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Check Out These Recent Additions to the CTC HelpDesk Website!
- Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions
- Computer Use & Care 101
- Information Station
- CTC HelpDesk Services Directory (over 300 entries from A to Z!)
- Information for New Faculty and Staff
- PC Support Policy Statement
Buy Software at Great Prices through the Software Center!
From Dave's Desk: Dr. David Schmidt, Computing and Telecommunication Center Director, provides an update on current activities at the CTC.
Scatcat File Space Quotas Increased
TigerEnroll Tips
- Using the Course Search in TigerEnroll
- Understanding the Enrolled Status Code
- Finding TigerEnroll Help and Training Resources
Helpful Headlines for Faculty and Staff
- Software Purchasing Personnel Change
- IFAS and CICS Security Reminder
- End of Semester Account Maintenance
Introducing… a New CTC Employee
Spotlight on a CTC Employee
Know your HelpDesk Staff!
Focus on Tiger Info
Help Us Help You!
Holiday Hours at the HelpDesk
Other HelpDesk Headlines
Check Out These Recent Additions to the CTC HelpDesk Website!
Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions
Compiled from questions the CTC HelpDesk commonly receives regarding Blackboard issues, this page should be quite useful to both on-campus and Virtual College students at FHSU. While faculty are encouraged to contact CTELT (Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning Technologies) for course development assistance, they may also find this section useful when assisting their students with Blackboard-related questions. Links to the CTC HelpDesk’s Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions page are located in several places on the CTC HelpDesk site, including the Information Station menu. Another convenient way to find it is to click on the Help icon from within Blackboard.
Computer Use & Care 101
The new Computer Use & Care 101 section was created to provide a central location for basic computer use information. Here you will find topics including Basic Routine Maintenance for Your Computer, Virus Information, Computer Use Tips: Do’s & Don’ts, E-Mail and Internet Safety, and more!
Information Station
Accessible from the CTC HelpDesk Home Page, the Information Station menu serves as a central location for links to several major sources of computing information and assistance, including Information for New Students, Information for New Faculty and Staff, Atomic Learning, and Blackboard Frequently Asked Questions.
CTC HelpDesk Services Directory (over 300 entries from A to Z!)
You’ll want to check this out!! Also accessible from the CTC HelpDesk Home Page, the new CTC HelpDesk Services Directory provides an A-to-Z listing that links hundreds of topics to pages containing additional information!
Information for New Faculty and Staff
The Information for New Faculty and Staff page contains a step-by-step guide to obtaining services for faculty and staff, with an emphasis on the process of requesting computing services for new employees (i.e., Lotus Notes accounts, CICS security, etc…) . Step 1 lists information the Department will need to provide when submitting the initial request. The page provides brief descriptions of basic services, with links to pages containing further information. It also includes a section describing how to request removal of services for terminated employees. A link to this page is conveniently located on the Faculty/Staff/Administration page under the Technology heading.
PC Support Policy Statement
Need some work done on your University-issued computer?? The PC Support Policy Statement provides a breakdown of the services provided by the CTC PC Support section, along with related policies and support procedures. A link to this page is located on the CTC Home Page .
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Buy Software at Great Prices through the Software Center!
Planning to purchase software? Let our Software Center make it easier on your wallet!
Fort Hays State University has partnered with e-academy to provide an online Software Center for sales of software products to our students, faculty, and staff at volume discount prices. Whether you are located on-campus or at a distance, the site allows you to choose from a variety of popular software selections, including Microsoft, Adobe, and others. See our Software Center home page for eligibility and sign-in information, as well as answers to frequently asked questions.
To view product information, prices, and system requirements for the products you are eligible to purchase, simply log in to the Software Center and then click on the products you wish to learn more about.
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From Dave’s Desk
Dr. David Schmidt, Computing and Telecommunication Center Director, provides an update on current activities at the CTC.
We in the CTC hope you have had a productive Fall semester and that any computing or telecommunications issues have been minor ones. I would like to give an update on a variety of projects and issues that may be of interest to you.
Gateway Bankruptcy
As some of you know, Gateway is in bankruptcy proceedings now (Chapter 7 bankruptcy, I believe). We wondered if they were having problems because one of our large orders for Gateway tablets was delayed for months. They assured us that the manufacturing issues they were experiencing were being resolved, but as it turned out those were not the only issues they were facing. Now we are faced with higher prices for equivalent tablets and with deciding on a standard tablet for the university's faculty. Mike Nease is testing a new Hewlett Packard tablet now. It appears to be a good, light tablet but it costs more than $400 over the Gateway price. We may also look at the Futjitzu offering.
