As we plan for the return to on-campus, in-person learning in the Fall, Technology continues to explore “HyFlex” options for the classroom if the necessity arises to deliver courses in-person and online contemporaneously. Expanding our Zoom Rooms capability to designated classrooms and providing similar functionality to others via mobile equipment deployments will ready us for pandemic related contingencies. Stay tuned for more information.
Category Archives: TechNews
Fraudulent Student Employment Advisory
Colleges and universities in the area have received reports of fraudulent employment scams targeting students at their respective schools. Scammers are falsely representing themselves as educators looking for research assistants. It is reported that once students agree to the employment, they are instructed to perform a variety of tasks such as purchasing gift cards and forwarding redemption codes or sending money directly through digital payment apps.
Pay close attention to employment offers where an email or job posting:
- Does not clearly indicate the company name
- Comes from an email address that does not match the company’s email address format
- Does not give the employer’s contact information such as the title of person sending the email, the company address, phone number, etc.
- Offers a job with little interaction
- Asks to pay an application fee or asks you to transfer money from one account to another
- Asks to give your credit card or bank account numbers
- Asks to send copies of personal documents
Remember: DO NOT provide any personal information, especially Social Security numbers or financial information without verifying the identity of the recipient.
If you think that you have been contacted in relation to a scam of this nature, or have fulfilled requests of a suspicious nature, please contact Technology’s Information Security Analyst, [email protected], or call Public Safety at 617-521-1112.
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Important Zoom Update
Effective Sunday, April 25th, Zoom will be enabling new features in the Zoom for GSuite/Google Calendar Add-On that will prompt all users to reauthorize Google’s access to contacts and the directory. Users will only need to reauthorize once. Reauthorization will be required in order to continue using the add-on’s schedule meetings functionality. If the user declines the reauthorization, the Zoom for GSuite/Google Calendar Add-On will no longer be able to schedule meetings.
Workday Availability / Freeze
In preparation for our Workday Student move to production, new student employee hiring will be frozen from February 8th through March 1st. Student employees who previously exist as workers in Workday can be rehired during this period. Students currently working during this period will continue to work and be paid as usual.
Additionally, there will be a Workday production freeze beginning Wednesday, February 24th at 4pm until Monday morning, March 1st. Workday will be unavailable for all functions during this time. Please contact [email protected] with any questions or concerns.
Farewell and Best Wishes Drew Mirque
After nearly 14 years at Simmons, Drew Mirque, Manager of Academic Systems Support, will be retiring at the end of January. Drew has been instrumental in providing faculty with outstanding academic systems support including management and oversight of the Simmons Moodle environment. Since late 2019, Drew has also overseen Instructional Design support for Simmons Moodle based courses.
With Drew’s departure, Instructional Design support will move to the Center for Excellence in Teaching. Technical support for Moodle and non-2U based academic technologies including Panopto, Turnitin, Ally, and EvaluationKIT will remain in Technology.
Please join us as we wish Drew the best of luck as he embarks on this exciting new chapter.
Workday Student Feedback
In preparation for the Workday Student release in March, an enthusiastic group of student and faculty volunteers – representing a range of Simmons programs – recently previewed the application as part of “mock semester” testing. Participants actively engaged in the system – navigating their records and completing typical semester activities including registration and grading. Feedback from testing was very positive and helped the team to identify areas of improvement for user experience and training.
Stay tuned for opportunities to learn more about Workday Student including demos, Q&A sessions, and brown bag lunches as the March release approaches!
Additional information about Workday Student is available in the November Technology Newsletter. For questions about Workday Student, please reach out to [email protected].
Information Security Awareness Training
Cybersecurity incidents can have a significant impact on an organization. In 2019, the average cost of a data breach was $3.9 million! We all must do our part to reduce information security risks and protect our information. Ongoing employee information security awareness training is a requirement of Massachusetts protection of personal information regulations (201 CMR 17.00).
Beginning in the new year, Simmons Technology will be offering security awareness training on “Remote Work Safety.” Don’t miss-out! Morning and afternoon sessions will be provided:
- Monday, Feb 22, 2021 10:00 AM + 2:00 PM
- Tuesday, Feb 23, 2021 10:00 AM + 2:00 PM
- Wednesday, Feb 24, 2021 10:00 AM + 2:00 PM
Register TODAY! All are welcome to attend.
https://simmons.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpd-qvqz4jG9GUJ-gqqu-OzGLCz13vWW2M
If none of these dates or times work for you or your office, no problem. Simmons Security Analyst [email protected] can schedule a time that works for you or your group.
Simmons Technology appreciates your cooperation in our effort to improve the overall security of University data. To read more about information security and the handling of sensitive information visit our Information Security page: infosec.simmons.edu
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or feedback.
Adobe Sign
Adobe Sign is now available simplifying the signing of documents in our remote environment. Adobe Sign is a cloud-based solution supporting verifiable e-signatures, approvals, and acknowledgements. Simmons’ signing policy and Adobe Sign instructions are available on the Service Desk website.
Beware of Stimulus Check Scams!
In response to COVID-19, Congress approved stimulus payments as part of the CARES Act in March 2020. A second round of stimulus payments were approved in December.
The promise of expeditious payments has been a vehicle for scammers attempting to steal your personal information.
If you receive a text message regarding your stimulus payments, be careful. It may be a fraud! Messages may suggest “further action is required” or contain links to a fake state agency website where you may be asked to enter personal or financial information such as a bank account number.
According to the IRS, recipients of stimulus payments will receive the money via direct deposit, and for those who do not have their information on file, the IRS will send the money by check or debit card. In general, however, no action is required.
The IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails and would not threaten people with jail or lawsuits. It is recommended that if you receive a suspicious message related to stimulus payments, to take a screenshot and report it to [email protected]
More information about stimulus payments can be found on the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment
Workday Student
Starting with Fall 2021 registration in March, Simmons Student Information System (SIS) functions begin their move to Workday. Simmons current SIS, known to most as Colleague or AARC, will be retired and its data migrated and maintained. Workday Student will bring a modern system that is social, mobile, and flexible; meeting today’s expectations and plotting a strategic course for the future.