +0000 /u/news/?p=1026656 Portrait of an older man with neatly combed gray hair, wearing a navy blazer, white collared shirt, and red sweater. He is smiling and posed in front of a neutral gray background.
Gary Sheehan, Information Security Director

Gary Sheehan, 黑料不打烊鈥檚聽information security聽director, has been named president of the newly formed Piedmont Area Chapter of the , a global organization dedicated to promoting cloud security best practices.

The chapter, which joins CSA鈥檚 Triangle and Charlotte chapters as one of three in North Carolina, will serve as a regional hub for education, collaboration, and leadership in secure cloud computing. Sheehan鈥檚 appointment expands his leadership in the national cybersecurity community and elevates 黑料不打烊鈥檚 presence in the evolving landscape of cloud and information security.

鈥淭his opportunity supports 黑料不打烊鈥檚 broader commitment to digital safety, innovation, and collaboration,鈥 said Sheehan. 鈥淎s our systems and data continue to live and grow in the cloud, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 involvement in these national conversations helps ensure that our approach to cybersecurity remains forward-thinking, community-driven, and rooted in industry best practices.鈥

The CSA is the world鈥檚 leading organization focused on defining and raising awareness of best practices to ensure a secure cloud computing environment. It brings together experts from industry, education and government to provide research, training, and community support, including one of the most widely adopted cloud security certifications worldwide.

As chapter president, Sheehan will:

  • Build and grow regional membership聽
  • Promote cloud security awareness and education in the Piedmont region
  • Lead community events and training programs
  • Encourage professional development and collaboration across sectors
  • Represent 黑料不打烊 in a broader network of IT and cloud security leaders

鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to building new partnerships with professionals across the region, and bringing that knowledge and perspective back to 黑料不打烊,鈥 Sheehan added. 鈥淪trong communities are what make strong security possible.鈥

The Piedmont Area Chapter will host its inaugural meeting on Sept. 10, welcoming members from across higher ed, industry and government.

]]> Faculty fellow for technology bridges academic insight and IT strategy /u/news/2025/05/19/faculty-fellow-for-technology-bridges-academic-insight-and-it-strategy/ Mon, 19 May 2025 19:44:26 +0000 /u/news/?p=1016913 Understanding how technology supports teaching starts with understanding the people who use it.

That鈥檚 been the focus of Eric Bauer鈥檚 first year as faculty fellow for technology: listening to faculty, amplifying their perspectives and helping align IT services with academic needs.

An assistant professor of biology, Bauer stepped into the three-year faculty fellowship in August 2024. He serves as a liaison between faculty and the Office of Information Technology (IT), offering insight into how technology can enhance teaching, learning and student success.

Headshot of Eric Bauer, Faculty Fellow for Technology and assistant professor of biology at 黑料不打烊.
Eric Bauer began his three-year term as faculty fellow for technology in August 2024, serving as a connector between academic insight and campus IT strategy.

鈥淔aculty and IT bring different strengths to the table, but we鈥檙e working toward the same goal: supporting students,鈥 Bauer said. 鈥淭his role has helped me see the overlap and find new ways to collaborate more intentionally.鈥

Since his appointment, Bauer has conducted over two dozen one-on-one interviews with faculty in 黑料不打烊 College, the College of Arts and Sciences. His goal: understand how instructors are using technology, where challenges emerge and how IT can better support their work. He鈥檚 now expanding those conversations to include the Schools of Communications, Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education, and the School of Health Sciences, creating a broader picture of instructional technology across campus.

鈥淭he goal isn鈥檛 to offer immediate answers,鈥 Bauer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about surfacing perspectives that can help IT better understand where technology is meeting faculty needs and where there鈥檚 room to grow.鈥

A focus on student learning and emerging technology

While faculty conversations remain at the heart of Bauer鈥檚 work, he鈥檚 also exploring how emerging tools鈥攑articularly AI鈥攃an extend academic support for students.

He is in the early stages of collaborating with Learning Assistance, investigating how technologies like generative AI could help students build foundational skills like time management, study strategies and information literacy.

A group of people are bent over looking at silver macbook laptops with their hands navigating the trackpad. The most in-focus person is a man on the right facing the left, wearing a teal polo shirt and khaki pants and glasses. He has brown hair pulled back into a bun and black framed glasses.
As part of his work exploring AI in education, Eric Bauer tests generative tools that could help students build foundational skills like time management, study strategies, and information literacy.

