Tag: UFIT Help Desk

Upgrading the User Experience: New IT Ticketing System Debuts July 9

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The University of Florida will transition to a new enterprise IT ticketing system in July 2024.

After garnering feedback from several IT units from across campus, UF Information Technology (UFIT) convened a search committee to evaluate the leading products available to support a large, complex, and diverse campus. The committee selected TeamDynamix (TDX) to replace Cherwell as the university’s IT ticketing platform. UFIT’s implementation timeline includes a documentation release, sandbox availability, a training schedule to accommodate live and on-demand needs, and a short period where both systems will be live. A TeamDynamix webpage is available with a brief overview of TDX’s capabilities, along with two short overview videos for technical staff and end-users.

Implementation Timeline:

June 10: Initial documentation for TeamDynamix is distributed to all current system users and posted on the website.

June 17: Access to TeamDynamix sandbox environment opens.

June 24: Live, Zoom-based training held throughout the week. 

June 28: Recordings of Zoom training sessions are distributed.

July 9: Go-live of the TeamDynamix production environment.  All new IT support tickets will be created in TeamDynamix as of this date.  The Cherwell system remains available for staff to work and close existing tickets.

July 30: Any remaining Cherwell tickets will be ported into TeamDynamix. Cherwell access will be terminated on this date.

While the application is changing, IT support processes will remain similar to current processes. Where possible, familiar terminology, classifications, and functionality will be implemented. The campus community will still be able to submit a help ticket by email, web portal, API, or in person at the Help Desk, across from the Starbucks in the Hub. Anyone with questions about the timeline to switch to TeamDynamix is welcome to contact UFIT’s service management team (itsm-team@ufl.edu).

Memorial Day: Adjusted Hours at the Help Desk & Learning Spaces  

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The UFIT Help Desk and Learning Spaces will have adjusted support hours during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

All UFIT Learning Spaces (Architecture, CSE, Weil Hall, Norman Hall, and the Hub) will close at 5 p.m. Friday, May 24, and reopen Tuesday, May 28, at their respective opening times. Marston Science Library will also have adjusted hours during the holiday weekend but will be open on Memorial Day from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.

The UFIT Help Desk will have normal business hours and support services through the weekend but will be closed with limited phone support available on Monday, May 27. Walk-in assistance will be available again on Tuesday, May 28, at 7 a.m.

As always, please visit UFIT’s self-help page for general troubleshooting instructions and video resources.

Securely Connect to UF Files and Services from Anywhere

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The UF virtual private network (VPN) provides remote access to the university network by serving as a “tunnel” that connects your device as if you were physically on campus. By using the UF VPN, faculty, students, and staff can securely access multiple UF resources protected by the network’s firewall that otherwise would be inaccessible while off campus, including:  

The UF VPN isn’t required to access UF’s GatorCloud services or administrative sites, such as ONE.UF and myUFL, when off campus. However, the UF VPN gives users a secure online environment to complete their work. When studying abroad, working in a public space, or even submitting your assignments from home, using the UF VPN adds a layer of protection by encrypting your internet traffic and shields you from malicious actors..

No matter where you are in the world, you only need an internet connection to use UF’s VPN — whether that’s with your own wireless network, public Wi-Fi, or your phone’s cellular data. For step-by-step instructions and to confirm that your device’s operating system is compatible, visit: https://it.ufl.edu/ict/documentation/network-infrastructure/vpn/cisco-secure-vpn-installation–config-guide/. The UFIT Help Desk can assist you with VPN configuration 24/7! Call our friendly tech support team at 352-392-HELP or email helpdesk@ufl.edu.  

Prepare to Leave UF’s GatorCloud Environment

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Commencement is around the corner, which means graduating Gators should prepare for life after college. For those graduating or not continuing to take classes at UF following the spring 2024 term, Gators should prepare to lose access to multiple digital services. Review the following list of resources to make the appropriate arrangements:

GatorMail: Your UF email account will be deactivated 365 days after graduation or 365 days since last being registered for a class. If you have signed up for any third-party services (such as Instagram or Spotify) using your GatorMail email credentials, change your login and account recovery information on those accounts before you get locked out. Also, forward any important attachments or information you may have kept in your GatorMail to another email account or storage option.

GatorCloud: Apps and files in your GatorCloud, including Office 365 and Google Suite, are accessible up to 365 days after graduation. Plan ahead by transferring all files to a separate cloud storage and downloading all ongoing projects saved on a GatorCloud application to another location.

UFApps: Access to UFApps is deactivated once you are no longer a student. Allot time to go through UFApps and transfer any useful coursework files and unfinished projects you want to keep to a personal storage option.

If you have any account questions or need assistance before saying goodbye to the university’s digital environment, please contact the UFIT Help Desk by calling 352-392-HELP/4357, or visiting in person at 132 Hub (across from the Starbucks.).

Open: Summer 2024 Canvas Course Requests

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Faculty can now request Summer 2024 Canvas courses via ONE.UF using these instructions. Only instructors of record may use ONE.UF to request courses. Faculty or staff requesting on behalf of instructors will need to do so via myUFL.

If someone normally requests courses for you, please let them know you are handling your own course request. If you do not need a course in Canvas this summer, then follow the instructions above and find the “Exclude Section from Canvas” instructions.

Course auto-creation for all Summer 2024 courses begins Wednesday, May 8, at 12:00 p.m.  Courses not requested or marked as “Exclude Section from Canvas” by that date and time will automatically be created. Instructors who need sections combined into one shell are advised to make their course request before Wednesday, May 8. Any course section added to the Student Information System after auto-creation will still need to be requested.

