University of Minnesota Morris Computing Services

 
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Faculty Orientation Guide to Computing Services at UMM

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Computing Services
10 Behmler Hall
600 East 4th Street
Morris, MN 56267
Help Line:
(320)589-6391
ummhelp@morris.umn.edu
Updated: 08/16/2007


Welcome to Computing Services at UMM!
Please contact us for computing assistance throughout your career at UMM.

Help Desk

The Computing Services Help Desk, located in the Behmler 10 Lab in the basement of Behmler Hall, is staffed by full-time staff and student consultants. User assistance and technical support are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 589-6391. Questions may be sent by e-mail to ummhelp@morris.umn.edu.

Purchasing Computers and other Electronics

The University of Minnesota UMart program (http://umart.umn.edu) has contracts with Apple, Dell, and other vendors to sell hardware and software to current U of M students, staff, and faculty at educational discount prices. All departments should contact Computing Services before purchasing computers.

Computer Repairs

Faculty computers are owned by UMM's divisions. Each division has its own procedures for repairs. You may call Computing Services for information about these procedures.

Recommended Software

Computing Services recommends the following applications for desktop computers, laptops, lab machines, and all devices on the campus network:

Macintosh
  • Operating System: Mac OS X (10.4 or newer recommended)
  • Communications: Thunderbird, iTerm (if you need telnet), FireFox, Fetch
  • Office Productivity: Microsoft Office 2004 Suites (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
  • Graphics and Math: Photoshop, Mathematica, Dreamweaver MX 2004 or newer
  • Utilities: Adobe Acrobat Reader, RealPlayer, Graphic Converter, Symantec AntiVirus
Windows
  • Operating Systems: Windows XP
  • Communications: Thunderbird, FireFox, Internet Explorer 6 (Internet Explorer 7 does not fully support PeopleSoft), Putty SSH, WS_FTP, Win_SCP
  • Office Productivity: Microsoft Office 2003 Suites (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint), plug in for Office 2007 compatibility
  • Graphics and Math: Photoshop, Mathematica, SPSS, SAS, Dreamweaver MX 2004 or newer
  • Utilities: Adobe Acrobat Reader, RealPlayer, Symantec Client Security, Microsoft Defender

Purchasing Software

Before you go outside the University for your software products or licenses, check http://www.morris.umn.edu/cs/software/ to see if the University already holds a license or can get one.

Microsoft System-wide Agreement: Free Microsoft software is available for any UMM-owned computer. Contact Computing Services at (320) 589-6391 or ummhelp@morris.umn.edu to learn how to obtain the appropriate software for your system.

Microsoft programs for faculty and staff:  Microsoft office 2003, 2004 and Mac 2004 along with Windows XP Pro, Windows Vista Business, Project, Visio, and OneNote are available for personal purchase at a discounted rate.  Please contact Computing Services at (320) 589-6391 or email ummhelp@morris.umn.edu to learn about pricing and how you can obtain these programs.

Faculty Toolkit: If you need Adobe Acrobat, Authorware, Director, Dreamweaver, Flash, or Photoshop to assist you in course development or instruction, point your web browser to the Digital Media Center (DMC) Faculty Toolkit Web site to see if you qualify to receive this software at no charge (or reduced cost) to you or to your department: http://dmc.umn.edu/toolkit/. Even if you don't qualify, you can still take advantage of this program and purchase the software at a significant discount.

Other General Use Software for University Owned Computers: Contact Computing Services at (320) 589-6391 or ummhelp@morris.umn.edu for information about free software including Mac operating systems, RedHat Linux, Fedora, and StarOffice. Free virus protection software is available here: http://www.umn.edu/adcs/help/virus/.

Specialized software for UMM employees and departments: Additional software, including instructional and research programs, is available for University use at discounted prices. Contact Computing Services at (320) 589-6391 or ummhelp@morris.umn.edu, or e-mail our instructional technology specialist, Pam Gades, at pam@morris.umn.edu.

