There is no action required on the part of users to update their licensing. Immediate benefits of this change will include:

Advanced Analytics and Insights:��With the A5 license, users will have access to advanced analytics tools such as Power BI Pro, which can help create detailed reports, visualize data and gain deeper insights. These tools are designed to foster informed decision-making and improve productivity.

Improved Communication and Collaboration:��The A5 license includes advanced communications functionality in Microsoft Teams including dial-in conferencing for all meetings. This will enhance users’ ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, students and external partners, whether on campus or remotely.

Enhanced Security:��The A5 license includes advanced security features that are not available in the A3 license. These features include advanced threat protection, information protection and identity management capabilities. This means better protection against cyber threats, data breaches and unauthorized access, ensuring that our University’s data and your personal information are more secure.

Comprehensive Compliance Solutions:��The A5 license provides advanced compliance solutions that help ensure our University meets regulatory requirements. This includes tools for data loss prevention, eDiscovery and advanced auditing capabilities. These features will help maintain compliance with various regulations and protect sensitive information.

If you have questions about this or any other technology-related topic, please contact the ITS Service Center at��help@syr.edu��or 315.443.2677.

This new method is faster and easier, ensuring that potential threats are quickly flagged for our information security team to address. By making it simpler to report suspicious emails, we can better protect our campus community from phishing attacks.

For step-by-step instructions on how to use the Report Message feature, please . If you have any questions, please contact the ITS Security Department at infosec@syr.edu.

Photo by Marilyn Hesler

Andrew McClurg, with (ITS), is often asked how people can stay safe online to protect against scams and hackers. He breaks it down to some basic points to remember.

“I always focus on four main things: passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), keeping software updated and knowing how to spot phishing emails and how to report them,” says McClurg, an IT analyst with the Information Security (InfoSec) team.

Andrew McClurg

SU News caught up with McClurg for a Q&A on the best tips during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Established in 2004 by Congress and the White House, the initiative raises awareness about cybersecurity’s importance and ensures people have the resources to be safer and more secure online.

For the University, InfoSec team members do everything they can to keep your experience online as safe as possible. As part of securing users and their data, the University has firewalls in place; these are security systems that monitor and control network traffic to protect a computer or network from cyberattacks. The challenge, however, is that hackers are getting smarter than ever. To stay safe online, you need to be your own human firewall.

What does that look like exactly? McClurg explains.

What can we do to keep our passwords safe?

• Make sure all your passwords are unique across your accounts.
• Create complex passwords.
• Use long memorable phrases or song lyrics with numbers and special characters.
• Never share your passwords with others. ITS staff will never ask for or need your password to assist you.
• Setup a password manager to keep track of and monitor your passwords. This will suggest strong passwords, alert you to passwords that have appeared in data leaks and flag passwords used across accounts.

Why should we enable MFA?

MFA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring a second form of verification, such as a code or login approval request sent to your mobile device or email, in addition to your password. MFA requests could also require a biometric component, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition. The University requires the Microsoft Authenticator.��Something important to keep in mind is that you should never share your MFA codes with others and ITS staff will never ask for or need your MFA code to assist you.

Want to learn more about MFA? Visit our .

How do software updates play a role in keeping devices secure?

In addition to new features and general maintenance, software updates often include security patches that close vulnerabilities that bad actors might use to install malware, steal data or launch other types of attacks. It is recommended to keep your systems updated to strengthen your security posture. Often operating systems (e.g. Windows, macOS, Android, iOS) and some software offer automatic updates to make this process easier for the user.

What is a phishing email and what should I do if I receive one?

Phishing emails are a common tactic used by cybercriminals to steal sensitive information. You should be wary of unexpected emails, especially if they ask for personal information, create a sense of urgency or contain suspicious links/attachments.

If you receive a suspicious email, be sure to consider the following:

• Does the URL look right?
  • On your smartphone or tablet, press the link and hold down until a dialog box appears containing the URL.
  • On your computer, hover over the link with your mouse. The URL will usually appear in the lower-left corner of your window.
• Does the login screen look right?��Do not enter your NetID and password unless you are certain it is safe.
• Are you expecting the document or link?��Be suspicious of unexpected emails sharing documents and links. If you are not sure, contact the sender (preferably via text message, phone or an alternative email address) and ask if they shared a document with you.
• Do you know the person sharing it?��Consider the message suspicious if you do not know the person the message is from. Be aware, though, that phishers often use compromised accounts to send their messages, and they can also forge the sending address. If you feel at all unsure, call the person and ask if they shared a document or link with you.
• Can you tell what the document is? Is it clear to you from the document title and message what the document is and why the sender is sharing it with you? Phishers often send vague messages that just say a document has been shared with you. They rely on your curiosity. Do not open suspicious shared documents just to see what they are.
• Beware of flattery. Customized emails that compliment research and ask you to look at a shared document or link related to it. If it looks suspicious, do not log in.
• Be suspicious of emails offering deals that seem too good to be true. For example, remote work that pays exceptionally well for little time investment or offers of heavily discounted or even free technology hardware, tools and musical instruments. A favorite of the security team is the free baby grand Yamaha piano, which appears several times each year.

You can report suspicious emails by using the Report Phishing function within Microsoft Outlook. This will alert the security team who will take the appropriate actions to remediate the incident, which may include deleting the email from all inboxes, locking accounts if sent from a Syracuse account and blocking the sender. Additionally, for the latest list of phishing emails that have recently circulated throughout the Syracuse University community, visit the .

During the downtime, MySlice and all applications that are accessed only through MySlice will be unavailable. For a complete list of applications that will be unavailable during the downtime, please visit the .

For questions about this or any other technology-related topic, please contact the Information Technology Service Center at help@syr.edu or 315.443.2677.

What Is Sextortion?��

Sextortion is a type of cybercrime in which the attacker claims to have access to intimate or compromising information about you, such as photos or videos. The sender will often demand payment, typically in cryptocurrency, in exchange for not releasing this information. To make their threats seem more real, they might include personal details such as your phone number, address or even the names of friends or family members. It is important to understand that bad actors often collect this information from publicly available sources without an actual breach of your accounts or devices.��

What Should You Do if You Receive a Sextortion Email?��

1. Stay Calm: The goal of these emails is to create fear and urgency. It is important to stay calm and recognize that this is a scam.��
2. Do Not Respond: Do not engage with the sender or provide any personal information.��
3. Do Not Make Payments: These threats are baseless. Paying the attacker will encourage them to make additional requests.��
4. Report It: Forward the email to your local IT support so they can investigate and take appropriate action. If you are concerned about your personal accounts, consider updating your passwords and enabling two-factor authentication for additional protection.��

Receiving such emails can be distressing. ITS is here to assist and guide you through the situation. The ITS Information Security team is actively working to address these incidents and to help protect our campus community.

The new Sign in screen will help users distinguish between the University-sanctioned portal and other Sign in screens that might be for personal accounts or malicious sites designed to trick users into revealing their account information.

The new look will be consistent across desktop, phones and tablet devices. Other features of the updated Sign in screen include a link to to get help with account access and the ability to add news alerts or other information.

Current Microsoft Sign in screen

New Sign in screen for desktops

New Sign in screen for smartphones

New Sign in screen for tablets

As of Tuesday morning, the University is experiencing a significant slowdown with Microsoft services, including email. Users have reported email delays of up to 30 minutes or more. ITS is working with Microsoft to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

SU News will update the campus community once the issue has been fixed.

To help students answer all these questions and more with just a few finger taps, Syracuse University recently launched a new flagship mobile app experience. The , available on the and , was developed directly in response to student feedback and brings together many of the essential tools, resources and platforms that contribute to a thriving student experience on campus.

Features of the app include:

• seamless integration with Blackboard to view class schedules, upcoming assignments, course announcements and connect with an academic advisor;
• a robust dining hub highlighting food menus, hours of operations and real-time insight into how busy a dining center or café is before you go;
• easy access to the Bus Tracker, campus maps, student activities calendars, MySlice, the Patient Portal/Wellness Portal and everything else needed to plan your day;
• and links to other crucial pieces of the student experience: school/college websites, athletics, news, ITS, Libraries, SU Mail, printing, parking and more.

The launch of OrangeNow represents a significant step in the University’s ongoing digital transformation efforts, which aim to deliver a best-in-class digital and technological experience to the University community.

Jeff Rubin ’95, G’98, the University’s first chief digital officer, longtime faculty member in the School of Information Studies and the founder of SIDEARM Sports, the nation’s leading digital provider for college athletics, oversaw development and implementation of OrangeNow in partnership with Jeff Stoecker, senior vice president and chief communications officer.

Rubin says he is excited for the campus community to begin using the app and for the iterative process to continue with the addition of future enhancements on an ongoing basis. While the primary audience is currently students, the app’s features will be expanded to serve a broader audience, including faculty and staff.

“As with most digital platforms, OrangeNow was designed to adapt and evolve dynamically, ensuring we meet the needs of our users,” Rubin says. “While this is just the beginning, we are extremely proud of the user experience for our students. We are committed to continuing to add new features, integrate with existing tools and technology, and evaluate student needs and feedback to ensure this remains an integral part of the Syracuse University technological landscape.”

“We’ve heard from students that they want the functionality and portability of a mobile app dedicated to the many facets of life at Syracuse University,” says Stoecker. “OrangeNow is a vibrant, fully customizable, comprehensive response to this need that synthesizes many of the tools and platforms students already use in one centralized digital location. We truly hope users find it valuable and that it helps students navigate a thriving life on campus with ease.”

Campus community members are encouraged to download the app on the App Store or Google Play today! To share your thoughts, look for the “Feedback & Support” button on the app’s home screen. Loving it so far? Be sure to leave a five-star review wherever you downloaded it!

What to Expect

Based on tests conducted this summer, Information Technology Services (ITS) expects many existing AirOrangeX-connected devices to reconnect to the upgraded network automatically. Other users might be asked to “Connect” or receive a prompt to acknowledge the changes by clicking “OK.” New devices, including those not previously supported such as Apple TV, Roku Sticks and other “Internet of Things” devices, can select AirOrangeX from the list of available Wi-Fi networks and connect freely.

As a result of the upgrade, ITS will remove the Gadgets&Games, AirOrangeGuest, SUAD and AirOrangeHelp wireless networks from the airspace around campus. Users who previously connected to those networks will connect directly to AirOrangeX instead. Other Syracuse University locations around the world will also shift to a new AirOrangeGlobal network, which will boast enhanced device compatibility and ease of access at all locations.

Convenient, Secure Access

The new iteration of AirOrangeX makes it easier to join the network without compromising security.

For decades, most organizations have secured their Wi-Fi networks by requiring some form of authentication or registration. Over the last eight years, ITS has made significant investments to shift toward a security model that ensures users are secure on any network, anywhere in the world—including those that do not require authentication.

While one might think a Wi-Fi network without authentication could introduce significant security risks, the University’s information systems (e.g., MySlice or Blackboard) require cloud-based multi-factor authentication using HTTPS encryption as required by all modern web browsers. The upgraded AirOrangeX network will also utilize Opportunistic Wireless Encryption to further enhance security on most modern devices made in the last five years.

Multiple virtual private networks will further enhance access to datacenter and cloud resources around the globe while also limiting users who do not authenticate to the underlying information services to internet access only, ensuring the campus community remains protected.

With questions about this or any other technology-related topic, please contact the ITS Service Center at help@syr.edu or 315.443.2677.

