Category Archives: TechNews

Solutions for Accessing Kronos

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Many Simmons employees use Kronos, our timecard management system, to enter their hours on a weekly or biweekly basis. We recently found that browser incompatibility issues have caused Kronos to not work as expected for many Simmons staff and faculty. Technology is collaborating with the Talent and Human Capital Strategy Group to find a long-term solution.

In the meantime, Technology has created a workaround that will allow you to enter your time from any computer. For instructions on how to use Kronos, click here.

If this solution is not working for you or if you need additional instructions, please contact the Service Desk at 617-521-2222.

Faculty and Staff Moving to Google Apps for Education

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Earlier this month, we sent an email from Debra Orr, Simmons College Chief Information Officer, to the entire Simmons community about faculty and staff email. We’re sharing her note again here just in case you missed the previous announcement:

In May, the Technology department worked with students to transition them to Google Apps for Education. This change involved not only using a new email platform, but also adding a powerful calendaring tool and a host of collaborative and productivity tools. We have gotten very positive feedback from our students. At that time, I let you know that Technology would be working to determine the needs of Simmons faculty and staff to help us choose an email and calendaring platform that would provide capabilities far beyond our current email platform and Meeting Maker.

I am pleased to share that we have reached a decision and that we have begun planning a transition of all faculty and staff email to Google Apps for Education. We believe that choosing Google Apps for Education will provide cutting edge tools for managing day-to-day work, and collaborating with colleagues and students. In addition to basic email and calendaring, Google Apps for Education offers tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations; interactive utilities for text and video conferencing; opportunities for real-time collaboration on projects; and so much more.

I want you to know that this decision was made after a careful assessment of the community’s needs and a review of how students have been served by Google Apps for Education over the last several months. The Technology team has also reviewed our agreement with Google and I can assure you that, beyond the cost and efficiency advantages of having the entire college on one email system, we will also benefit from improved data security. Simmons College will continue to own our data and Google will store it securely and will not use it for advertising or marketing purposes. In addition, moving to Google Apps for Education will create opportunities that greatly exceed those that could be developed in-house or by selecting a la carte products from multiple vendors.

Since May, I have been asked by many faculty and staff when they might be able to use Gmail and Google Calendar and how it will help with daily interactions with students. In the next thirty days, I will share a timeline for this project, as well as some additional details about how the transition will work and the hands-on training and support we’ll be offering. In the meantime, please let me know if you have questions or concerns about this change. I am confident that you will see immediate advantages over our current systems and I know that the entire Technology team is excited to begin working with you on this important project.

Debra Orr
Executive Director of Technology/CIO
Simmons College

Streaming Video Now Available from the Library

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Last year, Simmons was facing a number of issues that were making it increasingly difficult to deliver movies and other recorded media to our community: the previous broadcast system, which was cumbersome for faculty and students, was on its way out, VHS technology had become almost completely obsolete, and physical media like DVDs did not meet the needs of our online courses. Rather than trying to address these issues one at a time, the library staff partnered with Technology to determine how Simmons could meet the needs of our community by taking advantage of current media streaming technology.

From there, the library staff formed a working group to explore alternatives, test various products, and make recommendations for acquiring and implementing an appropriate solution. The team was led by Jennifer Ferguson and included Anne Croak, Paul Engelberg, and Justin Snow. Together, they put into action a mix of tools that tackled the issue of media obsolescence and created a long-term strategy for digital media distribution at Simmons.

In the end, the working group chose to provide access to streaming media by acquiring two significant collections of documentaries as well as investing in a platform for streaming feature films. These tools offer several advantages, including easier access to course reserves, expanded film catalogs for faculty to use in the classroom, access to media without trips to the library, and additional options for using media in blended and fully online classes. Thousands of documentaries and feature films are now available and, by the end of 2012, the library will be able to provide access to more than 20,000 streaming documentaries that can be viewed online at any time.

Simmons faculty and students are encouraged to explore the titles available by searching the library catalog or by using the library’s guide to finding media, where you can explore documentaries and feature films.

Upgrading and Improving Simmons Connection

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When Technology launched Simmons Connection in June, we promised that it would be an ongoing project that would be improved over time. During the last four months, we have received invaluable feedback from many members of the community, and we have used your suggestions to begin work on a second phase of Simmons Connection.

Over the next few months, we will be implementing several major improvements, including Moodle integration, a revamped news and announcements section that simplifies the workflow and incorporates sharing and social media, and inclusion of the Simmons directory within Simmons Connection. These changes should have minimal impact on how you use Simmons Connection and we will provide documentation and, as necessary, training on any new features.

During this time, we will also be creating a new Simmons Connection Governance Team, made up of various stakeholders at Simmons, who will help guide future changes by providing perspective on the needs of students, faculty, and staff. If you would like to be involved with this initiative, please contact the Simmons Connection team using this link.

We remain committed to constant, incremental improvement to our services so that they work better for you. Thank you as always for your feedback and patience as we make these enhancements.

Increased Email Quota for Faculty and Staff

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Email storage increased to one gigabyteRecently, the Infrastructure & Online Services group completed a significant upgrade to the space we use to store faculty and staff email. As a result, all faculty and staff now have 1 gigabyte of storage for their email with more available by request. This represents a fivefold increase over the previous mailbox quota.

The upgrade to storage space was completed in tandem with the continued effort to virtualize servers and services at Simmons. Virtualization allows us to be more flexible with storage space, in effect, allocating the space where and when we need it most. It also makes backing up the content of our servers more effective and provides increased opportunities for helping you to retrieve lost or accidentally deleted files when emergencies arise. In addition, all data on our servers is constantly replicated to our auxiliary data center that provides up-to-the-second data redundancy.

