June 2015

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Division of Information Technology
P.O. Box 6888
Radford, VA 24142
Phone: (540) 831-5173
Fax: (540) 831-6217
Email: cio@radford.edu

Division of Information Technology
Radford University

Radford.edu website redesign update

Since March, Radford University has been working with vendors on a redesign of the university's website. The project kicked off with focus groups made up of students, faculty, staff and administratiors and surveys to prospective students, parents, alumni and prospective employees.

The same firm Radford University hired to complete the rebranding of the institution is working on designs for the homepage as well as college, administrative and academic department homepages and content pages.

The firm will then turn the designs over to a technical team to implement templates. Soon, new templates will be in place and content administrators may be asked to review their sites in the new format to ensure the content is presented appropriately.

The fully redesigned site is expected to roll out in the fall.

As part of the project, the university's content management system (CMS) will be upgrading from Adobe CQ5.6 to Adobe Experience Manager 6.0. While the name for the CMS is different, it is fundamentally the same product. Users will not need to be re-trained to use the system. Most of the benefits of the upgrade will happen on the backend, but among the new features users will see are:

• Touch-optimized authoring, allowing users to use touch screens or tablets to edit their content
• Improved workflows
• Improved functionality in the Digital Asset Manager
• Slight improvements to the interface for many components

The AEM 6 upgrade is scheduled for the weekend of July 18-19. During that time, users will be unable to access the author instance to make changes to their websites. Reminders will be sent as the date approaches.

Please contact Jaime Hunt, director of Web Strategy and Interactive Media, at jhunt7@radford.edu if you have any questions.

LiveSafe Mobile Safety App is now available for Radford University

LiveSafe, a mobile-safety technology for the Radford University community, is now available to download to your mobile device.

The app empowers students, faculty and staff to take charge of their own safety and to look out for those around them. LiveSafe, which is sponsored and managed by Radford University Police, the Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) and in partnership with the Division of Information Technology, serves as a complement to other campus safety/security initiatives.

The app gives users the capability to:

• Share information - Submit reports for suspicious activity – a mental health issue or potential violence – with picture, video or audio attachments. Send anonymously if you choose.
• Have peace-of-mind with Safe-Walk - Individuals invite others to "virtually walk with them" and monitor their location on a real-time map. Simultaneously, Safe-Walkers can chat with one another without leaving the app.
• Summon emergency help - Safety officials can leverage location-data in an emergency, allowing faster response times.
• Access emergency information - Have fast access to important campus support resources and emergency procedures.
• Find campus buildings - Not sure where the campus building is for your next meeting? Use the building list in the app to quickly locate it and get walking, driving or transportation directions.

Download the LiveSafe app today!

• Visit the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and search for "LiveSafe."
• Enter your email and fill out your profile.
• Verify you email address.
• Search for and select "Radford University" as your school.
• You're set!

As a reminder, the RU LiveSafe App is primarily intended for use by students/parents, faculty and staff affiliated with Radford University. Also, please be aware that "Safe Walk" is the only feature not monitored by RU police dispatch. This feature is initiated by the App user and his/her personal contacts who must also have downloaded the App.

If you have questions and/or need additional information, contact the RU Office of Emergency Preparedness/Health and Safety at (540) 831-6696 or 7155.

Technology training offered

Academic Technologies is offering the following training opportunities to support RU faculty and staff in the months of July and August:

Watch for additional announcements about August Our Turn, Aug. 18-20.

Visit the CITL Training and Development System to view the current schedule of classes and enroll in a session. To learn more or request a one-on-one, group or custom technology training, contact the Academic Technologies Office at acadcomp@radford.edu or by phone at 831-7521. You can also check the new ITOneStop Solution's Library for a wealth of online tutorials, Quick Reference Guides, "how-to" videos and articles to assist you with campus technologies.

Upcoming Windows 10 release

Microsoft will be releasing its new Operating System, Windows 10, as a free download for Windows 7 and Windows 8 computers on July 29.

Following the release, DoIT will start testing the new Operating System for compatibility issues with current Radford systems and applicaiton. We will then determine a rollout plan for university-owned computers.

For more information about Windows 10, visit the Microsoft.com/windows website or contact the Technology Assistance Center for more information.

My RU ID

The self-service applications for the university's Identity & Access Management system recently received an upgrade and a facelift.

Launched in August 2014, these applications allow users to activate and reset accounts, change passwords and manage account options. Some of the changes include:

• Modified look of the landing page to use updated, icon-based interface.
• Updated the overall appearance of the applications to a cleaner look and streamlined the on-screen instructions.
• Activate Account and Change Password applications now drop to the MyRU portal login page when complete, making it easier for users to log in without having to navigate to the portal.
• Forgot Username link on the MyRU portal now direct links to the Activate Account application which has been updated to show the username if the account has already been activated.
• Pages scaled to be more mobile-friendly.

If you require assistance with these applications, please contact the Technology Assistance Center at (540) 831-7500.

VoIP Telephone System to upgrade in July

An upgrade to the campus telephone system, including voicemail, will take place July 22. VoIP telephones and voicemail will be unavailable from 8 - 11 p.m. that day during this upgrade.

To accommodate the upgrade, Telephone Services will be unable to make changes to phones between July 8-23. This includes installation of new phones, configuration of line appearances and updating of calling configurations.

Please submit any requests for phone changes before July 1 to ensure they can be completed prior to the upgrade. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Telephone Services at (540) 831-6600.

Update on CARDINAL Project

The Commonwealth of Virginia is currently implementing CARDINAL, a new enterprise resource planning solution that will replace the current financial system of the Commonwealth.

The statewide implementation of CARDINAL is being completed in two phases. Wave 1 was completed in October 2014 and included all non-interfacing State agencies. Wave 2 of the CARDINAL project, which includes all Higher Education Institutions and interfacing agencies, is currently underway.

The RU project team, working directly with the Commonwealth's Department of Accounts Change Management Team, began in October 2014 to plan, design, build and test various interfaces, crosswalks and processes.

The Divisions of Finance Administration and Information Technology are teaming up to develop an interface to the system.

The new system will be fully functional in February 2016. With CARDINAL, the Commonwealth will be able to take advantage of proven technology for improved transaction and reconciliation processing with state agencies.

Meet the DoIT Staff

Connie Leathers
Information Technology Specialist

How long have you been employed in the Division of Information Technology at Radford University? Newly hired. I've been with this department for one month, and I am loving it. I'm new to this department, but have been associated with Radford University in one capacity or another for most of my life.

Family: Dan Bailey (husband) and Robert Jordan (son). Robert graduated from Radford University in May 2015 with a degree in music business.

Hometown: Born in Tallahassee, Florida, and lived in Illinois most of my early childhood. Moved to Virginia in 1964 when my father, Robert L. Leathers, became a professor at Radford College, where he taught education courses until his retirement. I'm currently residing in Newbern, Virginia.

Education: AA&S in pre-teacher from New River Community College, AAS in CIS from NRCC, B.S. in upper elementary from RU, and M.S. in special education from RU.

Interests/Hobbies: Church activities, spending time with family, gardening, canning and freezing, nutrition and reading.

Favorite vacation destination: The beach—any beach! But I love the mountains, too.

Favorite part of your job: Learning new technologies and teaching new skills to others. I have teacher blood running through my veins, and I love teaching and sharing information with others.