Office of the Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology News

Texas A&M Students Win Communication Award for Earth Day Video

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:40:58 CST

Texas A&M students, Michelle Robbins and Brian Hutson, received a best in category award from the ACM Special Interest Group on University and College Computing Services for an Earth Day promotional video. Sponsored by Texas A&M Information Technology, the video features students talking about how they plan to celebrate Earth Day on campus and provides helpful tips on conserving energy.

Texas A&M Information Technology Receives Communication Awards

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:20:23 CST

Texas A&M Information Technology's Communications & Marketing was recognized for excellence in communications from the International Association of Business Communicators, Southern Region. The Information Security Awareness Month campaign received an award of excellence for online, electronic, or Internet/intranet communication. The campaign also received an award of merit in the communication management, issues management, and crisis communications category.

The Information Security Awareness Month campaign received a best in category award for a general service campaign from the Special Interest Group on University and College Computing Services.

The "It's Up to You" informational campaign included a web site with videos and a weekly online quiz.

IT Grants Fund Student, Faculty Computing Improvements

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:28:47 CST

Dr. Pierce Cantrell, Vice President & Associate Provost for Information Technology (VPAPIT), announced that $200,000 will be available for proposals that support student instructional computing for fiscal year 2010. Also, $193,000 will be available in matching funds for department and college proposals to upgrade classroom technology. During the 15 previous years of the Computer Access/Instructional Technology Fees (CA/ITF) Competitive Grant and Classroom Instructional Technology Matching Grant programs, many high-quality proposals have been funded, which had a positive impact on the student instructional computing environment.

The Faculty Workstation Program, which is funded by Interim President R. Bowen Loftin's office, the VPAPIT Capital Computer Equipment Fund, and the Dean, department, or individual faculty member's grant funds, represents the commitment of the university administration to replace computer workstations for faculty members at least every four years. The total annual funding for the program on both the Galveston and College Station campuses is $933,000 for FY2010.

More information can be viewed at the VPAPIT web site's Grant Programs page.

Texas A&M Opens Second Life Campus

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:42:37 CST

The university has opened dedicated learning spaces in the three-dimensional world for instructor and student use in time for the fall semester. Managed by Instructional Technology Services, the Second Life Campus is a free 3D virtual world where users can socialize, connect, and create using voice and text chat. The Aggieland and 12th Man Islands include 10 classroom areas, seven open-space areas, an amphitheater for larger group meetings, and several smaller meeting areas.

To learn more, read the Aggie News article.

To read about creating an account, obtaining learning space for courses, or viewing the Second Life Campus Orientation, go to TAMU Second Life Campus.

New Code Maroon System Launched

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:34:03 CST

Code Maroon, Texas A&M University’s emergency notification system, is now accepting enrollees in its new system. Texas A&M students, faculty and staff who signed up for Code Maroon before Tuesday, July 21, 2009, must re-enroll in the new system to continue receiving alerts. To sign up, visit http://codemaroon.tamu.edu.

Starting August 31, 2009, emergency alerts will come from AtHoc ISW Alerts, Code Maroon’s new vendor that uses a single integrated system to notify the campus of an emergency.

“Recent tests have demonstrated that text messaging is the fastest way to receive alerts, and we encourage all Texas A&M students and employees to sign up to receive text alerts in the new system,” said Charley Clark, Associate Vice President for University Risk & Compliance. “Our goal is to get as many people as possible signed up in the new Code Maroon before it goes live on August 31.”

With the new system, Texas A&M students, faculty and staff members who have a NetID and password can register one number to receive text message alerts. Alerts will also be sent to all Texas A&M Email (Neo) accounts ending with “@neo.tamu.edu.”

Parents, local residents and friends of Texas A&M can follow “TAMUCodeMaroon” on Twitter or subscribe to Code Maroon’s RSS feed to receive alerts. The new system also sends alerts via campus cable television, KAMU-FM radio and Emergency Alert System radios, and has the ability to send desktop pop-up alerts.

Appointment of CIS Executive Director and Deputy CIO

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:29:53 CST

Colleagues,

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Miner (Pete) Marchbanks, Jr. on being named the Executive Director for Computing and Information Services and Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO). Dr. Marchbanks was selected for the position after a national search.

