Posts by NC Local News Workshop | 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 Information Technology to implement new retention policy to manage abundance of Zoom video recordings /u/news/2021/03/24/information-technology-to-implement-new-retention-policy-to-manage-abundance-of-zoom-video-recordings/ Wed, 24 Mar 2021 16:28:59 +0000 /u/news/?p=855608 In the weeks following its official campus rollout last fall, quickly became the web conferencing platform of choice for many 黑料不打烊 faculty, staff and students. Now, months later, that unprecedented use has pushed the tool鈥檚 cloud storage capacity to its limits.

To ease the strain, will implement a video retention policy on June 1 that will establish a timeframe for how long Zoom video recordings will remain stored within the platform. However, those same recordings will continue to be automatically copied to Kaltura, where they can be stored indefinitely for seamless downloading and sharing, according to Associate Vice President for Technology and Chief Information Officer Christopher Waters.

鈥淭his new retention policy will not only optimize the allotted cloud storage space for 黑料不打烊 faculty, staff and students who use the service, but also help to ensure the service continues to run smoothly for all users,鈥 he said.

Beginning June 1, video recordings saved to Zoom鈥檚 cloud storage service will only be retained for 90 days from the date of the recording. 聽After 90 days, recordings are moved to the user鈥檚 鈥淭rash,鈥 and if necessary, can be restored for a limited amount of time. However, after 120 days, video recordings will be permanently deleted. At that time or at any time prior, 黑料不打烊 users may visit Kaltura or Moodle to access past recordings.

Though the new retention period will help to manage cloud storage within Zoom, 黑料不打烊 users can also help, Waters said.

鈥淲e offer a number of file storage and sharing services, like Kaltura, Microsoft OneDrive and Microsoft Stream, to help faculty, staff and students organize and share materials, and we encourage them to manage their own video recordings regularly to ensure they don鈥檛 lose valuable content,鈥 he said.

黑料不打烊 users can log into Kaltura to access, download or share Zoom video recordings, or bring recordings directly into a Moodle course using the video resource feature. Video recordings also are accessible from the My Media section in Moodle, linked at the bottom of the left column navigation.

In addition to the automatic copy of recordings in Kaltura, Zoom users may also take advantage of other Microsoft applications, such as OneDrive or Stream to store, organize and share video recordings with internal and external viewers. .

For questions or to report an issue, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 336-278-5200 or .

For the latest technology updates, visit the聽Technology Blog聽and follow us on聽,听听补苍诲听.

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Information Technology extends聽mandatory聽multi-factor authentication聽initiative to聽all 黑料不打烊聽students聽 /u/news/2021/03/10/information-technology-extends-mandatory-multi-factor-authentication-initiative-to-all-elon-students/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 13:43:27 +0000 /u/news/?p=852646 This month,听聽will聽expand聽the聽mandatory multi-factor authentication聽(MFA) enrollment initiative to include students, which follows a successful campus-wide rollout for faculty and staff聽last fall.聽Graduate聽students must enroll in MFA using Duo Security by聽Tuesday, March 23,听undergraduate students by Monday, April 12 and law students by Wednesday, April 21.

Higher education institutions are often prime targets for cybercriminals. Sophisticated phishing attacks and other hacking innovations constantly look for ways to infiltrate critical systems and steal sensitive information through an organization鈥檚 most vulnerable areas.聽To counter these threats,听a聽聽showed聽92 percent of U.S.聽institutions聽were聽tracking, planning,听had聽partially聽or fully聽deployed聽institution-wide MFA on their campuses.

person with a laptop and mobile phone
All 黑料不打烊 undergraduate, graduate and law students must enroll in MFA using Duo Security, which follows the successful campus wide rollout for faculty and staff聽last fall.

At 黑料不打烊, MFA is among a growing list of security聽and awareness measures happening behind the scenes to聽educate the community about increasing threats and聽enhance online safety for all users, on and off campus.聽Adding students to the enrollment initiative is a critical next step, according to Gary Sheehan, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 director of information security.聽Opening enrollment now allows聽students ample time聽to acclimate to the new authentication process before the new school term in the fall, he said.