When is the Answers migration to the cloud taking place?
The migration will start on Friday, June 21, at 4 p.m. and will finish on Sunday, June 23. The application will be down during the migration. When it comes back up on Monday, June 24, all Answers content will be accessed in the cloud.

What happens if I go to answers.syr.edu after the migration?
The Answers website URL (https://answers.syr.edu/) will be re-directed to Confluence in the cloud, so you will still be able to access Answers via this web address.

I use Answers for information but don’t manage any content. What changes for me?
The user interface will look different, with a new and improved feel and some slight differences in the navigation. The search option, in particular, has been greatly improved. We encourage users to utilize this search feature to find documents that they require. To learn more, please visit .

Will I need to log in for publicly accessed information?
Users who access publicly available information will not need to log in.

I have a public space. What happens if I don’t do anything before the migration?
Space administrators have been made aware of the change. The migration team has been working with them prior to the migration. If administrators of public spaces do nothing, the public space will move over as-is. Some access to editing functions could be unavailable until space administrators check with the migration team.

I want to keep my information private, but the cloud version of Answers only allows public information. Where should I put my private content?
Should you decide that transitioning to a public platform does not align with your goals, we are committed to providing support in finding alternative solutions that suit your needs. For more information, please visit��.

I have a private space. What happens if I don’t do anything before the migration?
Private spaces that have not been addressed with one of the above available alternatives will be archived after the migration. Owners of private spaces have been notified of these options. Private space owners should check with the migration team if additional support is needed.

I have links to Answers on my website/email signature/etc. Will those links still work after the migration?
Existing links will not work because the Confluence cloud application uses dynamically generated links. These links will be re-created during migration. Space owners and others with links in webpages, email signatures, etc., are reminded to find and update to the new corresponding links. The new enhanced search feature in the Answers cloud platform will assist in locating content in the cloud.

Is there still time to manage my content before the migration?
There is still time to clean up and manage content before June 21. If no cleanup is done, the spaces will be moved as per the public and private space details described above.

Who do I contact with questions?
Please direct questions to the Answers cloud migration team (aascsys@su-jsm.atlassian.net) or the��.

How Aira Works

To take advantage of the newly available visual interpreting service, users can download and launch the Aira Explorer mobile app while on the University campus. With the tap of a button, the user’s phone streams live video to a trained Aira agent, who will then provide verbal descriptions of the caller’s surroundings and reading assistance as needed. With Aira, users with blindness or low vision can better access the campus experience, including:

• Locating buildings and specific classrooms
• Reading signage, menus, product labels, price tags and other posted printed materials
• Attending events such as Commencement or sporting events
• Locating items in the Campus Store
• Finding items and available seating at dining halls

“We are thrilled to offer Aira’s visual interpreting service to anyone on campus,” says Marla Runyan, assistant director of digital accessibility and Aira user. “Whether attending a special event or just moving through a typical day, Aira offers greater access and independence for the blind and low-vision community. Becoming an Aira Access Partner just makes sense.”

Some well-known Aira Access Partners include Starbuck’s, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., TD Bank and the Smithsonian. Syracuse University joins a robust list of Aira’s higher education partners, including:

• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Princeton University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Pennsylvania

The Aira partnership continues recent investments in digital accessibility at Syracuse University. In March, the announced the availability of SensusAccess, a new and fully automated document remediation and file conversion service that makes electronic documents such as PDF files or Microsoft PowerPoint presentations more accessible to audiences of all abilities.

“We are excited to make Aira available to anyone who comes to campus, whether as a full-time student or as a visitor for a football game or concert,” Senior Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Digital Officer Jeff Rubin said. “This partnership attests to how technology can help create a university that is welcoming to all.”

McKnight writes: “The Northeast, fresh from experiencing a snowy April Nor’easter pummeling especially New Hampshire and Maine, and causing close to half a million to lose power, had a next shock with the 4.8 earthquake earlier today. Centered in New Jersey, but reportedly felt from Baltimore to Massachusetts, today’s minor rumble was far from the deadly threat Taiwan’s 7.2 quake a few days ago was. The impressive thing in the Taiwan quake was actually how well-built Taiwanese buildings are. Since while more than a thousand people were injured and there were deaths, without Taiwan’s now-strict building codes, the effects would have been far worse.

Which brings us back to the Tewksbury (N.J.) quake. Thankfully New York City, 45 miles away, reported no injuries.

What was noticeable, and alarming from an emergency communications perspective, was how slow authorities were to sound an alarm or send an alert. New York City’s ‘automated’ alert did not come out for more than 30 minutes after the quake, while New York State’s was even slower.

If the situation had been a tornado, or a more extreme quake, the slow official response could have had fatal consequences. Just a few days ago, for example, the Midwest experienced tornadoes and storms – while the National Weather Service itself was knocked off-line; not by the storm but by a hardware failure. The NWS ‘promptly’ restored operations 4 hours later; and announced they hoped to move to the cloud, Congress permitting, in coming years.

There is 1 common lesson: whether it is earthquakes shaking unexpected – or expected- places, Nor’easters, tornadoes.. the list goes on: resilient emergency communication matters. Not just for formal public safety authorities, but for all of us.

If we lost power while feet of snow fell (New Hampshire and Maine, today): how long could we maintain communication? (Never mind staying warm; ok that matters too).

If the Jersey quake was 7.3 and not 4.8…how bad would that have been? For buildings, and for emergency communication? (I shudder to imagine)

Whether we are worrying about emergency communication in a live emergency, or preparing for the future, considering our own vulnerabilities to disruptions, and the digital public infrastructure that we rely on today, whether National Weather Service, or state or city emergency services, or for our own daily digital needs: of you are not concerned, you are not paying attention.

We at Syracuse University have been paying attention.

We developed and evolved the Internet Backpack, which sustainably maintains connectivity anywhere on the planet, indefinitely; one way or another.

That matters to the 2.6 billion still off the Internet, even on a good day; and�� to all of us, who might experience a need to receive or send emergency communications and obtain emergency connectivity, at any time; anywhere.”

The 108 volunteers gathered on Feb. 23 at Skybarn on South Campus for a three-hour workshop to sand, drill and assemble wooden bunk beds. The group included 86 University students, 11 staff, faculty and retirees, plus 11 other members of the Syracuse chapter of (SHP).

Student volunteers work on drilling boards as part of the SHP bed assembly work. (Photos by Amelia Beamish)

SHP, whose mantra is “No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town,” is one of 270 chapters nationwide. The organization’s mission is to build and deliver new beds and bedding to children who may have been sleeping on a couch or the floor, and who, in many cases, have never had a bed of their own.

The Syracuse SHP group has partnered with the for Public and Community Service—the University’s hub for academic community engagement—for several years. Though the chapter has built and delivered 4,564 beds to Syracuse-area children since it began in 2018, 870 kids are still on the waitlist. SHP leaders say 76% of the beds built here will go to children who live within two miles of campus.

Friday’s event was organized by (SUVO) president ’25, a dual public relations and psychology major from Norwalk, Ohio. She says this is the first time in a decade that SUVO has initiated a large-scale volunteer project, and it’s one that seemed to resonate with everyone who heard about it.

“Hundreds of children in Syracuse are currently sleeping on the floor. We often take a bed for granted, but it can have such an impact on one’s overall physical and mental health,” Ceccoli says. “A bed is not something I’ve ever given a second thought. I crawl into my bed when I’m sick, need a safe place or want some alone time. SHP’s goal of providing children who need but don’t have that safe space is such a worthy mission that I’m humbled and honored to leverage student resources to help a community partner.”

In a different area, student volunteers sand boards.

advisors Karrie Catalino and Mackenzie Jackson encouraged Ceccoli to bring the bed-building initiative to campus. Planning began in September 2023. Ceccoli applied for Student Association funding and SUVO was awarded nearly $12,000 to cover the costs of all materials and bedding. Once SUVO started promoting the event, volunteers eagerly signed on, including Phanstiel Scholars, Our Time Has Come Scholars and Kessler Scholars. Others reached out, too, including the University’s Brighten a Day unit, the Construction Management Club and Jonathan French, associate teaching professor and undergraduate director in the chemistry department in the , Ceccoli says.

Past and Current Employees

Several current and retired University employees are involved as volunteers with SHP and have been instrumental in the local chapter’s efforts. In 2018, employees Jon Wright, now retired from , and Jeff Pitt ’91, director of information technology services at the College of Arts and Sciences, formed the chapter and still serve as its co-presidents. Back then, they approached Dave Hoalcraft ’85 to join them. A 36-year University employee who retired in 2021, Hoalcraft now volunteers as SHP’s shop manager and bed-building trainer.

SHP-Syracuse volunteers Dave Hoalcraft, left, a retired University employee and Jeff Pitt, right, a current employee, worked with SUVO president and student Claire Ceccoli to lead the project.

Pitt says he likes that SHP fulfills two needs in the community. “One is the obvious one of providing a warm, comfortable place to sleep for children in need. The second is subtler: providing an outlet for people who want to give back to the community but who don’t know how to get started.”

Hoalcraft says the group’s mission “was a direct bullseye for me [so] I jumped right in. I am ‘Forever Orange,’ so doing a bed build with students on campus means a lot to me. I get to help a lot of kind people build beds for children in our community and ultimately help get children their own beds. It is awesome that Syracuse University students give back directly to the children in the community where [the students] live.”

On-Campus Spark

This is the first time SHP has held a mobile bed build on campus, and Ceccoli thinks the location has been key to the success of the event. “I think it can sometimes be intimidating for students to get off campus,” she says. “SUVO is seeking to connect students to the community and to inspire them to volunteer by making this opportunity accessible. We hope they will continue beyond this event to help SHP build or deliver more beds.” SUVO plans to provide students with information about additional volunteer opportunities.

“This is a beautiful testament to the interest and passion Syracuse University students have for community engagement,” Ceccoli says. “I want to work in the nonprofit sector. This is so real for me and to think of the impact we’ll be making on these children’s lives and their families’ lives while amplifying SHP’s mission is wonderful. Quite literally, I’d do this for the rest of my life.”

Claire Ceccoli with Kathryn Bradford, Shaw Center employee and SUVO advisor

Kathryn Bradford ’06, Shaw Center administrative coordinator and SUVO advisor, says she is extremely proud of how Ceccoli used knowledge from her classes and her Shaw Center leadership development intern experience to take the project from idea to reality through diligence, passion and positivity. “Hopefully this experience will encourage more students to participate in community engagement as a continuing part of their educational experience and beyond,” Bradford says.

Are you engaged in a volunteer activity that is having an impact on the greater community? In upcoming editions of SU Today, we plan to profile some of our faculty, staff and students who are making the world a better place through community service. Please email internalcomms@syr.edu with your story.

The (OSPO) is supported by a grant from the totaling more than $630,000, according to , vice president for research. A collaboration between the , and (ITS), OSPO will be operated by (CASE).

’05, G’11 has been named as the office director. ��He previously served as the high-performance computing facilitator at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and as a senior scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. Capano recently returned to Syracuse University to also serve as a research professor in the .

Collin Capano

“I am excited to be back in Syracuse and leading such an important initiative,” Capano says. “There is growing recognition in academia of the importance of open-source software and open-source research more generally. The OSPO will help nurture open-source work and make Syracuse University a leading institution on open-source education and research.”

