Why Is Email Important?

Although many of us enjoyed the interaction between each other in the office, there has never been a better opportunity to utilize technologies like email. Email isn't new by any means, but utilizing it as a primary communication source might be for some people. It's also worth noting that email is the primary official means of communication for Emporia State University. In a world where no physical meetings are taking place, email usage has increased, and rightly so!

There are many benefits to emailing people for communication methods, especially if you're using Outlook for Office 365. Your emails between colleagues are documented and are readily available by a quick search for a word, person, or subject. This potentially eliminates any miscommunication issues that you could be having with colleagues. Because of this feature, it's important to remember to write well thought out emails. Be concise with what you are trying to convey and the digital workforce will be thankful! Another benefit is simply keeping everyone in the loop. Being able to CC your colleagues/boss into your emails gives them a way to keep track of what's going on with certain projects/tasks. One could also argue that email is more secure than the word of mouth communication method. Outlook for Office 365 allows you to 'Encrypt' an email with various options depending on the confidentiality of the email's content. Be sure to learn more about the 'Encrypt' feature by following this link.

Hopefully this blog provides some insight to why email has become so important in our everyday workflows. Although this blog post is generally targeted at faculty and staff, it also applies to students with their student Gmail accounts. Stay on top of your inbox and your colleagues will take notice!

Sam Derksen
Web Developer
Web and Digital Strategies

5 Healthy Computer Habits

Is your computer slow to load applications or boot up? Do you have a hard time keeping track of your files? There is nothing worse than being stuck with a slow, unorganized computer. That’s why we at ESU IT have compiled a comprehensive list of 5 healthy computer habits to keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.

1) Keep your software up to date

Keeping your software up to date is an easy habit that can go a long way. Not only does updating software regularly give you access to the latest features of an application, but it also helps protect you from vulnerabilities such as bugs and exploits. Hackers can take advantage of vulnerabilities within an application, so keeping your software updated will help you stay one step ahead of these vulnerabilities.

2) Backup your files

There is nothing worse than having an important file disappear. All it takes is one computer crash or accidental deletion and weeks of hard work can go down the drain in an instant. Luckily there are some easy steps that you can ensure your important documents are in safe hands.

Backing up your files to cloud-based services such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive is a convenient way to secure your files. Both of these services have built-in features that allow your important files to automatically sync to the cloud. Better yet, as a student, faculty, or staff member of Emporia State University, both Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive services are available to you at no cost.

Backing up your files to external devices such as USB drives or portable hard drives is another way to ensure your files are secure, although this may be less convenient than backing up your files to cloud-based services.

3) Keep your files organized

We all know how nice it can be to have a clean room at home, so why should our computers be any different? Keeping the files on your computer organized and prioritized using a file system is a great habit to get into and will keep you from losing track of saved work. As a student, for example, you may want to organize your assignments and classwork into a system of folders similar to this:

📂Classes

└📁Freshman

└📁Sophomore

    └📁CS341A

    └📁HI101B

Regularly deleting unnecessary files such as duplicates or old work is another great habit to get into and will not only free up extra space on your computer but will remove clutter. potentially saving you a lot of time and frustration down the line.

4) Use antivirus software frequently

Antivirus software is your first line of defense from cybersecurity threats. Without good antivirus software to defend your computer, you are effectively leaving your front door open to intruders. Luckily there is a wide variety of antivirus software out there and better yet, as a current ESU student, staff, or employee you get access to Symantec Antivirus for free! 

To make use of your free access to Symantec, navigate to Hornet365.com, and click on either ‘students’ or ‘employees’ depending on your affiliation. From there, there will be a tile labeled ‘downloads’ where you will find a link to get started with Symantec.

5) Clean your computer

Not only is it important to keep the files within your computer clean it is also critical that you keep the physical components of your computer clean as well. Wiping down your computer screen/monitor with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth is quick and easy and will keep your display clear of any dust or other marks. Using a can of compressed air can also help to remove any buildup of dust or crumbs that have accumulated on your computer. This is especially helpful for removing debris stuck between the keys of your keyboard.

Taylor Nelson
Student Media Producer
Web and Digital Strategies

Web Form Solution... Sintel Forms

As time goes on, we have seen a need to transition from traditional paper forms to web based forms. Especially in a time like this, we have been doing our best to translate as many of these traditional forms to a web based form, and we do that by using Sintel Forms. Sintel Forms is an integration piece for SharePoint that provides a clean user-interface for forms. When a user submits their form using Sintel, their submission is stored in SharePoint making it extremely handy to categorize and sort. This also allows the option to export all of the submission to an Excel spreadsheet! The feedback has been tremendous because people don't need to shuffle through hundreds of paper forms anymore - they can do it all from their computer! In addition to the ease of use, you can take advantage of Microsoft Flow to automate submission notifications, response emails, and even store the information on a different platform.

