This summer, Simmons Technology took the first major steps toward planning and implementing a computer replacement program for FY17. The College’s FY17 budget includes funding for purchasing new faculty and staff computers, which will allow us to start replacing Simmons-owned computers across campus beginning this fall and continuing throughout the fiscal year.

The current funds available will allow us to replace approximately one-third of the computers on campus. We’ll focus our efforts on replacing the oldest computers still in use, many of which are more than five years old and should have been replaced in prior fiscal years.

Our goal is to work with departments and business units to create the greatest value and replace the largest number of computers possible. This will mean working closely with you to determine your needs and to make decisions about what kinds of computers we’ll purchase. In the next few weeks, we’ll begin reaching out to department administrators to discuss options for the purchasing and replacement of computers.

We’ll be sharing additional details and updates about the project with faculty and staff as they become available.

Summer may be over, but we’ve added a great new feature to help welcome resident students: Xfinity On Campus. Students living on campus can stream live TV shows and on-demand movies directly to their laptops, phones, and tablets while on the residence or academic campuses.

With Xfinity On Campus, students can watch their favorite shows from anywhere on campus or DVR them for later. Xfinity On Campus offers a range of popular channels, including USA, FX, A&E, Lifetime, and more. Premium channels—like HBO and Showtime—are also available as separate subscription options.

Students can start watching now by visitingxfinityoncampus.com, entering Simmons College in the search box, and logging in with their Simmons username and password. Instructions and support info are available on theTechnology Service Desk site.

As networking technology continues to evolve, we’re working behind the scenes to improve the performance and security of our wired and wireless networks.

This summer, Simmons Technology engaged in an important project to upgrade on-campus data centers. After a competitive bidding process, we partnered with Extreme Networks—a trusted leader in networking—to replace hardware and upgrade the software that runs the networks on campus.

The network replacement project expands our infrastructure’s current capacity and prepares the campus to accommodate future advances in networking technology. This project is just one part of our work to ensure that you have access to online resources from wherever you are on the Simmons campus.

In IT, the most important work is often the least obvious to our customers. A prime example of this is maintenance of existing technology. Over the summer, we cleaned and serviced the computers and other technology in all classrooms and common areas on campus. In addition, we’ve made the following important upgrades across campus.

Beatley Library

With the assistance of the staff at Beatley Library, we’ve transitioned their computers to virtual workstations where appropriate. These computers—called virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) computers—store data and applications remotely. VDI computers are more cost effective and easier to service without compromising quality or performance.

Linda K. Paresky Conference Center

We’ve streamlined the video and sound systems in the Paresky Conference Center, making them more reliable, versatile, and easier to use.

School of Management Building

Of all the conference rooms on campus, M501/502 are among the most popular for meetings and seminars. To maintain a high level of usability in the rooms, we’ve replaced the projectors with laser projectors that provide a much brighter picture that’s visible throughout the space—even on very sunny days.

While most students were away for the summer, the Residence Campus continued to hum, welcoming guests for conferences, summer camps, and other events.

This summer, the Conferences & Events team put one of the College’s most valuable resources to very good use:

• We welcomed more than 1,400 guests over a six-week period
• The residence halls were occupied for a total of more than 6,500 bed nights
• Over 15,000 meals were served in Bartol Hall
• Summer revenues saw an 18% increase over 2015

Throughout the year, the Conferences & Events staff works to connect Simmons to the city of Boston and beyond—continuing to raise the profile of our campus in the community while identifying opportunities for revenue growth.