SamWeb

As a supplement to our SHSU GUI system, we are now providing some expanded systems from our web-based SamWeb. SamWeb is still in its infancy; we will be creating other items on this administrative portal. We are offering an introduction to SamWeb in the new lab in AB4, 201 on March 27th. Make your reservation now, come check out the new lab, and learn about the new system.

To access SamWeb from the University web page, you can click Intranet and then SamWeb. The following are our first campus-wide systems within SamWeb.

Nell Administrative Reports (Printing and Sharing)

Printing from Nell just got more flexible. Have you ever just wanted a couple of pages printed from a 200-page report? Or perhaps, you’ve wanted to just show someone else part of your report. The new PDF Printing program handles both those options. You can print just the pages you want directly to your printer; you won’t have to walk over and pick up the greenbar printout from the Helpdesk. We are now automatically printing all the Nell batch logs in this way---rather than on greenbar.

1. Use Nell’s SHSU menu as normal to create the report. When complete, press CTRL Z. This will take you to the Print dialog box in Nell.
2. Enter Web for the document destination.
3. Enter LP11 for Printer Type.
4. Enter 1 for the Number of Copies to print. Note: You will only need to print one copy to the web, and then you can print as many local copies as needed.
5. Enter the Form type. Use 1LN3P6 if you want it in Portrait and 1LN3L6 if you want it Landscape. (Switch the 6 to an 8 if your report is 8 lines per inch.)
6. Press Enter.
7. From the University web site, click Intranet, and then SamWeb.
8. Log into SamWeb with your Windows (e-mail) Username and Password.
9. Click the PDF Print link in the Navigation menu to the left.
   

You may also share these documents.

1. On the Web PDF Print screen, select the Radio Button to the left of the file to be shared.
2. Click the Share button at the bottom of the screen. You will be directed to the File Sharing window.
3. Enter the username of the person with whom you wish to share the file.
4. Click Share.
5. Verify file sharing with user, click Share.
6. The PDF Print window will come up stating: File has been shared.
   

University Key Request System

You may access the key request system for the LSC or AB4 buildings online through SamWeb. As other buildings are rekeyed, they will be added to this system. Approvals will still be required at each step of this system---but they will be completed online. Down the road, we'll have one less form to manually prepare!

Computer Services Work Orders

Our online Work Order system for hardware, telephone, and network requests has been used for the past few months by the Computer Services Helpdesk staff and the technicians. It's now available for you to start using it too. Staff, faculty, and student employees can now access this system to review the status of work orders.

If you would like, you may directly enter your own Computer Services work orders. If you are interested in submitting your work orders online, please attend our brief training session this month.

Let’s Get Personal

Please take the time to record a personal voice mail message on your phone. Help present the image that we here at SHSU are professional and friendly---and truly sorry to miss a phone call. Dial 44375, and then press 9, 1, 4. You can then record your message. If you’re going to be out of the office and unable to promptly return your phone messages, please change your outgoing greeting accordingly. It only takes a couple of minutes to update it.

Additionally, please make a conscious effort to respond to students’ and prospective students' e-mails as quickly as possible. This generation is accustomed to 24/7 service. They don’t even remember when our malls were closed on Sundays!

Do you have Administrator Privileges?

If so, here's another area to worry about. Spyware systems come bundled in many fairly common software packages. These Spyware systems harvest e-mail and look at your cookies which often contain passwords. If you download one of these packages, it can then capture your information if you choose to browse a financial site. Or perhaps it will record the information you see when you use your SHSU account to access privileged resources here at SHSU. Your downloaded software could cause you to give away University and personal confidential info. Spyware also harvests the e-mail you get and receive. So in effect, you may be signing yourself AND your friends and colleagues up for spam.

The following are some examples of software packages using Spyware: Aureate / Radiate Conducent Timesink, Cydoor, Comet Cursor, Zula & KaZaa Toptext Flashpoint / Flashtrack Flyswat, Gator, GoHip. Hotbar, Limewire, Lop (C2Media), Mattel Broadcast, Morpheus, Realplayer, Spinner, Songspy (IMG Entertainment), Web3000, and WebHancer.

Stay safe and only use the SHSU Program Installation software.

Passwords

Choose a day of the month to change your passwords and then do it regularly. Make this the last thing you do as you leave work and log off. This will give all the systems time to synchronize and recognize the new password. When you log back in, everything will match. You can change your Windows (E-Mail) password on a PC by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Delete after you're logged in, and then choosing Change Password. If you're using a Macintosh or a PC, you can change your password with your username, ss#, and PIN on the University web site. From the University home page, click SamInfo, Computer Accounts, Change Password.

Mathematica

Mathematica is described as a unique combination of numerical packages, computer algebra systems, typesetting and documentation applications, graphics and statistics systems, traditional programming languages (interface builders), and spreadsheets. This software package is now available for faculty checkout for home use. Faculty may request the installation disks from the Helpdesk with our online request form. Online tutorials are available. An additional resource is a subscription to MathGroup. Suggestions for ways to utilize Mathematica in higher education are included on their web site.

Within the next month, the on-campus installation will be available. You can start testing it then for use in the classroom this summer or in the Fall. Mathematica also provides student question and answer support.

Need More Help than your Bifocals?

Ever gotten an e-mail in such a small font that you can't easily read it? There's a quick method of enlarging the viewing font of your Microsoft Office documents if you have a middle scrolling wheel on your mouse. Just hold down the Ctrl key, and scroll with the middle scrolling wheel on your mouse. You can use this in Excel, Word, and Outlook. You can dramatically increase the size of the displayed spreadsheet, e-mail, or Word document.

Blackboard

Have you wanted to use Blackboard, but just didn’t know where to start? Maybe you do use Blackboard, but don’t think you are using it to its full potential.  What is the best way to use the discussion board?

Questions like these are answered in the online Bb course entitled: "Bb101 - Intro to Blackboard ONLINE".  If you are interested in enrolling in this module-oriented, self-paced course contact Jacob Spradlin.

Tegrity Introduction

Have you ever wished your students could review verbatim a particularly difficult lesson? Or perhaps, you'd like to share your lecture with students at a high school or other university. You now have an opportunity to turn your classroom presentations into multi-media web content for on-demand and/or live delivery via the Internet. James Van Roekel's office of Academic Instructional Technology and Distance Learning is bringing the Tegrity trainers to campus----so you'll have a chance to learn from the experts. Tegrity allows your students to use either Netscape or Internet Explorer to experience your class. An extra benefit with Tegrity is that students do not have to purchase or install any special software plugins.

Tegrity Systems will be here on March 11 and 12 in NGL 302 to offer training. This training will begin at 9:00 a.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday. E-mail or phone (43129) James Van Roekel if you are interested in learning more about Tegrity.
 

Turnitin.com

Reminder for Faculty: Turnitin was purchased last semester for your use as a deterrent to student plagiarism. You can submit your students' papers to Turnitin. Turnitin compares the papers you submit with literally billions of pages of Internet content. In addition, Turnitin has a number of proprietary databases and the system can compare the student paper with those databases also. The results of the comparisons are compiled in a customized "Originality Report" for each paper. Just contact Ann Holder, in the Newton Gresham Library, for assistance. E-mail or phone (41613).