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| Paul Monachino joins the ITS department as Software Trainer. A lifelong area resident, he is a Nazareth graduate (‘77), former Penfield CSD Elementary and Instructional Technology Teacher, and Mission Commander at the Challenger Learning Center of Rochester where he can be found leading students on simulated Missions to Mars. His wife Nancy is also a teacher in the Williamson CSD. They have raised four children (third child Leah is a Nazareth graduate ’05), three sheep, and numerous chickens on their Williamson farm. Paul can be reached at ext. 2112 for help with your software issues, or stop in the User Support Center in Smyth 85 where he can provide you with software support, clean raw wool or fresh brown eggs. |
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Technology Time is more than just training. We are here to help you solve specific problems that may arise in your daily work on your Mac or PC, refresh your skills in programs that you may need to use, or provide formal instruction on programs new to you. Support is not limited to specific software, but is available to make your use of technology more efficient, productive, and less frustrating.
Stop in the User Support Center in Smyth 85 to visit with Paul Monachino, Software Trainer, call him at extension 2112, or email training@naz.edu for an appointment. |
We offer support with (but not limited to):
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access)
- Publisher
- FrontPage
- Photoshop Elements
- Adobe Acrobat
- Dreamweaver
- Contribute
- Digital Photography
- Burning CDs and DVDs
- Other special projects
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We recently upgraded to version 7.1 Basic Edition of Blackboard. Many of the features were enhanced; the Discussion Board now has more functionality, the Gradebook has more features, a language pack is available and version 7 added the Backpack component. Backpack is a software enhancement students can purchase, It allows them to download all of their course content to their own computer with an automatic update feature every time they login. It stores and organizes all Blackboard materials, allowing for quick and easy access even without an internet connection. It also offers a scheduling/calendaring function similar to Outlook. A free 30 day trial is offered.
Currently we have 198 faculty using Blackboard in about 657 courses. This represents 56% of the faculty use Blackboard in their courses. We are very pleased with these numbers and will continue to watch them grow as more and more faculty see the benefits of having their course material online and available to students 24/7.
Watch for upcoming workshops, starting with the Discussion Board.
This fall we implemented Blackboard Policies and a Time Management schedule, both of which can be located at www.naz.edu/its/blackboard.
To save time and prioritize calls, please refer all questions to the User Support Center at 389-2111, or email: usl@naz.edu. |
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| Along with her other web-related duties, ITS' Corinna Ng, Web Technology Coordinator, played a key role in working with the Marketing Department over the last 6 to 12 months to get the new naz.edu site developed and launched. Corinna's work included setting up several new servers and the underlying structures for the revised site and integrating the newly developed pages. The multiple servers will allow us to improve the reliability of the site by providing a separate test environment and also a "hot" backup which we can switch to quickly if anything happens to the main server. One of the important underlying changes is the incorporation of more database-driven applications, like the news and events application - the database aspect allowing more interaction in inquires for information of interest. |
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What is a Portal:
A portal is a single virtual window through which each of us can access the college computer systems. It is a piece of interactive web-based software that delivers to each user, based on his or her role, a personalized view which enables quicker, easier, secure access to technology based resources and serves as the infrastructure for future applications. Because it is web-based, it is accessible from on campus, off campus, at school, work, home, and from any where there is open Internet access.
A portal is a web site that acts much like a home-page with the additional benefits of being integrated, flexible, able to be personalized, and portable. This is an internal tool for the Nazareth community of faculty, staff and students and serves a different function than the Nazareth Website. It can facilitate our daily tasks by joining the disparate campus computer systems and tying them together as one seamless package that we log in to only once.
-Mary Heid |
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Portal Update:
This spring the Portal Task Force chose Academus 2.0 from Unicon, Inc. as the portal product for Nazareth College. The sixteen-member Portal Task Force (PTF) of faculty, staff, and administration conducted a four-month research, interview, and demonstration process of evaluating eight portal solutions. This resulted in two finalists, Time Cruiser and Academus, being brought to campus in April, 2006. Faculty and staff attended demonstrations, interacted with the vendors, and offered valuable input to this decision. The PTF compared the two products side-by-side on specific issues that were identified as critical to Nazareth College; a hosted e-mail solution, integration with Nazareth’s existing Datatel systems, single-sign-on capability with e-mail, NazNet, and Blackboard, a central repository for file storage, customization and scalability, vendor support of the product, client references, and cost.
Over the summer Olga, Greg and Mary have begun work on the technical details. Servers for email and the Academus 2.0 (the portal) are installed and being configured.
What’s Next?
At the recommendation of the Portal Task Force, a Portal Steering Committee is coming together to oversee and plan the implementation of the Portal Project. This work is taking place this fall – and will include ample opportunity for community-wide involvement and discussion. Look for much more in the coming months…
-Mary Heid |
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Colleague Release 18:
A Colleague Release 18 test account has been set up. An initial test of the new release will be held in October. The purpose of this test phase is to make sure that all of the basic features that are used in the various administrative offices continue to work as expected. A second phase will be held later in the fall semester. The purpose of the second test phase will depend largely on the outcomes of the first phase. Custom features will be tested more thoroughly. ITS will coordinate the testing. |
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NazNet:
This November, we will provide Web Registration for the 07/SP term on NazNet 3.0. This will be the first registration cycle on the new software release at Nazareth.
Additional student profile information is now available via "My Profile" on the Student's Menu. The software customization, requested by the School of Education, enables students to complete their NYS TEACH profile using the state code and title for their current certification program without departmental intervention.
