In this issue... New Online Survey and Forms Software at IPFW...... Page 1 IU Agreement with Adobe ...... Page 1 iTunes U@IPFW ...... Page 2 IPFW Password Policy Update ...... Page 2 Generic Accounts Present Security Risk ...... Page 3 29,000 Computer Accounts Deleted ...... Page 3 TRAINING‐L ...... Page 4 MATH‐STATS‐L ...... Page 4 ITS People on the Move ...... Page 4
The newsletter for IPFW computer users from Information Technology Services February 2009
By Scott Vitz, New Online Survey and Forms Software at IPFW ITS, User Technology Support Group
For the past few years, IPFW personnel survey software package that offers a fantastic array interested in creating online surveys were able to of question types, a welldesigned survey use a product called Websurveyor. Shortly after its development interface, good fielding/survey implementation, however, Websurveyor’s limited promotion capabilities and a powerful reporting licensing scheme could no longer meet the engine." exponentially increasing demands for its use at For information about creating an account and IPFW. So, Websurveyor has been phased out—on using Qualtrics, visit this web page: December 26, 2008, the server was shut down. Now, as a replacement, IPFW personnel can http://www.its.ipfw.edu/resources/qualtrics/ take advantage of an unlimited licensing agreement Purdue University, West Lafayette, recently signed For information about attending training session with Qualtrics, a feature‐rich, user‐friendly online‐ on Qualtrics, visit this web page: survey software provider. According to one reviewer, "Qualtrics is an excellent webbased http://www.its.ipfw.edu/training/schedule.shtml
By Joseph McCormick, IU Agreement with Adobe is Good News for IPFW + ITS, Manager of User Technology Support In December, Indiana Purdue’s pricing agreement with agreement, the products shown University negotiated a new Adobe. While prices were lower on page 4 are available for agreement with Adobe for a than retail, license use was installation on faculty, staff and 3‐year program which includes limited and still costly. Some student machines. Personal many software tools offered by departments spent tens of copies may be purchased at the the company. After a number of thousands of dollars a year on IPFW bookstore for use on a conversations and internal Adobe licenses and maintenance. home PC, provided that once the analyses of the pro’s and con’s of In IT Services we have been faculty, staff or student is no entering into the agreement along limited on the number of Adobe longer affiliated with the with other IU campuses, IPFW is products we could provide to University, the software is joining as well! only those that were used by removed. Previously, Adobe software multiple departments and by our So, for open lab workstations, products were purchased by available funding. look for new software availability IPFW departments through With the new IU Adobe (Continued on page 4, see Agreement) By Samantha Birk, iTunes U@IPFW Associate Director for Instructional Technologies, CELT IPFW
Apple’s iTunes is a free computer application used for playing and Password ** ******** organizing digital music and video files as well as transferring them to Policy Update iPods (or other compatible players) so that these materials can be At the beginning of Fall semester watched or listened to anytime and anywhere. Through a program called 2008, password expiration for iTunes U, Apple has given colleges and universities the opportunity to IPFW computing resources was leverage the technology behind iTunes to support teaching and learning as expanded to 120 days unless you well as other vital aspects of the university such as marketing, student have a high security clearance support, community outreach, athletics, etc. . requiring a 30‐day expiration. In Colleges and universities around the country are taking advantage of addition, while some people used this opportunity because it allows students to quickly access and load their first or last name, as part of audio and video content onto mobile devices that can be listened to or their password, this will no watched multiple times wherever the student might be. It is this flexibility longer work. Keep these rules in that is key to supporting the “anytime, anywhere” learning style of mind when you create your next today’s students who expect technology to be ubiquitous. iTunes U gives password. students the ability to reinforce and expand their classroom experience by Length: 8 to 16 characters allowing them to review course lectures, access commentaries and special Numbers: at least 1 number supplemental materials whenever and wherever they wish. It also offers Letters: at least 1 letter the opportunity for students to contribute to the teaching and learning process by uploading their own audio and/or video offerings to iTunes U. Unique characters: at least 4 It complements existing IPFW instructional delivery systems such as (yabbadabbadoo has only 5 unique characters) Blackboard Vista and the web and enriches course content. Special Characters: optional iTunes U also gives institutions a public presence in the iTunes Music use of the pound sign, store, which is an invaluable marketing and community outreach tool. underscore or dollar iTunes is the number one online music store in the world, a big reason character why more than half of the nation’s top 500 schools are involved with Repetition: a password iTunes U. cannot be reused for one IPFW's involvement in iTunes U was a project started several years (1) year ago by then‐VCAA Dr. Susan Hannah with the support of faculty and staff. Don’t use the question mark For the past 6 months representatives from ITS, CELT and University (?), forward slash (/) or Relations have been meeting and actively Ampersand. (&). working on making iTunes U available at IPFW. Don’t use easily‐guessed The project has now reached a point where words (e.g. Purdue, itap, individuals across campus can see the work boiler). that is being done and begin getting involved in Don’t use your name or the project. iTunes U has tremendous potential parts of your name (e.g., Bill, for not only enhancing instruction but also for Bob, or your last name). furthering the work of STEPS, CASA, FYE, the Think of your password as an MAC, the Library, Athletics ‐ in short, almost access code. Never store your any unit of IPFW. For more information, contact CELT’s Associate Director password on paper in a desk for Instructional Technologies and Chair of the iTunes U project, Samantha drawer or under your Birk, at 481‐6368 or e‐mail [email protected]. You can peruse the iTunes U keyboard. website at: http://itunes.ipfw.edu/.
