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:
Note: Older, archived announcements may have information or links that are no longer valid.
Spring 2022 Announcements
Learn about Out-of-Classrom Opportunities via App
The Engagement App is designed to help students identify opportunities to participate in student organizations, undergraduate research, study abroad, community service and/or internships. Students can use the app to search for experiences and filter results based on campus and major. It’s also a way for students to connect with other students and faculty who have similar interests.
The app, which is free to Penn State students, is available for download in the App Store or Google Play by searching “Penn State Engagement App.” Users log in using WebAccess, and the app will automatically retrieve their Penn State information.
New ITLD Site Includes Training Calendar
IT Learning and Development (ITLD) recently redesigned its web site. The new site includes the same helpful technology training resources, but in a new, easy-to-use format. Supported services now have dedicated pages that contain all relevant links, making it easy to quickly find the technology training solutions that best suit your needs. In addition, the calendar of training events is posted to the site as well. To view the calendar or to search for training, select "Events" from the menu at the top.
Fall 2021: Archived Announcements
New Version of One Button Studio
One Button Studio makes it easy to produce professional-quality videos. Late this fall, version 2.0 was launched which provides new features that improve the process for recording, saving, and sharing video projects. The One Button Studio at Behrend is located in the Lilley Library, Room 107. Visit One Button Studio to learn more about the new features and how you can get started creating your video project.
Beware of 2FA Scams
Be alert for text message scams which attempt to hack your Duo Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) account in order to gain access to your Penn State account.
The scam operates with the hacker sending a text message requesting a DUO authorization code to access your Duo profile. If they receive that code, the hacker can then add their device to your account. This enables them to receive 2FA push notifications or even push Duo notifications for you to accept.
To learn more about these types of scams and how to avoid them, see Penn State Alerts Community to Two-Factor Authentication Scams.
If you think you may have already replied to a fraudulent text message, contact Penn State's Office of Information Security (OIS).
Training: Collaborate using OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams
In collaboration with Learning Tree International, IT Learning & Development (ITLD at PSU) is offering the following training session: Office 365: Key Tools for Personal Productivity and Collaboration. The sessions are being offered from October 11, 2021 though January 2022 to faculty and staff.
The 1.5-hour session explores the storage and collaboration functions of OneDrive and SharePoint. Plus, you will learn how Microsoft Teams can be used for communication and collaboration, as well as how it interacts with both OneDrive and SharePoint.
Registration is required.
Learn the Basics of OneDrive
If you would like to learn the basics of the online version of OneDrive, be sure to check out the sessions offered by IT Learning and Development (ITLD). Topics include how to access OneDrive from your web browser and how to upload, create, manage, and share your files. To view available dates/times and to register, see OneDrive: An Introduction.
Workshops for Data Analytics and Visualization
During the months of September and October, workshops will be offered for data analytics and visualization. Sessions will highlight tools for business analytics (Power BI, Tableau) and cloud platforms for big data analytics (Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services).
A drop-in office hour will be offered after each workshop for those interested in discussing specific applications for their research projects.
The sessions are free and open to Penn State students, faculty, and staff.
See the Penn State news article for more details and to register.
IT Training Opportunities
IT Learning and Development (ITLD) offers online training for topics such as: Canvas, Office 365, Top Hat, and Zoom. For more information and to register, visit ITLD. (Click the link at the top, right to view the current month's sessions or use the search box to find sessions.)
And if you aren't able to attend training, be sure to check out ITLD's library of recordings from past sessions.
Summer 2021: Archived Announcements
Training Opportunities for August
IT Learning and Development (ITLD) is offering online training for the following topics: Canvas, Office 365, Top Hat, and Zoom. For more information and to register, visit ITLD Training Offerings for August.
And if you aren't able to attend training, be sure to check out ITLD's library of recordings from past sessions.
Find All Your Zoom Recordings in Kaltura
Penn State is phasing out the storage of recordings in the Zoom cloud. Instead, you'll be able to access the Zoom recordings from, Kaltura, which is Penn State's tool for storing, publishing, and streaming media. Kaltura's advantages include a larger storage capacity and access to your media files over a longer period. The transition to Kaltura will begin on August 16, 2021. For more details, see Find All Your Zoom Recordings in Kaltura.
New Penn State Sign-in to Replace WebAccess on July 7
WebAccess will be replaced with a new Penn State sign-in provided by Microsoft to manage and secure user identities. While it will look different from WebAccess, its functionality will remain the same.
On July 7, Penn State account holders will login to secure University applications, such as Canvas, LionPATH, and Workday, by entering their Penn State user ID followed by "@psu.edu". See Penn State's news article for more information and instructions.
Upcoming Scheduled Power Outages for July
Preventative maintenance of the electrical systems in a number of college buildings will result in full power outages from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. on these days in the affected buildings:
- Monday, July 12 – Otto Behrend Science
- Tuesday, July 13 – Hammermill, Turnbull, and Glenhill
- Wednesday, July 14, and Thursday, July 15 – Burke
Learn More about Office 365 with New Video Series: Bits & Tips
BITS has launched the Bits and Tips video series. It’s an opportunity to learn a bit more about an application, such as Office 365 (Outlook, Teams, etc.).
Currently, the videos provide step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish a specific task for an application. We also plan to spotlight software applications and how they might be useful in the office, classroom, or for research. And the recordings are designed to be brief and to the point so you can learn what you need or accomplish the given task.