OSPO is a multidisciplinary initiative that coordinates activities across schools and colleges and accelerates research and creative work by leveraging open-source software and best practices. The goal is to train the next generation of leaders in open-source software development and help faculty, staff and students transition existing software into sustainable, open-source material or adopt open-source solutions to pressing problems across disciplines.

Besides Libraries and ITS, additional support for the initiative is provided by the , the and the . The grant also supports a new postdoctoral fellowship and single-semester research assistantships for students who are doing software-intensive research.

“While we have excelled at providing computing hardware for research, Syracuse University has lacked a hub to coordinate open-source development efforts across campus; the Open Source Project Office fills that missing critical need,” Brown says. “This builds on the University’s history of cross-campus collaboration, a public-spirited approach to innovation and technology, a vision of bringing emerging technologies to research labs and classrooms and ultimately offering knowledge to the world through public engagement around emerging technologies.”

OSPO will work with the to help shape how open-source practices impact career development and to strengthen the University’s open-source community relationships.

Brown, who has two decades of experience in open-source software development, is the principal investigator on the development project. Co-principal investigators are and .

The University’s open-access publishing policies, read-and-publish agreements and open publishing systems are coordinated by the Libraries, as is the development of the University’s Open Data archive. The Libraries will expand advising and support services for open-access publishing and data management as part of OSPO.

The ITS team includes two cyberinfrastructure engineers who support access to a variety of computing hardware and infrastructure for faculty and students. ITS also oversees the University’s multi-faceted digital transformation project.

Contact OSPO by emailing ospo@syr.edu.

“Technology is the backbone for faculty research, scholarship, creative work and collaboration; for educating our students in bold and different new ways; and for competing in tomorrow’s world,” says Chancellor Syverud. “Syracuse University is taking bold steps in technology strategies and investments, and we need a dynamic and visionary leader to head our technology strategy and infrastructure. I am confident in this search committee’s ability to identify an outstanding chief information officer who will help propel Syracuse’s digital and technology capabilities to exceed the needs and expectations of our students, faculty and staff.”

The committee will be led by Jeff Rubin, special advisor to the chancellor on esports and digital transformation and professor of practice in the School of Information Studies. Chancellor Syverud will serve on the search committee given the critical importance of the chief information officer role. Other members include:

1. Sharon Barner ’79, University Trustee
2. Candace Campbell Jackson, senior vice president and chief of staff
3. Nick Donofrio G’71, H’11, Life Trustee
4. Brett Padgett, senior vice president and chief financial officer
5. Gretchen Ritter, vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer

The goal of the committee is to complete the search by the end of the Fall 2023 semester with the new chief information officer beginning early in 2024. Korn Ferry, an executive search firm with expertise in higher education, will support the search.

It is important not to respond to these fraudulent texts. If you have interacted with such a text, please disregard any instructions provided and refrain from responding to any further messages from the sender.

Identifying Smishing Messages

• Be cautious of text messages that appear to be from University staff members who don’t typically contact you via text. If in doubt, reach out to the sender through an alternative phone number or their University email address.
• Treat text messages from unknown numbers with suspicion. If uncertain, contact the sender through a known number or email address to verify the authenticity of the text.
• Avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments in text messages, as they might be part of a malicious scheme.
• Similar to phishing, smishing tactics rely on fear, urgency, and/or placing you in a helper role to manipulate your actions according to the scammer’s wishes. Stay vigilant and cautious.

Dealing with Smishing Messages

• Do not reply to the text message.
• Report it to the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.
• Block the number from contacting you.
• Delete the message and report it as junk.
• The to take to block malicious texts and robocalls.

Getting Help

Those who need more information or assistance with smishing can contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff can also contact their local IT support team. To receive timely notification from ITS of current information security threats, follow .

Story by Andrew McClurg��

John and Gianna in John’s workspace at Newhouse in 1996

She recalls following her dad around classrooms as he checked on the technology required for teaching and learning—which at the time consisted mainly of overhead projectors. John worked back then as a technologist in what would eventually become the Information Technology Services (ITS) department. “Just being around college students and seeing the classroom checks, I would say to myself, ‘OK, someday I’m going to be in one of those seats,” Gianna says. But even she couldn’t have predicted how large of a role Syracuse University would play in her life.

Forever Orange, in Every Sense

In 2014, Gianna’s dream came true as she enrolled as a management major in the , and four short years later—“It’s the blink of an eye and you’re done with your college career,” she says—she graduated at the top of her class in Whitman in 2018.

Time flies: John and Gianna pose together in front of the Hall of Languages during grade school (left), college (center) and at Gianna’s undergraduate Commencement (right).

Since then, she’s held several professional roles at Syracuse, including working at University College (now the College of Professional Studies) on its pre-college program for high school students, and now in ITS as associate director of learning environments and media production (LEMP). Gianna oversees the technical aspects of a large scope of campus events, primarily in the K.G. Tan Auditorium in the National Veterans Resource Center at the Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello Building.

She is also working on an online MBA degree through Whitman, which she plans to complete in May 2024. “I enjoyed every moment of my undergraduate career—I loved it so much I had to come back and earn a second degree,” Gianna says. A proud alumna, she serves on the through the Alumni Association and admits, “I loved the Orange spirit at the University so much that I never left.”

After one conversation with her father, you realize—it might just be in her DNA.

A Dream Job 35 Years in the Making

While John is quick to extol Gianna’s academic and career success, his own route to a successful career in academia has perhaps been a little less “by the book.”

He calls himself a “born tinkerer” who learned everything he knows about mechanics, engineering and technology by opening things up, taking them apart and seeing for himself how they worked. Rather than attending college, John pursued trade schools and on-the-job learning, joking that the only degree or certificate he’s ever received from Syracuse is in scuba diving.

“I wasn’t much of a school person. I learned through the practical,” he says. “I’ve been called the ‘MacGyver’ of the University, because anything that’s challenging—whether it’s mechanical or electrical or whatever—they can usually call on me to figure it out.”

At Syracuse John has held various roles, from managing classroom technology to providing many iterations of audiovisual support as technology progressed over the years. He now has what he calls his “dream job” as an instructional technology engineer and manager of the , a collaborative, Universitywide lab that provides the space and resources to help its users imagine, design, build, tinker, modify, hack, teach and learn.

3D-printed heads of John Mangicaro and Gianna Mangicaro, created from scans at the ITS MakerSpace

“Back in 2012, 3D printers were just starting to appear in the mainstream. The University bought one and I had a little ‘underground’ MakerSpace in the back room of Newhouse, as well as a laser engraver,” John says. “Word started getting around. Then one day, Chris Sedore [then-chief information officer] came to me with the idea to build out what he called a ‘hackerspace.’ I loved the idea. That’s how the MakerSpace was born.”

John has spent the last 10 years relentlessly dedicated to the MakerSpace, which now houses 20-plus 3D printers, two laser engravers, embroidery and sewing machines, vinyl printing and cutting equipment, T-shirt printing and other tools.

“It’s a constantly evolving facility. I let it become student-driven and that is what it is today,” John says. “The students who work for me, they go on to build rockets, submarines, helicopters, you name it. They’re our true gems. I always tell them, ‘It only took 35 years for me to find my dream job, so be patient.’”

Who’s the Boss?

Gianna and John at the ITS MakerSpace

The MakerSpace is now under the purview of LEMP, meaning that while John officially reports to Mike O’Mara, associate CIO for academic service centers, Gianna has some involvement in John’s work. Currently, Gianna is busy planning for celebrations of the 10-year anniversary of the MakerSpace during Orange Central this fall.

“It’s always fun. People say, ‘Oh, she’s you’re boss now,’ and I go, ‘Well, she always was,’” John says, laughing. “She knows the machines as well as I do and she has all of the practical knowledge.”

It’s no coincidence. After all, Gianna grew up learning everything she could from her father—including how to change a tire on her car, snake a kitchen sink, tap maple trees in their neighborhood for syrup and use a wood splitter—at age 8. (“I told her not to tell her mom about that one,” John says.)

“He’s a very creative person and whatever he puts his mind to, he is able to accomplish it,” Gianna says of her father. “I always had the belief that if he learned how to do something or how something works, I could also figure it out.”

A recent example of father-daughter collaboration occurred last fall when the University hosted Micron Technology as the company announced its transformational investment in the Central New York area at Tan Auditorium.

“We used to hold our microphones together with tape and once the tape had come apart during a presentation and we could see it on the recording, so we knew we couldn’t have that happen again,” Gianna says. “I went to the MakerSpace to see if they could 3D-print some microphone clips for the Micron event and they were able to quickly print them for us. One even ended up on the governor’s podium. The MakerSpace is a place where you can create a small idea that solves a pretty big problem—like tape coming apart on a microphone.”

A Lifetime of Orange Memories

From Gianna visiting her dad’s outpost in the Newhouse School as an infant to enjoying family meals together at the restaurants on Marshall Street. From attending bowl games and dozens of other Orange athletic competitions to planting trees together in honor of the Remembrance Scholars. From Gianna naming Otto’s Juice Box when the Barnes Center was renovated to seeing Elton John perform in the JMA Wireless Dome last year, Syracuse is woven deeply into the fabric of the Mangicaro family.

At left, Szlamczynski, Gianna, Carolyn and John Mangicaro are ready to watch Elton John perform in September 2022. At right, John and Gianna pose on the turf of the JMA Dome.

Often accompanied by John’s wife and Gianna’s mother, Carolyn, and Gianna’s fiancé Christopher Szlamczynski ’18 (who works as assistant director of satellite facilities in the Barnes Center at The Arch) on their adventures, the pair speak highly of the University and the important role it has played in their lives.

“It’s just like an extended home for us. Everything we do at home, we do here—working, eating, laughing, spending time together,” John says.

“From the time I was a baby, everyone on campus was always excited to see you. As a student, there were faculty members who are super passionate about what they do and I was able to learn so much from them,” Gianna says. “Now as a staff member, I’m able to interact with so many different people and departments. It’s just an awesome place with a lot of great individuals that are just super happy to be here, too.”

Offered twice in separate, weeklong sessions by the online learning services team, SITETL will be held May 22-26 and again June 5-9. Each session is limited to 15 participants selected through a competitive application process.

Program workshops explore current topics and technologies, as well as strategies and pedagogies to support accessible online teaching and learning. Participants will work alongside colleagues from disciplines across the University as they develop skills and design content for their courses. Instructors will learn about a variety of technologies with a focus on enhancing instruction for students. Sessions will include presentations, panel discussions and hands-on lab time.

Faculty and staff can complete their annual training at any time by following these steps:

• Go to��MySlice
• Select��Employee Resources from the Employee Home dashboard
• Click on the��Security Awareness tile
• Watch the video and answer the questions that accompany it

The deadline to complete this training is April 2.��Once you complete the training, you will be eligible to be randomly selected for the weekly drawing for a $25 prize from the Syracuse University Campus Store. You will be eligible for all subsequent weekly prize selections, for a total of four prize opportunities for those who complete the training during the first week.

Change to Sign-In Experience for Some University Applications

On March 14, many University applications such as Zoom and Qualtrics will transition to the Office 365 sign-in experience, which should be familiar to those using SUMail, MySlice or Blackboard. Users do not need to do anything to prepare for this transition. After the change is made, users will experience a consistent sign-in experience across many of the applications they use.