I am confident that Dr. Marchbanks can effectively build on CIS' strengths in delivering core information technology services and facilities, while also providing leadership for the strategic development of our IT infrastructure. Additionally, I know that Dr. Marchbanks will continue to strengthen the focus on customer service to our faculty, staff, and students.

Dr. Marchbanks earned both his Masters and Ph.D. in Computer Science at Texas A&M University. In his 42 years of service to Texas A&M University, Dr. Marchbanks has worked in each area of CIS, giving him a unique understanding of the organization and responsibilities of its employees. Dr. Marchbanks has served as the Interim Executive Director and Deputy Chief Information Officer since August 2007. During this time, he continued to serve as the Director of Instructional Media Services and Associate Director of Customer Sales and Service for CIS.

During the past seventeen months as Interim Executive Director and Deputy CIO, Dr. Marchbanks has demonstrated his ability to lead effectively in the position. Under his leadership, the campus data centers have been upgraded, the campus email system has been modernized, and disaster recovery and emergency notification systems have been established. Dr. Marchbanks has also worked to leverage the buying power of CIS to secure savings for the entire Texas A&M System through site-licensed software purchases.

CIS is responsible for providing computing resources, services, and support to Texas A&M University students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of The Texas A&M University System. The Executive Director and Deputy CIO is responsible for the overall direction, leadership, planning, and accountability for the operations of CIS.

Regards,

Pierce E. Cantrell, Jr.
Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology

Texas A&M Information Technology Receives IABC Communication Awards

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 15:31:30 CST

Texas A&M Information Technology's Communications & Marketing was recognized for excellence in communications from the International Association of Business Communicators, Brazos Valley Chapter (http://bv.iabc.com). The Information Security Awareness Month campaign and web site received the highest Brazos Bravo awards (http://itsuptoyou.tamu.edu). The new student orientation brochure, "A Non-Geek's Guide to IT Services at Texas A&M" won an Award of Excellence (http://cis.tamu.edu/students/nsc/booklet.pdf). The Welcome to Howdy video received an Award of Merit (http://howdy.tamu.edu/Inside/Guides/videoPlayer.html?movie=0).

Texas A&M places third at National Cyber Defense Competition

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:32:34 CST

Texas A&M placed third at the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC). In this competition, 8 regional champion teams competed to protect their corporate networks from intruders, and keep all network services running. Congratulations to Texas A&M’s team members:

» Christopher Bertsch
» Mark Browning
» Drew Fisher
» David Mackey
» Matthew Mullins
» Ankur Nandwani
» Jason Ross
» Kyle Willmon

CCDC is a unique competition for full-time college students. Students are “hired” as the new IT department for a corporation and asked to provide services and protect the network. During the competition, teams are under constant attack from a “Red Team” of experienced network security professionals acting as hackers. This competition has grown from five Southwest schools in 2005 to include 65 schools from across the Nation.

Texas A&M has won four Southwest regional competitions, and competed at three national competitions. Even though CCDC is more challenging each year, Texas A&M has met the challenge by placing in the top three at each national tournament in which they have competed.

Hewlett-Packard Chosen as Bulk Computer Purchase Program Vendor

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:24:41 CST

The Workstation Upgrade Program (WUP) is a bulk computer purchase program that achieves standards and savings for the university and participating members of The Texas A&M University System. In the Open Access Labs, one-third of computers are replaced every year through this program.

Texas A&M Information Technology evaluated several desktop manufacturers and chose Hewlett-Packard as this year's vendor. This year's unit costs for standard desktop configurations average $50 less than last year's prices.

Texas A&M Information Technology is coordinating with Procurement Services to offer these negotiated prices to other university departments and A&M System members. Through these efforts in fiscal year 2008, WUP purchases from last year's vendor, Dell, Inc., achieved a 52 percent average discount beyond the single unit price. Last year, a total of 1,362 desktop PCs were ordered from Dell at a value of $1.1 million.

Information Technology Advisory Committee

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:46:54 CST

Campus advisory committee supports collaboration and cooperation among central and distributed campus IT.

Campus IT personnel face many challenges in delivering services and supporting their customers. To address these demands, gathering perspectives from across the university, sharing resources, coordinating efforts, and arriving at collective decisions on IT- and security-related issues are vitally important. The Information Technology Advisory Committee facilitates this collaborative approach and increases communication across the campus IT community. The committee includes representatives from the university's academic and administrative areas. It meets on second and fourth Thursdays to identify common IT issues, review and evaluate solutions, and provide recommendations to form security policies and operational decisions with the Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology.

