Information Technology Newsletter

The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) is retiring the MOAT system for security awareness training and moving to SANS Security Awareness.

The new curriculum is video-driven with interactive questions rather than the multiple-choice method in the past. On average, the training takes approximately 25-35 minutes to complete the three modules and acknowledge Radford University policies, procedures and standards. You do not have to complete the entire curriculum at one sitting and you have flexibility to return to training when convenient.

Changes
SANS Security Awareness does not support unique re-certification anniversary dates for each user and will require the same renewal date of April 1 each year for everyone. Another change is the inclusion of all university faculty, staff, wage, adjunct, contractors and student workers to complete the training and comply with the security awareness training policy 5103.

Due Dates
If you have completed MOAT since July 1, 2017, you will need to complete the SANS Security Awareness training between April 15, 2018 and March 31, 2019. You will receive an email once enrolled.

If you have never completed MOAT training or completed it before July 1, 2017, you have been enrolled in SANS Security Awareness and you will have until April 1, 2018 to complete the training.

New employees will have 30 days to complete SANS Security Awareness once enrolled and notified via email. The employees will then re-certify annually thereafter.

Failure to complete security awareness training will result in deactivation of your Radford University account used to login to the portal, email, timesheets, etc. until training is completed. Account deactivation will begin one week after the training due dates as defined above.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact itsecurity@radford.edu.

Mountain Stage Live coming to Radford

National Public Radio's Mountain Stage is coming to Radford University April 8 to help kick off the celebration of Public Radio WVRU's 40th anniversary. This event is the result of a partnership between Public Radio WVRU, The College of Visual and Performing Arts, the University Performance Series, Appalachian Events Committee, RU Broadcasting Club and the RU Music Business Student Association.

Mountain Stage with Larry Groce has been the home of live music on public radio for more than 30 years. It is produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed to more than 230 stations by NPR Music. You can listen to Mountain Stage each Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday's at 10 a.m. on Public Radio WVRU.

Mountain Stage has a long tradition of music discovery, having featured performances from seasoned legends and emerging stars in genres ranging from folk, blues and country to indie, rock, synth pop, world music and alternative.

This performance will also bring Adam Harris, a 2005 Radford University graduate back to campus. Harris took his first steps in public radio as the student manager of WVRU and now serves as Mountain Stage's executive producer. Harris is only the second executive producer in Mountain Stage's 35-year history, and we are excited to welcome him back to campus and WVRU!

DUO Two-Factor

In March 2018, DoIT will begin the rollout of two-factor authentication.

Two-factor authentication reduces the impact of phishing and comprised passwords by requiring a physical device or code in addition to a password to login. You may have experienced two-factor with banking accounts or other services where you receive a code, text message or phone call to complete the login process.

Radford University has selected a product from Duo Security, Inc. for this implementation; therefore you may hear this initiative referred to as Duo, multi-factor or two-factor authentication.

The initial phase will allow the Radford University community to opt in/enroll in two-factor authentication by clicking on a link in the Personal Info page on the portal. This will allow the university community to take advantage of this enhanced login security at their earliest convenient time.

Additional information and detailed instructions on how to enroll will be forthcoming. We anticipate all users will be enrolled in DUO by the Fall of 2018.

IT OneStop new user interface

ITOneStop, the online tool for submitting support requests and finding solutions to common problems, is getting a facelift. The newer versions of the ServiceNow platform have provided DoIT with new tools to redesign the ITOneStop user interface to be more user friendly and modern.

The modern interface is more user friendly with new features that will help campus users more easily find answers and solutions to technical issues.

You can visit ITOneStop at www.radford.edu/onestop.

Mongoose text messaging platform

DoIT has recently implemented a texting platform for contacting students regarding important information or deadlines.

The Mongoose texting platform is currently being used by Admissions, Registrar's Office, Financial Aid and Housing. Additional offices are planning to use the system in the near future.

Students can opt in to receive text messages that are targeted to them regarding a missing piece of information or a deadline that applies to them. Mass texts are not allowed and the texting plans are coordinated so students are not bombarded with text messages.

In the short time it has been in use, the messages have already proven to be an effective communications tool to help students stay on track with some of their tasks needed in order to be successful at Radford University.

For more information on the RU Texts program, see the web site at www.radford.edu/ru-texts.

Computer replacement cycle open house is March 20-23

DoIT strives to replace full-time faculty and staff computers on a regular basis, refreshing laptops every 3-4 years and desktops every 4-5 years.

Each year, DoIT identifies full-time faculty due for a computer replacement and invites them to an open house to view the available models and select the system that best meets their technology needs.

This year's computer open house is scheduled for March 20-23. Lenovo and Apple machines will be on display. Laptop, desktop and tablet configurations will be available. Academic Technologies staff will be on hand to answer questions and assist in the selection process.

In early March, an email with specific details will be sent to users due for a replacement. Once selections are made and orders placed, training and rollout of these systems will begin in May and run through August.

Please contact Academic Technologies at acadcomp@radford.edu or 831-7521 with any questions or for more information.

The Project Management Lifecycle - What kind of documentation do I need for my project?

The type and amount of project documentation needed varies based on size and complexity of a project. Documentation can be developed and used during all project phases for the purpose of:

Here is a list of commonly used project documents in each phase of the project life cycle:

A combination of templates and project management tools can be used to develop and maintain the documentation required for a particular project.

Technology training

Academic Technologies offers a number of workshops each month for faculty and staff. If you need training that is not included on this list or would like to request a one-on-one, group or custom technology workshop, contact Academic Technologies at 540-831-7521 or acadcomp@radford.edu.

You may also visit the Solution Library at www.radford.edu/onestop for a variety of online tutorials, Quick Reference Guides, "how-to" videos and articles to assist you with campus technologies.

To register for a workshop, search for "training" in the ITOnestop Solutions Library. You will find an up-to-date listing of the technology courses offered and the link to register for each.

Meet the DoIT Staff

Shaun Hayner
Applications Analyst

How long have you been employed in the Division of Information Technology at Radford University? 2 1/2 months

Family: Father: Maintenance Worker at Middle Tennessee State University. Mother: Retired from the military, currently works in quality control at Letterkenny Army Depot in Pennsylvania. Daughter: Trinity, Age 7, Second Grade, enjoys gymnastics. Son: Wyatt, Age 6, First Grade, enjoys soccer.

Hometown: Rochester, New York

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Technology with a concentration in Database Administration and a certificate in Web Development.

Interests/Hobbies: Most of my free time is spent on my two kids and their activities. When I get time to myself, I like playing video games.

Favorite vacation destination: I enjoy visiting my grandparent's house in upstate New York.

Favorite part of your job: I like writing and troubleshooting code.

New IT Security Training