The Office of Information Technology has recently completed numerous projects aimed at making university resources more accessible and easier to use for students.

Among the most noticeable is the launch of a virtual study space on ELMS, a website professors use to post course material. With this new feature, students can collaborate to work on projects online if they are unable to meet in person, said Ellen Borkowski, OIT’s director of academic support. According to OIT’s website, the virtual study room allows chat and application sharing, as well as the ability to hold group meetings, tutoring sessions and more.

Pay-for-print

Another new addition to the university is a more streamlined printing system, Borkowski said. Previously, students who wanted to use the printers in computer labs around the campus had to first visit the South Campus Dining Hall to deposit money and then the Computer and Space Sciences building to set up print accounts. Those two locations, set on different sides of the campus, made the process inconvenient for students, Borkowski explained.

With the new system, students only need to go to the South Campus Dining Hall. This feature is now available in all computer labs on the campus.

Phishing e-mails

OIT has been trying for months to address scam e-mails circulating student inboxes. These e-mails, which are disguised as being from the university, ask users to type in their private information, such as university usernames and passwords. Because the e-mails claim to be from OIT, students continue to fall prey to them, said Gerry Sneeringer, OIT’s director of IT security.

As new students unfamiliar to the threat arrive for the beginning of the school year, Sneeringer said OIT will be doing more to make people aware and vigilant.

Expanded wireless network

One of the most significant efforts OIT has undertaken is expanding the university’s wireless network. After a major initiative that created 100-percent wireless coverage to all academic buildings in 2006, OIT has now brought total coverage to all major dorms, said Tripti Sinha, director of networking and communications.

Before this project was started earlier this year, dorms only had wireless Internet service in common areas and a few select hotspots, Sinha said. Now, wireless Internet will be available in every room.

In 2005, before wireless was offered to all academic buildings and dorms, there were about 1,000 wireless users per day, according to OIT data. But as of May 2008, the number of users jumped to around 14,000 daily.

“We got so anxious to bring this service to you,” Sinha said. “We are one of the largest wireless networks in the country.”

Merging networks

Additionally, OIT is in the process of merging the university’s audio, voice and video networks into one single network. This will not only create more bandwidth, but will also be easier to maintain, Sinha said. But what students will notice is the improved interface the convergence of networks will bring. After this project is completed, Sinha said, users will be able to go online and check e-mails and voicemails, as well as make video phone calls.

OIT is at the very beginning stages of this project, but hopes to complete it in fewer than 10 years.

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