We have been in contact with Sintel about their user-interface and how some users were confused about submitting their form. We are very happy to say that Sintel has taken our feedback into account and acted on it. There is now an option to have a submit button at the bottom of each form, making it easier for our users to submit their form.

If you'd like to have a web form created, please contact your WebDAC!

Sam Derksen
Web Developer
Web and Digital Strategies

Keeping Up With Microsoft Planner

We've received feedback that many users would like a task management tool to help stay organized and on track. While there are many solutions available, Emporia State offers a free tool to our faculty and staff called Microsoft Planner. Microsoft Planner is an excellent task management tool that allows you to assign users, set deadline dates, statuses of the task, and all of this with email notifications. Even if someone happens to forget about the task, an email will be sent before the deadline reminding the users that there is an upcoming task!

To make the best use of Planner, you should have a SharePoint Group created. Follow this link to have a SharePoint Group created for your team. Once you have a SharePoint Group, a Plan will be populated in your Plans tab. Plans feature options such as exporting it to an excel spreadsheet, or even a 'Chart' which helps you understand a deeper, analytical prospective of how your plan is performing. Once you have a plan created, start populating it with your current tasks. You can create different 'buckets' which help you differentiate the tasks and their topic. The user-interface makes it very easy to set your due dates and assign people to the tasks. Once your task has been created, Microsoft Planner features multiple sections to help you and your team complete it. There is a section for notes, checklist items, and even attachments. All of these features can help your team know exactly what the task is and where you are in terms of completing it!

Also, because Microsoft Planner is part of Office 365, you can access it from any device through your browser. Microsoft Planner also gives you the option to sync your tasks to your Outlook calendar if you'd like your tasks to appear there as well. The options are limitless for Planner, follow this link to check it out for yourself!

Sam Derksen
Web Developer
Web and Digital Strategies

Tips for Online Courses

Online courses might be something new for a lot of students on Emporia State’s campus. With all of the changes going on and the questions of how or where you are taking them, ESU wanted to provide some tips and tricks for staying proactive with your classes. Making sure you are prepared and know what you need to do to stay ahead and actively participating in online classes.

1. Hold Yourself Accountable
• Starting the semester with a course being taken in the classroom to the sudden and abrupt change to remote learning might be difficult for some. Students might have an easier time learning in a classroom environment rather than in an online course. Checking in with yourself regularly is something that is going to be beneficial. Not checking in as in asking yourself how you are doing, but rather look at your courses and see what you are needing to do. If you struggle with accountability, try to find a classmate that you can talk to about course assignments and what you both can help each other to accomplish.
2. Learning Environment
• Learning information and being taught can become a struggle if you are in an environment that might not be suitable for learning. Doing your assignments in bed or on the couch is not a positive solution to have a good learning environment. Working in bed can affect your sleeping patterns, as well as your body’s physical shape and comfort. Sitting at a desk or table without any distractions is your ideal learning environment. Go outside and find a nice spot to sit and do work while also getting fresh air and some rays.
3. Actively Be Engaged
• Engaging in the discussion for online courses and actively participating as well is what will help you more than anything! Allowing yourself to seek a better understanding within the discussion will benefit you and also your professor, letting them know that you understand what’s going on. Be more thorough in discussion posts to help yourself and others engage and learn with each other. And especially don’t be afraid to reach out or speak up if you feel as if you are falling behind. Waiting until the assignment is almost due or the middle of the night before to ask questions is not going to benefit you. Seek answers ahead of time and allow yourself time to complete your work.
4. Utilize Your Resources
• A lot of the resources on Emporia State’s campus have adjusted their hours and created virtual tutoring or assistance for students that are needing help. You may feel like you are alone in some cases when it comes to online classes. However, you have plenty of turns to go to if needed! Professors and instructors should be encouraging you to work with your peers to accomplish certain tasks.
5. Treat Classes like They’re a Job
• While sometimes it may seem like online work could be easy, you don’t want to sell yourself shorter than what you need. Professors are supplying you with the same content they would be if you were to be in a classroom setting. Creating a plan on how much you want to study, what assignments you want to accomplish, or what lectures you want to watch within a day is something that could benefit you more than you think. Creating the routine of remote learning is what could set you up for success during this time of confusion.
6. Stay Healthy
• You are working your brain hard with your courses, and you should have time to relax the same as well. Allotting yourself a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night, eating right, and overall self-care that you can provide yourself. Stress can break down a body’s immune system and keeping yourself healthy, mentally and physically, is very important when it comes to learning habits and overall well-being.
7. Checkout
• Whenever you are going into a virtual lecture or even a recorded lecture, you may be more inclined to check out from what’s in front of you. With your computer screen being your only access to online content, it may be difficult to resist the inclination to answer that vibration. Stay present with what is going on, it is easy to lost track of time when you are scrolling through your social media. Those five minutes you are checked out could be the five minutes of information regarding that huge project that is due next week... that you haven’t started yet.
8. Take Breaks
• Staring at a computer screen can start to make your head hurt and lose interest more quickly after doing it for a long period of time. Every hour or so allow yourself to take a few minutes to take a break, stretch it out or even go for a short walk. Those few minutes you allow your brain to relax and get motivated again could make classwork and lectures much easier to follow!