If you have a suggestion for a future episode of Bits and Tips, please complete the one-question survey, Suggestions for Topics. Your input will be much appreciated as we continue to add new topics and make improvements along the way.
Spring 2021: Archived Announcements
Create PSU Lifetime Password Prior to May 12
The PSU Lifetime Password is finally here. This means that once you change your password to meet the new requirements, you won't ever need to change it again (unless it becomes compromised).
All faculty and staff are required to create a new password by May 12. If you already changed your password in March or April, you should be set for your lifetime password. If you're not sure of your password expiration date, login to Account Management and select "Security Settings".
As you know, your password is integrated into so many services and devices; changing it creates ripples effects in everything you do. Changing the password is the easy part --– testing to make sure all your devices have the new password will take some time.
However, before you do anything, please do the following:
- Plan and set aside at least 40 minutes, preferably while you are on campus.
- Bring all your mobile devices (phones, laptops) with you.
Then follow these steps:
Office Computer
- Arrive at campus.
- Using your office computer, login to https://accounts.psu.edu.
- Change your password.
- Restart your computer.
- Log back in to your computer.
After logging in, the following applications will prompt you for your new password:
- OneDrive, i.e. the blue cloud icon in the bottom, right corner of your screen (Desktop and Documents)
- Office 365 Desktop Apps (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, etc.)
And, if applicable, these applications will prompt you for your new password:
- Global Protect (globe icon in the bottom, right corner of screen)
- PSU Wi-Fi (laptops, mobile phones)
Mobile Devices
- Disconnect the dock from your laptop.
- Make sure you can log in without the dock connection before leaving campus.
What if I changed my password while OFF-campus?
If you changed your password while OFF-Campus, there are a few extra steps. Please see Password Tips for Off-campus & Mobile Users. This site has information on how to re-establish access to application and computer logins.
Need help?
As always, we are here to help. If you need assistance or have questions, please contact our help desk at 814-217-4357 (HELP).
To read more about the lifetime password initiative, please see the news story University to Implement Lifetime Password Policy for Penn State Accounts.
Students: Download New VPN by June 19
Students who access secure Penn State resources must install new VPN software by June 19. The new software is called Global Protect and is available at no cost.
For more details, see Students who access secure Penn State resources must download new VPN.
Faculty: Request Software for Fall
Just a reminder… It’s that time of year when we need to know what software you need in the labs for the upcoming semester. Please visit Software Search to see the software that is currently available and in which labs. If you do not see your software application and/or it’s not available in the lab where you will be teaching this fall, please complete the Software Request form. Thanks!
Students: Prepare for Box Migration Prior to June
With file storage now available through the Office 365, the University will retire Box in September 2021. As a result, the University will migrate your Box files to OneDrive beginning in June.
Prior to June, students should delete files that are no longer needed. Also, to help ensure a smooth migration, please refer to the Box Pre-Migration Checklist.
Students who plan to graduate and wish to retain any of the files in Box will need to download the folders/files.
After September, the Box files will be permanently gone.
For more details, see the Box news story and the Box Migration web site.
Faculty/Staff: What You Need to Know about Box Migration
The take-away… DO NOT USE BOX.
Phase 2, the final phase of the Box file migration, is expected to be completed in early April. Upon completion, you will receive an email that states that your Phase 2 is complete. At that point, if you have any external collaborators, you will need to re-do their sharing permissions. The sharing permissions were maintained for internal collaborators.
The University will provide BITS with an error report so that we can reach out to assist. But if you have any questions or need assistance with your migrated files, please complete an IT Ticket. (Select “Box Files for Migration” under the “My Office” category.)
Although you are still able to see a copy of your files in Box, DO NOT access them from Box. These files will remain in Box until September 2021, when the University’s contract expires. Once the contract expires, the Box files will be permanently gone.
Two-Factor Authentication Tips
Steps to Re-Synch your Phone's DUO App with the Penn State Two Factor Authentication System
- Make sure you have the DUO app installed on your phone and are sitting in front of a computer.
- On the computer, visit Canvas or Lionpath or some site that requires Web Access authentication.
- Log in and get to the Duo 2 Factor screen, and then look to the left of the page. You'll see an 'Add a new device' link.
- Follow the prompts, including using your phone to prove who you are (accept a phone call from the Duo service).
- Once you're past that, and after a couple clicks to verify your phone service carrier and your phone type, a QR code will appear.
- With your phone, open the Duo app and touch the "+" sign at the top right of the app's screen. This will trigger your phone's camera.
- Scan the QR code on the computer screen to complete the synchronization of your phone's app and the Duo system. The Duo 'push' service will now work.
Note: If you've gotten a new phone with a new phone number, you'll have to call UP's IT Help Desk at 814-863-9533 to reset your DUO account and 'start from scratch' with the new number.
Box Migration Starts Soon!
With file storage now available through the Office 365, the University will retire Box in September 2021. Migration of Box content to Office 365 is underway at the University. The migration for Behrend will take place in February for early adopters and in March for the remainder of the college.
For more details, visit our Box Migration site.
Fall 2020: Archived Announcements
Box to be Retired September 2021
With file storage now available through the Office 365 and Google suites, the University will retire Box in September 2021.
If you currently use Box, there is no action that you need to take at this time. In addition, do not move or delete any files in Box; the University will provide migration tools to move the files to a different location. Later this fall, BITS will reach out to the college community to assist and support the migration process.
As more information becomes available, we'll post it to our Box Migration site.
Summer 2020: Archived 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. 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 2020: Archived 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.