鈥淓ven for student accounts, password theft is constantly evolving as hackers聽use聽methods like keylogging, phishing and email spoofing聽to gain access,鈥澛燬heehan聽said.聽鈥淢FA enables us to deploy a security strategy that protects our platforms and community, reduces our risk for cyber threats聽and further聽provide protections in such a way that access remains easy for authorized users.鈥

Also聽referred to as two-factor authentication,听MFA聽adds聽layers of password security to critical university systems听补苍诲听reduces聽the number of compromised accounts聽by making it difficult聽for unauthorized individuals to log in聽with stolen passwords.

Though you may not realize it, you likely already use MFA when accessing online accounts for banking, credit cards and other services, Sheehan said.

鈥淲hen you access an ATM or use a debit card for purchases you typically need the card (something you have) and a pin number (something you know),鈥 he said. 鈥淲henever a merchant, bank, medical provider or retailer requires you to provide a password or pin, along with something you have to complete a transaction, you are using multi-factor authentication.鈥

At 黑料不打烊, the MFA process involves the use of聽the Duo Security app and聽two or more devices to deliver security tokens that allow聽users to聽access single sign-on services like email, Moodle, LinkedIn Learning and other applications. With Duo Security, tokens are typically communicated聽through聽a聽push to a聽mobile聽device聽or聽call to a landline phone.

鈥淪ince passwords can be compromised and are vulnerable to sharing, adding multi-factor authentication to the login process requires the user to know something (the password) and have something (the token), in order to gain access,鈥 Sheehan said.

All 黑料不打烊 students are encouraged to enroll in MFA before聽the deadlines noted above.聽After聽those dates,听email, Moodle and other single sign-on services will be inaccessible until MFA enrollment is complete. For help getting started, visit the聽聽in the IT Self-Service Portal Knowledge Base聽or聽.聽If you have questions or need to report an issue, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 336-278-5200.

For additional online safety resources and to sign up for alerts, .聽To stay aware of active cyber-attacks and other threats on campus, Sheehan encourages users to聽sign up for information security alerts.

鈥淵ou are the shield,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e all play an important role in keeping our community safe.鈥

How does Duo Security work?

Watch Duo Security’s video, the Student鈥檚 Guide to Two-Factor/Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA).
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Information Technology launches multi-factor authentication initiative to enhance password security for 黑料不打烊 faculty, staff /u/news/2020/11/18/information-technology-launches-multi-factor-authentication-initiative-to-enhance-password-security-for-elon-faculty-staff/ Wed, 18 Nov 2020 20:15:40 +0000 /u/news/?p=837047 Today鈥檚 cybersecurity landscape is聽ever-changing.聽Sophisticated phishing attacks and other hacking innovations constantly look for ways to聽infiltrate聽critical聽systems听补苍诲听steal sensitive聽information聽through an organization鈥檚 most vulnerable areas.

To聽enhance聽online safety聽measures at 黑料不打烊, is implementing a mandatory multi-factor authentication (MFA) initiative. All faculty and staff must enroll in MFA using Duo Security by Dec. 31.

Also referred to as two-factor authentication, MFA will聽add layers of password security to critical university systems and reduce the number of compromised accounts that impact the 黑料不打烊 community. This makes it harder for unauthorized individuals to log in as if they were you.

鈥淧assword theft is constantly evolving as hackers employ methods like keylogging, phishing and email spoofing,鈥 said Gary Sheehan, director of information security. 鈥淥ur goal is to provide protections in such a way that access remains easy for authorized users. MFA enables us to deploy a security strategy that protects our platforms and community, reduces our risk for cyber threats and boosts the flexibility and productivity of our entire workforce.鈥

With this initiative, 黑料不打烊 joins a growing list of campuses nationwide that mandated MFA for faculty and staff. A showed that 92 percent of U.S.-based institutions were either tracking, planning, have partially deployed or deployed institution-wide MFA on their campuses.