Those are just a few of the tips we have for you today, there are plenty of other things you can do as well to help you during this time. Things might be stressful for the time being, but you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. Staying strong and finishing this semester out strong to come back and be ready again in the fall! As always, if you are having issues or have questions regarding online services, please contact the IT Help Desk.

Dakota Taylor
Social Media Student Assistant
Web & Digital Strategies

Security Awareness Training Spring 2020

Though yesterday was the last day of eligibility for the prize contest, security awareness training is still required for ESU employees. To be entered in the contest, the training must have been done by the end of March.

The training began on March 2nd, and is a requirement for all ESU employees. The training is aimed at improving the general awareness about information security to protect important university information. 

I sat down with John Garafola, a member of the information security team, to answer some questions regarding the latest security awareness training. 

Tyler: "What is the purpose of security awareness training?"

John: "The purpose of the security awareness training for us here at ESU is partially compliance and partially pro-activity. Basically, what we want to do is ensure that our users have a clear idea of threats that exist within our environment."

Tyler: "What is different this year from the previous years?"

John: "This year we included the option for a pretest, which will save you about 30 minutes of test time."

Tyler: "What about the prizes?"

John: "Well this year we've got some great prizes. We have the option of a parking pass, which can save you close to $90, or a Kindle E-Reader."

Tyler: "How can employees access this training?"

John: "Employees can access the training by interacting with the emailed link that they should have received. If you didn't receive an email, please let us know. The password to access the website should have been included in that email" 

The security training must be completed by June 1st.

To watch the full interview, click here or check out our YouTube channel: Hornet TV

Questions? Contact the IT Help desk:

Call: 877-341-5555

Email: helpdesk@emporia.edu

Tyler Parker
Social Media & Marketing Student Assistant

Web & Digital Strategies

Does iPad OS now make the iPad a computer?

During the 2019 World Wide Developers Conference, Apple announced an all new Operating System for the iPad platform. This meant we would now have macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and finally the newly announced iPadOS.

iPadOS is built with iOS 13 as the foundation, so a lot of iOS 13 features are built-in. But with a twist! It packs additional features designed exclusively for the iPad, making it a whole new powerhouse, but with a significant learning curve. Fret not, with true dedication to learn and the passion to figure out how it fits into your workflow, you too can take advantage of this impressive platform.

Currently iPadOS can be installed on the following devices:

• iPad Pro (Series 1, 2 and 3)
• iPad (5th, 6th and 7th Generation)
• iPad mini (4th and 5th Generation)
• iPad Air (3rd Generation)
• iPad Air 2

So what makes the iPad more than an iPhone with a bigger screen?

Better Multitasking. Now with improved Slide Over you can have multiple 'iPhone sized' apps always running, ready to be accessed with one swipe. Now, you can also have the same app running in multiple windows. You can also have the same app in multiple work spaces! Want to see how many instances you have running of a particular app? You can now with the App Expose feature.

Floating Keyboard and Swiping. You know how the keyboard would take 1/3rd of the available screen real estate of your iPad? Not anymore! You can shrink the keyboard to an iPhone sized keyboard, and now even swipe for easy one handed use.

Better File Management. Apple has finally overhauled the way you access and store your files. With the added feature of connecting external drives (better have your dongle handy) and syncing your cloud drives (Google Drive, OneDrive etc).

New Home Screen with Widgets on the ready. Having widgets always on the home screen improves upon your overall experience.

Apple Pencil latency upgrade. It's as smooth as writing on paper, but on glass instead. With just a software update they've managed to improve the latency to a low 9 milliseconds.

Text Editing with ease. You now have gestures for multi-select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo.

Desktop Grade Safari. One of my biggest issues was getting served mobile websites on my big iPad screen. Well not anymore!

