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Author: Cathy Rodriguez

New Microsoft Planner is available in Teams

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Planner app logoMicrosoft has introduced a new Planner in Teams. This is the first step in their strategy to integrate all of their task management tools: To Do, Planner and Project on the web.

Exploring the Planner app interface

On the left navigation pane you will find:

  • My Day – Includes any tasks that are due today and tasks you choose to add for the day.
  • My Tasks – aggregates tasks from Loop, Teams meetings notes, and flagged emails. You can also add private tasks in this view.
  • My Plans – combines tasks from To Do lists, Planner plans and Project for web projects.

Continue reading “New Microsoft Planner is available in Teams” →

Microsoft’s Create Platform offers customizable templates for various Microsoft 365 apps

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Microsoft Create offers an extensive variety of templates beyond the default options available within Microsoft’s applications. Whether creating a presentation, planning a project, or working on documentation, the Microsoft Create platform offers professionally designed customizable templates to meet your needs. There are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Loop templates, and more.

Note: The Designer and Clipchamp apps aren’t currently available at K-State. However, you can access them for free using a personal Microsoft account.

Don’t worry if you don’t have design expertise. Microsoft Create is designed to be user-friendly, allowing you to easily create professional-looking content. Simply explore the templates and get started. Using these templates will not only enhance your levels of efficiency, creativity, and collaboration but also make your work look polished and professional.

If you have any questions about Microsoft Create, submit them to the KSU Teams Support channel.

Complete Cybersecurity Awareness training by April 30

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

""The deadline to complete Cybersecurity Awareness training is Tuesday, April 30.

All faculty, staff, and student employees are required to complete the training, or you will lose your eID access. You can complete the training at your own pace, whether in one or multiple sittings. On average, most people complete the training in under one hour.

If you fail to complete the training, you will lose access to all University systems on May 21. Once you complete the training, your access will be restored.

If you have student employees who are no longer employed, be sure to terminate them in HRIS to prevent their access from being removed if they are still active students.

Take the trainingAccess the training

  1. Visit the Division of Information Technology website: https://www.k-state.edu/it/.
  2. At the bottom of the page, under the Cybersecurity Awareness Training section, click the Take the training button.

Record of training completion

After you complete the training, your training record in HRIS will be updated. It will be listed under the Training Summary as Cybersecurity Awareness, with the course code WIT590 and course session 2024.

If you have questions about the Cybersecurity Awareness training, contact the IT Service Desk:

  • Phone: 785-532-7722
  • Live chat
  • Walk-in: 2nd Floor, Hale Library

Exploring the OneDrive homepage

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

The OneDrive homepage isn’t just for simple file access; it’s a central hub for efficiently managing your files across Microsoft 365, regardless of their source. Think of it as a one-stop shop for all of your files. Plus, you can easily access OneDrive within Outlook and Teams (left navigation pane), streamlining your file management process.

Homepage LayoutMicrosoft New Homepage Layout

The homepage features:

  1. Add New: add new documents/folders or upload existing documents/folders.
  2. Left navigation pane: various ways to browse your files.
  3. For you: file recommendations designed just for you.
  4. Recent: recent files where you can view all files or filter by application or person.

Continue reading “Exploring the OneDrive homepage” →

Microsoft Teams: Make your posts stand out using the announcement feature

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Sometimes, your post gets lost in the flood of posts in a Microsoft Teams channel. Make your important posts stand out with an announcement post. Teams has options for dynamic backgrounds and AI-powered image generation.

  1. In a channel, click Start a post.
  2. Click the Post Type button and then click Announcement.""Note: In the bottom-right corner of the Announcement are two options. You can 1) modify the color scheme or 2) create a custom background.
  3. Click on the desired option and customize.

    Note:     If you are creating a custom background, you can upload an image you already have or type a description of the type of image you want.Under Explore ideas, if you hover over an image, it will display the description used to create that image. Click on the image If you would like to use that description so you can modify it or to see other images created with that description.

If you have any questions about Microsoft Teams, post your question(s) in the KSU Teams Support Team.

Impersonation phishing scam hits campus

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

The cybersecurity landscape is constantly evolving, making it vital to stay ahead of the curve in safeguarding digital assets. A recent phishing scam at K-State involved what is known as CEO Fraud. CEO Fraud preys on the trust and authority associated with executive positions to deceive employees into carrying out fraudulent activity. 

In this example, the scammer sent a K-State employee an email impersonating a department head, asking the staff member to download a file about a pay adjustment. Instead of clicking the link in the email, the alert employee checked with the department head to see if they had sent the email. The supervisor hadn’t sent the email. This was a scam. 