鈥淚鈥檝e seen how much students struggle with basic academic habits, especially in their first year,鈥 Bauer said. 鈥淚f we can use tools like AI to help them strengthen those habits early on, it could have a real impact on their academic experience.鈥

Bauer is also in conversation with Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) and other IT teams about the evolving role of AI in platforms like Moodle 4.5. While Teaching and Learning Technologies has chosen not to enable Moodle鈥檚 generative AI features at this time, Bauer sees value in how TLT is taking a thoughtful approach to ensure alignment with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 AI Principles.

His exploration of generative AI aligns with this intentional approach, as he seeks to better understand which tools support learning and where guidance can help faculty integrate them mindfully.

As with all of his work, the focus is not on chasing new tools, but on identifying which technologies solve real problems and align with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 values and teaching goals.

A connector between faculty and IT

Bauer鈥檚 experience as an educator and researcher informs his approach to the fellowship, as does his prior use of instructional technologies such as 3D printing, Microsoft 365 and adaptive testing platforms.

Through his role, he鈥檚 gained a deeper appreciation for the scope of IT鈥檚 work and what goes into maintaining the digital infrastructure that faculty rely on every day.

The scale and complexity of IT work has been eye-opening. Most faculty only interact with tools like Moodle or Microsoft Teams, but there鈥檚 an entire infrastructure running behind the scenes. Learning more about that has deepened my appreciation for the role IT plays in our work.

Eric Bauer, assistant professor of biology and faculty fellow for technology

鈥淓ric brings a grounding perspective,鈥 said Kelly Reimer, senior director of teaching and learning technologies. 鈥淗e asks the kinds of questions that connect tools to real teaching challenges. That鈥檚 what we were looking for: someone who could help bridge strategy with everyday practice.鈥

That bridge works both ways. Bauer is helping IT teams understand faculty workflows and needs while helping faculty better understand how IT systems are built, maintained and rolled out across campus.

Looking ahead

Bauer joins a line of previous faculty fellows for technology, including Kyle Altman, associate professor of physics, who helped lead 黑料不打烊鈥檚 transition to hybrid teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other former fellows include:

  • Todd Lee, professor of mathematics;
  • Antonio Izzo, associate professor of biology
  • Randy Piland, senior lecturer in communication design.

Moving forward, Bauer will continue his outreach across academic schools, contribute to professional development programming, and support conversations around responsible, student-centered technology use.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a genuine sense of collaboration across IT teams,” Bauer said. “They鈥檝e been incredibly welcoming and open to conversation. I鈥檓 excited to keep learning鈥攁nd to keep building connections that help us all do our work more effectively.鈥

Faculty members who are interested in connecting with Bauer about classroom technology, digital tools, or instructional support are encouraged to reach out to him. He welcomes conversations with colleagues from all disciplines and perspectives.

]]> Moodle 4.5 brings a more intuitive experience to campus /u/news/2025/04/22/moodle-4-5-brings-a-more-intuitive-experience-to-campus/ Tue, 22 Apr 2025 15:41:54 +0000 /u/news/?p=1013361 On May 29, 2025, 黑料不打烊 will upgrade to Moodle 4.5, introducing a more accessible and user-friendly experience for faculty, students and staff. This upgrade reflects Information Technology’s (IT) commitment to enhancing digital learning environments and equipping faculty and staff with effective course management tools.

What to Expect

To implement these updates:

  • May 29 (2鈥8 a.m.): Moodle will be temporarily unavailable while the upgrade is in progress.
  • May 29 (8 a.m.鈥5 p.m.): Moodle will be available, but intermittent disruptions may occur during final testing.
  • May 30: Moodle 4.5 will be fully launched, allowing all users to explore its new features.

What鈥檚 Changing in Moodle 4.5?

Moodle 4.5 introduces several refinements that enhance usability and streamline workflows, including:

  • Improved course organization 鈥 A more intuitive layout and better tools for structuring content.
  • Modernized text editor 鈥 A feature-rich, user-friendly, more accessible interface similar to Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
  • Assessment & grading enhancements 鈥 More flexibility with bulk actions, question re-grading and quiz organization.
  • Refined navigation 鈥 Updates designed to make workflows more efficient and improve overall ease of use.

Additionally, Moodle 4.5 is a Long-Term Support version, designed for long-term reliability and backed by extended expert support, with a focus on stability and security rather than frequent feature rollouts.