Scheduled MySlice Update on March 18

MySlice will be unavailable Saturday, March 18, when a system update is performed. ITS asks users to plan their MySlice activities accordingly. Once complete, benefits of the update will include enhanced performance on mobile devices, a new notifications bar and additional options for customization.

Ultra Course View includes a clean, modern look and a single-page course structure that uses learning modules and folders to organize course content. In preparation, the ITS Online Learning Services team will help instructors who use Blackboard to transition to Ultra Course View over the next 18 months.

Instructors from all schools and colleges are invited to participate in a hosted by the ITS Online Learning Services team on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to noon. During this virtual session, participants will create new course materials in Ultra and import existing materials from original courses into an Ultra course.

Before registering, interested instructors should enroll in the asynchronous for access to an Ultra course sandbox and an introduction to Ultra courses.

“We recognize and appreciate the time and energy involved for each instructor and will continue to provide updates, training and tips,” says Michael Morrison, associate director for Academic Service Centers. “We are excited to assist instructors as they take advantage of a modernized Blackboard and create first-class Ultra courses.”

The transition has already begun for some instructors. Ten courses were taught using Ultra Course View in the Fall 2022 semester, and more than 30 courses will feature Ultra Course View during the Spring 2023 term. In addition, more than 50 instructors have already participated in information sessions or course building sprints.

Feedback for both the tool and the support has been positive. One sprint attendee appreciated “both the group question/answer sessions and the personal help that I received. Having the sandbox available during the session is very helpful, also.” An instructor who used Ultra last semester shared that it was “more intuitive to use,” with students realizing that “it was easier than the old one. Those who used phones and iPad had a much easier time than in the past.”

Instructors can learn more about , including features, access and a timeline. OLS staff have worked to test and configure Ultra courses, create support documentation and design training materials to provide for a smooth experience for instructors.

Preview of what Blackboard Ultra Course View will look like.

Blackboard Ultra Course View is an entirely re-designed approach to Blackboard courses, both for instructors to create content and for students to participate in courses. This includes a clean, modern look and a single-page course structure that uses learning modules and folders to organize course content.

You can learn more about��, including features, access and a timeline. OLS staff have worked to test and configure the courses, create support documentation and design training materials to provide a smooth experience for instructors. This includes an asynchronous Ultra Course View Orientation course and short, synchronous training sessions called .

Instructors can����for Ultra Course View sandboxes to explore the new course look, feel and function. Instructors also can����in Ultra and Original Course View.

OLS recognizes the time and energy involved for each instructor and will continue to provide updates, training and tips. OLS staff are excited to assist instructors as they take advantage of a modernized Blackboard and create first-class Ultra courses.

Some things to keep in mind:

• Attackers are doing their research. They search for email addresses, roles, phone numbers and office locations and will even search social media sites like LinkedIn to gather more information on their targets. They use this data to craft attacks that are believable to their targets.
• Phishing emails attempt to engage the recipient in an email conversation to elicit funds. These might be attacks that try to share a document or emails that appear to come from a peer or a supervisor asking, “Are you there and can you help me?”
• Attackers interact with their targets in real-time. When they send a phishing message, they monitor activity to know when to send a second email or text message asking their victims for their multi-factor authentication (MFA) token or code.
• Although phishing attacks have become more sophisticated and challenging to detect, there often are tell-tale clues. Carefully check the message’s return address and ask yourself if it makes sense. Evaluate the link or attachment in the message for validity. Does it look valid? Ask yourself if you are expecting such a message from the sender. If not, reach out to the purported sender in a separate email or phone call to validate the message.
• One of the best ways to help protect yourself is not to use the same password across multiple sites and services. When attackers compromise a password from one system, they will use that same password to try and access accounts at Google, Apple, Microsoft, social media and other services. Reusing your password for multiple services leaves you exposed to this common tactic.
• If unsure, ask. As stated, attackers are getting more sophisticated and detecting their phony emails is getting more difficult. If you are at all uncertain about the validity of a message, contact the ITS Information Security team by email at itsecurity@syr.edu.

To learn more about information security, visit the .

This story was written by Chris Croad, chief information security officer at Syracuse University.

The University, in partnership with JMA Wireless, will install a cutting-edge, 5G private wireless network in select residence halls and academic buildings as part of a pilot program. Photo by Marilyn Hesler, staff photographer

“Technology is among the most rapidly evolving parts of our lives—professionally, personally and recreationally,” says Eric Sedore, interim vice president and chief information officer. “As our community’s needs and expectations change, it is imperative that we align our technology to meet our students, faculty and staff where they are. My colleagues in Information Technology Services [ITS] and I are looking forward to learning from this pilot program, assessing the feedback and applying key learnings to the future of technology on our campus.”

This new technology is being leveraged at various facilities across the United States, including on college campuses and at event facilities and private companies. The pilot program will help the University determine whether its users will broadly adopt and benefit from this technology.

“Given the ever-growing digital nature of teaching, living, learning and research at Syracuse University, now is the time to advance our technology infrastructure,” says Sedore. “I am confident the pilot will provide our community with the elevated experience provided by 5G wireless technology.”

Individuals selected to participate will receive a survey request from ITS to indicate their willingness to opt into the pilot program and identify the phone and laptop models they plan to use to connect to the on-campus network. ITS will monitor adoption rates and collect and assess feedback through the fall semester. The outcomes of the pilot, along with anticipated next steps, will be shared with the campus community in spring 2023.

“Sam has been steadfast in his commitment to advancing information technology at the University, has worked tirelessly to support the academic and research enterprise and has consistently advocated for enhancements that improve the student experience, inside and outside the classroom,” says Steve Bennett, senior vice president for international programs and academic operations and chief of staff for academic affairs. “I appreciate his leadership and service and wish him well as he begins his retirement.”

Scozzafava joined the University in 2007 and has served in several management-level positions with the University’s Information Technology Services, including manager of the student administration application development team and director of enterprise application systems. Prior to his appointment as CIO, he served as the University’s associate chief information officer for administrative systems.

“I have enjoyed my time working with, learning from and supporting our students, faculty and staff,” says Scozzafava. “I am especially proud of my ITS colleagues’ efforts to enhance digital inclusion, advance information technology in support of the research enterprise and ensure consistency in teaching and learning during the pandemic. I will be forever grateful for my time at Syracuse University.”

If you have not done so already, you can complete your annual training via MySlice:

• Go to MySlice
• From the Employee Home page, choose the Employee Resources tile
• Click the Security Awareness Training tile to access the training

To receive credit for completing the training, you will need to enter a code provided at the end of the video, as well as take a brief quiz.

Syracuse University’s Information Security team within Information Technology Services (ITS) has not detected any marked increase in activity over the past week but continues to monitor for and prevent attacks. One of the most effective paths for an attacker to gain a foothold on the Syracuse University network is through phishing emails and other social engineering techniques.

ITS encourages all members of the University community to be mindful of and prepared to respond to cyberattacks. The tips below will help community members identify phishing emails and attempts to bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA). Additionally, there is information relating to taking the University’s required annual Information Security Awareness Training for faculty and staff. Please take a few moments to review the critical information below.

Don’t Fall Victim to ‘MFA Fatigue’

Attackers have been forced to shift their strategy since the University adopted multi-factor authentication to access key resources. Once an attacker compromises a Syracuse University NetID/password through phishing or other attacks, they repeatedly attempt to log in to University resources generating multiple MFA requests on the compromised user’s phone or mobile device. This is done in an attempt to “wear out” their victims and cause them to approve the MFA request to silence their phone or device. This, in turn, allows the attacker access. If you have not explicitly attempted to log in to a system, do not accept an MFA request from your phone or device. Contact your IT Support Staff or the to report fraudulent MFA requests.

When in Doubt, Don’t Click

To protect yourself from phishing attacks, ask yourself these questions the next time you receive a suspicious email:

• Was I expecting the document or link? Be suspicious of unexpected emails sharing documents and links you are not expecting. If you are not sure, contact the sender (preferably via text message, phone or an alternative email address) and ask if they shared a document with you.
• Do I know the person sharing it? Consider the message suspicious if you do not know the sender. Remember, phishers often use compromised accounts to send their messages. They also can forge the sending address. If you feel at all unsure, call the sender at a known number to confirm they sent the information.
• Can I identify the attached document before opening it? Is it clear from the document title and message what the document is and why it is being shared? Phishers often send vague messages stating a document has been shared with you. They rely on your curiosity to open the document. Do not open suspicious shared documents if you are at all unsure of what it is or who sent it.
• Does the product or offer seem too good to be true? Beware of emails promising financial gain, quick fixes or easy solutions, as these are likely phishing attempts.

Take Required Information Security Awareness Training for Faculty and Staff

Taking the University’s required annual Information Security Training is one of the best ways for faculty and staff to increase their knowledge and protect their own and the University’s information. The training is available through March 31 and can be accessed by logging in to MySlice, selecting the “Employee Resources” tile and then selecting the “Security Awareness Training” tile. The training is self-paced and takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Information Technology Services (ITS) network administrators continue to detect wireless access points or “hot spots” coming from personal devices across campus. Hot spots can disrupt the normal use of University-provided wireless access (Wi-Fi).

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Faculty and staff also can begin their in-person meetings and classes by asking everyone to check their devices before they get started, similar to setting a phone to “airplane mode” before a flight.

To connect a computer or iOS device to AirOrangeX:

1. Choose AirOrangeHelp from your device’s list of available wireless networks.
2. Navigate to aoh.syr.edu and follow the instructions.
3. If your computer is not automatically connected, choose AirOrangeX from the list of networks.

To connect an Android device to AirOrangeX, navigate to answers.syr.edu/aox and follow the instructions for your respective operating system from the list provided.

WiFi is broadcast over radio frequencies. When someone uses a hot spot on campus, their signal competes with the existing AirOrangeX wireless network.

The use of hot spots has increased in recent years, with many people using their hot spots elsewhere and forgetting to turn them off when they arrive on campus. ITS recommends only using a hot spot at home or while traveling.

Connecting to the AirOrangeX network instead of a personal hot spot is a great way to improve the campus computing experience for everyone.

All Syracuse University faculty and staff must complete mandatory information security training in accordance with New York State requirements. Employees now can complete their annual training at any time. To do so:

• Go to MySlice
• From the Employee Home page, click the Employee Resources tile
• Click the Security Awareness tile to access the training

“Even in the last few months, we have seen bad actors adapt to new security measures,” Chief Information Security Officer Christopher Croad says. “These training sessions are essential to discuss best practices and to learn how to protect against new threats.”

To receive credit for completing the training, employees will enter a code provided at the end of the video, as well as take a brief quiz. The expected time required to complete the training is 30-35 minutes. The deadline to complete this training is March 31. Employees with questions can contact Information Security IT Analyst Sarah Marciniak at smlittle@syr.edu.

“We know everyone has a lot going on right now,” Croad says. “We appreciate everyone’s investment of time and energy in protecting the University’s data. It really is up to all of us.”

Screenshots of what the multi-factor authentication process will look like for users of the Microsoft Authenticator app on a computer (left) and mobile device.

MFA is an excellent method for enhancing user account security. With MFA enabled, a prospective thief would need access to both your password and a phone you’ve configured to steal your information. Number verification will enhance MFA’s ability to prevent the unauthorized use of NetIDs and passwords.

For more about the upcoming change, including detailed log-in instructions, visit the on Answers. If you need to configure your MFA settings, you can find instructions for doing so on the on Answers.

