The fast pace of change has made weeks feel like months as we march ever closer to the start of the Spring term. The busyness has been all the more jarring looking out the window and seeing campus shrouded in inactivity.  Despite the physical distances between, it is encouraging to know that so many are working so hard to continue the educational experience for our students online. With that in mind, here are your technology updates from the past week.

Remote Access to Campus (VPN)

Work continues on resolving the VPN remote access issues.  If your office is critically impacted, please have your department head or dean contact the CIS HelpDesk.  

CIS Helpdesk Support for Spring Term

If you need assistance please submit a ticket,  call 206.281.2982, or email help@spu.edu.  The Helpdesk will provide support 7:30am-5pm M-F. Evening support from 5pm-9pm will be provided Monday through Thursday from April 13th - May 21st.  

The CIS Helpdesk is closed to walk-in support. If you need in-person support, please contact the Helpdesk to make an appointment.  Only 1 person will be allowed into the CIS space at at time to maintain social distancing.  Appointments can be made M-F 10am-3pm for the first week of school and alternating Mondays/Tuesdays from 10am-3pm for the remainder of the term.  

Academic Labs and Software

Work continues to get academic labs hosted in the cloud.  The team is on track to begin testing with select faculty next week.  CIS plans to deliver the following 10 applications by the start of the term.  Additional applications will follow. If you have additional software that is critical and needs to be prioritized, please speak with your dean.  

Minitab • Autodesk AutoCAD • Autodesk Revit • ArcGIS • The Food Processor • MATLAB • Multism • Maple • LabView •SketchUp Pro

Adobe At-Home

Adobe is offering free use of Adobe Creative Cloud for all students, faculty, and staff through May 31. We are working with Adobe to extend access through the end of our spring quarter. 

Zoom Pro: Security and Privacy

There have been a number of recent security issues with Zoom making headlines (WSJ) lately. As usage has increased, so has the abuse of Zoom's easy-to-use and open platform.  See the following articles to understand key issues and how to secure your Zoom classes and meetings.  At this time we recommend 

• SPU Zoom Privacy FAQs
• Zoom Bombing/Crashing
• Zoom Zero-Day Exploit Fix

Scams and Cybersecurity

Scammers worldwide are taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis. Lax security and fractured communications during a rapid pivot of business and technology operations create a perfect environment for fraud. Stay vigilant as well as healthy.

• Coronavirus Scams: What the FTC is Doing
• FBI Urges Vigilance During COVID-19 Pandemic

Student Employees Work From Home

If you have student employees who lack the computing resources to do their work remotely, have your department head contact the Office of Student Employment (OSE@spu.edu).  Please be prepared to provide information on the number of student employees impacted and the resources they need access to.  

Loaner Computers for Students

The Technology Support Services team at the CIS HelpDesk has prepared a limited number of used computers to loan to students needing a device for the Spring term. Please have students contact the Center for Learning (cfl@spu.edu) for the evaluation of need. Approved students will be able to return the device at the end of the loan term or purchase it from the University.

Remote Call Centers and Phones

CIS has set up internet-based call centers for several campus offices including CIS, Student Financial Services and Admissions.  If your area is in need of routing your department's call center to those working remotely, reach out to the CIS Helpdesk. The service cost is $33/person/month.  If you need your individual phone forwarded, please submit a support ticket to the CIS Helpdesk.