Remember: Don’t open email links or unexpected or unusual attachments, attachments from strangers or strange-looking emails. 

Any email attachment or link can carry software designed to damage or exploit your device or network. The malware will launch once you open the attachment or click the link. Vigilance and skepticism are our best defenses against impersonation scams. 

Tips to prevent becoming a victim of phishing scams: 

  • Don’t reply to a suspicious, unexpected or strange email. 
  • Be wary of emails with urgent requests for your personal or financial information or your sign-in credentials. 
  • Don’t open unexpected or unusual attachments, attachments from strangers or strange-looking emails. 
  • Don’t click links in unexpected emails, emails you suspect are fraudulent or if you don’t know the sender. 
  • Don’t click Sign In links. Go to the business website and sign in there or contact their customer service for help. 
  • Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for financial information. Only share credit card information via a secure website or telephone. 

If you receive a suspicious email, forward it to abuse@ksu.edu and be sure to include the email headers in your message. 

Free IT equipment checkout for students, faculty and staff

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

The Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab offers a variety of IT equipment that students, faculty and staff can check out for free. Available equipment includes laptops, digital camcorders and cameras, projectors and more.

Equipment reservations can be made by calling 785-532-4918 or emailing
itcheckout@k-state.edu. Equipment can be picked up at the Sunderland Foundation Innovation Lab, Hale Library, Room 235.

Please bring the following with you when you come to checkout equipment:

  • Your eID
  • Your WID
  • Your K-State ID card
  • A direct phone number where you can be reached

See the Equipment Checkout website for details on policies, procedures, and available equipment. Office hours: M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Division of Information Technology offers free resources and services to students, faculty, and staff

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Welcome to the spring semesterExplore some of the complimentary resources and services provided by the Division of Information Technology to enhance the start of your semester.

  • Use Microsoft 365 – an office collaboration suite that includes tools such as email, calendar, office applications, file storage space, teams, and more. You can access the suite from your desktop, web browser, or phone.
    • Get a free copy of Microsoft 365 apps for personal use on up to 5 PCs or Macs, 5 tablets, and 5 phones. See the installation instructions for Mac, Windows, and mobile devices.
  • Get antivirus – K-Staters connecting their computers to the Kansas State University network can use the approved antivirus software of their choice or choose from the list of recommended software.
  • Use the Qualtrics survey system. Faculty/staff and authorized students can use the Qualtrics Survey System. Qualtrics is a comprehensive survey tool with more than 90 question types, simplified reporting tools, online training modules, a library of surveys to peruse, and more.
  • Use Zoom (video and audio conferencing) to meet virtually.
    Use Zoom to set up an online staff meeting, a training session, a class group meeting, beam in a speaker, and more. See the Using Zoom guide to get started.
  • Remote access to software – Remote access to software in the K-State computer labs allows students to use specialized software and avoid having to purchase themselves. Popular software includes SAS, SPSS, Mathematica, and Matlab. Unfortunately, Adobe Creative Cloud is not available for remote access. To see a list of all software available in the computing labs, visit the Software in the Computing Labs page. To learn how to access the software, visit the Remote Access page.
  • Get IT Help

More IT resources for K-Staters are on the Welcome to IT at K-State website.

Reminder: Register for the Nov. 2 Kansas Project Management Summit

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Reminder to register for the upcoming Kansas Project Management Summit. The Division of Information Technology will host the virtual event from 8:30 a.m. – noon CST on Nov. 2. All higher education and government agency personnel interested in project management are invited to attend.

This year’s focus is Kansas Trends in Project Management. The keynote, “Change Management Communications in Project Management” will be presented by Sarah Rocke and Rebecca Lahann (University of Kansas Health System).

The following is the session lineup:

  • Project Change Communications Toolkit (Workshop)
  • Kansas IT Project Management Approval and Reporting Requirements
  • PMOs Guiding Project Managers
  • The Wild World of Estimating & Agile Certifications

See the Summit website for more details.

Cybersecurity Awareness: Think twice before you skip that update!

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

""Imagine your digital world as a fortress, with each software update serving as an essential reinforcement to its walls. When you see that familiar “Update Available” notification, do you click “Remind me later” and carry on with your online activities, inadvertently leaving a crack in your fortress’s defenses? In an era of ever-evolving cyber threats, this article reminds us why staying vigilant against unpatched vulnerabilities is our frontline defense. Today, we explore the critical realm of software updates and their importance in fortifying your digital stronghold against relentless adversaries. Continue reading “Cybersecurity Awareness: Think twice before you skip that update!” →