If you have��questions, please contact the ITS Help Desk by calling 315.443.2677 or by emailing help@syr.edu.

On the latest episode of the from Information Technology Services (ITS), Chief Information Security Officer Chris Croad provides tips for recognizing phishing attempts and protecting your information. You can check it out on , , and .

Phishers send emails or messages that claim to be from people, businesses or organizations you know. These messages direct you to a website that looks like a legitimate organization’s site but instead is a fraudulent site designed to trick you into giving out your personal information.

Some tips to keep in mind to help you spot phishing emails:

• Syracuse University will never ask you to reveal any personal information through email or ask you to update your personal information through a link in an email.
• Never click on embedded links from people you don’t know. Always be wary of unsolicited email, even if you think you recognize the sender.
• Phishing emails usually threaten to shut down your account if you don’t respond. Valid emails do not.
• Phishing emails usually will have grammar or spelling mistakes.

If you need further information or assistance with verifying any email messages, please contact the ITS Security Department at ITSecurity@listserv.syr.edu.

Check out����to keep your data and the Syracuse University community’s data safe and secure. You also can ��for tech tips and tricks.

If you have questions or need help, please contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or��help@syr.edu.

It’s essential that you protect yourself and the University against phishing attempts and other cybersecurity threats, including those disguised as unexpected job offers or reminders to reset your NetID password. Be wary of any email that asks you to provide personal information or “click here now.” These emails are designed to get you to provide personal information, including information that could enable an attacker to access your bank account. If you receive a suspicious email, please forward it to��itsecurity@syr.edu.

When In Doubt, Don’t Click

Ask yourself these questions the next time you receive a suspicious email:

• Am I expecting this email attachment or link? Be suspicious of emails sharing documents and links you are not expecting. If you are unsure, contact the sender (preferably via text message, phone or an alternative email address) and verify that they shared a document with you.
• Do I recognize the sender? Consider the message suspicious if you do not know the sender. Remember, phishers often use compromised accounts to send their messages. They also can forge the sending address. In these cases, the tone of the email might seem strange. If you feel at all unsure, call the sender at a known number to confirm they sent the information.
• Can I identify the attached document before opening it? Is it clear from the document title and message what the document is and why it is being shared? Phishers often send vague messages stating a document has been shared with you. They rely on your curiosity to open the document. Do not open suspicious shared documents if you are unsure of what it is or who sent it.
• Does the product or offer seem too good to be true? Beware of emails promising financial gain, quick fixes or easy solutions, as these are likely phishing attempts.

Next-Generation GPU Computing
Nov. 4, 1-2 p.m.

Join the Research Computing Team for a session to learn more about the��, including technical details and how it can work for you.

A Conversation with Britton Plourde
Nov. 12, 1-2 p.m.

Professor of Physics Britton Plourde will discuss how he leverages Syracuse University’s research computing resources to strengthen his work. Plourde and his research group are developing microfabricated superconducting circuits for quantum information processing. Potential areas impacted by Plourde’s research include pharmaceutical development, materials science and cryptography.

Register

. You will receive a link by email to access the live web presentation before each event.

For More Information

You can learn more about the growing variety of computing resources and activities on campus at.

“We are excited to offer additional support to our research community, including faculty, students and staff,” says University Chief Information Officer Sam Scozzafava. “This National Science Foundation grant attests to the caliber and collaborative spirit of research at Syracuse University.”

The grant builds on previous success in GPU-powered research. Leveraging strengths in virtualization and workload management, the team deployed a smaller-scale GPU cluster in 2015 to address the emerging needs of campus researchers. The new GPU-powered computing cluster will serve researchers across disciplines as varied as computational forensics, high-energy physics, smart vision systems, computational chemistry, biomedical engineering, soft-matter physics and gravitational-wave physics.

“Graphical processing units are a unique resource for researchers,” says Eric Sedore, chief technology officer. “Instead of gaming or graphical output, which are common uses for GPUs, we use them to do a large amount of math for advanced research.”

The grant adds momentum to the emerging Data Innovation Institute project, an initiative led by Duncan Brown, the Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences. With funding from a and in collaboration with ITS, Brown is exploring how research computing can advance research and scholarship at Syracuse University.

“The new cluster, together with two full-time cyberinfrastructure engineers who provide expertise in software development and high-performance computing, continues our success in securing funding for research computing at Syracuse,” says Brown.

Access to GPUs will enhance research opportunities for Syracuse students. The new cluster will allow broader GPU use within courses and provide computing power to student researchers. Undergraduates and graduate students will gain practical experience with cutting-edge computing architectures.

Beyond campus, the new cluster will strengthen the global scientific community through integration with the Open Science Grid, a collaborative effort that leverages distributed computing cycles at member institutions. A substantial amount of Syracuse’s recent Open Science Grid contributions has supported computational research to address COVID-19. Syracuse University has been a consistent contributor to the Open Science Grid since 2015, fostering the University’s reputation for extramural collaboration and world-class cyberinfrastructure.

The Research Computing team interacts with campus researchers individually, at a research-group level and through campuswide events. Researchers interested in contacting the Research Computing team may email researchcomputing@syr.edu.

“We strive not just to improve research on campus but to transform it,” Sedore says. “This grant is a big step in that direction.”

Faculty Communications, Consultation and Coaching

Each Tuesday and Thursday, ITS sends “Teaching Tips” emails to faculty with the latest information on . These messages promote best practices and solutions to frequently encountered challenges. To provide holistic faculty support, ITS has partnered with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and the Center for Online and Digital Learning to offer faculty consultation and coaching. Whether faculty have technical or pedagogical questions, they can reach the ITS faculty support team at��help@syr.edu. The appropriate support personnel will respond based on the specific question(s). ITS also hosts with faculty support personnel and faculty members each Tuesday at noon ET.

Course Transition Services

In addition to resources provided by the ITS faculty support team, Syracuse University has partnered with Blackboard Academic Services to provide fall course transition services to faculty throughout the summer. Faculty are encouraged to fill out the����to request support or to submit questions about specific aspects of online instruction and preparation. For reference, here are some��. And����are every Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET and every Thursday at 10 a.m. ET.

Working and Teaching Remotely

The page on Answers covers a range of topics for faculty and staff who will continue to work remotely. Topics include remote access, web conferencing tools and file management solutions.

Help Options

In addition to the expertise of school, college and unit IT personnel, ITS provides a variety of tech support options:

• Online, self-serve support information is available on .
• Faculty and staff can resolve NetID account issues, including password management and multi-factor authentication, at .

The ITS Service Center is available by phone (315.443.2677), by email (help@syr.edu) or through in-person support. Information on ITS Service Center hours is available at .

This semester’s workshops include the following topics:

“Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word”—This session will cover the process of creating accessible documents in Microsoft Word, including using styles to add structure to your document and adding alternative text to images.

“PDFs: Evaluating and Repairing with Adobe Acrobat DC”—This session will cover the basics of PDF remediation in Adobe Acrobat DC, including using the accessibility checker and creating headings.

“PowerPoint: Creating and Delivering Accessible Presentations”—This workshop covers not only making the PowerPoint slide set accessible, but also accessibility considerations when presenting, distributing or posting presentation materials.

“Web Accessibility Testing”—This session will cover techniques for testing websites for accessibility.��Learn about how people with disabilities use the web, accessibility testing tools and more.

All workshops will be held in Room 1116, . Questions? Email accessibleIT@syr.edu.

Student employees are an integral part of the operation of ITS. From left are Lisa Pugh, Malkiel Asher and Andrew Lee.

The offers technology-related support to the Syracuse University community. But for the student employees who work there, the center provides an equally valuable service—the opportunity to hone their professional and interpersonal skills.

“I’ve learned such a wide variety of skills,” says lead consultant Lisa Pugh, a senior information management and technology major. “Not just hard technical skills, but also professionalism and how to really deal with people from all different technology backgrounds.”

Located at 1-227 CST in the Center for Science and Technology, the ITS Service Center provides assistance seven days a week to students, faculty and staff with their campus resources, including Blackboard, MySlice, NetID, SU Email and more. Students experiencing issues with their devices, such as computers or cell phones, can acquire help with data transfer or backup, virus removal and software installation along with several other technical . In addition to in-person support, the Service Center also is available seven days a week by phone (315.443.2677) or email (help@syr.edu).

Student employees are an integral part of the operation of ITS. Each semester, a��team of students works together to help clients who visit the Service Center.

“Our goal is that all student employees working for the Service Center acquire a skillset that goes beyond troubleshooting,” says ITS Service Center manager Dan Jeski. “We want them to gain real-world experience in the role information technology plays throughout large organizations in preparation for their future careers.”

The issues Service Center students tackle can range from simple problems connecting to the Internet to more complex situations involving bulky, out-of-date computers or devices that mysteriously refuse to turn on.��No matter the difficulty of the requests, each problem gives the student employees an opportunity to grow professionally and gain hands-on experience in the field of information technology.

Pugh began working at the Service Center in the first few weeks of her freshman year. When she applied for the position of student consultant, she had no idea what the job would entail. Over the past three years, she has gained experience in effectively communicating ideas and working with her fellow consultants to solve problems—skills that she has brought to internships throughout her time at Syracuse University.

Rare technical issues—which the student workers call “unicorns”—require an all-hands-on-deck approach. A recent case involved assembling an outdated computer, says Malkiel Asher, a junior computer engineering major. Because the device was so old, the consultants were excited by the challenge and gathered around the table to work on it until they were able to get the computer to turn on. Situations such as these have given Asher the opportunity to work with people from a wide range of different backgrounds and skill sets, he says.

Andrew Lee, a junior studying information management and technology, has worked as a Service Center consultant for the past two semesters. Although he has gained technical skills troubleshooting Apple and Windows devices through his position, Lee cites the experience he has gained in working with a team to solve problems as the most beneficial aspect of his work. The center’s collaborative environment allows him to gain hands-on experience with IT-related problems, he says.

“I wanted a job that was very engaging and allowed me to learn more about my career,” Lee says. “And this is pretty much it.”

The story was written by Gillian Follett ’22.

Downtime
In order for Information Technology Services (ITS) to perform this upgrade, the MySlice portal and all of the services accessed through the portal will be unavailable from 6-10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5. During the downtime, MySlice and all applications that are accessed only through MySlice will be unavailable. For a complete list of applications that will be unavailable during the downtime, refer to . The MySlice services accessed through the University mobile application will be unavailable as well.��Please note: Blackboard will remain available by using .

New Look Login Page
The updated login page (shown at right) will retain key information while adding some important functions, including:

1. A critical information banner will display key messages, as needed;
2. the option to use SU NetID login for students, faculty and staff;
3. an “Other MySlice User” login for parents, proxy accounts, etc.; and
4. a “Help and Information” section with links to relevant news and information.

The new login page is fully mobile-compliant and responsive. This means it will look “right” on any display, whether a PC or a phone—no more pinching and zooming!

Logging In
Enrolled students, faculty and staff will use the “Login with NetID” button with their lower-case NetID, as they did with the previous login box. Parents, proxy users and others with an UPPER CASE login will use the “Other MySlice User” login button.

After clicking the appropriate button, the user will be taken to a separate login page to enter NetID and password information. Once logged in, the user will go to the MySlice homepage. While the browser is open, you can access other applications within the SSO network (e.g., Blackboard, Degree Works, etc.) without needing to sign in to each one.

