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Division of Information Technology
Radford University
DoIT Launches Beta Version of New RU Homepage
The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) launched a beta version of the new Radford.edu website this month and invites the campus community to offer feedback.
The site can be found at http://beta.radford.edu. The first phase of the site’s production encompasses the layer of the site intended primarily for external audiences, especially prospective students. The beta site will run parallel with the existing site until January when it will become the new Radford.edu, web home of Radford University.
The Radford community is encouraged to use http://beta.radford.edu as though it were your homepage. Regular visitation by the campus community will allow users to evaluate the site, become familiar with its navigation and identify potential issues that need to be resolved.
DoIT encourages users to send feedback to webcomm@radford.edu after spending some time on the site. User feedback is vital to helping DoIT make the site perform and look better.
The next phase of the website redesign project will include production of pages for the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences, the Department of Psychology, University Advancement, Student Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, the Board of Visitors and University Relations. These sites will launch in early January.
DoIT Completes Successful Banner 8 Upgrade
DoIT congratulates the Banner functional and technical project teams who successfully launched the Banner 8 upgrade. The upgrade took place Nov. 19 – Nov. 23 and was completed ahead of schedule. Banner systems were restored for campus use on Nov. 22.
Every 18-24 months SunGard HE releases a new version that delivers functional and technical improvements to Banner. The new versions must be installed to retain vendor support and keep RU in compliance with federal regulations pertaining to financial aid and tax laws.
Functional and technical project team members finalized the systems integration and tested to ensure the modules were production-ready. The upgrade event culminated over eight months of setup and testing by the project teams and the upgrade was performed while the Banner 7 systems and daily office operations continued seamlessly.
DoIT Upgrades and Enhances Classrooms over Winter Break
DoIT will upgrade several classrooms between Dec. 17 - Jan. 14 to provide faculty and students with a technology-rich teaching and learning environment. The upgrades will include installation of touch-screen control panels, high-definition projectors, electric screens, ceiling-mounted document cameras, Blu-ray/DVD/VCR combo players and height-adjustable podiums. Classrooms to be upgraded are:
Cook 311, 313, and 318
McGuffey 203, 206, and 114
Walker 295
All faculty members are encouraged to visit the classrooms in which they are scheduled to teach to familiarize themselves with the available technology and the layout of the rooms. Please contact the Technology Assistance Center at 831-7500 with any technology-related problems in these or any of the campus classrooms.
Radford University Selected by SunGard Higher Education to join Pillar Program
Danny Kemp, vice president for information technology and CIO, has been invited by SunGard HE to join its Pillar Program. The Pillar Program provides opportunities for collaboration on computer software and services with SunGard HE executive management and a select group of higher education institutions from around the world. This will be an opportunity for Radford University to get first-hand information on future directions of SunGard HE and the technology and services they provide.
Participation in the Pillar program will give RU direct access to SunGard HE’s executive management and enable RU to offer guidance and direction on future SunGard HE offerings.
New 'Account Settings' Channel Added to MyRU
There is a new channel in the MyRU portal that allows users to view and manage their account settings. Named “Account Settings,” the channel is found in the left column on the "My Accounts" tab of the portal. The "Account Settings" channel provides information displays with the following functionalities:
- Password information – A display of the number of days until a user’s password expires, when it was last changed and the date on which the password will expire. A link is also provided to the ‘Change Password’ channel. Users can use this information to remain aware of when their password will expire and change the password in advance. You may change your password at any time throughout the year and we encourage you to set a time that will be convenient for you on an annual basis.
- Secret Question and Answer - A display of the status of a user’s secret question and answer information that is on file with RU. The user may also elect to change/add a secret question and answer pair. All users are encouraged to set a secret question/answer in order to provide additional protection against malicious account tampering and for an additional level of identification should you forget your password and have to reset it.
- Password Reset – A display of the user’s password reset status that allows users to opt in or out of using the new Password Reset Application which allows users to reset their own password. Employees and others with access to sensitive data are opted out by default and will always display a status of "disabled". Students are "enabled" and can use password reset if they forget their password, but may opt out if they would rather only reset their password through the Technology Assistance Center.
Please contact Jackie McNabb, director of enterprise systems, at jamcnabb@radford.edu with questions.
IT Security Awareness Training Update
Please complete IT security awareness training (aka "MOAT training") before your current certificate expires. This training is required annually. You will receive email notices showing the number of days remaining before your RU account will be deactivated per Radford University policy 5103: http://cio.asp.radford.edu/policy/documents/IT-5103-SecurityAwarenessTraining.pdf
In order to restore deactivated accounts, account holders must take these two steps:
- Log into the MOAT system and complete IT Security Awareness Training.
- Contact the TAC by phone (831-7500) or use the online form to request account reinstatement.
Please note that accounts will be reinstated the following business day. If you've not completed MOAT training yet, please log on and do so today: https://sat.vita.virginia.gov/.
MyRU and Banner ERP Unavailable January 2
On Sunday, January 2, 2011 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Banner and MyRU will be unavailable. DoIT will be upgrading the Oracle Relational Database Management System that powers RU’s Banner Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP.) The upgrade will allow RU to stay current with the critical security patches that protect the system.
To accommodate this installation to the production environment, the MyRU user interface will display an interim page to allow access to WebCT and email.
Please contact Jackie McNabb, Director of Enterprise Systems, at jamcnabb@radford.edu with any questions or concerns.
Technology Assistance Center (TAC) Announces Winter Break Hours
As part of the closure of the University for Winter Break, the Technology Assistance Center (TAC) will be closed from 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22 through 8 a.m. on Mon., Jan. 3. The TAC will review voice mail messages and support web submissions from Dec. 27 –31 and respond to emergencies. Non-emergencies will be addressed upon the re-opening of the TAC on Jan. 3. To submit a support request at any time, please use this electronic form.
DoIT Shares User Tip for Banner
This useful tip has been offered by Banner users as they use the new system. Users are encouraged to share the helpful tips that might be of value to others by emailing them to jamcnabb@radford.edu.
Tip: On the job sub screen (gjapctl) if the job number is left blank, then a list of all the user’s jobs will be displayed when the pulldown list is clicked.
Meet the DoIT Staff
 Matt Haga
Manager, Systems Administration & Services
Education
B.S., Computer Science, Emory & Henry College
How long have you been employed in the Division of Information Technology at Radford University?
I have been part of DoIT’s IT Infrastructure team since August 10.
Family:
My wife, Kim and my five-month-old daughter, Kylie.
Hometown:
Independence, Va.
Interests/Hobbies:
Kayaking the New River and home brewing.
Favorite Vacation Destination:
OBX
Favorite part of your job:
So far, everything--the people at RU and in the DoIT are great to work with and I love working with technology.
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