To read more, visit http://itforum.tamu.edu/IT_Forum/IT_Advisory_Committee.php.

Questions or comments can be sent to the committee at itac@tamu.edu.

IT Grants Fund Student Computing Improvements

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:41:50 CST

The Computer Access/Instructional Technology Fees (CA/ITF) Competitive Grant and Classroom Instructional Technology Matching Grant programs fund proposals that positively impact the student instructional computing environment.

Dr. Pierce Cantrell, Vice President & Associate Provost for Information Technology, said $200,000 will be available for proposals that support student instructional computing for fiscal year 2009. Also, $193,000 will be distributed in matching funds for departments and colleges to upgrade classroom technology.

During each of the 14 previous years of these programs, many high quality proposals have been submitted and funded. More information about these grants can be viewed at http://vpapit.tamu.edu/Home/Services/Grant_Programs.php.

October is Information Security Awareness Month

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:06:58 CST

During October, Texas A&M University will be participating in the national campaign to raise awareness of computer security issues. The campaign's theme, "It's Up To You," will emphasize how your daily activities can impact the security of your computer, your personal information, and the campus network. Students can take the online "Security Challenge" and enter to win prizes including iPods and restaurant gift certificates. Visit the new Information Security web site (http://security.tamu.edu/) for specific tips for maintaining a safe and secure computing environment. If you have any questions about information security issues, please contact Help Desk Central at 979.845.8300 or helpdesk@tamu.edu.

Telecommunications Installs Distributed Antenna System to Improve Campus Cell Phone Service

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:43:35 CST

Most Texas A&M University students are opting to use cell phones exclusively instead of traditional landline phones. To manage increased cell usage and maintain quality of service for campus cell phone users, Telecommunications has installed a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). This innovative wireless technology uses microcells of antennas mounted on or in buildings to provide better coverage and added capacity in areas of high cell usage. DAS locations include residence halls, West Campus, and Kyle Field. AT&T and Verizon Wireless have signed agreements with Texas A&M to use DAS. Customers of these participating carriers should see improved mobile service on campus. For more information, visit http://telecom.tamu.edu/Home/Services/Distributed_Antenna_System.php.

Texas A&M Information Technology Receives SIGUCCS Communication Awards

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:56:12 CST

The Office of the Vice President and Associate Provost for Information Technology's Communications & Marketing is being recognized with three ACM Special Interest Group on University and College Computing Services (SIGUCCS) Communication Awards (www.siguccs.org). These awards acknowledge excellence in developing useful and appealing materials to enhance information technology services. The Welcome to Howdy video (Best of Category) and the Getting Started, Personalizing, and Getting Help videos (Award of Excellence) can be viewed at howdy.tamu.edu. The IT Services campaign for New Student Conferences also received an Award of Excellence. The winning entries can be viewed at cis.tamu.edu/SIGUCCS/nsc5d.html. The awards will be presented at the SIGUCCS 2008 Fall Conference, October 19-22, in Portland, Oregon.

Emergency Alert System Radios Deployed

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:02:35 CST

As part of Texas A&M's Code Maroon initiative, Telecommunications is delivering Emergency Alert System (EAS) radios to university departments, residence halls, and building proctors. Funded by the university, EAS radios provide additional ability to quickly communicate health and safety emergency information. They operate in a similar fashion as weather radios and will only broadcast emergency messages relevant to the campus. Texas A&M System components will be able to purchase radios for $65.00 per unit.

Please note that each radio will be equipped with batteries (6 AA), along with set up/maintenance instructions, and will already be programmed to the correct channel, 90.9. For further information and guidance, please refer to the Telecommunications web site, http://telecom.tamu.edu/Home/Services/Emergency_Alert_System_Radios.php.

Commercial Bryan Facility Now With Dedicated Campus Connection

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:22:13 CST

Fibertown is a Tier IV data center in downtown Bryan providing redundant power and cooling, physical security, and 24/7 availability. Fibertown, in conjunction with Texas A&M, provides a private fiber connection for the exclusive use of Texas A&M customers. This fiber connection, administered by Texas A&M NIS, extends the Texas A&M campus network (at gigabit speeds) to the Fibertown data center making it a near term solution for dwindling campus machine room space. Fibertown's fiber connection to Texas A&M also facilitates interconnections to the TTVN and LEARN networks.