Sidecar. If you have a MacBook and an iPad, then this one is for you. Extend your MacBook work space to your iPad with pencil support. MacOS on your iPad? Sounds like a great work system!

Side Note: I've tried to use this in three different instances and failed. Unfortunately, Sidecar is limited to Macbooks with the butterfly keyboard, Mac Mini 2018, iMac late 2015 and later, iMac Pro 2017 and later, Mac Pro 2019.

Better Screenshots. You can now use your Apple Pencil to take a screenshot, with the added ability of taking full page screenshots.

Mouse Support. Don't get too excited about this one yet! Mouse support is available only as an accessibility feature. So, the experience is very limited.

Font Management. You can now have custom fonts installed and use them in all your apps. Simple as that.

Although, this isn't a 1:1 laptop replacement, it definitely is a great laptop alternative for. The iPad is a behemoth of a platform, that will allow you to perform 90% of your desired tasks (albeit the special software that you'd currently need a computer for.) Now. all you have left to do is figure out how you're going to revamp your work flow to accommodate for the touch screen!

New Home Screen + Widgets | Better Screenshots with Markup | QuickType Floating Keyboard

Multiple instances of the same app & Desktop Grade Safari |
Full page Screenshots with Markup | Multiple Apps in Slide Over

Sign In With Apple

Saandhyarag Sasidhar
Student Operations Manager
Web and Digital Strategies

Just Wing'in It

Just Wing'in It

What is Wing?

Wing is a drone delivery service owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google. Similar to the Amazon drone delivery service, Wing aims to deliver over-the-counter medications and other health related items to your doorstep “within minutes” of online ordering. The company is partnering specifically with Walgreens and FedEx to complete this task, hoping to find a faster and more time efficient method of delivering your medicine.Wing aims to be a pioneer in the drone delivery service, becoming one of the first drone operators certified as a commercial carrier by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).

Where is Wing?

Wing hopes to compete with other companies’ delivery services, such as Amazon Prime and a newly announced CVS drone delivery prototype. The pilot program will launch in October 2019 in Christiansburg, Virginia, allowing residents of the town who live within the “designated delivery zones” to choose from over 100 individual products ranging from children’s snacks to cough and cold medicine. In December, Wing announced the launching of a trial service in Finland, offering free delivery to residents within the capital city; and was just approved to launch the service in 3 Australian cities. Stay tuned, as Wing delivery could be delivering M&M’s to your dorm room within the next few years.

Tyler Parker
Social Media & Marketing Student Assistant
Web & Digital Strategies

iOS 13 and Watch OS 6

Since Apple released the well anticipated iOS 13 and Watch OS 6 updates yesterday, I've had the opportunity to put it through a week of testing.

If you have an iPhone SE, 6S, and everything after that (the 7, 8, X, XR, XS) and have been thinking about updating, go ahead! You're going to enjoy the new life it breathes into your Apple devices.

NOTE: Just to be on the safe side, be sure to back up all the valuable data on your device and keep the phone plugged in while it updates. Better safe than sorry, trust me.

Since a majority of our users are iOS users, I'm sure you're wondering, "What do I get from this update and why should I even bother?" Well, I'm glad you asked.

Let's start with the top features from iOS 13.

• You now have a system wide Dark Mode. Let's sign a petition and dark mode everything!
• Swipe Keyboard. Try swiping a word on your keyboard! It's an easier and faster method for typing with one hand! They call it 'QuickPath'..
• Faster FaceID. Apple claims 30% faster!
• New Built-In Photo and VIDEO Editing Tools. If you're a digital creative, you're going to appreciate this!
• Find My (Now combines Find my iPhone and Find my Friends). Now, even if your iPhone is not connected to the internet you'll be able to tell where it is.
• Files. Now you have the ability to connect external drives and USB's natively. Along with unzip capabilities.
• Safari. You now have access to a built-in download manager! Along with upgraded browser capabilities.
• Reminders.  App Updates.
• Notes. App Updates.
• Mail. App Redesign
• Siri. Siri now sounds a lot better!
• Better Screenshots. 
• Control your Contact Information Persona. If you someone adds you as a contact, the name and image you want will automatically pull into their contact.
• Memoji Stickers. Extend your Animoji persona and create new Memoji stickers.
• Sign In with Apple. Before you had the option to make an account, or use the convenient Sign in with Google and Sign in with Facebook. Now, there's a new way to sign in! 
• Use your Gaming controllers. If you enjoy mobile games, now you can connect your favorite Xbox or PS4 Controller and start gaming!

Next we got Watch OS 6.