鈥淭his upgrade is more than new features; it enhances functionalities to support intuitive course organization,鈥 said Dhvani Toprani, assistant director of Learning Design and Support in Teaching and Learning Technologies. 鈥淲e recognize that change is challenging, so before and after the upgrade, our team is prepared and eager to guide and support our instructors through this transition with 听补苍诲 .鈥

Support and Resources

To ensure a seamless transition, Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) is providing:

  • 聽before and after the upgrade (as well as before the start of fall classes) to help instructors become comfortable with the new features.
  • , a dedicated space for video tutorials and highlights, feature overviews and FAQs to explore at one鈥檚 convenience.
  • 聽for personalized support in adjusting course materials.

While Moodle 4.5 includes AI-based text and image generation features for students to submit and instructors to create assignments, TLT has chosen not to enable these AI tools at this time while their impact is being carefully evaluated. Information Technology is taking a thoughtful approach to integrating AI in Moodle, ensuring alignment with and preparing internal guidance before these features are launched.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about the changes coming with Moodle 4.5,鈥 said Kelly Reimer, senior director of Teaching and Learning Technologies. 鈥淭his upgrade supports a smoother, more intuitive experience for our faculty, staff and students, and it鈥檚 one of many ways we鈥檙e working to align our digital tools with the evolving needs of teaching and learning at 黑料不打烊.鈥

Throughout June, July, and August, Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT) will provide ongoing support, including one-on-one and group consultations, as well as additional training, to help faculty and staff prepare for the next academic term.

鈥淭he TLT team has been attentive to building support resources and providing opportunities for engagement to learn the new features,鈥 Toprani added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e eager to engage with our community to ensure a seamless transition.鈥

Faculty and staff can visit the , , or . For any immediate concerns, TLT is available to assist with the transition and answer any questions.

]]> Explore student creativity and curiosity at the 6th annual Maker Takeover /u/news/2025/04/16/explore-student-creativity-and-curiosity-at-the-6th-annual-maker-takeover/ Wed, 16 Apr 2025 15:59:08 +0000 /u/news/?p=1012625 Promotional banner for Maker Takeover, an event showcasing over 40 student projects. The event is free and includes ice cream, T-shirts, an escape room, crafts, games, prizes, and fun. It takes place on Wednesday, April 30 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Moseley Student Center. The design features bold yellow and blue text on a background with students and decorative banners.

黑料不打烊鈥檚 maker community is where curiosity becomes creation, and the Maker Takeover brings that spirit front and center.

Hosted by the Maker Hub, the 6th Annual Maker Takeover聽will take place on Wednesday, April 30, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Moseley Student Center. This free, drop-in event is open to the entire campus community. With more than 40 student-made projects on display, it鈥檚 a chance to explore, create, and engage with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 vibrant maker community.

From quilting, woodworking, and 3D printing to student-designed games and immersive experiences, the Maker Takeover is equal parts interactive gallery and hands-on festival.

A bustling scene at 黑料不打烊's Maker Takeover event, with students, faculty, and families gathered around tables exploring hands-on exhibits and student projects. Attendees interact with displays, tablets, and creative setups, while colorful pennant banners hang from the ceiling. The space is filled with energy, conversation, and curiosity as people engage with innovation and technology.
Students, faculty, staff, and families explore hands-on exhibits and student-made projects during 黑料不打烊鈥檚 annual Maker Takeover in the Moseley Center.

Attendees can:

  • Play student-designed Connect 4 and Operation-style games.
  • Sample liquid nitrogen ice cream from 黑料不打烊 Dining.
  • Test their wit in the 鈥淓mergency Lockdown鈥 escape room.
  • Craft string art signs, custom t-shirts, keepsake buttons and stickers and other DIY giveaways.
  • Watch live demos like chainmail making and screen-printing.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for Maker Takeover every year,鈥 said Chloe Berkowitz-Pereyra 鈥26. 鈥淭here are always new games, activities, and little personalized goodies to take home鈥攂ut my favorite is the ice cream! My first year, it was mango ice cream; last year, they made Cheerwine. I can鈥檛 wait to see what unique flavor they have for us this year.鈥

The event will also feature the 2025 Kickbox cohort. Kickbox聽is a Maker Hub program that awards students funding, tools, and mentorship to turn passion projects into prototypes.