Though you may not realize it, you likely already use聽MFA聽when聽accessing聽online accounts for聽banking,听credit cards聽and other聽services, Sheehan said.

鈥淲hen you access an ATM or use a debit card for purchases you typically need the card (something you have) and a pin number (something you know),鈥 he said. 鈥淲henever a merchant, bank, medical provider or retailer requires you to provide a password or pin, along with something you have to complete a transaction, you are using multi-factor authentication.鈥

At 黑料不打烊, the MFA process involves the use of two or more devices to deliver security tokens that allow access to single sign on services like email, Moodle, LinkedIn Learning and other applications. With Duo Security, tokens are typically communicated to the user via a mobile or landline phone.

鈥淵our information is safer because thieves would need to steal both your password and your MFA token,鈥 Sheehan said. 鈥淪ince passwords can be compromised and are vulnerable to sharing, adding multi-factor authentication to the login process requires the user to know something (the password) and have something (the token).鈥

MFA is only one facet of a broader security strategy to protect data, campus technology resources and the existence of a safe computing environment at 黑料不打烊. Security and compliance are best achieved when they are not implemented using a single point of failure, Sheehan said.

鈥淭hink about how you protect your valuable assets 鈥 by locking doors and windows, adding an alarm system or outdoor motion lights to detect intruders,鈥 he said. 鈥淚n addition to MFA, we have implemented a security awareness program to share safety tips on how to protect data and personal information. We use anti-virus, anti-malware and other controls to protect against harmful email links and websites, and we monitor the environment to ensure sensitive data and information is not accidentally shared with unauthorized users.鈥

To stay aware of active cyber-attacks and other threats on campus, Sheehan encourages users to sign up for information security alerts.

鈥淵ou are the shield,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e all play an important role in keeping our community safe.鈥

As the fall semester draws to a close, faculty and staff are encouraged to聽enroll聽in聽MFA聽ahead of the upcoming holiday break and Dec. 31 deadline. For help getting started, visit the in the IT Self-Service Portal Knowledge Base.

After Dec. 31, email, Moodle and other single sign on services will be inaccessible until MFA enrollment is complete. Please contact the Technology Service Desk at 336-278-5200 if you have questions or need to report an issue. For additional online safety resources and to sign up for alerts, visit the .

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Take & Make Kits: The start of a new tradition /u/news/2020/11/13/take-make-kits-the-start-of-a-new-tradition/ Fri, 13 Nov 2020 20:32:29 +0000 /u/news/?p=836214 Without a doubt, the fall semester has been unprecedented. With meaningful changes taking place nearly every day, there is no better time to establish exciting new traditions. The Maker Hub has achieved this goal by offering a unique way for students to create using Take & Make Kits. Each kit supplies students with the materials, tools and instructions to complete a project anywhere.

Maker Hub Consultants Leah Cooper and Emma Goering eagerly took the lead in developing the Take & Make Kit initiative.

鈥淲e started it because we wanted people to experience the Maker Hub while staying safe and comfortable during the pandemic,鈥 Cooper said. 鈥淭he kits allow users to take a break from school and stress, while letting their creative minds take over.鈥

Senior Instructional Technologist in Teaching and Learning Technologies Dan Reis, who leads 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maker Hubs, supported the idea and the initiative expanded from there.

Take & Make projects have included fabric coffee sleeves, friendship bracelets, cashmere scrunchies and headbands, kitchen towels, makeup wipes and face coverings. So far, the Maker Hub and campus partners have distributed more than 650 kits. Many students try one project and come back eager to try another.

鈥淚’ve seen a lot of positive responses from these kits,鈥 Cooper said. 鈥淭hey’ve helped students find some happiness and feel a sense of productivity during this uncertain time.鈥

The same sentiment was echoed by Ellie Cook ’21, who used a Take & Make kit to create reusable makeup wipes.

