ASG Newsletter

Behrend's quarterly newsletter, Academic Support Group (ASG), informs readers about the resources of the Center for Teaching Initiatives, Copy Center, Information Technology Services, and Library.  The following issues are available:

Summer 2020 Announcements

Join Us for the Behrend IT Forums for Classroom Technology

Faculty, BITS invites you to attend our weekly IT forums on classroom technology.  The forums are an opportunity to see demos of classroom technology, as well as ask questions or to let us know of your concerns.

The forums, held via Zoom, begin Thursday, July 23, and run through Thursday, September 10.  The times may vary, so check out the schedule at our Classroom Technology site.  To join any of the forums, use this Zoom link:  https://psu.zoom.us/j/8148986409.

In case you aren't able to attend, all of the sessions will be recorded and posted to the Classroom Technology site.

Campus-wide Power Outage June 30th

There will be a campus-wide, planned power outage on Tuesday, June 30th from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  Students, faculty, and staff should not plan to have access to on-campus or Behrend remote computer resources during this time period.  Zoom, Canvas, and Office 365 cloud sites will still function.

Check Out the Tech Guide for New Students

We've got your questions covered about computer recommendations, IT resources, and residence hall network connections.  To learn more, visit Tech Guide for New Students (PDF version).  And welcome to Penn State Behrend!

Upgrade to the Latest Version of Zoom by May 30

Due to an encryption update, all faculty, staff and student users are encouraged to upgrade to the latest version of Zoom by May 30, 2020. Instructions are available on the Zoom website.

While older versions of Zoom will still function, users will not be able to join Zoom meetings hosted by those using the latest version until they have also upgraded. If necessary, you will be prompted to upgrade to the latest version when you attempt to join a meeting. You can also check which version you are currently running at any time.

If you have questions or require assistance to upgrade, please contact BITS.

Penn State Go App Now Tailored for Campuses

The Penn State Go app allows you to sign in with your Penn State ID to access Canvas, Penn State email, Starfish, grades, class schedules, library services, tuition bills via LionPATH, LionCash+, campus maps, and much more.  The mobile app is available to download from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

The app has been updated to allow you to choose a specific campus so that you receive content, such as events, dining, news, and safety information, specific to that campus.  To select Penn State Behrend, click the Change App Experience button, then the Commonwealth Campuses button, then choosing Behrend from the list. You also can enable push notifications for important messages and to stay connected to what is happening at Behrend.

Additionally, with Penn State Go’s GPS location technology, when you’re traveling between campuses, you’ll receive a notification suggesting the most appropriate Campus Experience on the app as you approach campus facilities. Check out events happening at a campus, view the campus map, and discover what resources are available at your selected campus before you arrive.

You can let the Penn State Go mobile team know what you think of the app and how the mobile experience can be improved by submitting your feedback in the app.  For more information, visit the Penn State Go website and learn about its features.

Zoom Security Updates Coming May 11

Security updates for Zoom will take place on Monday, May 11 during the 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. maintenance window.

The updates will change the default settings of many features, including chat, screen sharing, and meeting passwords.  These changes will help increase security and prevent future "Zoom bombings."

Refer to the Zoom Meetings site for more details --- it includes a full list of changes, along with a video and steps on how to reconfigure the default settings.

You must be using the latest version of Zoom by May 30, 2020, on all of your electronic devices — including desktop computers, laptops, and mobile devices — to ensure that the program continues to run properly.

Students, faculty, and staff can request assistance by submitting a ticket to BITS.  You can also reach us by voice at  814-217-4357, by our ZOOM room number #8142174357, or by email . Other options for help include contacting the University’s Tech Tutors, or faculty can request a Tech TA.

Spring Semester 2020 Announcements

Students Required to Enroll in 2FA by May 12

Penn State will require students to enroll in Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) by May 12. 2FA provides an additional layer of security when logging in to Penn State services.  To learn more about 2FA, refer to the Penn State News article or visit the Penn State site for 2FA Enrollment.  

Power Outage Scheduled for Fri, 4/10/20

Behrend will experience a campus-wide power outage on Friday, April 10th from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Students, faculty, and staff will not have access to on-campus or Behrend remote computer resources during this time period. However, Zoom, Canvas, and Office 365 will still function. (This outage is due to critical updates that Penelec needs to implement in the local area.)