Logging Out: Remember to Close the Browser
To sign out of MySlice, click “Sign Out” at the top right. Remember: In a single sign on environment, when you log out of one application but leave your browser open, you could still be logged in to another application. It is important to close all browser windows to terminate your session fully. This is especially important on public or shared devices.

Additional information about the MySlice login update is .

Eric Sedore at the NetApp Insight Conference in Las Vegas

Thousands of information technology professionals gathered at the NetApp Insight Conference in Las Vegas last week to hear experts from such leading organizations as Centura Health, SAP, DreamWorks—and Syracuse University.

Eric Sedore, associate chief information officer with Information Technology Services (ITS), took part in the conference keynote presentation. He discussed how Syracuse University approaches the challenges and opportunities of supporting the data needs of a global research university.

“In the last seven years, we’ve seen explosive research data growth,” Sedore said. “We’re a research university, it’s what we do. Research requires data—and a lot of it. Whether it’s genomic data, gravitational wave data, or soft matter data in the STEM areas, or 3D rendering in our render farms for our College of Visual and Performing Arts, we’re producing the lifeblood of the institution in this data.”

“University research is increasingly multidisciplinary, collaborative and it has always been data-driven,” NetApp chief executive officer George Kurian said during the presentation. “Universities today compete for talent—for students and researchers. One of the key ways they’re doing that is by giving researchers the tools and IT platforms that enable them to advance their research quickly.”

Sedore explained how the ITS infrastructure team balances fiscal concerns such as sustainability and cost avoidance with enabling students, faculty and researchers to “change the world.” An example of this world-changing impact: Syracuse University researchers and ITS staff played a key role in the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of gravitational waves from colliding black holes.

“Syracuse University researchers helped develop the algorithm,” Sedore told the audience. “We also contributed a significant amount of computing power to mine the data to find the signal.

“One day, (Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics) Duncan Brown came to my office and said we had done it—we had found the existence of gravitational waves. So I was pretty pumped. I came out from behind my desk and went for a handshake. What I got was a hug. In that moment, I realized we had moved from being just the infrastructure people to being an integral part of the process.”

Back: Jon Wright, David Hoalcraft, Kathy Kinney, Linda Saul, Susan Watts, Mandy Patti, Dan Cohen. Front: Cindy Hoalcraft. Not pictured: Jesse Bickel.

The saying goes, “you made your bed, now you have to sleep in it.” Earlier this month, though, the Information Technology Services (ITS) team built 12 beds so children in need could sleep in them. Some of the beds were delivered the very next day to local families.

It was a restorative change of pace for the Enterprise Process Support (EPS) team. As part of the ITS mission to provide an outstanding technology environment for the University, EPS provides consultation and facilitation services to improve business processes across campus. During the team’s annual retreat, EPS got a head start on the Syracuse University by volunteering with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace is an organization that builds and delivers beds to children who do not have one of their own. According to numbers collected by the group, roughly 3 percent of American children are without beds.

The was founded in 2018 and has delivered 565 beds to date. EPS team member Cindy Hoalcraft had previously volunteered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and suggested it as both a team-building activity and an opportunity to serve those in need.

ITS support analyst Jon Wright is co-president of the Syracuse chapter and helped coordinate the day’s activities.

“My personal faith puts an emphasis on serving others,” Wright says. “The result of trying to help kids get their own beds is that I have found a simple, long-lasting joy doing so.”

EPS director Kathy Kinney says her team felt a similar sense of meaning in the day’s work.

“I think some were quite surprised at the need,” Kinney says. “We all felt good about contributing bedding and building beds for families in our community.”

The celebration of International Pronouns Day is led by the University’s Pronoun, Gender, Preferred Name Advisory Council (PGPNAC) and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LBGT) Resource Center.

This is the second year of International Pronouns Day. After Syracuse University celebrated the day in its first year in 2018, the University was invited to have representation on the International Pronouns Day steering committee. Consequently, khristian kemp-delisser ’01, co-chair of the PGPNAC and director of the LGBT Resource Center, sits on the steering committee, representing Syracuse University. “This allows the work of the PGPNAC to be grounded in the knowledge that is steering best practices for trans and nonbinary inclusion,” says kemp-delisser.

“Somewhat like Pride is, International Pronouns Day is a time for rededication to a cause important to queer people,” says Aley O’Mara, a member of the PGPNAC. “Having our personal pronouns recognized in public is hugely important for the well-being of trans people, so having a day dedicated to education on and celebration of language and its inclusive evolution helps to recognize that importance.”

O’Mara tabled with the council in celebration of last year’s International Pronouns Day. The council will be tabling across campus again this year.

A doctoral student in English in the College of Arts and Sciences, O’Mara adds, “To me [International Pronouns Day is] also wonderfully nerdy and cool.”

O’Mara has advocated for systemic change for years regarding how the campus community recognizes every person’s personal pronouns. To them, integrating International Pronoun Day into University culture provides an important opportunity to progress toward a more pronoun competent campus that recognizes the lived experiences of its trans students and employees.

As part of the day, the council is hosting an on asking for, respecting and practicing using pronouns as a part of LGBTQ inclusion. Also, the PGPNAC and Information Technology Services (ITS) launched a new MySlice experience: . What was previously known as Personal Services, My Profile brings a more user-friendly, customizable experience to students, faculty and staff.

“By creating such a diverse council in many ways, including professionally, we have been able to create sweeping, systemic change that will spark cultural shift on campus,” says Jenny Gluck, associate chief information officer and co-chair of the PGPNAC. “By developing the opportunities for people to select their pronouns, preferred names and more within the University systems, we hope to increase inclusion of all people on campus.”

To change your pronouns on MySlice:

1. Log in to MySlice
2. Select the “My Profile” pagelet
3. Click on the “Biographic” tab
4. Click on the “Pronoun” link
5. Select your personal pronoun

Information regarding both the usage of pronouns and names, as well as My Profile, will be given out during tabling sessions on International Pronouns Day. Access the and for personal usage and distribution.

For more information, please visit . If you have specific questions or need help getting started, please email pgpnac@syr.edu.

Kingsley Jonathan

When he’s not on the football field as part of the Syracuse Orange defensive line, Kingsley Jonathan is driven by his passion for technology.

“I’ve always had a thing for IT,” Jonathan says.

A junior information management and technology major, Jonathan spent his summer as an intern in the Information Technology Services Service Center, where he worked alongside other interns to help students, faculty and staff resolve issues with their electronic devices.

Throughout the summer, Jonathan dealt with a wide range of technology-related problems. When a woman brought in a computer that inexplicably would not turn on, he teamed up with the other Service Center employees to compare the computer’s hardware components to a similar computer in the center to determine the cause of the issue. Some issues that Jonathan��encountered were simpler.

“Somebody tried to update their phone, and they switched it up and something happened,” Jonathan says. “We just turned the phone off and turned it back on, and it was like, ‘There it is.’”

During his time at the service center, Jonathan worked closely with the other service center interns.

“We spent a lot of time together, and we got to know each other pretty well,” Jonathan says. “I think that was my favorite part.”

No matter the difficulty of the issue he was tasked with resolving, Jonathan relished the opportunity to take a hands-on approach toward technological problems. His time at the ITS Service Center allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the process of diagnosing and solving IT issues and immerse himself in his love of technology in a way he never had before.

“I just wanted to be able to diagnose problems and help people fix their problems, especially relating to computers and stuff,” Jonathan says. “That’s basically what ITS does.”

Playing Favorites

• Favorite post-game meal: Chicken wings
• Favorite place to study:��“On campus, I use Bird. But Manley Field House is my favorite place off campus.”
• Favorite show to binge-watch: “Shameless”
• Favorite video game:��“I don’t play video games. I play games on my cell phone—probably ‘Temple Run.’”
• Favorite emoji:��“The crying one—the laughing and crying one, the one with the tears.”

Story by Gillian Follett ’22

As a result of the upgrade, the “Personal Services” pagelet, which allows users to change addresses, preferred names, contacts, etc., will be easier to use from mobile devices. Also, “Personal Services” will be renamed “My Profile” but will retain its original functionality. The upgrade is the start of a longer-term plan of updates that will also improve functionality for mobile device users.

Information on how to access and use the “My Profile” pagelet can be found in this document: .

During the downtime, MySlice and all applications that are accessed only through MySlice will be unavailable. For a complete list of applications that will be unavailable during the downtime, including certain online services accessed through MySlice, refer to this document: .

The MySlice services accessed through the University mobile application will be unavailable as well. Blackboard will be available using the following link at .

There will be no data changes made in the student information system after 5 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 27. The HRSA Data Warehouse and MyReports will not be updated after processing on Thursday night, Sept. 26, resuming availability on Monday, Sept. 30, with scheduled updates beginning that evening.

For additional information, please contact Linda Saul, senior project manager, at lsaul@syr.edu.

The webinars will help participants understand accessibility, put it into practice on the job and support the University’s efforts to ensure accessibility of documents, systems and communications across campus. Importantly, the skills learned in these workshops will help you realize in your work the University’s commitment to creating a more accessible, inclusive campus.

All sessions will be conducted online in Microsoft Teams from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Login information and links will be provided in the confirmation email upon registration.

The sessions are the following:

• Wednesday, July 10, Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word
• Wednesday, July 17, Building Accessibility into Existing PDFs
• Wednesday, July 24, Creating Accessible PowerPoint
• Wednesday, July 31, Creating Accessible Forms

For more information and to register, visit ITS Accessibility Workshops.

:

Ken Harper, an associate professor of visual communications in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, will present “Keeping it Human: Working across campus, continents and cultures to create photogrammetry.”

Ken Harper

An award-winning designer, professor, photojournalist and media educator, Harper has worked as a multimedia designer and producer for The Rocky Mountain News, MSNBC.com, New York Life, Bausch & Lomb and various nonprofit organizations, including the United Nations, the��Bahá’í Faith,��The Electronic Intifada��and��Aidchild.

Currently, Harper is the first director of the����at the Newhouse School. The center is dedicated to bringing knowledge to the world through storytelling, collaboration and innovation. Harper’s role in the center stems from his long history in working internationally, and he is now sharing that passion by bringing the classroom into the world, and the world into the classroom. Since joining the faculty at Newhouse, Harper has focused his international efforts on empowering local storytellers through training, exchange and activism.

The session will take place Tuesday, April 2, from noon-1:30 p.m. in Katzer Collaboratory, 347 Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Thursday, March 28.

Ben Akih-Kumgeh is��an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. His research is focused on thermodynamics and combustion.

Ben Akih-Kumgeh

Part of his combustion research is concerned with modeling and computational analysis of turbulent chemically reacting flows.��This work is motivated by the fact that the design of clean and efficient combustion systems can benefit from extensive computational analyses of combustion flows. For these analyses to be dependable, several physical phenomena that are associated with combustion flows have to be properly accounted for. Through detailed computations with various physical models, the combination of models that most accurately agree with carefully measured combustion properties can be identified. In the upcoming presentation, he will speak on modeling and numerical simulations of laser-induced combustion and spray combustion.

This session will take place Tuesday, April 16, from noon-1:30 p.m. in Katzer Collaboratory, 347 Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Thursday, April 11.

