Saving data to the network seem a bit slow?  It is! One our or many storage hard drives on our storage area network crashed.  We have replaced the broken drive with a temporary smaller hard drive.  A new replacement hard drive should arrive tomorrow and will replace the temporary drive.

 

The cable TV system will not be available on Sunday, August 5.  As you know ITS is working with Wide Open West, our cable TV service provider, to upgrade our infrastructure from analog to digital.   On Sunday ITS and other technical personnel will be installing new equipment in most of our buildings on campus.  This process will take all day so during that time cable TV will not be available.  When this massive project is complete, we've been working on it for over 8 months, our students will be able to receive digital cable, OnDemand, subscribe to premium movie channels, install a digital video recorder etc.  They will basically have the option of receiving the same kind of cable TV service that they get at home.  The College will pay for basic analog cable service and the student will be responsible for any other options.  When this project is complete North Central will be one of a few small colleges that offer this service to students in residence halls.  Wide Open West has donated equipment and technical staff time to help make this project a reality.

 

It is our plan to roll out a new version of Microsoft Office Suite 2007 in early September.  At the present time, ITS staff are upgrading computers on campus to make sure that the new Office Suite runs on our PCs at a reasonable speed.  When all of the PCs have been upgraded then ITS will roll out the Office Suite.  At that time ITS will also offer training on the new Office Suite as it now uses ribbons instead of drop down menus; it saves files in a different format, has a Quick Access toolbar, galleries, live preview, SmartArt graphics, enhanced Equations features, PDF capabilities, etc. We are planning to offer  "What is New" training on Word, Excel and Power Point.  Members of ITS staff have just received their copy of Office 2007 and we are in the process of learning the new software so that we can help you have an easier time making the transition.

ITS will also offer full-time faculty and staff the opportunity to get a free copy of Microsoft Office Suite 2007 for home use. We are asking that full-time faculty and staff wait until Office 2007 is rolled out before requesting a copy for home use of Office 2007 since there is a whole new file structure that isn't directly compatible with earlier versions. 

 

Black is where it is at!  In with black and out with yellow and gray.  ITS is in the process of making all computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, and cords the same color.  By September all of this older equipment (yellow or gray) should be replaced with a black or black-and-silver counter part.