Ektron: A New Web Content Management System
The effort to rebrand the University has a number of components. One component that affects us in the CTC and will affect many departments is a new web content management system. We do not have one now, so this will be a new venture for the University. The contract with EMG (Educational Marketing Group) specified that the university would use a web content management system. After looking at their recommendations and revisiting the selection, we have decided upon a company called Ektron. This new management system will do a number of things: provide an easy way for Departments to enter content into forms and publish web pages, use workflow for processing approvals for changes in web pages, and make it easier to create greater user interaction with the campus web site.
The current FHSU website will be migrated over to the Microsoft platform, and this should make it much easier for CTC programmers to reuse code that has already been developed for TigerTracks on the FHSU site. Ektron is a Microsoft .NET product, and the New Development Group uses .NET to create applications for TigerTracks. Market research shows that the more interaction a user has with a site, the more they come back to that site. This is important for marketing the University to prospective students as well as for retention and for Alumni. This new platform should facilitate more creativity in building a more interactive and more engaging website. Our current website has some Web 2.0 features, and the new website should have even more.
Departments should find it relatively easy to add new content and to update old content on the new website. Ektron handles the look and feel of the website and helps to manage the various layers of content. Users have some options in terms of formatting, but generally speaking users enter data into forms and the system takes care of most of the look and feel of the content. Then the workflow is used to submit the changes to whomever needs to authorize their publication, then the new content is published. This system should eliminate the need for most people to use DreamWeaver or other web publishers.
TigerTracks and Programming Projects
The programming staff (in consultation with the Graduate School) has completed the Graduate Degree Summary for the web. Undergraduates have been able to view their Degree Summaries for over a year now, but Graduate students did not have that option. This new enhancement will be announced to the campus soon.
The programming staff has some other large projects, also. One project involves PCI (payment card industry) compliance. There are a set of industry rules for enhancing payment card data security. Some very public data breaches have triggered the need for rules. A committee comprising Judy Getty, Mark Griffin, and Cheryl Helget is working through the details of becoming compliant with those standards. One task is immediate. We (New Development Group members) have started reprogramming a fairly large number of FHSU websites that accept credit card information. In another project Daryl Carswell is reworking some data structures and programs to make the charges owed by students more transparent. After Daryl makes that data accessible, Jackie Ruder and the New Development Group will find ways to display these charges on TigerTracks. Perhaps the biggest project involves creating an Online Application system to replace the CollegeNet system that was used by the Kansas Board of Regents.
A Virtual Lab
We are in the earliest stages of investigating the potential of a virtual lab. North Carolina State University worked with IBM to develop software for what they are calling the VCL (Virtual Computing Laboratory). Essentially what this software does is allow users to access standard computing applications remotely. Imagine using a web browser to go to an FHSU URL, log in, and then select from a list of applications. You might choose to use SPSS, ArcView, Photoshop, Mathematica, Microsoft Access, or other discipline-specific academic applications. Because there may be a limited number of licenses for some applications, you choose to reserve a license for a specified time. In most cases the software is available when you choose to use it, but to be sure that you can access it, you can reserve it. Instructors can reserve multiple copies for their class use too.
That is essentially the concept of the VCL. There are a lot of nice features to the VCL such as making expensive software available to students across campus. The software need not be loaded onto their machine because the student is accessing it remotely. The software is all delivered from a server farm. Also, note that this software can be used by Virtual students as well as on-campus students. Having it on the web means that students no longer need to go to specific locations on campus to access this software. This concept holds a lot of promise, but there are a lot of complexities behind the scenes. So, we will do an initial pilot project first. The VCL software is open source (free) and the virtual machine technology that it uses is also low cost (if we use the Microsoft Hyper-V software to create the virtual machines). So, in this challenging economic time, we hope the VCL can assist us in delivering software applications more efficiently.
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Scatcat File Space Quotas Increased
Earlier this year the Scatcat server, which handles student e-mail, file space, and Web page services, was upgraded. As part of this project, file space allotted to each account was increased. There are two separate space quotas (limits) that apply to a Scatcat account.
The first limit is a 100 MB “E-Mail” quota. This limit applies to all e-mail messages (and attachments) stored in the account; including all messages in the Inbox, Trash, and Sent folders, as well as any new e-mail folders the user may have created on the server.
The second limit is a 100 MB “Data” quota. This limit applies to the total amount of file space residing on the server for an actively enrolled student's account, including all Web pages and any other personal files (including the H: drive / My Documents folder).
For complete information about the space limits that apply to your Scatcat account and what to do if you exceed these limits, see Managing Your Scatcat File Space and How to Transfer Files Using Scatcat.
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TigerEnroll Tips
Using the Course Search in TigerEnroll
After logging in to TigerEnroll (located in TigerTracks under the Online Services tab), the first step of the enrollment process is to use the Course Search feature to add courses to your Worksheet.