鈥淚 did not think I had the skills necessary to complete this project, but the kit offered clear step-by-step instructions,鈥 Cook said of her experience. 鈥淢uch to my surprise, I successfully sewed the makeup wipes and boosted my confidence in doing so. I am proud of myself for stepping outside my comfort zone to try something new. I look forward to creating many more Take & Make Kits in the future.鈥

Photo of a computer screen during a live web conference
In October, President Connie Book joined 黑料不打烊 students for a virtual Take & Make event to make friendship bracelets.

Since launch, the Maker Hub鈥檚 Take & Make Kits have grown in popularity 鈥 even catching the attention of President Connie Book. In October, President Book attended a virtual friendship bracelet workshop with 黑料不打烊 students. Goering co-led the event.

鈥淭he Take & Make event with President Book was such a neat idea,鈥 Goering said. 鈥淪he seemed to be interested in the Maker Hub and all of the services that we offer. The Take & Make Kits were created to give students a quick and easy DIY project they can take on the go. For someone as busy as President Book, this is so beneficial.鈥

To further support students during this unusual semester, the kits also include handouts about counseling services and other support available to students. Campus partners for the Take & Make Kits include Campus Recreation and Wellness, the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education聽(CREDE),听Counseling Services and Student Care and Outreach.

Take & Make Kits will be available during Winter Term and spring semester. For more information, visit the Maker Hub website.

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Bring your idea to life with a 2021 黑料不打烊 Kickbox /u/news/2020/10/28/bring-your-idea-to-life-with-a-2021-elon-kickbox/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 19:50:30 +0000 /u/news/?p=832262 Applications are now open for the Maker Hub鈥檚 2021 黑料不打烊 Kickbox program.

Now in its sixth year, the program has provided dozens of undergraduate and graduate students with resources, mentorship and $300 to explore and bring their ideas to life.

“Kickbox is one of my favorite things we do at the Maker Hub and I’m glad we’re doing it again in 2021,” said Dan Reis, senior instructional technologist for Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT). “I really like watching the students dig into their projects and make significant progress throughout the semester.”

Kickbox applications will be accepted through Nov. 23. To apply, students just need to have an idea, Reis said. In addition, students must secure a faculty or staff sponsor that will support their project. The Maker Hub will host a virtual information session via Zoom for interested students on Friday, Nov. 13 at 3:15 p.m. Students must register to attend.

Past projects have featured 3D printing, robotics, jewelry making, wearable technology, laser engraving and other technologies.

Honors Fellow, engineering major and track and field athlete Madison George used her 2020 黑料不打烊 Kickbox to design and prototype the first women鈥檚 pole-vaulting shoe that is fully customizable based on the arch and overall foot measurements of the wearer.

Madison George
Madison George shows her 3D design at a Kickbox meeting last fall.

“Currently, pole vault spikes don鈥檛 come in women鈥檚 sizes, so this could potentially help to represent the population of female athletes in the sport, as well as prevent injury because it鈥檚 completely customizable,” she said.

Through the Kickbox program, she has received guidance from an 黑料不打烊 alumnus who works with 3D printing company tasked with designing a 3D printed midsole for Adidas running shoes, and the owner of a company that designs soccer cleats for women.

In the spring, Mikayla Ford, Angy Aguilar and Ciani Foy used their 2020 Kickbox to create Stem-ista 鈥 a board game designed to expose young girls to careers and opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and ultimately help to increase the number of women who pursue careers in related fields. These 黑料不打烊 undergrads agree that valuable resources and feedback have been essential to the refinement of their project.

“I have learned, not only the importance of reiterating a prototype, but the benefits of doing so,” Ford said. “Our game has developed and evolved so much since its inception because we kept refining our ideas and kept improving them.”

Angy Aguilar, Mikayla Ford, and Ciani Foy
From left, Angy Aguilar, Mikayla Ford, and Ciani Foy are using their 2020 Kickbox to to create Stem-ista 鈥 a board game designed to expose young girls to careers and opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

“Constructive feedback is pertinent to the design process and evolution of the final product,” Foy said. “Your first design is not going to be the last one and everyone is not going to like it. Build from the advice and criticism 鈥 great results will come from doing so.鈥

Although the project has gone through numerous iterations, the purpose behind it remains the same, Aguilar said.