These sessions will explore how computing resources help researchers take on new and greater computational tasks, enhance research productivity, increase the competitiveness of grant submissions and advance scientific discovery across many disciplines. Participants will have opportunities to:

• Connect with other researchers on campus
• Participate in an ongoing campus dialogue centered on research computing
• Receive information on available resources and navigating the landscape
• Meet and engage Syracuse University’s research computing staff

Information Technology Services (ITS) hosts the sessions, in collaboration with the Research Computing Advisory Council (RCAC). CART services and other accommodations are available by request when registering to attend.

Register or by email

Please register for the session(s) you plan to attend, and request accommodations or send an email to researchcomputing@syr.edu. In your email, please include your name, daytime phone number, the session(s) you plan to attend and any accommodations you may require.

For more information

To find out more about the growing variety of research computing resources and activities at Syracuse University, visit .

If you have questions about the Computing Colloquy sessions, send them to researchcomputing@syr.edu or Eric Sedore.

SITETL is an intense program for faculty members who wish to incorporate technology in their face-to-face course or move a significant component of their course online. This unique event will offer presentations and hands-on workshops involving current topics and technologies, as well as strategies and pedagogies to support accessible online teaching and learning.

Participants will work alongside colleagues from a variety of disciplines as they develop skills and design content for their courses. Instructors will learn about a variety of technologies with a focus on enhancing instruction for students. Sessions will include presentations, panel discussions and hands-on lab time.

Each session is limited to 12 participants selected through a competitive application process. The application deadline is Sunday, April 21.

For more information, including the online application form, .

If you have questions or want more information, contact Michael Morrison at memorr02@syr.edu or 315.443.1806.

These scams are common and widespread during tax season. Consequently, when the University Payroll Service Center sends its annual W-2 notification, it WILL NOT include any clickable links (or hyperlinks) in the message. Instead, you will be asked to log into MySlice directly via your browser. Similarly, no one at the University will send you an email asking that you reply with personal information, such as your University NetID and password.

If you receive a message containing a hyperlink that appears to be to MySlice or your W-2,��do not click the link. It is not from the University. Delete the message immediately. Do the same for any email that asks for your log-on credentials.

If you happen to receive a message like these, and you click the link and enter your University credentials (NetID and password), you should consider them compromised, and should��change your University password immediately. You can change your password by opening a browser and entering NetID.syr.edu. When the page opens, click “Change Your Password” and follow the instructions.

Note that email addresses may become functional links in some email programs. The message from the Payroll Service Center will contain their email address. You can verify the URL of any link before you click it by hovering your cursor over the link and examining the URL. If you don’t recognize the URL, don’t click it.

If you have any questions or need assistance with verifying any email messages, please do not hesitate to contact your local IT support team (if you’re University faculty or staff) or the IT Service Center (if you’re a student) at 315.443.2677 and��help@syr.edu.

Jon Wright, a support analyst with the University’s Information Technology Services, is a founding member and co-president of the local chapter of the nonprofit organization Sleep in Heavenly Peace. In this photo, he’s working on a mini bunk bed.

Wright, a support analyst with the University’s Information Technology Services (ITS), is a founding member and co-president of the of the nonprofit organization . The national organization’s mission is to make sure no kid sleeps on the floor by providing handmade beds.

“We build beds, and we donate them to kids who are sleeping on the floor,” Wright says.

The group members build the headboard, cut the appropriate lengths of side boards and rails, sand the components and then set up the bed with a shrink-wrapped mattress on site.

“We’re like Ikea, except Ikea doesn’t deliver and set up like we do,” Wright says.

Wright is joined by co-president Chris Hussak and a core group of seven couples, with an additional group of about 10 others. The group was also recently joined by another SU employee, Jeff Pitt, director of information technology for the College of Arts and Sciences computing group, whom Wright shared information with about the group while the two were speaking at work one day.

“He came to a build, and he got the bug,” Wright says. “He’s a tremendous asset.” Pitt also put together a request to the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation for a $5,000 grant that was recently awarded to the chapter to help fund materials.

Wright, who has been with the University for 22 years, works at the ITS Central Help Desk, assisting students and other members of the University community with technical issues and troubleshooting hardware and software problems. It’s a position in which he enjoys helping others solve problems—a feeling that extends into the work he does with Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Jon Wright, co-president of the local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, works on a dip tank for staining wood.

Read more about how Wright became interested in the organization and what’s next.

Q: How did you get involved and get the local chapter going?

A: This past May, a few Syracuse area friends met to discuss a shared desire to make a difference in Syracuse and Onondaga County. One of these friends mentioned a Facebook program called Returning the Favor and an episode featuring Luke Mickelson. Luke, after realizing that there were children sleeping on the floor in his town, decided he needed to do something and from that decision Sleep In Heavenly Peace (SHP) was born. After watching the program the next time they got together, it was unanimous—let’s do this in Syracuse. By the end of July, the group was officially the first SHP chapter in New York state.

Q: How many beds have been built? Where do you build them?

A: Locally, we have built 35 beds so far. We hope to deliver 80 beds before Jan. 1. We partner with corporations and civic groups to engage the community. We have had build days at the Lowe’s in Clay and at Manlius True Value. We are currently looking for an indoor location to use on Saturday or Sunday mornings to do public builds during the winter months. We are always looking for companies or groups that would like to sponsor and do a bed build as a charitable team-building activity. A private build took place at Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Center, where we worked with the teen residents to impart some trade skills, as well as provide an opportunity to give back to their community.

Q: How many have you delivered? Who do they go to?

A: We have delivered 32 of the 35 beds so far. The beds go to children between the ages of 4-17 who are sleeping on the floor, a mattress on the floor or a couch, or are in situations where multiple children are in a single bed. All requests for families in need are made through the national organization web page and are vetted locally. We generally work through the list but will prioritize for certain circumstances, such as keeping a family together if possible by providing beds quickly.

Jon Wright assists a boy with a power tool during a build in Idaho as part of a training for Sleep in Heavenly Peace. Wright is co-president of the Syracuse chapter, which he started with a group of friends earlier this year.

Q: How long have you been woodworking? How did you get started?

A: I’m not a woodworker in my eyes. I’ve always had a knack for almost any project I took on but I actually prefer electrical work or plumbing to woodwork. The beds we build are pretty basic and, while it takes some skill with hand tools, almost anybody can do it. They are built to be sturdy, workhorse, long-lasting beds.

Q: Why is this important to you?

A: When I first heard of this, I was skeptical. My oldest daughter worked in the city for a time as a paramedic, so I asked her if kids were sleeping on the floor. Her confirmation that it was widespread broke my heart. It is such a simple thing. I am also a man of faith and believe we are put on Earth for a purpose. The way that purpose is carried out changes in different stages of life. Right now, I am at a place where this is my passion to get as many kids off the floor, off a couch, as I can.

The drive home after delivering our first bed was a bittersweet experience. There’s a ton of emotions. You are happy that you left a bed, but you leave wishing you could do more.

Q: You also served as a volunteer firefighter. How long were you a firefighter? What does that mean to you to serve your community?

A: I “retired” from the Manlius Fire Department last January, when I turned 60. I had spent 10 years volunteering as an ambulance driver in Manlius. I was lucky to serve with two of my children who were paramedic firefighters there at the time. There is nothing better than serving others, particularly if you can do so with purpose that is as devoid of self-interest as is achievable.

Staff Spotlight shines a light on many of Syracuse University’s most dedicated—and talented—members. Their work on campus. Their often very interesting lives away from campus. It is our pleasure to share their stories. Know someone who should be considered for an upcoming Staff Spotlight? Contact Kevin Morrow, director of internal communications in the Division of Marketing and Communications, at kdmorrow@syr.edu.

There are currently at least three types of email scams that are targeting the Syracuse University community:

1. Phishing scams that contain a link that when clicked takes you to a page appearing to be a legitimate login page and attempts to get you to enter your SU NetID and password. Often, the fake login page looks exactly like MySlice!
2. Employment scams that offer some type of well-paying job. If the victim accepts the job, they receive a counterfeit check or money order with instructions to deposit it into their personal account. The victim is instructed to keep some of the funds (usually several hundred dollars) as their compensation, and withdraw the balance and send it, via wire transfer or in the form of gift cards or gift card codes, to another individual or “vendor.” The money is supposedly for equipment, materials or software necessary for the job. Days later, the victim’s bank confirms the counterfeit check and demands the money back from the victim. The scammers often obtain personal information, such as social security and telephone numbers, physical and email addresses, from student victims while posing as their new employer, leaving students vulnerable to identity theft.
3. Known as a “sextortion” scam, the victim receives an email from someone who claims to have hacked their computer. They back up this claim by providing an actual password that the victim may have used or is currently using, on some website somewhere. The hacker says they have used the camera on the hacked computer to take videos of the victim in compromising situations and threatens to publicize the videos if the victim does not pay an extortion fee, usually in the form of bitcoin. These are false. The password is usually an actual password that the victim used on a previously compromised site like Yahoo that has been made public.

Recently, numerous Syracuse University students have reported all three scams, and several students have fallen victim to them. Unfortunately, students who fall for the scams suffer financial losses and identity theft. The students’ bank accounts may be closed due to fraudulent activity, and student victims are responsible for reimbursing the bank the amount of the counterfeit checks.

Be Vigilant. Protect Yourself!

If you receive such a job offer by email, examine it closely. Assume that any job that seems too good to be true probably is. Employment scams begin with experienced con artists posing as recruiters or employers who offer attractive employment opportunities doing simple tasks for a few hours a week. These criminals frequently work from overseas locations. They often require job seekers to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of work-at-home, high salary, no experience required, make your own schedule, shopping or personal assistant, and special vacation or travel arrangements.

Here are some tips to help you avoid email scams:

• Enable two-factor authentication for your online University and, if available, other accounts. This will protect against unauthorized use of your credentials, even if they are stolen.
• Do not pay any money up front.
• Do not accept payment for services you have not provided (i.e., as a “pre-payment” for expected services).
• Be cautious of emails written with poor grammar, lacking proper verb usage and sentence structure, or with text in all caps or bold font.
• Never send money from a deposited check until it officially clears your bank. Note: It can take several weeks for a fake check to be discovered.
• Never provide credit card or bank account numbers, and be cautious of payments by wire service or courier.
• Be suspicious of any email from senders you don’t know, or that seems out of character for the sender. Verify that the sender is actually who they appear to be before clicking on any links or attachments.
• Verify the URL of any link before you click it by hovering your cursor over the link and examining the URL. If you don’t recognize the URL, don’t click it.
• Never open attachments unless they are from someone you know, or you expect them.
• Don’t enter your username and password (especially your University NetID) to access any website if you are not 100 percent sure of its validity. In particular, you should be suspicious of email messages that have links to sites that ask you to use your University NetID and password to log in.
• Keep your computer software updated and patched, particularly your antivirus and anti-malware software.
• Remember that nobody at Syracuse University will ever ask for your NetID or password for any reason, in any form other than when you’re logging in to an SU system. If somebody does, they’re not representing the University or any of its offices. Report any occurrences to itsecurity@syr.edu.

If you receive a suspicious offer or fall victim to an email scam,��please forward any related emails to the ITS Information Security team at��ITSecurity@listserv.syr.edu��and the Department of Public Safety at��dpsadmin@syr.edu. Please include your name, SU email address and contact telephone number.

If you have questions about student employment at Syracuse University��contact Student Employment Services at 315.443.2268 or��HRSES@syr.edu.

