This message was distributed to the Rice community on October 3, 2019.
OIT offers services and resources from poster printing to accessibility training to free/discounted software.
NEWS
Updated Registration System
This fall, new undergraduates enrolled in courses using an updated registration system that was developed in conjunction with the Office of the Registrar and Academic Advising. Students communicated the importance of being able to plan out their schedule, search by subject, keyword, course number and/or the day/time of the week. In addition, students wanted a visual representation of their schedule, links to course and instructor evaluations and other miscellaneous details about courses, all within one window. The upgraded system delivers that. All students will use the new system for spring registration.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Students can use Adobe Creative Cloud applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and more) on Rice computers in the labs including Fondren Library. Initially, you will need to set up an AdobeID so you can login via lab computers to access the suite of Adobe products. Learn more.
Supporting Digital Access
Last spring, OIT hired John Williams as a Digital Information Accessibility Coordinator. He serves as an advocate for awareness and education about supporting access to electronic resources by all individuals including those with visual, auditory, motor or cognitive disabilities. In addition to offering practical advice to support Rice’s current tools and resources, John will work to improve awareness about the need for everyone to discuss accessibility with vendors when considering the purchase of any new technologies. In October, John will be offering a variety of practical workshops explaining how to make digital resources (such as .pdf files and videos) accessible and offering guidance on how to ensure Canvas course pages and email campaigns are usable by the entire campus community.
Windows 10 Migration Reminder
The last remaining Rice-owned computers running Windows 7 must be upgraded to Windows 10 this fall as a campus information security precaution. Microsoft is discontinuing support and security updates to Windows 7 after January 14, 2020. Learn more.
SERVICES
Instructor Resources
If you are new to working with Canvas or want to learn more advanced techniques for managing your courses, a variety of training options are available (workshops, one-on-one appointments, tips blog, and online tutorials). Telephone or chat support is available for Canvas–24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For chat links and phone numbers, click on the Help icon when logged into Canvas or see this KnowledgeBase article.
If you are seeking to increase your proficiency or improve your comfort level using classroom and lab equipment, request an individual training session. If you ever need urgent technical assistance in a classroom, call 713-348-4989. (After business hours, a classroom technician will be paged to call you back and assist you over the phone.)
Research Computing
The Center for Research Computing (CRC) welcomes the opportunity to support your research computing needs. CRC staff can offer advice and set up services from high-performance computing/high-throughput computing (HPC/HTC) to research virtual machines and cloud (ORION) to research data facility (RDF).
Free and Discounted Software
Graduate students are eligible for free or discounted software.
Printing Posters
The Mudd Lab Operations Center has five plotters for printing posters. You can find instructions on printing in this KnowledgeBase article. OIT Help Desk staff in Mudd 103 can help you as well. The Operations Center is open Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, 3:00 – 5:00 pm. The OIT Help Desk is open Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
The cost of printing posters is $3 per foot for plain paper and $7 per foot for glossy paper. (See also rates and locations for other OIT lab printers.) Printing charges are billed via your Esther account each month. You should review your print charges periodically looking in Esther under the Student Services tab. Once the charges are submitted, the Cashier’s office cannot adjust the balance. You can request a refund for print jobs due to a malfunction of the printer (smudges, faint toner, etc.) at the OIT Help Desk (Mudd 103) within seven days.
SUPPORT
Technology Help
OIT’s Help Desk is the central point of contact for computing help and support. OIT Help Desk staff answer technical questions and route service requests to other OIT professionals. You can submit requests any time via an online form. You can also call (713-348-HELP (4357)) or drop by (Mudd 103) during office hours (Monday – Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, excluding holidays). Student consultants are also available in the evening on the first floor of Fondren Library (Sunday – Thursday: 7:00 – 11:00 pm).
Online Resources
To learn more about the Office of Information Technology’s services, go to the OIT web site, https://oit.rice.edu. For an easy-to-search source of instructions about services and tools, use the OIT KnowledgeBase at https://kb.rice.edu. Use the IT Status Page at https://status.rice.edu to check for any system outages or to subscribe to updates on specific services.