“I have learned the importance of the ‘why’ behind an innovation,” she said. “Our ‘why,’ or purpose, has been the driving force enabling us to make decisions that influence what we do and how we do it.”

黑料不打烊 Kickbox recipients will be selected and notified by mid-December. To learn more about requirements, review sponsor expectations and submit your application, . Details about past projects also are available.

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Creative Ways to Stay Connected with Colleagues While Working Remotely /u/news/2020/04/08/creative-ways-to-stay-connected-with-colleagues-while-working-remotely/ Wed, 08 Apr 2020 20:56:27 +0000 /u/news/?p=792892 If you鈥檝e grown accustomed to the camaraderie and creative energy that often comes with collaborative environments, the sudden shift to remote work may have you feeling lonely. Though COVID-19 will keep most of us social distancing off-campus for several weeks to come, that doesn鈥檛 mean you have to completely cut ties with colleagues. Technology tools like Webex and Microsoft Teams can help you maintain a sense of community and belonging virtually through live chats and video conferencing.

Here are a few ways you can break away from the isolation of remote work and reconnect with colleagues online.

Build a Virtual Office Space in Microsoft Teams

Create a virtual office space for you and your coworkers to meet using Microsoft Teams. An interactive hub for communication and collaboration, Teams boasts options for live chat, audio and video conferencing, file sharing and more to help you stay connected with colleagues. Teams also integrates with other Office 365 services, including OneDrive, Planner, Word and PowerPoint, as well as third-party applications for a dynamic and secure work environment to help you stay productive with work tasks.

Consider establishing a regular check-in process with your department to set priorities and discuss projects for the week via Teams. You can use the posts feature to chat and share updates or schedule audio or video calls to increase engagement.

While Jaleh Hagigh, Director of Campaign Communications and Events, will always prefer in-person interactions with her University Advancement colleagues, virtual meetings have been a productive and fun way to stay connected with her team.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no question 鈥 seeing my colleagues on screen, including photo bombs by their kids and pets, is the highlight of the day,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always thought we are at our best at 黑料不打烊 when we work as a team and when face-to-face interactions aren鈥檛 possible, online tools help bridge the physical divide. We talk a lot about the relationship-rich education we deliver to students and those relationships are equally important to staff as well.鈥

Meet for College Coffee

Screenshot of the recent Women's Forum at 黑料不打烊 virtual College Coffee event
The Women鈥檚 Forum at 黑料不打烊 is among groups and departments using technology tools like Webex to host virtual College Coffee sessions and other online events to maintain community bonds while working remotely.

Long live 黑料不打烊 and its beloved tradition of College Coffee. Though Phi Beta Kappa Plaza Commons is a lot quieter these Tuesdays, this weekly event has always been a celebration of community over location. It鈥檚 also a great opportunity for Employee Resource Groups, committees and other bodies to fellowship with members, take a break from work tasks and relieve the stress that prolonged social distancing measures can cause. The Women鈥檚 Forum at 黑料不打烊 is among groups that recently hosted a virtual College Coffee event that drew more than a dozen members.

Grab your cup and login to Webex or Microsoft Teams for a video call with colleagues at the same 9:40 a.m. time that you鈥檙e used to. Webex鈥檚 grid view option makes it easy to see all participants at once, while in this scenario, Teams works best for smaller groups. Set a theme each week or take turns asking and answering questions and use #黑料不打烊StayingConnected to share snapshots from your event via social media.

Break or Break Bread Virtually

Lunch, dinner or other daily breaks are often prime times to catch up and share laughs with friends on campus. However, with stay-at-home orders our new normal, taking a break or breaking bread with a buddy might seem impossible 鈥 but it doesn鈥檛 have to be. Schedule a virtual meet-up instead. You don鈥檛 have to stay glued to your computer. If you鈥檙e headed outside to stretch your legs, keep your conversation going with the Microsoft Teams mobile app. Or, join friends for a virtual lunch or dinner from your favorite cozy spot using Webex or Microsoft Teams.

