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.