Changing your internet ID (x500 username)

Before you request that your U of M Internet ID (also known as username or x.500 ID) be changed, consider the impact it may have on your ability to access central and non-central systems.

Access to some central systems, for example, Human Resources Self Service, will not be affected by this change, but access to other systems will not automatically be migrated to your new Internet ID.

Note: You must take responsibility to notify each appropriate system manager about your Internet ID change. Once Central Accounts Administration has changed your Internet ID, you will not be able to log in to some systems, with the old or the new Internet ID, until an update as occurred.

Below is a partial list of systems that will be affected by an Internet ID change. You may or may not have access to these systems. Computing Services will not contact these system managers on your behalf; you must contact each system directly for assistance.

Enterprise Systems

For additional information, please view the OIT Data Security's How to Keep Your Access Active page. It lists other systems and contact information.

* CUFS - Contact University Financial Helpline, 612-624-1617, fsshelp@umn.edu (CUFS does not use the Internet ID for access, but uses it in tables for grant administrators).
* Data Warehouse - Complete and fax the OIT Data Security's Access Request Form include your former and new Internet ID. For assistance, contact 1-HELP Enterprise, 612-301-4357, reports@umn.edu
* Electronic Grants Management System (EGMS) Contact - EGMS Helpline at 612-624-1033, help@EGMS.umn.edu
* Financial FormsNirvana - Contact University Financial Helpline, 612-624-1617, fsshelp@umn.edu
* PeopleSoft - Complete and fax the OIT Data Security's Access Request Form include your former and new Internet ID. For assistance, contact 1-HELP Enterprise, 612-301-4357.
* Purchasing Card - Contact Disbursement Services, Purchasing Card Office, 612-626-8673.

Central Systems

* Active Directory - Any directories/folders titled with your former Internet ID will NOT automatically be changed to your new Internet ID. Contact your department's Organization Unit (OU) Administrator to notify them that your Internet ID has changed.
* E-mail or other client/server connection programs, either at home or on campus, must be reconfigured to include the new Internet ID.
* NetFiles - Home folder is NOT renamed automatically (since links or tickets you have already granted access to will use the old path) e-mail netfiles@umn.edu to request an update.
* Listservs - Notify the listserv administrators that your e-mail address has changed. You will continue to receive e-mail messages sent to the former e-mail address, but you will not be able to post messages or manage your listserv account. To contact the U of M Listservs, see http://lists.umn.edu/, 612-616-1810, listacct@umn.edu
* WebVista - Contact webvista@umn.edu to request a matching change in your WebVista ID.

Non-Central (Departmental) Systems

* FSS/Training Services Certified Approver database - Contact University Financial Helpline, 612-624-1617, fsshelp@umn.edu
* Miscellaneous e-mail lists will not accept updates or postings from an address different than the one originally used to subscribe to the list.
* Novell and Groupwise servers - Contact your department's computer desktop support team for assistance.
* Research Subjects' Protection Program (RSPP) database - Contact the Office of the Vice President for Research at 612-626-5654

Choosing a new Internet ID

Your new Internet ID can be the first four or five letters of your last name followed by a 3 or 4 digit number selected by our system, for a total of 8 characters, or you may select any 3 to 8 letter ID that looks something like your name or initials.

Please call the Computing Services Help Desk at 589-6391 when you are ready to proceed. The change process will be started once you call us. We ask that you refrain from accessing your account for 1 hour after we start
the change.

E-mail and Central Systems: Open Access

E-mail accounts are created automatically for all new faculty. E-mail accounts remain open and valid until you leave UMM. No accounts or logins are necessary to use PCs and Macs in UMM labs.

Your UMM e-mail address (InternetID@morris.umn.edu) serves as your University of Minnesota Internet ID for online University functions including portal access, personal calendaring (via UMCal), and employee benefit self-services.

Faculty are encouraged to use Thunderbird as their desktop mail client. It is available for download from the UMM Web site: http://www.morris.umn.edu/cs/software. We request that you do not use Outlook or Outlook Express for e-mail because of potentially serious security problems. To check e-mail while away from your home or office, see the "MyUMM Portal" section of this guide. To change your password, use the Web form at: https://www.umn.edu/myaccount.