Possible Wireless Outage Friday, 3/20/20 (AM)

Penn State is scheduled to make updates to Behrend's Wi-Fi on Friday morning, 3/20/20.  It is possible that the upgrades may cause an outage to wireless service during this time. If you plan to use Behrend's Wi-Fi that Friday morning, please make alternative plans.  We appreciate your understanding as improvements are made.

Check Out the Schedule for Office 365 Training

(Updated 3/11/20)

Lindsey Troyanoski, a Microsoft learning consultant, will offer Office 365 training to University faculty and staff for the dates listed below.  Each session will be held on a Thursday --- once in the morning from 9 -10 am and again in the afternoon from 2 - 3 pm. (The sessions will be recorded and posted to the Office 365 Training web site once they become available.)

March 19 --- Overview of Office 365
April 2 ------- OneDrive vs. Teams vs. SharePoint
April 16 ----- Teams
April 30 ----- OneNote
May 14 ----- Planner and Stream

The sessions will be held via a Teams meeting which requires a link to attend, so please be sure to visit the Office 365 Training web site for details.  This site has 3 main sections:

  • Get all the details about Office 365 training – Session descriptions, dates, and links; registration; requirements; what you need to do to attend the session, links to recordings
  • Check out these tips for Teams Meetings – Technical requirements, recommendations, installation of Teams Desktop app, using the Teams Desktop app, and testing your audio
  • Register for Office 365 training – Registration form

If you plan to attend any of these sessions, please bookmark the Office 365 Training web site for reference.

Direct any questions regarding the sessions to Carolyn Dudas in BITS (814-898-6458).  For those at Behrend, if you have technical issues, please submit an IT ticket for assistance.  (Others should contact their local campus IT support for assistance.)

Students Required to Enroll in 2FA by May 12

Penn State will require students to enroll in Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) by May 12. 2FA provides an additional layer of security when logging in to Penn State services.  To learn more about 2FA, refer to the Penn State News article or visit the Penn State site for 2FA Enrollment.  

Penn State Go Mobile App Now Available

The new Penn State Go mobile app provides students with convenient access to email, Canvas, StarFish, Lionpath, library services, academic calendars, and much more.  It's currently available for download from the App Store and Google Play.  A desktop version of the app will be released in spring 2020.  For additional details about the release, see the Penn State Go news article.

Fall 2019: Archived Announcements

Google's G-Suite for Education is Here!

Penn State Information Technology has partnered with Google to offer a suite of applications that will help improve collaboration and productivity at no additional cost to students, faculty and staff.

G-Suite for Education includes several of Google’s most popular tools — Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Forms, Groups, Hangouts Chat, Hangouts Meet, Sites and Jamboard.  The suite may be accessed by students, faculty and staff who have a valid Penn State email address.

To learn more the suite and training resources, please refer to the article "Google's G Suite for Education Now Available to Penn State Community" or visit the G Suite for Education web site.

Microsoft Teams: Get Started with Online Collaboration

Learn how to create and organize a virtual collaboration space with Microsoft Teams.  You’ll have a chance to explore relevant features available in Teams (channels, apps, tabs etc.) and walk away with tips for setting up, organizing, and managing your Team to make collaboration more seamless.

This session will be offered by ITLD (IT Learning and Development, U.P.) via Zoom on Monday, 9/16, 11:45 am to 1:00 pm.  Registration is required.

LinkedIn Learning Replaces Lynda.com

Rebranded and updated, Lynda.com is now available to the Penn State community as LinkedIn Learning.  LinkedIn Learning features a new, easy-to-use interface, expanded course library and other interactive features that utilize the LinkedIn network

To learn more, visit the LinkedIn Learning web site.

Adobe Enterprise ID Account Needed for Creative Cloud Applications

Recently, Adobe announced changes to its licensing structure, which requires some additional steps for Penn State students, faculty and staff to use Adobe Creative Cloud applications.  Access to Adobe Creative Cloud will continue to be available at no charge.  However, an Adobe Enterprise ID account is now required. Students, faculty and staff can sign up for a free Adobe Enterprise ID account.