The Sam Menu provides a graphical user interface to the non-browser-based University administrative programs. You will be able to access these both locally on-campus and remotely. This interface will run on WinNT, Win95, Win98, Win2000, and WinXP workstations.
Installation Instructions
On-Campus Users with Windows:
Double click the Sam Menu icon on your desktop.
On-Campus Users with Macintosh:
If you are currently using OS X and would like to access the GUI system, you will need to have Remote Desktop Connection installed on your computer. Click here to find out if you have it installed on your campus computer. If you don't, you can call the Helpdesk at x41950 and we'll send a technician out to add this option to your Macintosh.
If you have Remote Desktop Connection already installed, click here for instructions on using Sam Menu via the Remote Desktop Connection.
Off-Campus Users with Windows:
If you are off-campus, you must download the program and install it onto your machine. Click on the "Download Sam Menu" link to the left to download the program. Click here for instructions on how to install Sam Menu onto your machine.
Off-Campus Users with Macintosh:
Off-Campus users can currently use Sam Menu via the Remote Desktop.
Requesting/Granting Program Access
General Information:
To request access, simply click on the program name listed under "Inaccessible Programs". If you know the name of the program, select "Search for Program" under the "Help" option at the top of the screen. Enter the program name (or partial name) in the box provided. Expand the list of "Inaccessible Programs" by clicking it, then click on the program name you wish to request. An e-mail will be sent to the owner of the program indicating that you have requested access.
Requesting Access for Student Workers:
To request access for a student worker, use "RQST01MG" under "Computer Services" on the Sam Menu. Enter the program name in the space provided and the username(s) of the student for whom you are requesting access. Using this program will allow program owners to track the origin of the request when reviewing their program lists and user access.
Program Owners:
For program owners, granting access from the Sam Menu is a similarly simple process. Upon login to the Sam Menu, you will be notified of any pending requests that you may have. You may process those requests when you login to the menu by following the prompts as they appear or a later time by selecting "Manage User Access" under the Help option at the top of the screen.
Supervisors:
Visit with your departing staff members to ensure you realize fully what programs they use so that you can determine what will be needed for their replacements. If a staff/faculty member is leaving the university, menu access will automatically be removed on the date listed by the Human Resources office as the last day of employment. If you need someone's access removed prior to their final day on payroll, please ask HR to share that earlier date with us.
If you have a staff member transferring to another department, add a checkoff item to his/her last day with you. Review administrative program access, whether on SamWeb, SamMenu, or Nell. Decide if these programs were provided expressly for your office functions. Use MITX06RG on the Sam Menu to review a list of programs to which your departing staff member has specifically been granted access. Program owners can use MITX07MG on the Sam Menu to easily remove access to multiple programs. Please notify other program owners (from the MITX06RG report) that your staff member is leaving your department and will not be needing programs they own specifically tied to the staff member's job in your department.
Administrative Program Owners:
When you receive a request for permission to a menu program, follow up with questions to departments if you are unsure why a requester should receive access to a program that you "own." As the owner of a Nell, SamMenu, or SamWeb program, you must review who has access to your program. You should be able to respond to audit staff that you are confident only users that should have access do. Your ownership responsibility is delineated in the Texas Administrative Code for Information Security Standards.