• New Watch Faces. Cool new styles to try!
• Dedicated App Store. All the more apps for your watch!
• Noise Level. If you spend too much time in a loud environment, you'll be notified!
• Voice Memos. Got a quick thought? Narrate it to your new best friend.
• Cycle Tracking. Apple's big on Health
• Calculator. Calculate right on your wrist! Take it a step further and now you can easily know how much the tip will be and how to evenly split the bill.
• Activity Trends. Because the more health data you have, the more you strive to succeed!

There were minor bugs I have seen or had colleagues report to me. However, Apple has released iOS 13.1 today, and it should squash all the bugs (if any) and provide improvements to your overall experience. Apple also released iPad OS today and I will be going over it next week! 

Have you updated to iOS 13.1 yet? If so, what are you currently enjoying about it?



Saandhyarag Sasidhar
Student Operations Manager
Web and Digital Strategies

New 2019 Apple Devices!

On September 10, the WDS team attended the Apple special event virtually. During which, Apple unveiled a new iPad, three new iPhones, and a new Series 5 Apple Watch. Here's all that you need to know, before deciding!

iPhone 11 

Starts at $699

Six Colors

Two Cameras (New Ultra Wide Camera)

A13 Bionic Processor (Faster and more Battery Efficient)

Faster Unlocking with FaceID

iPhone 11 Pro

Starts at $999

Four Colors

Three Cameras (New Ultra Wide Camera)

Super Retina XDR Screen (It means it's really really good!)

A13 Bionic Processor (Faster and more Battery Efficient)

4-5 hours longer battery life

Faster Unlocking with FaceID

You can even get a bigger screen size with the iPhone 11 Pro Max

Apple Watch Series 5

Starts at $399

Always On Display

New S5 Processor

ECG monitor

Built-in Compass

New Case Materials (Titanium, Ceramic, Expensive...)

On Cellular models you can now make emergency calls internationally

iPad

Starts at $329 (education discount bring it to $299)

10.2 Retina Screen

A10X Processor

iPad OS Support

Smart Keyboard Support

Apple Pencil 1 Support

If you decide to keep your current devices, check out how iOS 13 and Watch OS 6  can breathe new life into your devices!

For Emporia State University

Students, faculty and staff looking for personal/at-home devices can get discounts for the devices from Apple. For faculty/staff looking to purchase one of these devices, please contact the IT Help Desk for more information.  Our IT purchasing catalog, IT Advisor, will be updated with our recommended models in each category shortly.



Saandhyarag Sasidhar
Student Operations Manager
Web and Digital Strategies

Web Presence Update!

As the Fall semester is in full-go, I am sure many of those here at Emporia State are wondering... What is going on with the websites? Luckily, we provide a web page, Web Presence Projects, that provides information on Hornet 365 and our public website. Examples of information provided are timelines, future enhancements, progress pages, and much more. We're very excited that Hornet 365 had a successful launch, and we are excited to launch the public website!

Don't forget to provide any feedback on our website by using this form. This helps us determine what you all want and helps us fix any bugs/issues. Good luck this semester, pay attention to the coming changes to Emporia State's web presence, and Stingers Up!

Sam Derksen
Web Developer
Web and Digital Strategies

3 Awesome Features of SharePoint Drive

The word has quickly spread around campus: The W: Drive is going away. However, it's replacement is shaping up to be superior in a number of ways. SharePoint Drive will be taking it's place. With the final stages of the migration on the horizon, let's highlight three of the improvements that ESU will see with the new technology.

Updating Permissions is Self-Service

That's right; there's no more forms, and no more waiting on IT. The owner of a SharePoint Drive can now grant other people access right from the settings menu. So rather than filling out an InfoPath form, putting in a HelpDesk ticket, and waiting to hear back, a Data Access Coordinator(the owner of the SharePoint Drive) can now grant someone access with a few clicks via the settings menu in their Drive folder.
 

Access from Anywhere is Easier than Ever

Getting to the W: Drive from off-campus was a bit of a process. It was even more of a process if you had to access it from your mobile device. With SharePoint Drive, you can access your files from any browser on any device with an internet connection. There's also SharePoint and OneDrive apps that are super useful on mobile devices.
 

Users Can Now Recover Previous Versions of Files

With point-in-time recovery, users can now view previous versions of documents. Using this tool, it's easy to open a document, see who has made changes, when the changes were made, and even roll the document back if necessary.

Keep in mind, these are just a few of the benefits that users will see with the transition. For more information, go to hornet.emporia.edu.

Tyler Gastineau
Digital Experience Coordinator
Information Technology
Emporia State University
Office: (620) 341-6709

Cell: (620 794-4624
tgastine@emporia.edu
www.emporia.edu/it