Because this new service is under a master purchase agreement, campus users do not need to use the bid process to rent space in Fibertown. The agreement offers flexible lease options, including renting partial or entire cabinets, month-to-month rental, or leasing for the entire year.

Telecommunications is administering this new service and the Fibertown work order form is available at http://telecom.tamu.edu/forms/. As a further convenience, your department will be billed through Telecommunications, so you will not need to set up billing with Fibertown.

For more information about the facility, visit http://fibertown.com/colo/.

For questions on the new service, please contact Telecommunications at 979.845.1020.

Sincerely,
University Telecommunications

CIS Receives Campus Technology Innovators Award

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:49:12 CST

Computing & Information Services was recognized as a Campus Technology Innovator for the successful deployment of Texas A&M University Email. The new system delivers updated email and full-featured collaboration tools. The extensive conversion, which involved moving 80,000 mailboxes and millions of messages, occurred smoothly with relatively few problems.

The Campus Technology Innovators award recognizes higher education information technology advances on North American college and university campuses. Texas A&M was one of 14 winners selected from 275 nominations. The university is featured in the August 2008 issue of Campus Technology (see the article at http://campustechnology.com/articles/65883).

Compass to be Name of New Student Information System

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:02:39 CST

The Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) project team has been working to convert the current student information system, SIMS, to a new system that will be known at Texas A&M as Compass. To learn more, visit the EIS web site at http://eis.tamu.edu, which was recently redesigned to include new information about the project. The new Compass system is being launched in phases with Admissions being the first office scheduled to go "live" in using Compass this fall to enter and process new applicants.

Matching Fund Program Announced For Wireless Access Points

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:37:44 CST

Pierce E. Cantrell, Vice President & Associate Provost for Information Technology, has announced that, in order to expand wireless networking (802.11g) access on campus, the cost for wireless access point installation during FY2008 will be reduced using a special allocation from the Office of the President. Priority for support will go to academic departments, student-use areas, and projects that complete the coverage of an entire building, he says and adds that this prioritizing will begin Monday, March 3. Proposals received after March 3 will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis until the matching funds are depleted. Cantrell says, because of the funding source, Auxiliary Enterprises are not eligible and the matching funds are only available to Texas A&M departments. The cost to the department for new access points approved for matching funds will be one-third the regular cost, i.e., $358 per access point instead of $1,073. Total project cost will be determined after the completion of a site survey, and it may include allowances for student common areas or other work in progress. Normal installation costs can be found at the General Computing Rates page, and current wireless coverage can be seen at the TAMULink web site. Installation requests and questions may be sent via email to request@tamu.edu or call Networking and Information Security at 862-2222.

Texas A&M Email Goes Mobile

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:44:24 CST

April 2008

Texas A&M University Email now supports a mobile phone application that allows users to access email, contacts, calendars, and other online services. This synchronization program, called TAMU Email Mobile, allows users to transfer data "over-the-air" to their personal smart phone or PDA. Read more at http://cis.tamu.edu/email/NeoMobile.php.

Enterprise Information Systems Launches Howdy Web Portal

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:33:46 CST

April 2008

The Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) project team launched Howdy, a milestone web portal for Texas A&M University, at https://howdy.tamu.edu. Howdy is the first application to go live as part of the new, web-based, Compass student information system set to replace the current system (SIMS). The Howdy web portal will be the front door for many Texas A&M web-based services, including Compass and the information it will provide for students and applicants, faculty, and staff.

Upgraded TAMULink Wireless Network Enhances Security

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:45:37 CST

March 2008

TAMULink, Texas A&M's wireless network, has been completely upgraded to use Wi-Fi Protected Access Enterprise (WPA), a robust security technology that protects wireless traffic. TAMULink provides Internet access at many locations on campus including classrooms, libraries, computing facilities, eateries, offices, and meeting areas. To learn more about TAMULink, visit the new TAMULink web site. View an interactive map of campus wireless locations, find out about temporary guest accounts, and read about setting up WPA on your laptop.