Technology Information

Saturday, March 21 (Updated Sunday, March 22)

Please Note – Laptop Loaners Available: In light of the COVID19 circumstances, we are making laptop loaners available to students who do not have access to technology – desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone – at home. Remember that you can use a laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone to access Canvas to complete your work. There is a Canvas mobile application in the Apple App Store and Google Play. If you have access to any of these technologies, please do not request a loaner laptop as the University has a limited supply.

Update to Pick-up Times

Students who require a loaner laptop to continue doing their coursework online should try to come to University Hall 5th floor to pick up a loaner:

• Sunday, March 22: 12-7 p.m.
  
• Monday, March 23: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 24: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Be sure to bring your MSU ID card. All visitors are required to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises to be serviced.

Note: Social distancing and disinfecting protocols will be followed for all staff and students in the laptop lending process.

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Monday, March 16, 2020

The Information Technology Division along with the College/School technical teams is proactively working to assist faculty and students as they transition to online classes and to support employees and students who may be working remotely in the weeks ahead.

We have recently published a set of Information Technology FAQs.

The FAQs should give you many answers, but if you have additional questions, please contact the IT Service Desk at itservicedesk@montclair.edu or at 973-655-7971.  Or you may reach out directly to me by sending a message to itservices-feedback@montclair.edu.

We recognize this will be a challenging time for you, and we want to do all we can to make the technology aspects easier to deal with.

Regards,
Candy Fleming
Vice President for Information Technology

What if I Have Technical Support Questions?

The University and its IT services teams are available to support students, faculty and staff:

Faculty/Staff

Faculty/Staff in the Feliciano School of Business (SBUS), College of Education and Human Services (CEHS) and the College of Science and Mathematics (CSAM) should contact their local academic technology teams during their scheduled business hours and may contact the IT Service Desk, outside of normally scheduled business hours. All other faculty/staff (in the College of the Arts (CART), College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and the School of Nursing) and all non-faculty across all Divisions can receive support through the IT Service Desk by calling 973-655-7971, by emailing itservicedesk@montclair.edu, or through our Online Chat.

Students

Students should reach out to the IT Service Desk by calling 973-655-7971, emailing itservicedesk@montclair.edu or contact us through our Online Chat.

What Are the Support Hours?

The IT Service Desk will continue to provide support as normal. Hours for support can be found at IT Service Desk web page. It is important to note that the IT Service Desk has limited support staff available after 5 p.m. weekdays.

What happens if my University machine or my student loaner laptop has issues?

In an effort to promote social distancing, the Division of Information Technology and all local academic technology teams will schedule next-day appointments (Monday – Friday) for repairs or swaps.  Please contact your local academic technology team or the IT Service Desk at 973-655-7971 or itservicedesk@montclair.edu. You can also click here for further guidance.

Does the University Have a Way for me to Host Audio or Video Conferences?

Montclair State University has moved to a site license for Zoom across campus.

The new “Licensed” (formerly Pro) version gives all Faculty, Staff and Students access to Zoom with no time limit on meeting duration. Use a password to keep your Zoom meetings private. Learn how to use your Zoom password to manage meetings.

You will be able to access Zoom and login with your Montclair Google credentials (lastnamef@montclair.edu, password). Please visit our Zoom webpage for further information.

• How Do I Login? 
  • Go to https://montclair.zoom.us
  • Click options for Join – Join a Meeting Host – Start a Meeting Sign In – Configure Your Account
  • Log in with your Montclair Google Email Account (ex. lastnamefn@montclair.edu) and password
• How Do I Get Support?
  • Zoom offers support via phone 1-888-799-9666, ext. 2
  • Online Portal
• How Can I use Zoom in my Canvas Course? 
  • Zoom is now integrated into all Canvas courses, and you can schedule your meetings directly from your course. For more information on how to use Zoom in Canvas, please review our Faculty Canvas Guide.
  • Note that faculty are also able and encouraged to use Canvas Conference, which is seamlessly integrated into Canvas. Read more on how to hold virtual sessions with Canvas Conferences.
• How Many Students Can I Connect to One Zoom Session? 
  • You can have up to 300 users connected via one session.
• There seems to be a lag with Zoom. How can I check the status? 
  • Go to https://status.zoom.us/

• Does the 40 Minute Timeout Still Happen? 
  • No, with Zoom Licensed, you can stay connected until your meeting is finished.
  • Zoom offers one-minute video tutorials on sharing screens, joining calls, scheduling a meeting or more. You can find these videos at Zoom Video Tutorials page.
• What if I get an ‘all circuits are busy’ message when dialing in from a telephone? 
  • Try connecting with your computer using the link provided for the meeting information as an alternative.
• What if I have audio dropouts when using the computer audio option?
  • Try using the various dial-in numbers to see if this fixes the problem.
• What if I am having trouble with Zoom or Canvas Conference?
  • If the Zoom and Canvas conferencing options are not working, please contact Technical Support.
• If I am part of a HIPAA compliance area, can I use Zoom? 
  • The University has purchased licenses for users and areas that fall under HIPAA.  If you are new or do not have access to that account, please reach out to your department head so that they may create an account for you.