A collage of 黑料不打烊 students in the Maker Hub, each holding a red 黑料不打烊 Kickbox kit鈥攁 resource provided to support student innovation and prototyping. The background features tools, equipment, and the Maker Hub logo. The bottom-right image shows a close-up of a notebook labeled '黑料不打烊 Kickbox' being signed by a student.
The Kickbox 2025 Cohort

Some of this year鈥檚 creations include:

  • Custom joint support rings, designed to ease chronic joint pain.
  • A self-landing model rocket, for safer and more affordable engineering exploration.
  • A wheelchair umbrella mount for hands-free weather protection.
  • A handcrafted subwoofer engineered for audio precision.
  • And a custom nightstand inspired by Where the Wild Things Are.

These projects highlight how 黑料不打烊 students are using design, engineering, art, and curiosity to solve problems, express themselves, and turn bold ideas into tangible results. Explore all of the 2025 Kickbox projects on the Maker Hub鈥檚 website.

鈥淢aker Takeover is where creativity meets community. It鈥檚 not just about what our students made; it鈥檚 about what inspired them to make it, and their process of making it real.鈥

-Dan Reis, senior instructional technologist in Teaching and Learning Technologies, who leads the Maker Hubs.

Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend, bring a friend or colleague, and support the makers behind these innovative and meaningful projects.聽Some instructors even integrate Maker Takeover into class experiences鈥攁s extra credit, reflection prompts, or design inspiration.

Follow or visit the Maker Hub website for updates and a full event overview.

]]> New identity management system improves information security and digital access at 黑料不打烊 /u/news/2025/02/14/new-identity-management-system-improves-information-security-and-digital-access-at-elon/ Fri, 14 Feb 2025 17:21:06 +0000 /u/news/?p=1007178 Managing accounts and accessing campus systems is about to get easier. This spring, 黑料不打烊 is introducing a new Digital Identity and Access Management (DIAM) system designed to enhance security, streamline logins and simplify access to essential services for faculty, staff and students. The rollout begins this month in select departments, who have been notified, with broader campus implementation to follow.

A Seamless, Secure Experience

The new DIAM system gives faculty, staff, and students a single, secure way to access university services聽by centralizing account management across digital platforms.

This upgrade makes managing accounts easier while enhancing security to protect personal information and prevent unauthorized access.聽By consolidating identity management, users will have faster, more secure access to the tools and resources they need.

“We don鈥檛 expect anyone to notice any major changes at launch, but this sets the foundation for significant improvements over the next year,” said Alan Allred, information security engineer. “This is just the beginning. We鈥檙e laying the groundwork for a digital experience that鈥檚 smoother and more secure than ever.鈥

Improved Campus Services

This system makes onboarding easier for new students and employees while improving digital access at every stage鈥攚hether you’re a student, employee, retiree or alum. With behind-the-scenes improvements, this upgrade minimizes tech-related issues, making it easier for everyone to work, teach and learn without disruptions.

Additionally, the system strengthens security during transitions, such as when someone moves from student to employee or employee to retiree, ensuring that access is updated appropriately to protect university data. These updates keep 黑料不打烊 aligned with higher education industry standards and best practices for digital security while making everyday interactions with campus technology more seamless.

A Collaborative Effort

The successful launch of the new Identity and Access Management is the result of years of planning and collaboration across multiple departments. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 IT experts, campus administrators and information security specialists worked together to design a system that prioritizes both digital security and ease of access, ensuring a consistent frictionless process for faculty, staff and students.

Looking Ahead

As 黑料不打烊 continues to evolve, the new Identity and Access Management system will be a foundation for future innovations in security, efficiency and ease of access. Soon, new self-service features will make it easier than ever to reset passwords, request guest accounts and manage access independently鈥攑utting more control in the hands of campus users.

In the coming months, more updates will be shared about the specific services being enhanced and how they will improve everyday workflows for faculty, staff and students. After rollout, this system will keep evolving, introducing new tools that strengthen security and make digital access more efficient across the campus.

鈥淭his system is an exciting step forward in our mission to create a more secure, efficient, and user-friendly campus environment,鈥 said Allred. 鈥淚t will empower our community to focus on what matters most鈥攍earning, teaching and research鈥攚hile we handle the technical details behind the scenes.鈥

Departments will receive communication ahead of their transition to ensure faculty and staff are fully prepared for the change. Additional details on timelines, features and improvements will continue to be shared as the project moves forward.

