Category Archives: TechNews

Optimizing Technology in the School of Management Building

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Since opening in January, 2009, the School of Management and Academic Building has been an important piece of the Simmons commitment to creating a world-class learning environment and building an environmentally responsible campus infrastructure.

What you might not see when looking at the building or sitting in one of its classrooms is the work we’re doing to make it as effective technologically as it is environmentally. Earlier this year, Technology began a project to reduce inefficiencies in the building and to increase the power of presentation and conferencing equipment.

Among the upgrades, conferencing has been improved with the installation of Cisco Telepresence in the School of Management case study rooms (M222/223). This technology provides video and audio connections for meetings and events, and enables real-time collaboration with colleagues across campus or around the world. Additional changes have included installing touch panels, which control projectors, monitors, and video conferencing equipment, as well as new, quieter projectors.

The on-going improvements to the technology infrastructure in the School of Management are part of a larger effort by Technology to help create an integrated and efficient environment for research and learning at Simmons.

Revamping Technology in Park Science Center

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It is no secret that technology goes hand in hand with science courses and it is with this axiom in mind that Simmons Technology has partnered with faculty and staff to make dramatic improvements to the available resources in Park Science Center.

Home to all science classrooms and laboratories, as well as the School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Park Science Center is vital to both education and research at Simmons. In 2011, Technology launched a project to replace old equipment as well as add new tools throughout the building. The importance of this initiative was captured by Professor Richard Gurney, Chemistry & Physics Department Chair. When asked about past issues with technology, he said, “Faculty grew accustomed to not considering the use of IT in their laboratory sections.” Obviously, it was time for a change.

Among the steps taken to make technology available in Park Science Center, more than 80 new computers have been deployed and high-definition projectors and new projection screens were installed in 13 labs along with Blu-Ray players, document cameras, and other resources. In addition, there are two new high-definition microscopes which can connect to projectors for use during lectures and presentations, and three camera systems with digital recorders in the Nursing Simulation Labs. Lastly, Park Science Center has been part of the campus-wide upgrade to multi-function printers with scanning and faxing capabilities.

Like many other recent Technology projects, improved security was a significant part of the project. Controllers have been installed to connect equipment to the network and allow Technology to monitor system and projector statistics and to provide more timely service as well as remote troubleshooting.

While there are further improvements being planned (including additional computer and printer replacements), most of the new technology is installed and has been available during Fall semester. After many years of waiting, these upgrades should help science faculty to mesh technology with pedagogy. As Professor Gurney noted, “Now that [technology] is available, working and supported, many more faculty will incorporate the technology into their teaching in the laboratory.”

Project Management Made Easy with LiquidPlanner

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Last winter, Simmons Technology was asked to recommend a project management tool for the Simmons Strategy team. The goal was to find a solution that would work for not only the Strategy team, but the entire Simmons Community and its varied stakeholders. After considering several platforms, a web-based tool called LiquidPlanner was chosen for its modern approach, easy-to-navigate interface, discounted higher-education pricing, and excellent customer support.

This past summer, members of the faculty and staff participated in a pilot program to begin using LiquidPlanner to manage their own projects. As a result of this successful pilot, LiquidPlanner is now available to any Simmons faculty or staff member who would like to use it to help manage their projects.

To find out more about LiquidPlanner, visit liquidplanner.com. To request an account, send an email to [email protected] and someone will contact you to assist you in getting set up.

Contributed by Emily Chaves

Out with the Old, in with the New: An Introduction to the Computer Replacement Program

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In an ongoing effort to provide the best possible service and support, Technology has undergone significant changes in the last year. Many have been upgrades to existing systems or behind the scenes process improvements, but one of the most visible projects will result in the replacement of every eligible faculty and staff computer.

The Computer Replacement Program was started in January, 2011, with the goals of providing access to hardware and software that support teaching, learning, and administration, and deploying computers through a streamlined process that causes minimal disruption to customers. While new computers are a significant investment, upgrading older computers throughout campus improves performance and security and actually reduces the total cost of ownership over the life of each computer.

