Tech tips for a successful fall semester

Posted on: September 3, 2014 | By: Ryan Gay | Filed under: Tech Tips, Service Desk

As classes begin for the fall semester, Instructional & Campus Technologies (ICT) have integrated a variety of new changes to technology across campus. Some of these new changes affect returning students, while others affect students both new and old. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to making sure your personal technology is utilized in the best ways possible.

Why can’t I log into email, Moodle, or the wireless network?

For security purposes, ICT initialized a mandatory password reset for students who have not changed their password in longer than one year. This change has locked many students out of their ability to access services such as email, Moodle, and wireless access. If you cannot access these services, please contact the Technology Service Desk at 278-5200 to receive a temporary password, before you enroll in the Self-Service Password Maintenance Site. After you’ve enrolled, you can change your account password to something more secure. In regards to accessing the wireless network on campus, the Technology Service Desk recommends that all students configure their wireless network to elonu-secure. Please note that there are known issues with Windows 8 computers accessing this network and configuration may not be successful. In these instances, you should utilize the elonu network for PCs.

Universal print stations

Returning students should know that over the summer, Campus Technology Support upgraded lab printers across campus to utilize a new universal print driver. This means that students now only need one print driver to send documents and files to any print station on campus.

  • How does this affect me?
  1. If you’re a returning student, PC users will need to uninstall old individual print drivers (e.g., print drivers that may be labeled ‘Belk,’ ‘Mill Point,’ or ‘Alamance XXX’); as well as Mac users.
  2. After you’ve uninstalled the old print drivers, you will need to install the new universal print drivers.

File storage

This fall, new students are automatically enrolled in Google Drive, which allots 30GB of cloud storage to backup or save files and documents for access anywhere with a network connection. Returning students, who in the past utilized the U:Drive for network storage, will realize that they only have read access to their U:Drive. If you are a returning student who has files stored on the U:Drive, you need to migrate them to your Google Drive account.

Always confirm technical requirements

It’s always stressful when you attempt to access your course online and your computer can’t view or display the webpages you need for class. Before a class even begins, it’s important for students to make sure they know what the technical requirements are beforehand. This includes making sure that a variety of computer software is up-to-date before the class begins. The most common items you want to make sure are up-to-date are Java, Flash, and your web browser. Try accessing course materials early so that you can and know how to navigate them. This will prevent you from wasting valuable course time trying to figure out the technology.

The Technology Service Desk is here to aid students in simple configuration and access problems. If you need assistance, please contact us at (336) 278-5200.

Image by Flickr user Emzee

Ryan Gay

Ryan is the Manager of Service Management & IT Project Lead for Instructional & Campus Technologies. He has received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in English from UNC-Greensboro.

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