Your ITS team is excited to begin the 2017–2018 academic year in partnership with you. We have completed or made progress on several major projects this summer. Below are updates on improvements that have been made or are underway.
The new ITS service portal offers you a rich way to engage with us and better address your technology issues. By using the service portal at http://service.drake.edu/its you can keep up to date on service outages, search for Knowledge Base (self-help) articles, and help us resolve your issues more quickly by providing relevant information in issue-specific request forms.
Here are some resources that provide additional information about the service portal and how to use it:
- Introductory video
- Knowledgebase article on using the service portal
- In-person training sessions (open to all faculty and staff):
1. Monday, Sept. 11, 9:30–10:30 a.m., Cowles Library, Room 201
2. Tuesday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 201
3. Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2–3 p.m., Cowles Library, Room 201
ITS has added value through several other improvement projects over the summer:
- Replaced more than 275 computers
- Moved technology for more than 70 office relocations
- Added a computer checkout kiosk with 14 Macbook laptops in Meredith Hall available to all students and employees, including adjunct faculty
- Designed and installed technology in 45 spaces in the Science Connector Building (SCB) and Collier-Scripps Hall
- Installed more than 100 new internet phones in SCB, Collier-Scripps Hall, and in other campus locations
As we move into the academic year, we are working with groups across campus on several complex projects that will extend throughout 2018:
- Upgrading Banner to the newest version—Banner 9
- Replacing blueView with a new portal based on Microsoft SharePoint and Office 365
- Deploying technology and infrastructure to support online programs
- Updating presentation technology in Sussman Theater and other classrooms
- Implementing personal cloud storage for all students and employees using Microsoft OneDrive
Starting in September we’re launching a new program to campus, Tech Tuesdays. Join ITS staff in the Dial Center on the second Tuesday of each month from 2 to 2:50 p.m. Each month we’ll have a different topic designed to provide you with resources to use technology more efficiently in your job (and your life). Feel free to sign up for one session, or all four.
The first session on Sept. 12 will be a panel discussion with ITS staff on campus technology. Sign up and check out the topics for future sessions at itstechtuesdays.eventbrite.com.
We are also planning for the next administrative services satisfaction survey (which includes ITS). Please watch for this survey later in the fall and help us continue to improve our service to you by completing it. Speaking of continuous improvement, the ITS continuous improvement plan is always available on the ITS website.
As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or any member of my team if you have questions, comments, concerns, and ideas for improvement.
—Chris Gill, Chief Information Technology Officer