Accomplishments
The Computer Help Desk (CHD) held a training session on January 28 with presentations about Service Excellence, renovations in Systems, the Computer Help Desk wiki, project management, co-op projects, and troubleshooting procedures. The session was well-attended and full of great ideas and questions about University Systems.
Learning about User Stories and requirements gathering at the CHD training session. Photo credit: Dave Bakken
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) was deployed to key users in Financial Services as a deliverable of the PC0588-Expanding Multifactor Authentication at UVic project. This requires the use of a keychain-based dongle to log in to sensitive systems, in addition to a username and password. The key benefit to MFA is that it significantly improves our security stance against compromised (e.g. phished) usernames and passwords, because those credentials alone become insufficient to log in for those individuals. In the coming months we will continue to deploy MFA to additional users who have elevated access to sensitive information.
A new University Systems Application Catalogue was deployed. This catalogue will serve as a central repository for information regarding all applications supported by University Systems, and will include linkages to support information/documentation, client areas, privacy information, authentication/authorization details, data sources, as well as linkages to service catalogue and ConfigManager entries. This information currently resides in separate data stores, therefore the Application Catalogue will improve our ability to troubleshoot and service important applications.
A number of enhancements were made to the Applicant Information Review System (AIRS) as a deliverable of the PC0627-AIRS Enhancements project. This is a web-based tool that consolidates application information into one easy-to-navigate system for academic areas. These enhancements reduce the need for academic areas to maintain their own supplementary systems for managing their admissions processes, which improves the privacy and security of student admissions data.
Around Campus
We provided full audio visual technical support, webcasting and recording for the 2017 Provost Diversity Research Forum on January 26th and 27th.
We assisted in the organization of the Mental Health Event held on January 18 in the Bob Wright Centre B150 and A104. A webcast was setup to an overflow room to increase capacity. It was a huge success!
We planned and delivered a Microscopy video conference with Dr. Elaine Humphries and Stephen Church, Senior Science Department Head with Fleetwood Park Secondary. Scott and Flemming delivered a successful hybrid video conference with our webcasting setup to accommodate Dr. Humphries with her talk and live demonstration.
Kayla Smith created the Planning AV for Your Event Slideshow document to help presenters prepare for events with audio visual support based on dea’s presentation for IdeaFest.
On January 5, several University Systems staff members embarked on a nature walk around our beautiful campus.
Photo credit: Kimberley Dray
Great picture, Vincent!