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Current academic year IT Updates and News are included below. Please use the navigation pane to view past year updates.

• August 2022 IT Update Fall Kick Off
  
  

  Welcome Back, we’re so excited to be starting the fall semester. We wanted to share with you
  some of the things we’ve been up to this summer as well as make sure you’re aware of some of
  what IT Services can offer. As always, we’re here to serve you and make this academic year
  successful for you and your students!

  Benjamin Shier, CIO

  • Technology Available to Students

    IT Services is pleased to offer a variety of solutions to support student learning needs.  

     

    • Academic Loan of Chromebooks and Laptops 
      Eligible students can check out a Chromebook or laptop for the semester at no cost.  
      are available on the UAA Tech Portal. 
    • Headsets and webcams at no cost (limited supply) 
    • Software (O365, SPSS, etc.)  
      A complete . 

    • Managed Print self-service print stations are available around campus.  
      Eligible students start each semester with a $15 print allocation on their WolfCards and can add additional funds if needed. Visit the for more information including printing rates. 

     

    To learn more about these options, follow the links in this document or  
    contact the IT Tech Support Center at 907-786-4646.

  • UAA Online Security Update

    Threats against the university’s digital resources have increased dramatically in the past two years. Universities, including UAA, have become key targets. To combat this increase in malicious activity, numerous security improvements have been made recently and more are coming soon.  

    Recent Improvements: 

    • Advanced Antivirus  
    • Multifactor authentication (MFA) for employees 
    • Better security on UAA’s VPN 
    • Additional Network Threat monitoring 
    • Laptop encryption for all new devices

     

    Here are some things you can do to stay safe online: 

    • Use hard-to-guess passwords and never share your passwords with others, including anyone claiming to be from the university. IT Services will never ask you for your password. Review for more about passwords and MFA. 
       
    • Do not approve a DUO MFA prompt unless you are expecting it. MFA will only protect your account if you only approve DUO requests you initiated and are expecting. Bad actors who have gained access to your password will sometimes send a DUO MFA prompt hoping you are not paying attention and approve it.  
       
    • Never click a link or an attachment in email unless you were expecting it. Learn more here on how to identify a suspicious email in the training. 
       
    • If you receive a suspicious or phishing email, please .  
       

    • If you ever think you may have been a victim of a bad actor, report it immediately to IT Services at 907-786-4646. 

     

    As we start the fall, we are committed to keeping you teaching, learning, and working safely on campus and online. If there is anything our IT Services team can do to help, our Technical Support Center (TSC) is standing by to support you. 

  • Virtual Labs

    IT Services offers virtual lab machines for anyone in need of accessing UAA resources remotely. These machines can be accessed from anywhere in the world from any device. To start using, simply connect to in a web browser and log in with your UA credentials. Once connected you may notice multiple desktop pools which are assigned depending on course registration information. You will always be able to access your personal dedicated VDI machine regardless of course affiliation.  

    If you are a faculty member and are interested in how you might leverage a virtual lab environment to support your classes, contact IT Services today!

  • MyUAA Beta Launch

    myUAA is a new dashboard that brings together several of our online services into one location. Every campus has their own branding and URL applied, but the dashboard works the same, allowing students to pick the campus dashboard where they feel most at home.  

    With myUAA, students can find contact info for instructors and advisors, maps to their class locations, progress from degree works and enrolled programs, overview of their students account, detailed personalized steps for financial aid process each year and more. Learn more about myUAA by watching the . A link to myUAA appears at the very top of all Anchorage campus websites.  

  • Getting Technology Help

    UAA IT Services is here to help you with your technology needs! IT has an extensive self-service , available 24/7 at .  

    Want to talk to a technician? The Technology Support Center is available on the phone at 907-786-4646 or via email at uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu. Fall semester hours are Monday through Friday 7:00 am–6:00 pm and Sundays 10:00 am–2:00 pm. 
     
    See the next page for just a few of the things UAA IT Services can help you with. 

    • General UAA computer & phone support 
    • Classroom support 
      Want to to learn classroom technology? Having tech trouble during class? We can help with that! 

    •   - BlackBoard, UAA Gmail, Microsoft Office, FoxIt PDF editor, and more! 
    • - me.uaa.alaska.edu 
    •  
    • Desktop Services 

    • repair  

    • Affordable  
      *free 30-min diagnosis 
    • All brands of computers support 
    • Authorized Apple & Dell service provider (computers, laptops, and tablets) 

    For IT support contact the Technical Support Center at:  

    • Self-Service Portal:  

    • Phone: 907-786-4646  
    • Email: uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu  
    • Hours:  

    • Monday to Friday 7:00 am – 6:00 pm  
    • Saturdays closed 

    • Sundays 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
  • In Other News
    • Software licenses available for purchase 
      UAA IT Services has partnered with other UA MAUs to offer specific licenses at discounted rates. By leveraging bulk purchasing, we now offer , ,  SAS, and such as Visio Plan 1 or 2 or Project Plan 3 at a discount to UAA departments. To purchase licenses, visit the UAA Tech Portal sites linked above or contact the UAA Tech Support Center at 907-786-4646.  
       
    • Microsoft PowerBI Pro, Project Pro, and Visio Pro now available 
      Microsoft software previously only available by purchase is now included in the UA Microsoft Education Agreement to most UA faculty and staff. Tenure track faculty and staff, except for crafts and trades, are included in the licensing. 
       
      Not sure if you qualify or need to purchase a license? Contact the UAA Tech Support Center at 907-786-4646 or uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu.  

   

• September 2022 IT Update
  TBD
• October 2022 IT Update
  TBD
• November 2022 IT Update
  TBD
• December 2022 IT Update
  TBD