 

 

Learn how to use your Zoom password to manage meetings.

The University currently recommends two audio/video conferencing tools that are available and widely used for use by Faculty, Staff and Students.

Canvas Conferences (formerly Big Blue Button) – A tool within Canvas that creates a virtual classroom space where synchronous (real-time) online lectures, office hours, and breakout sessions can take place.

Zoom – An enterprise-wide video platform that allows for easy, reliable, communications for video meetings, voice, webinars, and chat across desktops, phones, mobile devices, and conference room systems.

Please click on the product for additional details on the best way to use these products. This information is frequently updated.

What Help Is Available for Students to Succeed in Online Courses?

Canvas Orientation Course for Students

Student Guide for Online Learning. This is a guide for student learning online to understand what online learning entails, particularly for those who never have not previously taken online classes.

Will Students Be Able to Use Adobe Creative Cloud at Home?

Only students in programs that require Adobe Creative Cloud for the class will be provided a license and will be notified through their department.

What if Students Do Not Have a Computer at Home? What Are Their Options?

Students should be reminded that they can use a laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone to access Canvas to complete their work. There is a Canvas mobile application in the Apple App Store and Google Play that should be just as effective.

Email itservicedesk@montclair.edu if you need a loaner laptop to do your coursework. Information Technology will be in touch with you promptly with an appointment to pick up a loaner from University Hall.

Be sure to bring your MSU ID card. All visitors are required to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises to be serviced.

Note: Social distancing and disinfecting protocols will be followed for all staff and students in the laptop lending process.

What if Students Do Not Have Internet Access at home?

If you do not have internet access, we advise that you contact your cable and cellular telephone service providers to see if there are any free or reduced pricing internet access options being made available.

Many internet service providers (ISP) and cell phone companies are offering Free or Low-Cost internet for K-12, Colleges and Universities that are affected by closures due to the Coronavirus. Please contact your current phone carrier or some of the local companies to see if you are eligible for some of the plans.

We have researched some options and listed them on the Internet Access and Hotspot page.

It is also possible to enable “hot spots” on mobile phones (in effect setting up a local wifi network that rides on top of cell data – so not preferred because it is slower and more expensive than “real” wifi connections).  If you do not have better options to obtain wifi access, you can call your carrier to enable “hot spots.”

Students who are unable to access Wi-Fi at home will be allowed to use the second-floor cafeteria and third-floor lounge in the Student Center. These spaces will be supervised. As a health precaution, students must observe a safe social distance of six feet, and eating will not be permitted.  Alternatively, students should find a campus Wi-Fi signal from your car if you park (legally) in one of the campus parking spots near a campus building.

How Can Students Send Sensitive Documents to the Registrar’s Office Remotely?

They can use MSU File Hawk, a web-based service that provides a secure and easy method of file exchange between students, faculty, advisors and administration. It allows you to send one or more files (up to 10 files at once).

Please Note: The PDF forms have been modified to be editable on your computer. Insert your information then follow the instructions to use MSU File Hawk for the secure transmission of your form. The Registrar’s office will not accept emailed versions of these forms.

How do I Securely Submit Documents to the Financial Aid Office?

For a student that has been selected for verification by the FAFSA processor, forms can be uploaded via the StudentForms portal at montclair.verifymyfafsa.com.

Please Note: Students submitting documents to Financial Aid must use the instructions indicated for each form below. Please do not submit any documents to Financial Aid through MSU FileHawk, unless specifically instructed to do so.

How Can Students Send Sensitive Documents to the Registrar’s Office Remotely?

They can use MSU File Hawk, a web-based service that provides a secure and easy method of file exchange between students, faculty, advisors and administration. It allows you to send one or more files (up to 10 files at once).

Please Note: The PDF forms have been modified to be editable on your computer. Insert your information then follow the instructions to use MSU File Hawk for the secure transmission of your form. The Registrar’s office will not accept emailed versions of these forms.

How do I Securely Submit Documents to the Financial Aid Office?

For a student that has been selected for verification by the FAFSA processor, forms can be uploaded via the StudentForms portal at montclair.verifymyfafsa.com.

Please Note: Students submitting documents to Financial Aid must use the instructions indicated for each form below. Please do not submit any documents to Financial Aid through MSU FileHawk, unless specifically instructed to do so.

How Do I Securely Submit Documents to the Student Accounts Office?

