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Canvas feature improvements for the spring semester

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Several improvements have been made to Canvas for the spring semester, including enhancements to the Canvas Mobile Offline Mode and the ability for instructors to submit assignments on behalf of students.

Canvas Mobile offline mode for student

The new offline mode in the Canvas Mobile app allows students to sync course content for read-only access when there is no internet connection. Students must sync their courses in advance before going offline. This feature is available for Apple and Android devices.

Submit assignments on behalf of students

Instructors can now submit assignments in the Gradebook on behalf of their students. This feature is handy when students send their files via email or messaging instead of through Canvas. Instructors can submit these assignments and use SpeedGrader to grade and provide feedback.

New Cybersecurity training available Feb. 3

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

The Division of Information Technology (IT) is launching its latest cybersecurity training course on Feb. 3 as part of our commitment to maintaining a secure digital environment. This annual training is a vital component of the university’s Secure Access initiative and is mandatory for all faculty, staff and student employees through the State of Kansas ITEC Policy 7230 – Information Technology Enterprise Security Policy section 8.0 Awareness and Training Standard.

The invitation to the training will be delivered to your inbox on Feb. 3 from system@listmos.com.

Key details

The training period starts Feb. 3 and ends on March 31. The training must be completed by March 31. Employees who have not completed the training by April 14, 2025, will lose access to university systems until the training is finished.

New features

This year’s training introduces a “test-out” experience designed to streamline the process and make it more efficient. The following are the enhancements to the training:

  • Pre-test option: Users can take a pre-test to demonstrate their cybersecurity knowledge.
  • Targeted training: Based on the pre-test results, the training will tailor the content. You will only need to watch videos for sections where you answered questions incorrectly.

This personalized approach minimizes time spent on material you already understand while ensuring you receive necessary instruction on topics where improvement is needed.

Support and Questions

For assistance or questions about the training, contact the IT Service Desk:

Stay proactive and help keep our university’s digital environment safe by completing your training on time. Thank you for your cooperation!

Upgrade to the latest version of Zoom by Feb. 1

Posted on by Christine Doucette

On Feb. 1, Zoom will require all users to upgrade to version 6.0.4 for Windows and version 6.0.2 for Android, iOS, Linux and macOS. You can check your Zoom version in the desktop and mobile app and upgrade to the latest version as soon as possible.

If you attempt to sign in or join a meeting/webinar using an older version of Zoom on or after Feb. 1, you will be prompted to update to the latest minimum version. If you cannot update immediately, you can join the meeting through a web browser as an alternative.

Need help? Call the IT Service Desk at 800-865-6143 or 785-532-7722 or via Live Chat. For in-person help, visit the IT Service Desk on the second floor of Hale Library.

Zoom has implemented a Software Quarterly Lifecycle Policy, which requires a new minimum version of the software every three months. This policy ensures all users have the necessary privacy and security updates and access to the latest features.

Find contact information for K-Staters using the K-State People Search Directory

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Would you like to contact someone at K-State but don’t have their contact information? Use the K-State People Search Directory to find contact information for students, faculty, and staff.

To access the directory, visit the K-State People Search Directory or type in your search at the top of any K-State web page and select the people tab.

People Search Directory webpage

Student information

Student personal information will not be shown unless you are signed in with your K-State credentials. If you are signed in, the following information will be displayed:

    • Name (preferred name)
    • Student Classification (e.g., Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior)
    • Major
    • Email

Faculty/staff information Continue reading “Find contact information for K-Staters using the K-State People Search Directory” →

IT Service Desk temporarily relocates to the first floor of Hale Library Jan. 27-31

Posted on by Christine Doucette

The IT Service Desk will temporarily relocate to the first floor of Hale Library from Monday, Jan. 27, to Friday, Jan. 31. You can find the desk in the alcove to the left of the Sunflower Entrance on the south side of the building, across from Holton Hall.

This temporary relocation is necessary to remodel the IT Service Desk area on the second floor. The Service Desk will return to its original location on the second floor on Saturday, Feb. 1.

You can contact the IT Service Desk at 800-865-6143 or 785-532-7722 or through the Live Chat.

Microsoft 365: Free for students, faculty and staff

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Microsoft 365, an office collaboration suite, is available for free for K-State students, faculty, and staff. It includes tools such as email, calendar, office applications, file storage space, and more. You can access the suite from your desktop, web browser, or phone.

What’s Included?

Microsoft 365 gives you access to a range of apps and services designed to simplify your workflow and spark your creativity. The following are a few of the basic apps:

  • Microsoft Word for creating polished documents.
  • Excel for crunching numbers and analyzing data.
  • PowerPoint to design standout presentations.
  • Outlook for managing your email and calendar.
  • Teams for seamless communication and collaboration.
  • OneDrive for secure file storage and easy sharing.
  • OneNote for organizing information and collaborating with others.

Continue reading “Microsoft 365: Free for students, faculty and staff” →

Decisions/eForms maintenance Jan. 24-26

Posted on by Christine Doucette

Maintenance will be conducted on the Decisions form and workflow tool from noon on Friday, Jan. 24, until completion on Sunday, Jan. 26.

During this maintenance period, the following forms will be unavailable:

  • Division of Financial Services: eForms
  • Division of Facilities: Service Request form
  • Office of Student Financial Assistance: Scholarship Confirmation form
  • Office of the Registrar: Request for Graduate Assistantship Tuition Waiver form

IT Service Desk closed on Jan. 20

Posted on by Christine Doucette

The IT Service Desk will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It will begin its spring semester schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Are you looking for self-help?

The IT Knowledge Base is a collection of IT information in a single, easily accessible knowledge base that provides a one-stop-shop for customer self-service.

The IT Website lists IT resources and services available to K-State students, faculty and staff. The site includes cybersecurity tips, the status of services and updates on IT projects.

Create, distribute and analyze surveys using Qualtrics

Posted on by Cathy Rodriguez

Qualtrics logoQualtrics is a powerful survey tool that empowers the K-State community to collect and analyze data with ease. It is available to all faculty and staff. It’s also accessible to graduate and undergraduate students by request.

The default configuration is unlimited surveys per user with the ability for 25,000 emails, thank yous, reminders, and survey responses in a seven-day rolling period. Surveys that involve human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). See the Qualtrics Support page for more information.

Sign in to Qualtrics (https://kstate.qualtrics.com/) with your eID and password.

Highlighted Features

  • Variety of question types: multiple choice, matrix tables, text entry, descriptive text, graphics, rank order, timing, and more.
  • Library of existing surveys, questions, graphics, and messages that users can customize and use.
  • Branching and display logic so you can define user-tailored survey path.
  • Email and contact list triggers.
  • Quotas.
  • Advanced analytics.
  • Collaborate and share surveys.
  • Multiple distribution options, including Qualtrics e-mailer, survey URLs (public and private) and more.
  • Ability to monitor survey progress and send reminder and thank-you messages.
  • Ability to create reports, graphs, charts, and statistical results of response data
  • Export data in a variety of ways including SPSS and other statistical packages

Resources