SHSU Information Resources Update

Buying and Moving (Technological Equipment)

If you are purchasing or relocating technology equipment, please first do a work order (WO) in SamWeb, Computer Services, Work Order. The staff members from the UCS-Client Support and/or UCS-Systems can ensure your purchases and moves will work within the SHSU system.

Enhancing and Streamlining (Macintoshes)

Over the summer we will be transferring the campus networked Macintoshes over to highly redundant clustered file servers. If one server goes down, another takes over and you're not out of action. Another change in the works is the ability to use the same username/password for logging in to a PC or a Macintosh.

Advantages include significant speed increases and no need for you to have to personally request a separate Macintosh account for yourself or your students.

Over the summer / early fall we will be adding a new function (LANrev) which will allow better management of Macintosh patches and software updates. Also, Apple will be releasing Macintosh OS 10.6 Snow Leopard later this year.

Want to be on a list to discuss these changes? Send us a note so we ensure your concerns are considered.

Adding (Custom Software)

If you need temporary administrative privileges to install departmentally-purchased academic or business software, please copy/paste an approval from your department chair in the SamWeb WO request for the software. Conflicts can occur with custom software. To improve the reliability of your work environment, only add programs which are required for your university administrative, research, or academic instructional needs.

Removing (Access)

Departmental supervisors: Have student workers graduated or quit? If so, please do a SamWeb WO requesting those usernames be removed from SamMenu or T: drive departmental access. Ensure only people who should have access to campus information are allowed access.

Cleaning (Out Old PC Programs)

As part of the ongoing efforts to clean the campus computers of software no longer used, a list has been created detailing each title we will remove as of 9/1/2009. File Maker Pro, versions 5 and 7, will be removed now as SHSU's licensing is for version 9.

Possible alternatives are listed where available. If something you need is on the list, please write the Helpdesk now to allow time for solutions to be found.

Spamming (Not)

Want to increase the chances that your recipients read your e-mails? Want to avoid SHSU being blacklisted by Internet Service Providers (ISP's) like AT&T or AOL? If you are sending a mass mail ( more than 250 recipients) you must ensure you are not violating anti-spam rules. This applies whether you're sending it from on-campus or using an outside vendor for the e-mails. Ask for a review and a training session so that you will know all the ins and outs of fraud filters and spam blockers. E-mail the Helpdesk and ask for help.

Collaborating (on Blackboard)

Aug 17 & 18
CHSS C090

The event you’ve been waiting for has returned. SHSU’s third Blackboard Users Conference is coming. This year you will see more presentations from local experts (SHSU faculty), a keynote address, a demo of Blackboard NG – Version 9 and much more. We’ve added so much more that we had to tack on an extra day to get it all in. For those of you who are Facebook users we’ve created a conference event page complete with video promos, event discussion, information and other resources. While official registration will open soon, you can select the option for attending within the Facebook event and help spread the word to your colleagues about the conference. Visit the event page in Facebook.

Would you be willing to present what methods for success you’ve been using in Blackboard? There are still some slots available for our local experts. If you are willing to be a presenter, please submit a brief summary of your presentation to blackboard@shsu.edu. Presentations should be no longer than 30 minutes and a digital copy of the presentation needs to be made available to distribute to conference attendees.

We look forward to seeing you and your colleagues at the conference.

Learning (About Google)

This month we're offering a class to help you optimize your departmental web page for Google's searches. Register online. Additionally, you may always request departmental or one-on-one training.

Supporting (Campus Technology)

All SHSU technological purchases should be processed through the Computer Services WO system. The Helpdesk provides support for SHSU equipment and software on the local area network. Each month's update will include the versions of software and minimum requirements for hardware with the new or changed information highlighted and bolded.

Memory Sticks: Purchase (and encourage your students to buy) flash drives that are USB Mass Storage Compliant.

Floppy disks (3 1/2" or 5 1/4") should not be used as a storage device for University information.

Wireless peripherals such as mice and keyboards have proven problematic in the campus environment and should not be purchased and/or installed.

Operating Systems: The supported version of Macintosh machines is OS X, version 5. The supported version of Microsoft's operating system is Windows XP.

Software Packages: The supported versions of office suites are Microsoft's Office 2007. The new version of an office suite for Macintoshes is Microsoft Office 2008 and is being packaged for installation on campus machines.

Hardware Configurations:

The minimum requirements for the SHSU local area network support for a PC are a 2.5 GHz processor, 1.5 GB RAM, and an 80 GB disk, with 15 GB free. Our recommended configuration is a 3.0 GHz Core 2 Duo, 2 GB memory, and a 250 GB hard drive.

The minimum configuration for a Macintosh on the LAN is a 1.6GHz PowerPC single processor, 1GB RAM, and a 40GB hard drive.

Computer Services may schedule significant periods of downtime for major system upgrades and maintenance. For your planning purposes, the weekend following each graduation will be set aside for scheduled outages. Additionally, certain systems may be unavailable on Friday nights after 6 p.m. and on holidays. To permit patches and routine updates, managed Macintosh nodes may be automatically rebooted between Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday morning at 8 a.m.

All offers, training, and software above pertain to faculty and staff at SHSU only. If you have any questions, compliments, comments, or concerns, please let us know.