Recently, both Microsoft and Apple released significant updates to their desktop operating systems: Windows 10 and Mac OS X El Capitan (10.11).

Both updates focus on improved multitasking, integration and functionality across devices, and improvements to standard-issue software. The Windows 10 update also brings back the traditional Start menu, which had been missing from Windows 8.

If you have a Simmons-owned computer, please do not update your operating system just yet. Simmons Technology is testing both Windows 10 and El Capitan to ensure that they work well with our services and applications.

If you’re thinking about updating your own computer, there are plenty of reviews and guides online to help you decide:

Windows 10
PC World
The Verge

Mac OS X El Capitan
Macworld
CNET
The Verge

At Simmons Technology, we’re always excited to see how students are using technology in their classes, research, and careers.

In September, Simmons held its first hackathon, the Simmons SharkHack, hosted by the School of Library and Information Science and the Department of Computer Science. SharkHack brought together area students and mentors for what might be Boston’s only women-centered hackathon.

Find out more about the event, the teams who participated, and their projects in The Simmons Voice.

The Simmons Bookstore is proud to introduce just-released apparel and mugs featuring the new Simmons tagline: Your Moment. Your Move. Your Simmons.

The bookstore also has new athletic wear, including shirts, pants, blankets, and banners.

Best of all, you can get t-shirts and hats for each Simmons team sport. It’s the perfect gift for athletes and their families, friends, and fans.

The bookstore is open Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm, Saturdays from 10am-3pm, and online all the time.

Have you recently spent more than a few minutes composing an email to a colleague or fellow student, and then waited (and waited) for a reply?

Google Chat might be just what you need. Chat lets you connect with other people in a real-time conversation. It’s perfect for asking quick questions, planning a meeting, or having an “offline” conversation with someone rather than replying all to a group email. And wouldn’t everyone’s day be a little better with fewer emails?

When you’re logged into your Simmons email, the chat panel is in the lower left corner of your screen. If someone is available to chat, you’ll see a green dot next to their name. If they’re not available, they’ll receive your message as soon as they’re back online. Clicking on a person’s name will open a new chat window. You can use this space to talk, share links, and send images.

You can even add additional people to turn a one-to-one chat session into a Hangout with up to 15 participants. It’s just like a conference call, but without all the calling.

To find out more about using Google Chat, visit the help center.

Single-stream recycling has been around for a long time at Simmons, but we only recycle about 20% of the waste we create on campus. Let’s see if we can increase that percentage this year!

Here are some tips for what and when you can recycle:

• Paper, plastic, glass, metal? Drop it all in the same recycling bin.
• Recycle everything right at your desk. Office suite and deskside bins are emptied twice a week.
• Almost everything at the Fens can go in the recycling bin, except food waste and plasticware. Think twice before dropping your plates and to-go containers in the trash!
• Single-stream is available at every recycling bin on campus, whether in a common area or in an office.

For more information about recycling, sustainability, or Simmons’ efforts to create a green campus, please visit green.simmons.edu or contact Sara Smith at 617-521-2244 or [email protected].

This fall, THCS and Technology will roll out the newest module in Workday: Recruiting. The Recruiting module will bring the entire applicant-to-hire workflow online. Hiring managers will be able to record feedback from interviews, complete reference check forms, and track candidates through the recruitment process. In addition, the Recruiting module will provide reporting and analytics to aid managers in strategic decision making.

New Email Address for Recruiting Requests
THCS is asking that all new recruiting requests be sent to [email protected] during the implementation of the Recruiting module. This email address is monitored by several staff members to ensure that THCS can respond to your request in a timely fashion and that all requests are cataloged and resolved.

The Simmons College Emergency Response Team (SCERT) is proud to announce the second-annual Simmons Safety Week.

From October 19th-23rd, SCERT will sponsor events, safety drills, and communications to provide the community with the information you need in the event of an emergency on campus.

Look for an email from the SCERT team with event dates, times, and locations. You can also find more information on digital signage and social media.

Over the last year, Simmons Technology has completed significant upgrades to media equipment in classrooms across campus. In each of the rooms listed below, you’ll find a placard located near the lectern or podium with information on how to operate the equipment. Technology also provides an up-to-date list of available classroom equipment and configurations for your reference.

If you will be teaching in any of the following classrooms, Technology can provide assistance and brief trainings on using the new equipment. Please contact the Service Desk at 617-521-2222 if you would like to schedule an appointment.

Upgraded Classrooms

• Lefavour Hall: L007, L225, L305, L320, L325
• Park Science Center: S109, S110, S301, S337A, S411
• School of Management Building: M104, M201, M301

Technology Improvements

• High definition (HD) data projectors
• Simpler control systems
• High quality audio amplifiers
• New Blu-Ray/DVD players

A Note about VCRs and VHS
In today’s media environment, the VHS tape format is becoming increasingly difficult to support. Like many other schools, Simmons has stopped deploying VCRs and the library no longer purchases any materials in VHS format. For faculty who use VHS tapes, Library staff can research whether your content is available in a newer format (DVD, Blu-Ray, streaming).

If you have any questions about these changes or about classroom media equipment in preparation for the fall semester, please contact the Service Desk at 617-521-2222.

If last winter brought with it a lasting lesson, it’s that we need to be prepared for emergencies of all kinds and the effects they could have on our campus.

As part of that ongoing effort, the Simmons College Emergency Response Team (SCERT) took part in an emergency preparedness seminar with other schools and hospitals in the area. More than 100 participants met at Simmons to discuss and plan a response to a Category 3 hurricane. The SCERT team worked with local and state agencies to map out coordinated communications, evacuations, continuity of operations, and recovery strategies.

The Simmons team shared their plans with other institutions throughout the Longwood Medical and Academic Area and worked with representatives from the Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, MassDot, Eversource, and the National Weather Service to learn more about coordinated response efforts.

In addition to planning and exercises, Simmons benefits from our participation in MASCO’s Joint Operations Center which coordinates resource deployment during emergencies and provides a link between the College, other local institutions, and local, state, and federal emergency management agencies. This strategy reduces response times and provides the necessary infrastructure to keep the campus safe and functional during an emergency.

Being prepared means planning for and mitigating the effects of disruptions caused by a range of natural and human-made emergencies. Simmons is committed to constant planning and testing in preparation for whatever might come our way.