]]> Generate, research, design and optimize: 黑料不打烊 IT participates in AI Expo at summer retreat /u/news/2024/08/12/generate-research-design-and-optimize-elon-it-participates-in-ai-expo-at-summer-retreat/ Mon, 12 Aug 2024 13:25:59 +0000 /u/news/?p=990777 As artificial intelligence continues to play a crucial role in the technology landscape, members of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Office of Information Technology (IT) engaged in extensive discussions during their annual summer retreat. Their focus was to gain a comprehensive understanding of AI utilization within the IT sector, examine its current applications across the campus community, and explore opportunities for future integration.

鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing signs that GenAI really can reduce some of the repetitive and tedious work from IT to the classroom,鈥 said Michael Miller, an executive partner for higher education from Gartner. 鈥淚n fact, it鈥檚 one of the most robust areas where it鈥檚 showing significant impact.聽AI is something that people everywhere are talking about, excited about and investing in. This gives folks in IT an opportunity to expand the conversation about technology in general, explore how others are using it and collaborate on ways it can be improved.鈥

A Nepali man with black hair in a red Liverpool soccer jersey points off camera to a projector screen while a white man with wavy dark brown hair, a full goatee beard, glasses, and a blue button-down shirt looks on
Sagun Giri (left), instructional technologist, presents the foundational concepts of the research-focused AI tool, Ellicit, to Michael Miller (right), using a projector screen for illustration.

Gartner鈥檚 predictions for how AI will evolve include 75% of businesses using generative AI to create synthetic customer data by 2026, using AI will be 30% more energy efficient by 2028 and 1/3 of generative AI interactions will not need human intervention by 2028 as GenAI action models will increase (). Specifically in education, 鈥渁utonomous agents can offer personalized learning experiences and adapt teaching methods to the needs of individual students鈥 ().

The AI action continued after the presentation, as IT members had the opportunity to try different tools that focused on research, learning activity design, productivity and more. Planned and facilitated by Claudia Sparks, associate director of Enterprise Solutions, and Dhvani Toprani, assistant director of Learning Design and Support, the expo included tools such as , , , , (Research) and .

鈥淕en AI tools are filled with infinite possibilities, so we are interested in understanding how others use these tools. The Expo felt like an excellent opportunity to give us a look into our campus partner’s world of AI.鈥

鈥揇hvani Toprani, assistant director of Learning Design and Support

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know what you don鈥檛 know, so the goal was to unlock that door and provide an avenue of deeper understanding,鈥 Toprani said. 鈥淓veryone’s engagement made the expo so much fun, and it was delightful to see everyone鈥檚 excitement about the possibilities of AI tools.鈥

Four people stand in front of a projector screen with a brick wall behind it. The four people from left to right: Dhvani Toprani (an Indian woman with straight black hair wearing a maroon polo with khaki pants), Claudia Sparks (a white woman with red wavy hair, pulled back into a ponytail, wearing a gray polo and blue shorts), Michael Gartner (a white man with curly dark brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue button down and gray slacks), and Christopher Waters (a white man with medium brown hair, wearing a red, white, and blue, striped shirt and khaki pants).
(From left to right) Dhvani Toprani, assistant director of Learning Design and Support; Claudia Sparks, associate director of Enterprise Solutions; Michael Miller with Gartner and Christopher Waters, associate vice president of Information Technology and chief information officer collaborated to ensure that Information Technology staff are informed about and familiar with AI tools that may be utilized across 黑料不打烊’s campus.

鈥淭he IT staff are gaining professional skills in using AI to support our campus community while exploring how they can support teaching, learning and university operations,鈥 said Christopher Waters, associate vice president of Information Technology and chief information officer. 鈥淲e also wanted the team to explore how AI is integrating into 黑料不打烊鈥檚 current technology offerings, which can, almost seamlessly, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of work already happening at 黑料不打烊. This includes the chatbot, which every employee and student can access securely and freely when logged in using their 黑料不打烊 ID.鈥

鈥淚n response to the campus interest surrounding AI, we are thrilled with the number of campus members who applied for and received AI Grants through Technology at the end of the previous academic year,” said Waters. “We have formed a community of practice that will allow us to collaboratively explore the efficient and responsible use of AI across departments, ensuring the security of 黑料不打烊 data while enhancing our operational processes.鈥

]]> 5th annual Maker Takeover connects 黑料不打烊鈥檚 inventive minds with the campus community /u/news/2024/05/15/5th-annual-maker-takeover-connects-elons-inventive-minds-with-the-campus-community/ Wed, 15 May 2024 10:30:45 +0000 /u/news/?p=982318 Walking into the Moseley Center during Maker Takeover exuded an immediate aura of pure imagination and fun. The air was filled with a buzz of creativity as makers of all ages displayed their ambitious and playful creations, whether they were practical, adorable, or breathtakingly inventive.