To accomplish these goals, Simmons Technology has created a deployment team, headed by Roy Balcom, that handles all aspects of computer replacement. The six-week deployment process starts by determining which computers are eligible for upgrades. The deployment team then works with customers and department technology liaisons to identify each customer’s needs, determine the appropriate model of computer to purchase, and create a data migration plan to move all important information to the new computer. Next, the deployment team works with the customer to schedule a date for the replacement and provides a checklist and support to prepare for data transfer. Finally, the customer’s data is migrated to the new computer and it is deployed. Throughout the process, the deployment team maintains open lines of communication to ensure that the new computer is ready for use immediately and that all previous software and data are available and functioning properly.

The Computer Replacement Program has made great strides in less than a year. As of November 21st, 682 computers have been replaced. By the end of 2011, over 95% of all eligible faculty and staff computers will have been upgraded.

To find out more about the Computer Replacement Program, please visit the CRP website. If you have specific questions about the program, you can email [email protected].

Get Organized with NVivo

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NVivo logoWhen working on a large project, have you ever wished there was one place where you could organize and analyze all of your documents, spreadsheets, PDFs, and other research materials?

There is such a place, and it’s called NVivo and it will soon be available at Simmons!

NVivo is a powerful qualitative research tool that you can use to organize all of your data when writing a thesis or preparing a research paper for publication. It supports various file types including documents, PDFs, spreadsheets, images, audio, and video. It also works well with other software you might already use, like Excel, Word, SPSS, EndNote, and Evernote.

Keep an eye out for more on NVivo in the next few weeks. We will be sending out information on how to get NVivo and how to get started using it soon.

Searching for a Simmons Email Address? Add the Simmons Directory to Your Email!

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At Simmons Technology, we know that our customers access their Simmons email in many different ways: on campus, off campus, via Webmail, Gmail, Outlook, and more. We also know that, until recently, there was no easy way to access the Simmons Directory (the helpful list of all Simmons email addresses) from many of these platforms.

Simmons Technology has now put the directory online in a format that can be accessed by all Simmons students, faculty, and staff. To configure the directory in your favorite email client, check out the step-by-step instructions in this article on the Service Desk website. If you have trouble making it work, you can call the Service Desk at x2222 and a technician will guide you through the process.

Welcome to TechNews

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Thank you for reading the inaugural issue of TechNews, the Simmons College Technology Department newsletter. Each month, TechNews will preview new technology and give the entire Simmons community insight into the projects we’re working on to provide you with the best possible service and support.

Both the newsletter and the TechNews website will grow and become more robust over time. As in all of our projects, we’re follow a set of guidelines described by the Japanese word Kaizen. This philosophy is focused on continuous improvement, constant review, and positive change. These ideas are at the core of technological improvement and advancement and, as a result, they are embedded into our processes. We believe technology to be central to the continued success of Simmons and we want to share our ideas and contributions with you.

If you have any questions about projects featured in the newsletter or need technology support of any kind, please contact the Service Desk.

Campus Print: A New Way to Print at Simmons

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A new multi-function device at Simmons CollegeSimmons Technology is constantly seeking feedback from students, faculty, and staff and using that feedback to make improvements to our services. Perhaps the biggest change to come from your input is the recent implementation of a new printing system.

We are proud to introduce Campus Print, a flexible and user-friendly way to print, copy, and scan your documents. It provides a user interface that allows you to upload your print job from anywhere and then print it at any available printer on campus. We want to put you in control of the queue so you can print your documents when and where you want.

While Campus Print represents a major upgrade, we’re also making additional changes to improve printing at Simmons. For example, the student print quota has been increased from 400 to 500 black and white pages. We’ve also replaced aging printers in common areas and departmental offices with new printer/scanner/copier devices that allow you to print and copy as well as scan to your Simmons email for free.

Simmons Technology also understands the importance of the environmental impact of our printing. Campus Print allows you to monitor the quantity and impact of your printing and all jobs default to double-sided printing in order to extend your quota and reduce the amount of paper used at Simmons. Since October 5th, more than 109,000 pages have been printed. Of these pages, 86% have been double-sided, saving more than 47,000 sheets of paper!

As with any new project, getting feedback from our customers is vital to improving and optimizing Campus Print. Your usage of the system will help us to make adjustments to its functionality, install new printers where you need them most, and address any problems as they arise. For example, we are currently addressing an issue with large, graphics-intensive print jobs which are slowing down the queue. We are working with our vendor to address this and we will potentially test and install new equipment in order to resolve this problem as soon as possible.