During enrollment time each semester, a common question answered by the HelpDesk is, “How can I find this course?” Sometimes students already know the specific course name and number, but cannot get the course to appear in the search. After a brief analysis of the problem; the solution is almost always the same: generalize your search.
When entering your search criteria, it is best to fill in as few fields as possible. All of the criteria entered must find an exact match before a course will appear in the resulting list. We suggest first choosing only the Department, and expanding the Results Per Page to 50 or 100 (located next to the Submit button) so you have fewer pages to browse through to find your class. Click Submit. This will list all courses the selected Department has to offer, sorted by Course Number. To add a Course to your Worksheet, simply scroll down, check the box next to the desired course, and then click the Add Courses to Schedule Worksheet button (located at the bottom of the window).
If you wish to narrow your search further by entering additional criteria, we suggest entering only one additional item at a time (for example, Course Number or Status=Open). Note: When entering a Course Number, enter the numeric portion ONLY – leaving OFF any alphabetic characters (the characters are the Section Code).
Understanding the Enrolled Status Code
When students enroll for classes, the CTC HelpDesk often receives questions about the Enrolled Status Code. For clarification, here are the possible status codes a student may encounter in TigerEnroll:
PRE = Pre-Enrolled
PRE-REM = Pre-Enrolled, Removal Pending (waiting on Advisor Approval)
EN = Enrolled (indicates payment has been received)*
DR = Dropped (course dropped before Transcript Record begins; will not appear on transcript)*
WD = Withdrawn (course dropped after Transcript Record begins; will appear on transcript)*
AD = Added
TC = Moved to Transcript
*For answers to questions regarding payment information, please contact Student Fiscal Services . To view the date that Transcript Record begins for a particular semester, see the FHSU Academic Calendar.
Finding TigerEnroll Help and Training Resources
Most of the information you need to know about TigerEnroll can be found online very easily. Here are a few helpful links to view if you would like further assistance:
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Helpful Headlines for Faculty and Staff
Submitted by Viv Zimmerman, CTC User Services Consultant
Software Purchasing Personnel Change
For the past several years, Mark Cook has been responsible for software purchases for university use. As of September 2008, Viv Zimmerman has taken over this task. Mark will be working with her during this transition period as she learns the ropes.
If you would like to order software or renew a software license for your office, please submit a Request for Computing Services to the PC Support section with detailed information . We are unable to order software or renew licenses without an official CTC request form. In either case, please allow ample time for any special approvals or processing that may be needed.
For more information about Fort Hays State University’s Software Purchasing Policy and Procedures, see the Software Policy section of the PC Support Policy Statement.
IFAS and CICS Security Reminder
If you receive an IFAS and/or CICS username and password via LN e-mail, please do not delete it. Instead, keep it in a safe place for later use. Once set up, these passwords are encrypted and cannot be “looked up”; they must be reset. If the username is not needed right away, users sometimes delete the note and then later cannot access the systems for which they have security.
For more information about requesting access to IFAS or CICS, see Information for New Faculty and Staff .
End of Semester Account Maintenance
Please submit Requests for Computing Services to the Network & Servers section with the names of any faculty, staff, or student employees who have recently terminated employment with your office so we can remove their usernames and update our group mailing lists and security tables. Please include their termination date. It is imperative that all accounts and security be removed for those who no longer work in your office. For more information, see the Requesting Removal of Security for Terminated Employees section of Information for New Faculty and Staff .
If any student employees who share common CICS, IFAS, or Lotus Notes accounts have left employment with your office, please contact Viv Zimmerman to have their passwords changed.
In addition, now might be a good time to change your Lotus Notes and/or CICS passwords. We highly recommend changing your passwords periodically to prevent the possibility of anyone gaining access to e-mail or other systems for which you have security. If you need assistance changing your Lotus Notes Client or Internet passwords, see Changing Your Lotus Notes Passwords or contact the CTC HelpDesk . Contact Viv Zimmerman if you would like to have your CICS password changed. For suggestions on how to choose a secure password, see How secure are YOUR passwords?
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Introducing… a New CTC Employee
We would like to welcome John McCabe to the CTC! John began his position as a Server Administrator in June 2008. His duties include installing, configuring and maintaining servers and software, and troubleshooting hardware and software-related problems. John is a graduate of FHSU and enjoys working at his alma mater!
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Spotlight on a CTC Employee
A Dozen Questions for Mike Lacy, Technical Support Manager in the Systems/Operations section within the CTC.
- Q. How long have you worked for the Computing and Telecommunications Center?
A. 24 years.
- Q. What type of work have you done at the CTC over the years?