We will soon begin testing a new NazNet menu item - "Pay Advices". This new software will enable the viewing and printing of online pay advices from NazNet. |
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Wireless Coverage:
Earlier this semester, wireless networking was installed in the GAC to further expand wireless coverage on campus. This will allow mobile laptop users to have access to the Internet almost anywhere in the building. Last year, the first wireless “hotspots” were introduced in the Library, Shults Center, Colies Cafe, and Sorelles |
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This past summer, Nazareth entered into an agreement with TimeWarner to provide high-speed internet service to resident students. This new service provides students with a more robust and reliable Internet connection, including off-hours support. ITS conducted a survey of resident students and found that 90% of them rated the new service as Above Average or better.
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Tips ‘n’ Tactics Training
Tips and Tactics for Colleague and Benefactor was a training session presented the last two Tuesdays of September. These sessions reviewed navigational tools, offered additional look up tips and introduced some new forms. The attendees were able to review, discuss and try it out in the lab environment.
Coming soon is UI Web, the newest graphical user interface for Colleague and Benefactor. This interface allows access to Colleague/Benefactor within a web browser, taking advantage of standard browser navigation features. Mac users will use this interface since UI Desktop is not available for them. Non-Mac Users may need to request this interface as well.
New Smartrooms
5 new Smartrooms were added to the 3rd floor of the GAC. (G-325, G-338, G-339, G-375 and G-396)
A new smartroom was added in Kearney Hall for the First Year Experience.
New Labs and Upgrades
We have a new graphics lab located in A-167 and a new lab in Kearney.
Smyth 261 and Fine Arts (A-136) Labs, have all new computers.
Foreign Language Lab
Patty Ferguson assisted in the hiring of Birgit Deir (reporting to the Dean of CAS) and in getting the Foreign Language Lab up and running.
Videoconferencing
Library Media Services and ITS Piloted the use of Videoconferencing Classes in Hybrid Pathophysiology Course offered in the Department of Physical Therapy.
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October 26th – November: A Web Conference: Creating a Sense of Online Community
Mary Heid is excited to be attending an upcoming webinar about online communities in higher education. The agenda includes such broad topics as; the importance of understanding the student population; online orientation types; connecting with students; keeping students connected; tools; accessibility.
The webinar will take place live on October 26th from 1:00-2:30pm in Media B and all are welcome to attend. Space is limited, so please reserve your spot by sending Mary an e-mail today.
We’ll own rights to the program for a month, so assuming it is a quality conference, we plan to rerun the program publicly multiple times (and at varying times of day) during the month of November. So, join us in October, or wait for Mary's review and attend a rerun in November. |
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Microsoft Tips
Microsoft Office Top 10 Tips & Tricks Series. Click here to view the the Top 10 Tips & Tricks for:
- Microsoft Office Excel 2003
- Microsoft Office Word 2003
- Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
- Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services
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Dreamweaver Tips:
- Insert a line break <br> tag by pressing Shift+Enter.
- Give non-breaking space by holding down Ctrl+Shift and clicking Space. Instead of clicking the space bar continuously (you will get characters one after the other), release the Ctrl+Shift between clicks to the space bar. You will get the desired space in half the number of characters (better HTML code).
- In the Design View of Dreamweaver you can View your page in the default browser by pressing F12.
- Links: Select the element , photo or text , then go to the properties bar and type in the address you want to link to. Always use the entire address, for ex: http://www.naz.edu
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Julie Cox has been with the IT Deparment longer than any other IT staff person. She received her 25 year award from Daan Bravemen at the 2005 Faculty/Staff Picnic.
Congratulations Julie.
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| June Yeager helping out at the midnight breakfast. |
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We are proud to introduce our new, as well as our returning, Lab Assistants! |
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Dave Ashley
User Support Line Assistant
Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders
Graduation Year: 2008
Hometown: Frankfort, NY
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Karim Belhaj
User Support Line Assistant
Majors: Business Administration, Information Technology
Graduation Year: 2008
Hometown: Rabat, Morocco
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Julia Broman
Lab Assistant
Major: Music Therapy
Graduation Year: 2009
Hometown: Grand Island, NY
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John DeMott
Lab Assistant
Major: Art Education
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Earlville, NY |
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Jamie Huver
Lab Assistant
Major: French
Graduation Year: 2008
Hometown: Dansville, NY |
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Brian McBride
User Support Line Assistant
Major: Political Science
Graduation Year: 2007
Hometown: Macedon, NY
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Dave Thall
Lab Assistant
Major: History Education
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Honeoye Falls, NY
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Isaac Figeras
Lab Assistant
Major: English Lit
Graduation Year: 2009
Hometown: E. Rochester, NY
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Matt Gosselin
Lab Assistant
Major: Information Technology
Graduation Year: 2007
Hometown: Meriden, CT |
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Erin Samuelson
Lab Assistant
Major: Physical Therapy
Graduation Year: 2012
Hometown: Webster, NY
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James Hallahan
Lab Assistant
Major: History Education
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Honeoye Falls, NY
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Alicyn Holmes
Lab Assistant
Major: Art Education
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Earlville, NY
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Maddie Donovan
Lab Assistant
Major: Political Science/History
Graduation Year: 2009
Hometown: Oswego, NY
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Sarah Potozniak
Lab Assistant
Major: Economics
Graduation Year: 2009
Hometown: Lancaster, NY |
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Joe Becker
Lab Assistant
Major: Masters in Math Education
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Rochester, NY |
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