Fall 2023 Student Technology Update

Welcome to new students and welcome back to returning students! We are so excited to have you at SPU. The team in CIS has updated over forty classrooms, upgraded systems and enhanced security over the summer in preparation for your return. Know that the CIS HelpDesk is here to support you with your technology needs as you enter this new academic year. Please click on the links below for details and to see campus technology updates we want to share with you.

The CIS HelpDesk


Need help with Banner or logging in to Canvas? Computer running slowly or might have a virus? We're here to help!

CIS Helpdesk Contact 

Submit a CIS Helpdesk Ticket
Email the CIS Helpdesk
Call the CIS Helpdesk: 206-281-2982

Office Hours

Lower Marston Hall

Summer Hours (through Sept. 9th)
Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM 

Academic Hours (beginning Sept. 12)
In person support: Monday - Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Dispatch, email and phone support: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM


The CIS HelpDesk is open for walk-ins, but for security reasons the doors are locked and accessible via your campus ID card.

Campus WiFi


WiFi is available all across campus for students and their guests. For detailed instructions see Network and Internet .

View of SPU Building from Tiffany Loop in Fall

Guest WiFi

Guest WiFi is available for parents, friends, and campus guests. Connect to the network ID called  SPU-Guests , then launch a web browser and follow the guest registration instructions. Guests must provide a valid, non-SPU email address or a text-messaging cell phone number for registration. Guest WiFi is bandwidth-limited. SPU students should use the network named  SPU-Wireless  for high speed internet access.  Learn  more here .

Outdoor Wifi Locations

Outdoor WiFi locations are available in Tiffany Loop, Martin Square, and in front of the C-Store.

SPU Online Services 


All of your online services can be found by clicking on the  icon in the top right corner of of any SPU webpage and navigating to the  Students tab.

 Microsoft Office 365 for Education




There are many Microsoft Office products available to you as an SPU student, including:


Your SPU Email

Check your SPU email frequently for important campus-wide communications and information from your professors about your classes.   See here  for help with configuring your  SPU email across all your devices (computers, tablets, phones, etc).

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a great collaboration tool that all SPU students have access to. Instant message your classmates, host a study group online, share files, and more. See here for more information:   Study Groups In-Person and Online .

OneDrive for Business

As an SPU student you receive ample cloud storage space in OneDrive for Business. Your documents can be stored securely here and your account is accessible from any of your devices, on or off-campus. Documents can also be shared with others for group collaboration.   Learn more here .


Microsoft Office Suite

Current students may obtain the latest version of Microsoft Office for Windows or Mac through the Microsoft Student Advantage Program. There is no cost to install the software on up to 5 personal devices, including your computer (PC or Mac), tablet (iPad or Android), or mobile phone (iPhone or Android). The Office Suite provides powerful productivity tools including: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and Outlook. Learn more here .


More Office Apps

In addition to the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive, and Outlook) there are numerous apps that are available for you to use, such as Lists, Project, Visio, Planner and more.  Log into your account to see what's available today .

Minecraft for Education

You have access to Minecraft at no additional cost through your SPU account. See here for more information.

Printing and Copying


SPU provides a campus-wide printing/copying program for students. There are Multi-Function Printers (MFPs)  located across campus for your use. You can submit print jobs via the web from on or off campus and print them from any MFP once arriving on campus.   You can also print directly from your computer or a USB flash-drive, copy, and scan to email.  Document scanning on the MFPs is free and does not require print credit.  Detailed instructions are posted at each MFP and on the CIS website:  MFP Student Printing.

Print Credits

You receive print credits at the beginning of each quarter that accumulates through the academic school year as part of your Technology Fee.

  • Students enrolled in 12 or more credits get $5.00 per quarter
  • Students enrolled in 11 credits or less get $2.50 per quarter.
  • When print credit has been used up, you can use Falcon Funds on your SPU ID Card for additional printing.

Watch Out for Scams!


While many illegitimate messages are filtered out of your inbox some may still get through. SPU will NEVER ask you to send or verify your login credentials or other personal/confidential information via email. Your account credentials should not be shared with anyone!

Job Scams     

You've probably already received several emails scam offering an employment opportunity from someone who appears to be associated with SPU. Please delete these messages and do not respond. All legitimate jobs at the university are posted on SPU's Handshake platform . Employers on Handshake are vetted to guarantee their trustworthiness.  Here is a blog post  with more information to help you identify and avoid employment scammers. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of an email message please forward it to   help@spu.edu. 

Phishing

Phishing scams often come in the form of email messages attempting to steal your username and password. PLEASE DO NOT reply to these messages or follow web links where you must confirm or enter your username and password.   If you have questions about the legitimacy of a message, please forward it to  help@spu.edu and we can assist. See this CyberSecurity Awareness Month blog post about phishing for additional information.

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing and Copyright Compliance


File sharing software that copies and distributes songs, movies, videos, games, and software applications without the permission of the owner is a Copyright Law violation that can subject you to criminal and civil liability. Content owners use technological means to track the file sharing of their intellectual property on the Internet. SPU is required by law to inform you if we are aware, you have violated copyright law and must provide your information to copyright owners for legal action if you do not cease illegal activity.  You are responsible for the activities of your computer when connected to the campus network. See Copyright Basics and  DMCA Copyright Compliance / Peer-to-Peer File Sharing for more information about copyright compliance.

Update Your Emergency Contacts and SPU Alert Info


It is important to be made aware of campus emergencies in real-time, as information is available.

  • SPU-Alert is the emergency alert system used to notify you of campus emergencies via text, email, and voice calls. We need your current contact information so that we can send you alerts during a campus emergency.
  • Emergency Contact Information includes the contact details SPU should use in the event that an emergency situation happens to you.

The beginning of the school year is a great time to review and update your information. Log into the  Banner Information System , go to the  Personal Menu , update your information on the   Emergency Alert System  and  Emergency Contact Information pages.

SPU will  NEVER  ask you to send your login credentials or other personal/confidential information via email.  Your account credentials should never be shared with anyone.