MyUMM Portal

MyUMM is your secure, customizable University of Minnesota Morris portal home page. It lets you check e-mail while traveling, maintain course Web sites, update your UMCal calendar, access your online personnel records, retrieve pay statements, store files using NetFiles, access grades, read news, and more. To access the MyUMM Portal, look for the button on UMM's Web site.

UMM's Web Site and Faculty Web Pages

A wealth of information is online at UMM's Web site, http://www.morris.umn.edu. Resources include campus e-mail addresses, searchable directories, departmental information, the Weekly Bulletin, event information, UMM's online library catalog, commercial databases, Computing Services handouts, the UMM Catalog of courses, and much more.

You may put personal or course-related Web pages into your personal.morris.umn.edu account. For access, please contact Computing Services.

Event Information Online

UMM faculty, staff, and students may browse event information throughout the UMM Web site, thanks to the RSS feed managed by Computing Services, and via the online "All Events Calendar" linked on the News, Sports & Events page. To submit an item, use the form at http://www.morris.umn.edu/events/SubmitEvent.

Free storage via NetFiles

Netfiles allows users to store up to five gigabytes of data on secure, backed-up servers accessible over the internet. No more burning your own CDs! No more lost USB Keys or thumb drives! Before you can use this service, you will need to activate Netfiles on your University account options page.

Printing

Laser printers are available in all Computing Services labs. Laser printing is five cents per page, using a Cougar Cash card or your U Card. Color printing is available in Briggs Library at a cost of one dollar per page. A full range of printing options for high end printing is available at Duplicating Services.

UMCal: The U of M's Calendaring System

The University's system-wide personal calendaring program is UMCal. UMCal is available to all students, faculty and staff. The program allows users to find meeting times when all participants are available and reserve some campus meeting rooms and equipment. For more information about UMCal or to download the software, visit: http://www.umn.edu/umcal. You may also view and update your calendar via the Web at http://umcal.umn.edu. Before you can use UMCal, you will need to go to your University account options and activate your 'Calendar Account Options.'

Network and Wireless Access

Computing Services manages the campus network; all faculty offices have a connection for desktop computers. In addition, wireless access is available in many locations on campus. Please refer to: http://www.morris.umn.edu/wireless for the latest additions and access instructions.

Dialing In from Off Campus

The phone number for dial-up access is (320) 589-4526. Speeds up to 56 kbps are available. There is a two-hour time limit. Please note that our modems are not accessible from on-campus phones. See the Computing Services Web site for dial-up information on setting up your modem.

Web Site, Workshops, and Training Resources

Computing Services schedules free, open seminars and workshops on frequently-used applications. Please visit our training page at http://www.morris.umn.edu/cs/training/ for more information. In addition, we provide a variety of online handouts, frequently updated, in the Computing Services section of the UMM Web site. Interactive software training on CDs are available for free check-out. These video tutorials feature narration and animated screen shots, demonstrating how to use various software applications supported at UMM.

Instructional Technology Support

Pam Gades (589-6376 pam@morris.umn.edu) and Trisha Crace (589-6393 tcrace@morris.umn.edu) provide instructional technology support to faculty. We use Web Vista for Web-based course management. Please see the Instructional Technology Web site to learn more about technologically-enhanced teaching and learning at UMM: http://www.morris.umn.edu/cs/instructionaltechnology.

Computer Classrooms

UMM is pleased to offer computerized classrooms for instructional purposes. Science 2530 has 24 Windows XP computers, Library 350A contains 21 Windows XP computers, and the new lab in Imholte Hall Room 11 features 47 Windows XP computers. You may schedule the labs via UMCal, or go to the Computing Services lab page, http://www.morris.umn.edu/cs/labs, to make reservations for Science 2530 and Imholte 11 labs classrooms. For reservations in the Library 350A lab please contact Briggs Library.