A. Managed the mainframe software and hardware; wrote numerous Lotus Notes applications.
- Q. Hometown?
A. Norton, KS
- Q. What is your favorite hobby?
A. Working on my old Chevy.
- Q. What CD is in your CD player?
A. Jim Croce - Time in a Bottle.
- Q. Favorite Food or Place to eat?
A. Carriage Crossing – Yoder, KS
- Q. Most visited website (besides FHSU.edu)?
A. Nex-Tech Classifieds
- Q. Cartoon Character?
A. Wile E. Coyote & Road Runner
- Q. Favorite TV Show / Movie?
A. Wheel of Fortune / Caddyshack
- Q. Favorite Actor / Actress?
A. Bill Murray
- Q. Fun Fact?
A. Played football for FHSU in the 70’s.
- Q. Favorite Sport's Team?
A. Kansas City Chiefs
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Know your HelpDesk Staff!
The Fort Hays State University Computing and Telecommunications Center HelpDesk staff is currently comprised of nine student consultants, one student supervisor, and one full-time supervisor (Nancy Cunningham). Located in Tomanek Hall 113, the CTC HelpDesk provides front-line technical support for an ever-growing number of FHSU systems (e.g. TigerTracks, wireless networks, Blackboard, etc.).
Here are some brief introductions to help you get to know some of your CTC HelpDesk staff:
David Kohman (a.k.a. "Sam") is a freshman and began his tenure at the HelpDesk in August 2008. He applied for this position because he felt like it was a job that would work well in association with his major. David's favorite TV show is House and he likes playing video games in his spare time. He is majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Leadership Studies.
Doug Church is a junior and has been with the HelpDesk since September 2008. He applied to work at the HelpDesk because he thought it would be a good opportunity to learn about networking and thought he would be good at it. He is an Information Networking and Telecommunications (INT) major and is not yet sure what he wants to do after graduation. He chose FHSU because of its low price and small class sizes. His favorite music is Rap and R & B.
Riley Schmidt is a sophomore and has been employed at the HelpDesk since August 2008. He likes his job because it is on campus and he gets to work with computers. He chose FHSU because it is fairly close to his hometown and has a really good INT program. Riley's favorite TV show is Home Improvement and he likes working on cars and computers in his spare time. He is majoring in Computer Networking and minoring in Business.
Trevor Richard is a junior and began working at the HelpDesk in May 2008. He applied for the position because it was on campus there was an opening. Trevor's favorite TV show is Lost and he likes any kind of Christian or country music. He is majoring in Physics and wants to work in mechanical engineering. After he finishes his education he plans to "get a job and start the next chapter in my life."
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Focus on Tiger Info
The Tiger Info Call Center, located in the CTC HelpDesk office, is home to supervisor Michelle Schlyer and a team of dedicated student operators. They provide general information to prospective, on-campus and Virtual College students, faculty, staff and other members of the FHSU community. In addition, they provide front-line support for using TigerTracks and TigerEnroll, applying for admission, and other student processes. Let's meet a few of these knowledgeable folks!
Justin Hall is a senior Radiologic Technology major at FHSU. He enjoys the outdoors and computers. When asked what he likes about working at Tiger Info, he said he enjoys the great work environment at Tiger Info and enjoys all the people he works with.
Andy Hammeke is a sophomore majoring in Human Health and Performance and is a pitcher on the FHSU Tiger baseball team. He also enjoys playing the drums. When asked what he likes about working at Tiger Info, he said he likes how organized it is, he enjoys all the people he works with, and really likes working for his boss, Michelle Schlyer.
Holly Dreiling is a sophomore majoring in Elementary Education. She likes hanging out with her friends and watching movies. She also enjoys music, especially singing. She enjoys the flexibility of working at Tiger Info, all the people she works with, and all the things she has learned about FHSU because of working here.
Allison Eck is a junior majoring in Speech/Language Pathology and is a member of the Tiger Debs dance team. She likes playing piano, watching old movies, and reading. She also enjoys the people and the flexibility working at Tiger Info and said she has learned a lot about FHSU that she wouldn't have known otherwise.
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Help Us Help You!
Have you recently contacted or visited the CTC HelpDesk? If so, how did we do?
If you have ideas, concerns, or other feedback, let us know! Contact us, complete our survey, or use our secure comments form to give us your suggestions. Thank you in advance for your feedback - we look forward to hearing from you!
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Holiday Hours at the HelpDesk
View CTC HelpDesk office hours.
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Other HelpDesk Headlines
CTC
HelpDesk News is a semi-annual newsletter published by
the
Fort Hays State University Computing and Telecommunications Center
HelpDesk.
Nancy Cunningham and Michelle Schlyer, Editors |