When Rochelle Ford, Dean of the School of Communications and Professor of Strategic Communications, came to 黑料不打烊 in the fall of 2018, she started a Dining with the Dean series to get to know students outside of the classroom. Rather than cancel upcoming events this semester, she moved the series online. On March 26, she and faculty hosted the first virtual event with Interactive Media graduate students. A second event for undergraduate students is planned, in addition other virtual sessions, including networking opportunities with alumni and industry professionals.

鈥満诹喜淮蜢 is known for its residential campus, engaged learning and mentoring,鈥 Ford said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to lose that close feel. So, instead of having dinner in-person, we did it via Webex.鈥

There was no major agenda for the event, Ford and faculty simply wanted to talk to students about how they were feeling, what they were doing to adjust, how they were approaching self-care, and of course, what was going well in classes and what wasn鈥檛, Ford said.

鈥淏eing in a physical distancing environment doesn鈥檛 mean we can鈥檛 be social,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e are stronger together, and the more we can avoid isolation, the stronger we will be at the end of this period.鈥

Host Team Building Activities

Let鈥檚 face it 鈥 we spend a lot of time at work. As such, we often get to know a good bit about our coworkers, which not only helps to cultivate community, but also can foster happiness and promote productivity. Though your office may be quiet these days, a little creativity and a few open minds can help you enliven your team鈥檚 morale online. A quick internet search highlights an array of fun ideas for virtual and remote activities that you can organize for your team. In Microsoft Teams, use file sharing to facilitate a fun exercise at the start of your next meeting, use the screen sharing feature to lead a virtual tour of your favorite attraction, create a channel to share pet pictures or use other features to create games for your team to play online. Explore other ideas from Museum Hack or develop your own.

At the end of the day, whether it鈥檚 a video call, instant message or classic conversation by phone, it鈥檚 less about the tool and more about maintaining community bonds, said Patrick Rudd, Coordinator of Library Instruction and Outreach Services and Assistant Librarian.

He uses a variety of tools to engage regularly with colleagues, teaching faculty and students. In addition to work-related meetings, he and other Belk Library colleagues are creating and sustaining community through an online eBook club.

鈥淐onnecting with people – it鈥檚 what my life, both personally and professionally, is all about,鈥 Rudd said. 鈥淲ith these tools, I can still do that. I鈥檝e been grateful for it.鈥

Visit our for a step-by-step guide to getting started in Microsoft Teams. Also, visit the IT Self-Service Portal to learn more about and .

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Ben Seay honored as Acorn Accolade Technology Award recipient /u/news/2020/01/17/ben-seay-honored-as-acorn-accolade-technology-award-recipient/ Fri, 17 Jan 2020 21:26:22 +0000 /u/news/?p=774340 Applauded for his diligent work ethic and positive attitude, Network Technician Ben Seay recently received the Acorn Accolade Technology Award of Excellence.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good feeling to have a colleague value your actions enough to submit a nomination,鈥 Seay said of the honor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 reassuring to know that your efforts are noticed.鈥

The award, presented by the , recognizes IT staff who go above and beyond to offer exceptional customer service, support campus-wide initiatives and make other noteworthy contributions that positively impact the 黑料不打烊 community. Individuals must be nominated for consideration.

Seay joined IT nearly five years ago. In his role, he helps to maintain network internet connectivity throughout campus by ensuring problems are fixed promptly and to the satisfaction of all users.

“His work ethic and positive attitude towards co-workers, students, faculty and staff is contagious,” said Rob Readling, Operations Manager/Network Engineer.鈥 Ben always treats others with respect and courtesy.”

Often eager to assist colleagues, Seay has devoted time after-hours for service support or to simply help move a project along, according to Associate Director of Infrastructure Joel Bowman. Furthermore, he said, Seay鈥檚 expertise with Cisco products during an update of wireless access points on campus was essential to the success of the project and made him a go-to expert for colleagues.