Female student with red hair and gold framed glasses, wearing a royal blue apron and black tee shirt, directs a male student wearing a tan tee and teal pants in the custom t-shirt line to the different options he can choose from
A Maker Hub Consultant guides a student through the options for making a custom T-shirt during the 2024 Maker Takeover.

As usual, the staff from the Maker Hub made the festivities even more exciting with additional fun, like people walking around with Cheerwine-flavored nitrogen ice cream, laughter from students playing Super Mario Kart and designing their custom tee shirts, and curious conversations between guests and dozens of innovative makers.

鈥淭he energy from Maker Takeover was exciting. You could truly feel the enthusiasm from everyone,鈥 said Dan Reis, senior instructional technologist and manager of the Maker Hub. 鈥淭he Maker Hub Student Consultants loved showing off their projects to their friends. They talk about the Maker Hub all the time, so finally exhibiting their projects to the people who are important in their lives is really meaningful.鈥

Student wearing blue hoodie, yellow Maker Hub apron, black rimmed glasses, and a grey hat strums a guitar shaped wooden instrument with a hexagonal body, while leaning backwards against a table for a female student with textured, shoulder-length hair
Owen Crider ’26 demonstrates how he plays the “Guitanjagon” he made using the saws and laser engraver at the Downtown Maker Hub.

Owen Crider 鈥26 is one of these students. He is a Cinema and Television Arts major on the Saws Team at the Downtown Maker Hub, and he has spent months making a unique instrument.

鈥淚 love playing the banjo, and I wanted a version that I could beat up, paint, and not take too seriously, so I made this Guitanjagon,鈥 Crider said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a guitar because of its acoustic body composition, a banjo because of the strings, and it鈥檚 my favorite shape 鈥 hexagonal. I used the Maker Hub鈥檚 saws and laser engraver to cut and design the instrument, I learned new and simple ways to paint, and I鈥檓 excited to use all these new skills for future projects.鈥

The 2023-2024 Kickbox recipients also displayed the projects they researched, prototyped, built, and revised throughout the spring.

Male student with teal tee and dark curly hair shows a robotic hand, with purple 3D printed fingers, to the camera
Murilo Lopes ’27 showcases a robotic hand, the first stage of his eventual ASL robot.

First-year Computer Science major Murilo Lopes 鈥27 utilized the Kickbox program and the Maker Hub鈥檚 resources to combine artificial intelligence, computer science, and world languages to make a robot that can teach American Sign Language.

鈥淩ight now, we鈥檝e completed the first step and have the initial prototype for the hand, showing off the hardware, the flexibility, and how it moves,鈥 Lopes said. 鈥淓ventually, we鈥檒l combine it with machine learning to see if the person interacting with the robot is signing correctly; if they are, they鈥檒l move on to the next stage, but if not, they can try again or try a different word. There are lots of opportunities for us to build on the foundation we鈥檙e laying.鈥

Two female students stand behind their table of custom designed hats,. The table has a banner with their business name R'KIND. On top of the table are four hats ine with a dragon, one with a tiger, one with a horse, and one can't be seen. Both students are wearing hats. The student on the left wears a white tee with a green hat with a tiger on the side. The student on the right is wearing a black crop top and red hat with a serpentine dragon on the side.
Sofia Balance ’24 and Emma Farrell ’24 (left to right) pose with their table of custom-designed hats for women, R’KIND.

Two senior students, Sofia Balance 鈥24 and Emma Farrell 鈥24, teamed up to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams, starting with stylized hats. 鈥淲e realized there was a lack of diversity in the hat market, and we wanted to do something for women that鈥檚 unique, dynamic, and sophisticated,鈥 Balance said.

鈥淥ne of my professors, Ben Hannam, recommended Kickbox, and I thought it would be awesome since it offers funding, is a guided process, and is a perfect option to start a process for something bigger,鈥 Farrell said. 鈥淲e tried reaching out to third-party vendors for help, but we ended up doing all the work ourselves, designing, making, and applying heat-activated vinyl, which we could only do because of the Maker Hub.鈥

Visit the Maker Hub website for more information about the Hub鈥檚 happenings, the Kickbox program and project updates, and more. For a closer look, follow the Maker Hub on Instagram or visit one of their two locations in the Colonnades E building or downtown above Pandora鈥檚 Pies.

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