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Category: Future of IT

Technically Speaking: Network Infrastructure Refresh Project

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Technically Speaking is a new video series from the Division of Information Technology. The video series will update the K-State Community on new tools, projects, and services available through IT.

In this episode of Technically Speaking, learn about K-State’s Network Infrastructure Refresh Project. Chad Currier, the Deputy CIO for Enterprise Technology and IT Chief Operating Officer, will explain the project and provide a status update.

Technically Speaking: Network Infrastructure Refresh Project is now available for viewing.

Gary Pratt selected as Executive Committee of APLU’s Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Gary Pratt, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for K-State, has been selected to serve on the Executive Committee of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Commission on Information, Measurement, & Analysis (CIMA). Pratt will serve on the committee for three years.

The executive committee is responsible for positioning the commission as a vehicle to share, discuss, and disseminate innovative ways to combine and leverage data across campus to advance student and institutional success.

“K-State’s presence at the national level will help keep us in the forefront of the conversations in many areas related to data management, governance, analytics, and associated practices,” commented Pratt. Continue reading “Gary Pratt selected as Executive Committee of APLU’s Commission on Information, Measurement, and Analysis” →

Technically Speaking: Highlights of current and future IT projects

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Technically Speaking is a new video series from the Division of Information Technology. The video series will update the K-State Community on new tools, projects, and services available through IT.

In the first episode, Gary Pratt, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, discusses the current and future IT projects at K-State. The projects covered in the video include Network Infrastructure Refresh, New Data Warehouse and Data Lake, On-Prem Data Center, and TeamDynamix.

Technically Speaking: Highlights of Current and Future IT Projects is now available for viewing.

Financial Information System upgrade is complete

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Over the weekend, the Division of Financial Services, in collaboration with the Division of Information Technology (IT), upgraded the  Financial Information System (FIS).

At this time, it is recommended you use either Chrome or Firefox to access FIS. If you experience issues using FIS, try deleting cookies, temporary internet files, browser history, and clearing cache. If you still have trouble using FIS, contact the IT Help Desk at 785-532-7722.

Upgrading is an essential step toward IT, achieving its goal of providing a modern, scalable network and computing infrastructure for K-State. To learn more, view K-State’s IT Strategic Plan.

FIS is the central accounting system used by KSU colleges, departments, and administrative units to process payment transactions, report, and manage grant post-awards.

Reminder: FIS downtime October 8-10

Posted on by Christine Doucette

The Financial Information System (FIS) will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Friday, October 8, through Sunday, October 10.

During the downtime, the FIS system will undergo an upgrade, and the following financial systems will be affected:

  • Scholarship confirmation forms will be unavailable
  • Funding validation on GTA Waivers will not work (GRA & GA waivers will work as usual)
  • eForms will be offline

Once the upgrade is complete, FIS will be available for use.

FIS downtime October 8-10

Posted on by Christine Doucette

The Financial Information System (FIS) will be unavailable from 6 p.m. Friday, October 8, through Sunday, October 10.

During the downtime, the FIS system will undergo an upgrade, and the following financial systems will be affected:

  • Scholarship confirmation forms will be unavailable
  • Funding validation on GTA Waivers will not work (GRA & GA waivers will work as usual)
  • eForms will be offline

Once the upgrade is complete, FIS will be available for use.

IT Update: July 2021

Posted on by Division of Information

The Division of IT staff will be staggering their return to campus between August 1 and August 31. Preparations are underway for the start of the fall 2021 semester.

Read over the Technology Considerations for Employees’ Return to Campus page for helpful hints on a successful first day. Check out the Sunderland Foundation Innovation lab for the latest innovative technologies in Hale Library. Continue reading “IT Update: July 2021” →

IT Update: June 2021

Posted on by Division of Information

The Division of Information Technology staff are heating up with the summer and preparing for the upcoming academic year, including upgrading and maintaining buildings and rooms, updating systems, revising documentation, hiring staff, and even retiring some services.

Spring/summer cleaning might be in order. This is the time to follow university procedures regarding retention schedules and dispose of documentation, media, and equipment appropriately.

Reminders:

  • Beginning July 5, all Zoom recordings older than 180 days (Jan. 4, 2021, or older) will be automatically moved to Zoom Trash.
  • After August 1, IT will no longer retain any course content data from K-State Online, the homegrown Learning Management System, used from 2008-2013 and retired in 2016.
  • On August 31, K-State’s existing personal webpage service will be retired. Faculty and staff can publish business-related content on their academic or administrative unit’s presence within the Content Management System (CMS).

Continue reading “IT Update: June 2021” →

Division of Information Technology updated policies

Posted on by Division of Information

The Division of Information Technology embarked on a review of IT policies (PPM 3310 and those in PPM Chapter 3400) in June of 2020. The review process includes:

  • research on similar policies from peer institutions
  • review of federal and state regulations
  • inclusion of updated standards since the policy was created or revised
  • moving procedures and operational information to knowledge base articles or web pages
  • edits by a policy review team
  • consultation with specific groups across campus, which varies with each policy, and
  • consultation with the Office of General Counsel

Suggestions were incorporated into the appropriate policies, reviewed by an extended leadership group with representation from across campus, approved by the CIO, and then edited and published in the PPM. The policy review process is outlined in KB 14656, The Division of Information Technology (IT) Policy Review Process. Continue reading “Division of Information Technology updated policies” →

Opportunities for networking among IT professionals

Posted on by Division of Information

For those who work in information technology units across campus, there are two opportunities to collaborate with individuals in similar positions:

  • IT Collaboration
  • Sys Admins

IT Collaboration meets at 9 a.m. on Wednesday mornings via Zoom. The group discusses upcoming changes occurring in IT systems and the impact those changes have on campus. Also discussed are ways to collaborate, security-related issues, planned outages, change freeze timelines, and more. If you are interested and would like to join the conversation, email rob@ksu.edu who will add your name to the listserv list.

Sys Admins meets at 11 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every month. The Sys Admins meeting provides a forum to share systems and services offered throughout campus, provide creative solutions to IT problems, collaborate on IT-related issues, serve as testers for unit and campuswide rollouts and provide an open forum to discuss all things IT. System Admins recently collaborated on the migration to One Drive from Catfiles. To join, email sgsax@ksu.edu who will add your name to the listserv list.

Both meetings provide opportunities to get to know IT staff from across campus and learn from each other. Please consider joining these groups.