Already, though, we have received some great feedback from our community and we’re listening to what you have to say. “This single new ‘scan to email’ feature saved me 5 to 6 hours this week alone. NO JOKE – I had to scan 36 sets of lecture notes and also an entire ~500 page Tenure Dossier this week,” said Professor Richard Gurney, Chemistry Department Chair. Student Chelsey Blair shared her thoughts on Twitter, saying, “Whoa  @SimmonsCollege Campus Print is magical.”

To find out more about Campus Print and how it works, click here. To get started using Campus Print, visit campusprint.simmons.edu.

Simmons Technology’s Renewed Commitment to Support

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Though it is not always immediately apparent to the Simmons College community, Technology is constantly searching for new ways to improve our existing support structure and looking for new opportunities to expand the range of services we offer.

With this in mind, we would like to share some of our recent changes with you and let you know how they help make technology work better for you.

Service Desk
In order to improve access to support, we have completely redesigned the Simmons Technology website and created a new Service Desk website with you in mind.  The new Simmons Technology site serves as an introduction to Technology and provides an overview of our services. The Service Desk website is your one-stop location for support. From this site, you can get contact info for Technology, create a request for general support, media event support, and Datatel/Colleague support, access our FAQ knowledge base, and find links to other services.

TechKnow
When you access the FAQ on the Service Desk site, you are actually seeing the result of a powerful new knowledge base tool we call TechKnow. This system serves as a repository for both self-service information and Technology department knowledge that can easily be shared among our technicians when answering your questions. Collecting, organizing, and sharing knowledge about our services leads to better and faster support for you.

New Support Software
Before the start of the semester, Technology also updated the software we use to handle your requests. The new system allows us to share information internally so we can quickly route your request to the first available technician and it also allows us to communicate with you and keep you informed about its status. We don’t close your request until you have verified that we have given you the support you need. If your problem isn’t fixed, we’ll keep working on it until you let us know that it is. Our support software is already paying dividends. In September, we resolved 2,500 incidents, 41% of which were closed in less than one day.

Remote Support
In the past, if you needed a technician to look at your computer, you would have to set up an appointment and wait for them to come to you. Now, many requests can be handled via remote assistance using a tool called Bomgar. This utility allows a technician to temporarily connect to your computer so they can see exactly what you see and you can follow along as they work through a solution to your problem.

Best of all, Bomgar is secure, works on most platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, and more), and doesn’t require you to install any software. When speaking to a technician, they will direct you to a dedicated Simmons website where you can initiate a remote support session. Remote support allows us to help you from anywhere you can connect to the Internet and helps us to answer your questions more quickly and accurately.

In September alone, there were 270 remote assistance sessions. Of these sessions, more than 92% of customers have rated the service a 4 or 5 out of 5. Here are a few comments from customers we’ve assisted recently:

“Very helpful. We resolved my issue immediately.”

“Douglas was a great help and so PATIENT!”

“Jessica was very helpful multiple times today. Thank you!”

“Jared was very patient and easy to talk with.  Walked me through everything point by point.  I know a lot more than when we started. Thanks!”

These represent just a few of the changes taking place in Technology. We will continue to roll out new services that improve your access to technology and the ways we support you. For information on new initiatives, be sure to check servicedesk.simmons.edu and future issues of the Technology Newsletter.

Secure File Transfer Now Available

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On a day-to-day basis, many Simmons employees work with sensitive and confidential information and need to send files containing this information to their colleagues. The most commonly used method of transferring files is, of course, via email. Unfortunately, email does not encrypt the information sent in the body of the email nor in an attachment. In addition, the electronic transfer of this type of information is subject to not just the Simmons College Information Security Policy, but also Massachusetts General Laws.

In order to comply with these regulations and to provide a simple and secure way for faculty, staff, and students to transfer information, Simmons Technology has introduced a secure file transfer service powered by Accellion, an industry leading provider of file transfer tools.

The Simmons Secure File Transfer allows you to login to a secure website, upload a document, and then input the email address of the recipient. The recipient will receive an email with a link to the document. They will then login and be able to download the document securely. This process ensures that the information that you send is only transferred between your computer, the secure site, and the recipient’s computer.

You can get started using the service by visiting xfer.simmons.edu and using your Simmons login credentials. Any Simmons user can access the service immediately and, if needed, you can even invite external users to create an account so they too can send information securely to Simmons email accounts. Full instructions for using the Secure File Transfer service can be found here.