By Mandi Witkovsky Generic Accounts Present Security Risk ITS, Security, Policy & Planning Group
Generic accounts have been which generic accounts If you have any student staff or widely used on the IPFW were being used and if grad aids in your department campus over the past years. so, what they are used who are currently using generic What makes an account for. Any accounts that were accounts, feel free to fill out the "generic" is when the username reported as not being used were account request form, whether is not based on a specific scheduled for deletion. Out of you have been contacted by Pat person's name. The account may 1350 accounts, 575 have been or not. The form is online at or may not be deleted because they were no http://www.its.ipfw.edu/ shared by longer used. forms/accounts.shtml. multiple people This first phase has been a Other phases of the generic to log into good start, but there is more account project will include computers, work to be done. The next phase, evaluating the use of temporary receive and which is currently in progress, employee, departmental laptop send email, etc. involves targeting generic and desktop PC and lab The fact that accounts we believe to be in use accounts. We are making every the account is by student staffers and/or grad effort to work with departments not tied to one specific aids. Student staff and grad aids to determine the business need individual makes it a security should use their own accounts to for the accounts and whether a risk. Should we need to track access departmental resources. more secure process can be activity for legal purposes, we Pat Garrett, ITS Lead Computer created. It is not our intent to would not be able to do so with Operator, has been contacting remove access to resources but a generic account. departments to recommend that to make that access more secure. Because of this and other their student staff have accounts If you have questions or reasons, IT Services is taking created for use related to concerns regarding your generic action with a long term project departmental responsibilities. accounts, please contact Glenn to eliminate many generic Once the accounts are created Morgan, Manager of the accounts in use on campus. The and the students become Customer Service Center at first phase of the project was to acclimated to their use, the [email protected] or phone: 15766. contact departments to find out generic accounts will be deleted.
29,000 Computer Accounts Deleted By Mandi Witkovsky ITS, Security, Policy & Planning Group
ast fall, IT Services initiated a process to delete the resources devoted to both the Banner 8 upgrade L computer accounts for inactive students. To that and the student account deletion process are shared, end, more than 29,000 accounts were deleted in IT Services felt the Banner upgrade should take November 2008. Our intent is to run this process precedence. Additionally, there are a few each Spring and Fall semester. However, due to the enhancements planned for the student deletion Banner 8 upgrade taking place around Spring Break process that would have been impacted by the Banner 2009, it was decided to temporarily suspend the upgrade. The improved student account deletion process for Spring semester 2009. Because many of process will resume in Fall 2009.
(Agreement, Continued from page 1) in time for the fall semester (beyond those we TRAINING‐L already provide in labs). Faculty and staff, however, A new listserv has been created to provide you with will have the ability to install the software on their timely notifications of additions to the training office workstations sooner, so keep an eye out in IPFW calendar and notices about new workshops offered by icons for the new applications or application suites. IT Services. To subscribe to TRAINING‐L, address an e Our network software engineers will need some time ‐mail message to: [email protected] to prepare these applications for our Novell In the body of the message type: environment. Preparation for the labs is more subscribe trainingL yourfirstname yourlastname complex and requires more time than providing installation options for faculty and staff. IU is not quite ready to begin shipment to us for all MATH‐STATS‐L applications but should be ready by A new listserv, specific to research and analysis the end of February. Costs for purchasing the products software applications, has been created to provide a in the bookstore are shown below. Please forward forum for collaboration, queries, or advice. MATH‐ questions to [email protected]. For those STATS‐L is a non‐moderated list for those using purchasing from IPFW Follett’s bookstore, be statistical or quantitative tools. It is our hope that this prepared to present your IPFW faculty or staff ID additional venue will provide valuable help and and a photo ID. support from colleagues who use these applications. We’re very excited to tell you about this new To subscribe to MATH‐STATS‐L, address an e‐mail message to: [email protected] program. Over a 3 year period, this program has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars for In the body of the message type: the university. subscribe mathstatsL yourfirstname yourlastname Product List Adobe ® Acrobat Pro 9.0 (Windows/Mac)[$10] Acrobat Pro Extended 9.0 (Windows) [$10] Creative Suite 4 Design Premium (Windows/ Mac) [$20] ITS People on the Move Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium includes InDesign CS4, Photoshop CS4 Extended, Illustrator Robert Dean moved up to full‐time Help Desk CS4, Acrobat 9 Pro, Flash CS4 Professional, Technician. Dreamweaver CS4, Fireworks CS4, Bridge CS4, Bret Fraizer relinquished his position at the Help Device Central CS4, and Version Cue CS4. Desk to join the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. Creative Suite 4 Production Premium (Windows/Mac) [$20] Matt Huhn moved up to part‐time Help Desk Adobe® Creative Suite® 4 Production Premium Technician. pairs world‐class video, audio, and design tools Sheila McFarland joined the ITS Office Support Staff. with integration features. It includes Photoshop She comes to IPFW from Taylor University. CS4 Extended, Illustrator CS4, Flash CS4 Professional, After Effects CS4, Premiere Pro CS4, CJ Micklitsch moved from the Help Desk to ITS Soundbooth CS4, OnLocation CS4, Encore CS4, Computer Support Technician. Bridge CS4, Device Central CS4, and Dynamic Link. Jon Ware moved from the Help Desk to ITS Computer Photoshop Elements 7.0 (Windows) [$10] Support Technician. Photoshop Elements 6.0 (Mac) [10] Photoshop Lightroom 2.0 (Windows/Mac) [$10] Mandi Witkovsky moved from IT User Technology Support to IT Security, Policy and Planning. Premiere Elements 7.0 (Windows) [$10]
2101 East Coliseum Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805 Editor: Pam Zepp, e‐mail: [email protected], phone: (260) 481‐6031 INFOShare is a newsletter published by Information Technology Services, www.its.ipfw.edu Indiana University—Purdue University Fort Wayne