Data storage infrastructure at Simmons

Increased email storage for faculty and staff also creates an additional long-term benefit as we upgrade current systems. In FY14, we will roll out a new and improved email platform for faculty and staff. In preparation, we recommend that all faculty and staff take advantage of the increased email quota by storing their email on the Simmons servers rather than on their computer’s hard drive. Email stored locally on your computers and mobile devices can be very difficult (or, in some situations, impossible) to restore in the event of a system crash, and keeping it on our servers allows us to better assist you in finding and retrieving data. During the transition, we will help you migrate any email that is currently stored on Simmons servers to the new platform.

If you have questions about email storage or how to set up your email client (e.g. Thunderbird, Outlook, Apple Mail) to keep mail on the server rather than on your computer, you can contact the Service Desk at 617-521-2222. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and help you configure your email.

Google Hangouts: Collaborative Tools for Students and Professors

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In August, we sent out an announcement to all students that we had recently enabled Google+ as part of our Google Apps for Education offerings. In case you missed that email, we want to share some of the helpful tools available on Google+. At its core, Google+ is a social networking tool built on sharing information in real-time via text, chat, and video. Much like Facebook, it allows you to connect with people you know and share things with them. Beyond that, it provides powerful collaboration tools that integrate with your Simmons Gmail.

One of the most exciting features is Google Hangouts. Hangouts are online spaces where you can invite up to nine other people and then chat or work on projects face-to-face. You can even edit projects in Google Docs while in your Hangout. So, the next time you can’t get everyone in the same place at the same time or when all of the library study rooms are booked, you can still meet and work face-to-face on your class projects.

These tools aren’t just for students. Faculty members with personal Gmail accounts can use Google Hangouts as a videoconferencing tool for guest speakers or even virtual office hours.

Finding Google Plus in Gmail

To get started with Google+, click on “+You” in the upper left corner of the screen when you’re in Simmons Gmail. Google will take you through a few steps to set up your profile, and then you’re ready to go!

If you need some help figuring out how to use Google+ or Google Hangouts, check out these resources:

Google+

Google Hangouts

While Google provides the most up-to-date service and support information, you can always contact the Service Desk (617-521-2222) for help with specific questions or problems while using Google+ and Google Hangouts.

The Latest News on Simmons Moodle

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We are pleased to report that GSLIS and SNHS courses for Fall 2012 are live in Simmons Moodle. Our in-person demonstration tables in the GSLIS Palace Road lounge and the 3rd floor of Park Science Building were well-attended by students, and faculty members can continue to find orientation materials and drop-in sessions in person or online. We are beginning to meet with departments that will be rolling on in Spring 2013. Information about the upcoming Spring 2013 roll-out can be found here.

Please remember that any questions, comments, or feedback about Simmons Moodle can be directed to [email protected].

Simmons Connection: We want Your Feedback

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With the Fall semester well under way, most students, staff, and faculty have probably used Simmons Connection to access information about classes, events and other campus news. Behind the scenes, Technology is working on the next phase of Simmons Connection. We’re currently mapping out changes and improvements based on your feedback and we will continue to do so as work on this new platform progresses.

We are aware that some features in Simmons Connection have not worked as well as we had originally intended. For example, the revamped menu structure in AARC has caused some confusion and we found that the display of student email was working inconsistently. Your feedback has helped us to identify these issues and subsequently make changes to improve or replace features as necessary.

As we prepare for phase two, we want to keep the lines of communication open with everyone in the Simmons community. If you have problems that you’ve encountered or suggestions for future improvements and upgrades, we encourage you to submit feedback on the Service Desk website using this link. Every comment we receive from you is discussed among the team and we will follow up to let you know when and if we can incorporate your ideas.

Thank you for taking the time to be a part of the ongoing upgrades to technology at Simmons.

Welcome back students and faculty!

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We know that fall semester is an exciting time to be at Simmons. You’re busy starting classes and enjoying the last days of summer in Boston.

To help make your life a bit easier, we’ve made a quick list of tips and links for students and faculty to help you get the most out of technology at Simmons.

Preferences

Need to set up or change your password? Visit preferences.simmons.edu.

WiFi on your phone or tablet

Get your device set up on the Simmons WiFi network by following the instructions here.

Gmail on your phone

Want to check your Simmons Gmail on your iPhone/iPad or Android device? Follow the easy instructions here.

Campus Print

You can use Campus Print to print, copy, and scan to email by visiting theCampus Print website. Remember, you get 500 free black and white double-sided prints per semester and you can upload print jobs by choosing “Web Print” from the Campus Print website and then release them at any printer on campus.

Keep your fellow students in mind when you’re printing documents that are very long or contain many images. Please release these jobs in the library or another location with a high-capacity printer. Everyone else will be happy you did.

Simmons Connection and Google Apps Training

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To help everyone learn more about using Simmons Connection and Google Apps for Education, Technology will be offering several drop-in workshops throughout September. Just check the dates below, pick one that works for you, and stop by with your questions!

General Technology (ask us anything!)

– Wednesday, September 5th from 9am-1pm in L006 (Lefavour Hall)

Simmons Connection & Google Apps for Education

– Thursday, September 13th from 12pm-2pm in L003 (Lefavour Hall)

– Thursday, September 20th from 10am-12pm in L003 (Lefavour Hall)

– Thursday, September 27th from 1pm-3pm in L003 (Lefavour Hall)

Remember, if you have questions that you need answered right away, you can check the Simmons Connection/Google Apps section on the Service Desk website, or call the Service Desk at 617-521-2222.