You can use MSU File Hawk, a web-based service that provides a secure and easy method of file exchange between students, faculty, advisors, and administration. It allows you to send one or more files (up to 10 files at once). The forms linked below contain sensitive data and MUST be transmitted using MSU Filehawk.

The Student Accounts Office will not accept emailed versions of these forms.

Please File Hawk the following documents to NetID OSAFORMS

• Tuition Appeal Form
• Third-Party Agreement
• Late Fee Waiver
• Employer Reimbursement Itemized Statement Request Form
• Montclair State University Scholarship Billing Request Form

The following documents must be scanned and transferred via File Hawk or printed and mailed to the Office of Student Accounts (RHC), Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043.

• In-state residency checklist

What if I Need Support for Teaching with Technology?

In order to support faculty with this online transition, Instructional Technology & Design Services (ITDS) and the Office for Faculty Advancement (OFA) has prepared a series of live, online, synchronous training workshops and web-based resources, which are listed below.

ITDS Online Faculty Development Workshops/Events

ITDS has scheduled a variety of workshops/events throughout the summer and beyond. Some example classes are listed here:

• Designing Activities to Promote Student Engagement Online
• Making the Shift to Online/Hybrid Teaching and Learning
• Leading Effective Discussions, Teamwork, and Collaboration
• Introduction to Canvas
• Designing Assignments, Quizzes & Tests in Canvas
• Using Zoom for Effective Online Teaching
• Shifting Student Presentations Online
• Empowering Online Teaching and Learning (EOTL)
• Using Polling Tools to Elevate Student Achievement and Engagement
• And more……

Office of Faculty Advancement – Online Summer Events

• Collaborative Learning Workshop: Designing for Asynchronous Online Courses
• Collaborative Learning Workshop: Designing for Asynchronous Online Courses
• HawkFlexTeaching: MSU Modalities of Instruction

Web-based Resources

• Online and Hybrid Teaching
• MSU Canvas Orientation for Faculty

• The Canvas Universal Guidelines at MSU

• Office of Faculty Development – HawkFlex Teaching
• Back-Up Teaching Toolkit – Ensuring Academic Continuity

Virtual Support Sessions

ITDS is holding virtual support sessions daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help faculty with specific questions. Faculty can ask questions about pedagogical approaches and technology that can be leveraged to communicate with their students, deliver course materials, offer lectures, enable course interactions, and assess their students.

Faculty can join anytime between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a remote session and connect with ITDS staff.

Will my Students Be Able to Use Adobe Creative Cloud at Home?

Only students in programs that require Adobe Creative Cloud for the class will be provided a license and will be notified through their department. 

How Can I Send Sensitive Documents to Students, Faculty and Staff?

The MSU FileHawk service (msufilehawk.montclair.edu) is a secure method for transmitting sensitive documents via email and should be used instead of regular email attachments for transmitting such documents.

Advisors, in particular, should be aware that many Registrar forms such as Change of Major/Minor and Credit Adjustments will now require the use of FileHawk to securely route the forms for approval.  Students have been instructed to complete these fillable forms and FileHawk them to their advisors who will obtain the approvals and forward them to the Registrar at registrar@montclair.edu. Please visit the Red Hawk Central Forms page for a complete list of forms you should now expect to receive through FileHawk.

Instructions for using the MSU FileHawk service can be downloaded at the following link:

https://www.montclair.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/168/2018/07/File-Hawk.pdf

For more information about the types of data that are considered confidential or private, please see the University’s Data Classification And Handling Policy on the IT Policies web site at:

https://www.montclair.edu/information-technology/it-policies-and-procedures/

How Can I Communicate with Students or Coworkers Without Using my Personal Cell Phone Number or Billing? (Faculty)

You can use Zoom to conduct audio and video conferences over the Internet, using just a computer, without using a cell phone voice or data plan.

If faculty and advisors need to call students from a personal phone and want to block their phone number when making outbound calls, most cellular providers support dialing *67 before dialing the outbound number. This will make your CallerID appear as “No Caller ID.”

Faculty and advisors can also use the Slack instant messaging application to send short communications to other Slack users. Montclair State has created a Slack “Workspace” that can be used by faculty and advisors to communicate with coworkers as well as students. You can join the montclairstate.slack.com Workspace.

Please Note: Slack can be accessed from a web browser, smartphone, or desktop application, making it extremely convenient to use no matter what device you are on.

You may use other options (e.g. Skype) if they are available to you, but the University is currently not funding licenses for, nor supporting, other products.

What if I Do Not Have Access to a Computer at Home?

If you do not have access to a University laptop or personal workstation/device and must access applications or shared drives remotely, contact your manager to evaluate your situation and potentially request a laptop from the University. As the University has a limited number of spare laptops available, Dean/VP approval will be required.  Email the itservicedesk@montclair.edu with your request, including your Dean/VP’s approval.