As a reminder, instructors cannot use Canvas Announcements or Inbox to communicate with students prior to the start date of the course and the course being published. Instructors that want to communicate with students prior to the start of the Summer A/C 2024 semester (Monday, May 13), may use the Class Rolls feature in ONE.UF to do so. Full course rosters will not load into Canvas until after the auto-creation date.

The e-Learning Support team is offering one-on-one consultations to help prepare your course for the upcoming term. Please schedule an appointment at http://go.ufl.edu/CanvasHelp. The consultations will be conducted via Zoom. Please reach out to the e-Learning Support team with any questions:

On-The-Go Campus Printing with GatorPrint

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) offers black and white, color, and large format poster printing in more than 20 buildings across campus via the GatorPrint program. GatorPrint enables community members to send print jobs directly from their computer, mobile device, or a UF workstation to more than 50 campus printing locations, from on- or off-campus. Students can even send jobs while waiting for, or while riding on, an RTS bus!

Printing costs vary depending on the type of print job but are standard across UFIT’s campus print locations. Once your print job is completed, the charges are posted on your ONE.UF account. Faculty and staff can also arrange bulk printing credits for their department or college.

Check out the printing options, locations, costs, and policies at print.at.ufl.edu. Technology consultants are available to assist you with your print job at the Architecture Lab, Marston Science Library, CSE, Norman Hall, and at Weil Hall. Anyone with questions about campus printing options may call the UFIT Help Desk (352-392-HELP), or stop by the Help Desk at 132 Hub, located across from Starbucks.

Connecting Students with Tech Resources

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UF Information Technology (UFIT) hosted its annual Tech Fair on Wednesday, Feb. 28. Tech Fair allows students to explore various free campus tech resources and services available, regardless of major. Among the resources for students to discover this year were AI tools for building e-portfolios, AI prompts for effective studying, and the Career Connections Center’s AI resume-reviewing tool, Quinncia.

Camila Diaz-Borges, a classical studies freshman, said she left Tech Fair with a deeper understanding of the AI certificate offered to UF students after speaking with Career Connections Center staff.

“I think I might apply for the AI certificate now that I know more about it,” Diaz-Borges said.

Students explored equipment available to check out from the George A. Smathers Libraries and how to make the most of their free, UFIT-provided LinkedIn Learning subscription. Students also had a chance to learn what IT training is offered by UFIT and Help Desk staff were also providing on-site IT assistance.

Rachael Yacuzzo, a junior history and women’s studies double major, stopped by the ONE.UF booth, where students were encouraged to share what improvements should be made to the mobile app.

“Something that I found really troublesome with the app was that I could never [open] my degree audit on it, so I’m glad they asked for feedback,” Yacuzzo said.

Computer science graduate student Nicholas Sily and general business freshman Jenna Vell said the range of equipment available to rent from Smathers Libraries caught their interest.

“I’m really impressed with the video-filming equipment that students can check out from the libraries,” Sily said.

“We’re learning about 3-D printing in class, so it’s great to know we have 3-D printing services right here in Marston,” Vell said.

This year’s event tracked 523 student interactions. For any questions about the 2024 Tech Fair, email UFIT Communications at it-comm@ufl.edu.

Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Formatting Help

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The UFIT Help Desk provides campus with a variety of technical support services, including electronic thesis and dissertation support. The Electronic Thesis and Dissertation team (ETD) assists graduate students through the formatting process of their thesis or dissertation in accordance with the Graduate Editorial Office’s guidelines. Their services are available for free to all UF graduate students.

Meg Renard, a lead ETD staff member, joined the team in 2019. She encourages graduate students to reach out as early as possible.

“If you look up the template before you start writing, or if you’re at least aware, the process is going to be much easier,” Renard said. “People spend so long writing these things and gathering material. Then, they get to the end, and they have no idea that the submission had requirements.”

Whether you need finishing touches or a full reformat, the ETD team will meet you wherever you are in the formatting process, Renard said. The team’s primary three services are one-on-one appointments, document reviews via email, and free template and formatting tutorials. The only templates accepted for thesis and dissertation submissions are in MS Word and LaTeX, both requiring specific formatting that is difficult to recreate. Faculty can also arrange for an ETD staff member to present to their classroom by contacting the ETD team directly.

Visit https://it.ufl.edu/helpdesk/graduate-resources/ to book an appointment, email your document for review, or view the templates and tutorials. Appointments and email queue spots fill quickly as submission deadlines approach, so it’s best to contact the team as soon as you can. Although the UFIT’s ETD team supports students through the formatting process, the Graduate Editorial Office is a separate office and sets the submission standards and deadlines. Students can view thesis and dissertation deadlines, checklists, and further requirements on the Editorial Office’s website.

Tips for Importing Past Content in Canvas

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Faculty often reuse past content by importing it into new e-Learning course shells. However, there are some vital considerations when dealing with imported course content:

Announcements and Calendar Events
When importing content, course-specific items like announcements and calendar events will be copied as well. To avoid unnecessary content, it’s recommended to use the “select specific content” option during the import process. This allows you to choose only the relevant parts of the course. In case you’ve already used “import all,” make sure to visit the announcement page and remove any announcements you won’t be reusing. For calendar events, access the Syllabus tool, locate the events in the course summary, and delete them from the event page, particularly if Zoom meetings are involved.

Groups and Group Assignments
During the course copy, existing group sets will merge into one set named ‘Project Groups’ and any group assignments or discussions will be associated with this group set. To prevent issues with group work, it’s essential to review all assignments and recreate the desired group sets as needed.

For further assistance in preparing your course, consider scheduling a one-on-one consultation with an e-Learning specialist by visiting http://go.ufl.edu/CanvasHelp.