鈥淏en has been instrumental with our continued efforts to upgrade and improve network services,鈥 Bowman said. 鈥淗is experience with network configurations and hardware gives way to timely fixes and he is always available to lend a hand.鈥

In addition, Seay鈥檚 sense of humor and quick wit make him a great person to work with, said Telecommunications Technician Tom Hall.

鈥淗e makes everyone he works with feel comfortable,鈥 Hall said. 鈥淲hen he is talking with anyone who is experiencing a problem, he makes them feel as if they are the only customer he has. He goes to great lengths to make each caller feel as though they are truly special.鈥

In the year to come, Seay looks forward to professional growth through training and additional certifications, while also contributing to various technology advancements on campus.

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Applications open for Fifth Annual 黑料不打烊 Kickbox /u/news/2019/11/04/applications-open-for-fifth-annual-elon-kickbox/ Mon, 04 Nov 2019 19:30:29 +0000 /u/news/?p=762497 The Maker Hub is celebrating five years of the 黑料不打烊 Kickbox program this year.

Since its inception, the program has helped 50 黑料不打烊 students explore their ideas. Through the initiative, any student with the drive to build something can acquire mentorship, resources and $300 to help bring their ideas to life.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to celebrate five years of the 黑料不打烊 Kickbox initiative,鈥 said Dan Reis, senior instructional technologist for Teaching and Learning Technologies (TLT). 鈥淭he program has helped dozens of 黑料不打烊 students realize their goals.

Student Alexandra Grillo
Alexandra Grillo ’20

Applications are open through Nov. 18 for 2020 Kickboxers. The Maker Hub will host an information session for interested students on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 4:15 to 5 p.m. at its downtown 黑料不打烊 location.

To apply, students need to do three things: have an idea, talk to a faculty or staff member about the idea and complete an online application.

Past projects include a 3D-printed prosthetic, an organic chemistry lab, a robotic hand, a drone, jewelry, a smart mirror and more.

Alexandra Grillo ’20 used her 2019 黑料不打烊 Kickbox to explore ways to offer clinical psychologist experience with clients in a simulated environment.

鈥淚 learned how to search for innovative ideas in my daily life,鈥 she said.

Student Daniel Yameen
Student Daniel Yameen ’21

Daniel Yameen ’21, also a 2019 Kickboxer, examined home automation with a Raspberry Pi and mobile phone application, which he used to control appliances and lights around his home. For him, 黑料不打烊 Kickbox is a great way for students to challenge themselves.

鈥淧ush your limits,鈥 he said. 鈥淕et out of your comfort zone. Learn something new. Have fun.鈥

黑料不打烊 Kickbox recipients will be selected and notified by mid-December. To learn more about requirements and sponsor expectations and to view past projects, .

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Quintin Brenner honored with Acorn Accolade Technology Award /u/news/2019/09/05/quintin-brenner-honored-with-acorn-accolade-technology-award/ Thu, 05 Sep 2019 13:05:00 +0000 /u/news/2019/09/05/quintin-brenner-honored-with-acorn-accolade-technology-award/ Quintin 鈥淨鈥 Brenner is the newest recipient of the Acorn Accolade Technology Award.

鈥淚t is an honor to be recognized,鈥 Brenner said of the award, which聽is presented each month to an exceptional member of the IT聽迟别补尘.听鈥淎 lot of work has gone into managing the technology for our live events, particularly athletics broadcasts, so this recognition means a lot to me and those who have helped me in the success of those events.鈥

Assistant Vice President for Technology and Chief Information Officer Christopher Waters (right) congratulates Video Production Engineer Quintin “Q” Brenner (left) for his recent Acorn Accolade Technology Award.

As a video production engineer, Brenner provides broadcast support for the School of Communications, athletics and a wide range of special events at 黑料不打烊. Working closely with Chief Engineer Jeff James and a crew of student staff, he is a familiar sight at venues across campus where he manages a host of state-of-the-art equipment.