ITS staff will do all they can to prevent spam and phishing emails from landing in your SU mailbox, but inevitably some will get through. Please, be cautious about the email to which you respond. And if you’re not sure, get in touch with ITS at 315.443.2677 or�� help@syr.edu.

The 21st annual conference will be held Monday, Nov. 12–Friday, Nov.16, and the virtual conference will be hosted in two locations in the Center for Science and Technology. Registration for local presentation of the conference is free; by Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, for the sessions you plan to attend.

Accessing Higher Ground (AHG) focuses on the implementation and benefits of Accessible Media, Universal Design and Assistive Technology in university, business, and public settings. There is a strong focus on Universal Design, curriculum accessibility, incorporating accessibility into the procurement process, accessibility evaluations, and ADA and Section 508 compliance. Other topic areas cover legal and policy issues, video captioning, and expanded sessions for creating accessible math content.

One of the pre-conference sessions is a lab related to Accessible InDesign layouts for producing accessible PDFs and EPUBs. And, on Friday a main conference session focuses on making accessible content visually compelling, which will be of particular interest to graphic designers.

Presentation of the virtual AHEAD annual conference on the University campus is sponsored by the Office of Disability Services and Information Technology Services (ITS).

Who should attend?

If you create or manage content that must comply with the University’s this conference will be very helpful. The conference is intended for individuals who need to design or provide accessible Web, media, information resources and technology in the academic and business environment, including faculty and administrators interested in ADA & Section 508 compliance and faculty and other professionals who wish to ensure that their curriculum is accessible. In the past, audiences have included web designers, assistive technologists, ADA coordinators, human resource personnel, persons with disabilities, disability specialists, faculty, media specialists and programmers interested in accessibility and incorporating Universal Design into curriculum and information and communications technology.

About the virtual conference

AHG will stream sessions live from two tracks, all five days of the conference, including the pre-conference sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Main conference sessions start on Wednesday. For complete information, including session abstracts and schedule (Mountain time zone), visit the .

NOTE: ITS has arranged for group tickets which cover the presentation here on the University campus of all virtual pre- and main conference sessions. DO NOT register for the virtual conference on the AHG website, unless you want to participate as an individual, or from another location. Also, note that the times shown on the virtual conference website are Mountain Time. Events will be presented here on campus two hours later than shown on the conference website.

Questions? Send an email to ITS at accessibleIT@syr.edu, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Please include your name and phone number in your email.

2FA is an added verification step during authentication that helps to prevent the unauthorized use of University NetIDs and passwords by ensuring that only the account owners themselves use their credentials on systems hardened with 2FA, in this case, Office 365. Typically, 2FA is described as “something you know and something you have” where the “something you know” is your username and password, and the “something you have” is often called a “second factor.”

Multiple second factors can be configured in Office 365, such as the confirmation of a push notification via the Microsoft Authenticator mobile application, a text message, a phone call, or a verification code.

“The login credentials of students, faculty and staff are targets for organized crime and hackers,” says Christopher Croad, Syracuse University’s information security officer. “Criminals use stolen NetIDs and passwords to harvest personally identifiable information from compromised accounts or sell them on the ‘dark web’ for financial gain, or use in gaining access to academic assets such as library resources or educational discounts on software and services. Two-factor authentication makes it difficult for anyone except the account owner to log into a resource that uses 2FA as part of its authentication mechanism.”

Students are encouraged to opt-in to Office 365 2FA protection at any time by visiting and clicking Two-Factor Opt-in. All students will need to turn on 2FA in their Office 365 and email accounts by Feb. 12, 2019. Faculty and staff have been required for several months to set up 2FA in their Office 365 apps for additional security verification.

Important Recommendation: Anyone who plans to travel away from the main campus between now and the end of the academic year is strongly encouraged to opt-in to two-factor authentication as soon as possible. Unreliable or nonexistent internet or cell coverage prevents connectivity in some areas, domestic and abroad. Opting in now can enable continuing access to protected University accounts regardless of location.

Additional information and instructions are on the Microsoft Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Setup and Management page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

ITS has chosen Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory system to provide “Additional Security Verification” to University Office 365 accounts. “We use Azure to manage the University’s Active Directory within the cloud environment,” says Eric Sedore, Associate Chief Information Officer for Core Infrastructure Services, “It already has two-factor and multifactor authentication tools built-in. We are leveraging our existing deployment, so it does not increase our costs to take advantage of the advanced functionality.”

Over the summer, ITS added applications and features to the Office 365 suite including One Drive cloud storage, Teams collaboration suite, One Note digital notebooks, and multi-user document editing. These new services are available to all active Syracuse University students, faculty and staff and are protected with 2FA. Office 365 enables enhanced collaboration and streamlined meeting, scheduling, and calendaring among members of the University community. Installation instructions and details about these and other Office 365 services are on the Office 365 @ Syracuse University page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

For assistance with Office 365 and two-factor authentication, students are invited to contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff should contact their IT support team.

According to the International Pronouns Day , referring to people by the pronouns they determine for themselves is basic to human dignity. Being referred to by the wrong pronouns particularly affects transgender and gender nonconforming people. Together, we can transform society to celebrate people’s multiple, intersecting identities.

More than two dozen faculty, students and staff sit on the University’s Preferred Name, Pronouns and Gender Advisory Council (PNPGAC). This group is charged to improve preferred name, pronoun and gender inclusivity among databases and systems across campus. They aim to advance general awareness of the University’s Preferred Name Policy by expanding services and understanding of how and where preferred name and pronouns make a difference in student experiences.

How you can help

Members of PNPGAC will be hosting a table in the Milton Atrium of the Life Sciences Complex from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on International Pronoun Day, Wednesday, Oct. 17. You’re invited to stop by and find out about the Preferred Name function in MySlice and indicate your interest in being a potential focus group member to discuss adding the ability to designate one’s preferred pronoun to MySlice.

Council members will have a sign-up list for the focus group sessions, as well as iPads and a GIANT mobile touch screen with which they will show students how to add/edit their preferred name in MySlice.

You can also find information about the preferred name function in the .

Information Technology Services (ITS) is part of PNPGAC and will be developing preferred pronoun options that align with the preferred name policy. The LGBT Resource Center is also working with volunteers from around campus and the Preferred Name, Pronouns and Gender Advisory Council, and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Chief Diversity Office to conduct outreach on campus with information about trans-related resources on campus, including showing an International Pronouns Day webinar in Room 221B Schaffer from noon-1:30 p.m. Oct. 17.

Questions?

Please send your questions about the University’s preferred name policy and the ability to designate one’s preferred pronoun in MySlice to PNPGAC@syr.edu.

The Address Book in Outlook now includes all active students, faculty, and staff. It has never been easier to check calendars, make appointments, and find email addresses of other campus community members directly from Outlook. See the related �����鶹��Ʒ article for details.

You will find details about these and other Office 365 services at the Office 365 @ Syracuse University page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

For assistance with Office 365, students are invited to contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff should contact their IT support team.

“This policy will support the University’s ongoing and steadfast effort to enhance accessibility across campus,” Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer Samuel J. Scozzafava Jr. says. “Through improved technology and increased education, we hope to remove as many barriers as we can for individuals with disabilities. Each member of our campus community plays an important role in our efforts to enhance accessibility. We must all prioritize accessibility and leverage universal design as we update and create new web content, classroom materials and many other forms of digital content.”

Since April 2015, a broad-based University committee has been working to develop the policy, and in 2016, the Chancellor’s Workgroup on Diversity and Inclusion formally recommended adoption of a comprehensive policy. The policy was crafted with input from students, faculty, staff and senior leaders through direct outreach and a formal open comment period.

The new policy ensures that information and communication technologies used on campus are accessible to all members of the University community. It also requires that services, products and content acquired or created by the University on or after Jan. 1, 2018, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities, pursuant to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 AA standards.

Additionally, a new cross-campus working group has been created to develop a comprehensive remediation plan in response to a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The working group is charged with assessing the University’s technology and current web properties. Like many other universities and colleges that have received OCR complaints, the University is working closely with OCR to remediate barriers to existing content and to put processes in place to ensure future content is fully accessible and compliant.

For more information on technology accessibility on campus, visit . To contact the ITS Accessibility Team, email accessibleIT@syr.edu or call 315.443.2677.

The sessions—hosted by Information Technology Services in collaboration with the Research Computing Advisory Council—will explore how computing resources help researchers take on new and greater computational tasks, enhance research productivity, increase the competitiveness of grant submissions, and advance scientific discovery across many disciplines.

Participants will have opportunities to:

• connect with other researchers on campus;
• participate in an ongoing campus dialogue centered on research computing;
• receive information on available resources and navigating the landscape; and
• meet and engage SU’s research computing staff.

:

Arindam Chakraborty

Tuesday, April 18, 12:30 to 2 p.m. Katzer Collaboratory, Room 347, Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Friday, April 14.

, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry in the , will present “Harnessing the predictive power of computational quantum chemistry: A diagrammatic, symbolic, and numerical computing perspective.” Quantum chemistry is the application of quantum theory for understanding and predicting processes in chemical systems. Over the past decade, computational chemistry has proven to be an indispensable tool for materials discovery. This talk will present a multifaceted perspective of the quantum chemistry for computer-aided design of novel nanomaterials in photovoltaic, photodetectors, laser sources and nanoprobes. The presentation will focus not only on the traditional numerical computation approaches but also on the often-overlooked areas of symbolic and diagrammatic computing. The future of computational quantum chemistry lies in peta- and exa- scale computing and the impact of various parallelization models (many-core, GPUs, cloud-based concurrency).

Reza Zafarani

Wednesday, April 26, 12:30 to 2 p.m. Katzer Collaboratory, Room 347, Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Friday, April 21.

, assistant professor of electrical engineering in the , conducts research at the intersection of data mining, machine learning, social sciences and theory. A common pattern in his research is to collect and analyze large-scale data to glean actionable patterns. He often employs theories from social sciences, psychology and anthropology in addition to developing and using advanced mathematical, statistical and machine-learning machinery to prove the validity of such patterns. His talk, “Human Emotions: Predictability, Patterns, and Dynamics,” will present common patterns of human emotions, how those emotions evolve and how they connect with friendships, and whether emotions can be predicted. The talk will focus on understanding how human emotions vary across users and time and how users with various emotions embed themselves in social networks. Zafarani works to identify emotional patterns on four different network levels, starting from users and moving up to communities. Our findings can help better understand the interplay between emotions and social ties.

Registration for either session can be done by or emailing researchcomputing@syr.edu. In the email, please include your name, daytime phone number, the session(s) you plan to attend, and any accommodations you may require.

To find out more about the growing variety of research computing resources and activities at SU, visit . Questions about the Computing Colloquy sessions may be directed to researchcomputing@syr.edu or Eric Sedore at essedore@syr.edu.

SITETL is an intense program for faculty members who wish to incorporate technology in their face-to-face course or move a significant component of their course online. This unique event will offer presentations and hands-on workshops involving current topics and technologies, as well as strategies and pedagogies to support online teaching and learning. Participants will work alongside colleagues from a variety of disciplines as they develop skills and design content for their courses. Instructors will learn about a variety of technologies with a focus on enhancing instruction for students. Sessions will include presentations, panel discussions and hands-on lab time.

Each session is limited to 15 participants selected through a competitive application process. The application deadline is Friday, April 14, 2017.

For more information, including the online application form, .

If you have questions or want more information, please contact Michael Morrison at memorr02@syr.edu or 315.443.1806.