Be sure to bring your MSU ID card. All visitors are required to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises to be serviced.

How to Access Voicemail from Off-Campus (Faculty/Staff)

By calling into your office voicemail by dialing 973-655-5323 and following the prompts.

Email itservicedesk@montclair.edu with a request to forward your voicemail to your email. Include your name, NetID, office extension, and Montclair State email address. We will assist.

Do I Need to Have a University-issued Computer if I Am Working Remotely? (Faculty/Staff)

No. If you use a personal or non-University workstation or mobile device, be sure to follow the “What Do I Need to Watch Out for from an IT Security Perspective?” Q&A below.

How Do I Access Shared Drives Remotely?

If you need to access your “O” or “N” Drive from off-campus, you will need to log into VPN or Citrix. If you prefer VPN over Citrix, email the itservicedesk@montclair.edu with your request and Information Technology will provide you with instructions for installation. 

Please Note: Any files that contain sensitive information (PII or FERPA) should not be copied to your Google Drive.

How do I access applications remotely?

You can access many applications remotely through your web browser, just as you would from on campus. You can access Canvas, Workday, NEST and the New NetID account management center for changing passwords just as you would on campus. VPN or Citrix is needed if you need to remotely access applications such as:

• Share Drive Access (O: and N: drives)
• Tableau
• Banner (including Document Management)
• Course Submission Database
• Program Assessment Database
• Voicemail Portal
• PeopleSoft
• Cognos
• Blackboard Transact (SDCL)
• Titanium (Health Services only)
• Contract Assistant (Procurement only)
• Tax Navigator (Accounts Payable only)
• Accounts Payable checks to network printers (Accounts Payable only)
• Galaxy
• NJFAMS (Financial Aid Office only)
• COD (Financial Aid Office only)
• CPS (Financial Aid Office only)

Upon connecting to either VPN or Citrix, these can all be accessed remotely, as usual via the web browser.  If you prefer VPN over Citrix, email the itservicedesk@montclair.edu with your request and Information Technology will provide you with instructions for installation.

I Need Microsoft Office on my Home Computer. Are we entitled to a license?

All Montclair State University faculty, staff and students can download a free copy by signing up with your Montclair email account at Microsoft Office 365 Education web page.

How Do I Install Software Onsite or Remotely on my University Issued Laptop?

For all computers imaged by IT or a local academic technology department, you can install approved software without administrative rights by going into the software center.

Windows 10: Click here for directions (pages 5 – 8).
Mac: Click here for directions.

What if the Software Is not Listed on the Software Center?

If the software is not listed and you have a license and download for the software, please contact the IT Service Desk or your College or School’s technology team to help you install it remotely.

How Do I Install my Home Printer on my University-owned Laptop?

We have preloaded a number of the most commonly used printers into the operating system. Please try to install the printer and if you have an issue, contact the IT Service Desk or your College or School’s technology team.

What if my Browser Requires Updates on my Personal (non-MSU Managed) Computer? (everyone)

We recommend only updating your browser from the vendor and not any 3rd party sites as these sites could prove to be a security risk. Please click on the browser name below to find out how to perform the update.

Google Chrome | Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Internet Explorer | Mozilla Firefox | Safari

What Do I Need to Watch Out for from an IT Security Perspective? (Everyone)

With the increased use of remote access during this emergency period, it is important to remain mindful of ways to minimize the risk to University and personal information. Here are some tips for safer remote computing:

1. If you have a University-issued laptop, please use it for all of your work-related needs to take advantage of the built-in security features.
2. Avoid sharing your University laptop with others (family, children, etc.) and of course, never share your NetID password with anyone.
3. If you must use your personal computer for work-related needs, please consider the following:
   • Make sure your computer is up-to-date with all system patches and bug fixes.
   • Always use antivirus software and check that it is running and actively updating. If you do not have anti-virus software, you can download Sophos Antivirus by logging into the MSU Software Repository.
   • Do not use your NetID password as the login to your personal computer. This can help to protect your NetID account if your personal computer is compromised by malware or other security issues.
4. Be very cautious when connecting to wireless networks off-campus in public spaces such as restaurants, airports, etc. These wireless networks are often not using secure connection methods.
5. When reading email, be extra vigilant in regards to possible phishing scam messages. This is especially important during emergency situations as scammers may try to take advantage of the added stress and anxiety that people may be experiencing.
   • Do not click links or download files attached to an email that you are not expecting or from someone you do not recognize. Attempt to contact them directly first if you are unsure.
   • You can move your cursor over a URL/link and check that the resulting link displayed (usually in the bottom bar of your browser or email client) does not appear suspicious.
   • Continue to be aware of “social engineering” attacks such as someone posing as a colleague or manager and asking you (often with a sense of urgency) to provide information or perform uncommon tasks (“Please purchase four gift cards and send them to this address.”)