鈥淚n the relatively short time Quintin has been working full time at 黑料不打烊, he has established himself as a hard worker and a creative problem solver,鈥 said Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning Technologies Brent Smith, who supervises Brenner. 鈥淨 attacks every project with determination. He is quiet, deliberate and he gets the job done.鈥

Last summer, Brenner played a pivotal role in bringing the fiber-connected 鈥渉ub and spoke鈥 production network model for video coverage of 黑料不打烊 athletic competitions to fruition, Smith said. Beginning with football coverage last season, video broadcasts from all major sports venues are controlled from the Schar Center control room.

Though challenging, it was a project that Brenner is most proud of.

鈥淧laying a part in getting our broadcast facilities networked back to a central control room and constantly improving on that workflow has been a point of pride for me,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat initiative has really expanded our broadcast capabilities to be on par with prolific universities like those in the ACC and SEC.鈥

Brian Dudiak, assistant athletic director for facilities and event management, often works with Brenner to coordinate聽sports-related broadcasts.

鈥淧erhaps his best attribute is the passion he exudes for his work,鈥 Dudiak said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to tell he really enjoys what he does, and I don鈥檛 know if Q ever stops. If he isn鈥檛 solving a problem, he鈥檚 looking for ways to improve things. He鈥檚 extremely creative, hard-working and dedicated.鈥

Brenner, a 2014 黑料不打烊 graduate, has been a member of IT鈥檚 Teaching and Learning Technologies team for nearly three years. In addition to day-to-day tasks, he enjoys mentoring students and looks forward to his continued growth in the field.

鈥淚 really enjoy being able to consistently learn about and use new broadcast and networking technologies in this job,鈥 he said.

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Information Technology launches new service management tool /u/news/2019/06/18/information-technology-launches-new-service-management-tool/ Tue, 18 Jun 2019 17:30:00 +0000 /u/news/2019/06/18/information-technology-launches-new-service-management-tool/ The Office of Information Technology (IT) has launched a new cloud-based service management tool that features a comprehensive list of technology services and a database of how-to articles, as well as a new process for requesting services and support.

TeamDynamix, which will replace Cherwell, is a robust tool that allows Information Technology to streamline processes and enhance customer service, according to Service Design Manager Ryan Gay.

TeamDynamix, which will replace Cherwell, is a robust tool that allows Information Technology to streamline processes and enhance customer service, according to Service Design Manager Ryan Gay.

鈥淭his system will allow all of Information Technology to support students, faculty, and staff with their technology needs in a more streamlined fashion. Further, TeamDynamix utilizes a 鈥淣ews Feed鈥 system when commenting on requests that folks are familiar with from social media platforms. This will increase IT staff鈥檚 ability to communicate with those who have submitted tickets for assistance. Additionally, an enhanced workflow system will allow IT to automate more processes, which in some instances will reduce time to resolution,鈥 he said.

Designed with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 signature look and feel, the new IT Service Catalog offered through TeamDynamix boasts a streamlined interface and prominent search functionality. Each catalog listing offers details about who the service is available to, benefits and key features, associated costs, related policies, and more.

In addition, students, faculty, and staff can complete a form to submit a request or report issues with a service, alleviating the need for submissions via email. By logging in with their 黑料不打烊 email credentials, they can also track the progress of service requests, communicate with IT staff or, if necessary, cancel a request.

When assistance isn鈥檛 needed, students, faculty, and staff can search for an array of how-to guidance in the Knowledge Base, which replaced the 黑料不打烊 Technology Wiki.

鈥淭he Technology Wiki was greatly used by folks around campus. However, the system itself was old and was difficult to navigate and didn鈥檛 leverage current interface features commonly used in Knowledge Bases. By integrating our Knowledge Base with our Service Catalog, students, faculty, and staff will have a one-stop interface to receive technology assistance. Related Articles featured on Service pages point them directly to commonly associated documentation, helping to cement the connection between 鈥渉ow-to鈥 and support. Folks can even Favorite an article that they use frequently for easy access later on,鈥 he said.

To learn more, explore 黑料不打烊鈥檚 new .

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