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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 (DoIT)
Radford University

DoIT Offices Relocated to Walker Hall

The administrative offices for the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) have relocated to Walker Hall 189. Web Services, Systems Integration and Data Base Administration staff are also now in Walker Hall where the Technology Support Services (Help Desk) offices were located. Technology Support Services, RU Express and Telephone Services, all formerly in Walker Hall, are now located in Heth Hall.

Banner Student Module Nears Go-Live

The Banner Student project team is preparing for the launch of the Banner Student module in November by executing several "mock go-live" activities and supervised user testing. Among the user tests being administered are course registrations, pre-requisite checking, course catalog, course schedules, fee assessment and student accounts receivable. The Banner Student team is also testing the self-service options that students will use to register in November for the Spring 2010 semester. To prepare for the final cutover to the Banner Student module in January, the project team is verifying more than 20 years of student historical data from the university's legacy system and converting the data to the new Banner system and creating a new transcript format.

The Banner Student technical team is conducting load testing for Banner registration to prepare for a significant enhancement of the student registration process in which increased appointment times can be made to access the system and register for classes. The dramatic improvement in accessibility will make registration more convenient to the end user -- the RU student -- as the legacy system allowed limited appointment times to 60 users per session. Load testing of the servers and application will assist the project team in determining the appropriate threshold for the appointment times in an effort to shorten the registration process each semester.

As the implementation of the Banner Student module will be phased over the next several months, training will be provided as functionality moves into the production environment. The Banner Student training team is finalizing plans to provide training to the campus and training opportunities and schedules will be featured in upcoming editions of DoIT News and direct emails.

Project RUDI (Radford University's Database Initiative) is a major multi-year project launched in 2007 to review, replace and enhance the university's administrative information systems. These core systems include undergraduate and graduate admissions, financial aid, registration and records, student housing, advancement and fundraising, financials, budget and human resources. Together, these systems provide the business processing, data retrieval, reporting and self-service functions critical to providing essential services to faculty, staff, students, prospective students, alumni and the entire university community.

New Wireless Presenters for Electronic Classrooms

Beginning in October, DoIT's Electronic and Engineering Services (EES) will begin replacing the current classroom wireless presentation system, called "Air Projectors," in most RU electronic classrooms. The installations, which began with the renovation of Young Hall, will feature a newer version of the wireless classroom technology called the "Wireless Presenter System" or WPS. The WPS allows faculty to move freely in the classroom without cables and will also provide connectivity for Macintosh users.

Training for the new presenter system is now available through the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning.

The installations will begin with Russell and proceed sequentially through Waldron, Cook, McGuffey, Porterfield-Powell and Reed-Curie.

TAC Is Your Source for Computer Assistance

The Technology Assistance Center (TAC) provides many ways to receive help with computer-related questions and problems. Now located on the 1st floor of Heth Hall, the TAC provides walk-in, telephone and classroom assistance, as well as providing on-site office visits from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The TAC phone number is 831-7500 and email is helpdesk@radford.edu.

DoIT is also providing an exciting additional computer assistance option now for the RU community called AskIT. RU computer users -- faculty, staff and students -- with questions or problems are encouraged to use AskIT to report any computer issues and check the status of existing tickets. To use AskIT, log in to MyRU and click the "Employee" tab. AskIT is found at the bottom of the "Quick Links" channel or can be accessed on the web. Please note, users must be on campus or logged into the VPN to access AskIT.

DoIT Announces Security Awareness Training for RU Community

To provide a secure information technology environment and ensure users fulfill their responsibilities to protect systems and data, the Commonwealth of Virginia requires users to complete annual IT security awareness training. DoIT's Managed Ongoing Awareness Tools (MOAT), which allows faculty and staff to access this required training at their convenience, is now available for faculty and staff who must complete the training by Dec. 31, 2009 for continued access to the RU IT systems.

To complete the training, visit the MOAT login page.Your login id will be username@radford.edu and your default password is your birthday in this format: MMDDYYYY. Users should note that the FireFox browser is not supported by MOAT and pop-up windows must be enabled. If your default password does not work, users can click the "Request A New Password" link on the MOAT login page and receive a new one.

For more information, please read Radford University's MOAT FAQ.

October Marks National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month during which the Department of Homeland Security's National Cybersecurity Division (NCSD) engages its public and private sector partners to increase overall computer safety awareness and minimize vulnerabilities. National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a campaign featuring a series of events and initiatives designed to educate all citizens and key public and private sector partners on cyber threats and how to safeguard themselves at home, work and school. For more information on cybersecurity awareness, click here.

To test your IT security knowledge, take the Stay Safe Online Self-Assessment Quiz. Also review Microsoft's "Cybersecurity Month" Tips.

DoIT Employee Profile

Todd Joyce, RU MBA '99

How long have you been part of DoIT at RU? 16.5 years, including 3 years at the Help Desk, 2.5 years in ID/Telephone Technical Support and 11 years in Network Services.

Family: My lovely wife, Dana, son Wes and daughter Amanda.

Hometown: Currently Christiansburg

Interests/Hobbies: Reading, watching Amanda's Radford Soccer Club and RHS soccer games, watching college basketball, especially Highlander basketball, catching up with old friends on facebook and helping others by donating platelets with the Red Cross in Blacksburg.

Favorite Vacation Destination: Some beach. Any beach!

Favorite part of your job: Designing and implementing enhancements to the campus network so that RU has one of the best in the state.