Todd Haddaway & Stacy Long Generate Interest at Alliance The two presented UMBC’s Developer Toolbox in Las Vegas
Alliance is an annual, user-driven conference that brings together PeopleSoft technical and functional users from around the world for three days. DoIT’s own Todd Haddaway, Director of Database and Identity Management, and Stacy Long, Director of Enterprise Administration & Research Systems, presented UMBC’s Developer Toolbox in Las Vegas generating interest and requests from other universities for the source code to the toolbox so they can implement it at their institutions.

The Developer Toolbox for UMBC is a web-based program that allows developers, database administrators, and PeopleSoft administrators to monitor and control PeopleSoft. This allows developers allowing to self-service their problems with 5 unique tools all through one central interface.

Todd Haddaway at Alliance 2017

“It was great to see that there was interest”


Both Haddaway and Long described how the toolbox is used in their job roles, as well as how it has benefited not just developers, but them as well. Haddaway went into some of the details of the tools like where the data is pulled from, while Long went in-depth on how developers at UMBC are using it. 

Originally, the two were supposed to present in just a room meant for 100. They were upgraded to another room and had 200 people come watch their presentation. “It was great to see that there was interest,” said Haddaway. “[We got] a lot of questions about why we decided to build the toolbox.”

“We actually missed the next session answering questions [from attendees].” said Long. 

With so much interest, Haddaway has decided to open-source the toolbox to over 15 different universities that are requesting it, like Penn State, Cal State and the University of Massachusetts. By open-sourcing the toolbox, Haddaway hopes to help other institutions easily provide these services to their own community. 

“...gives us the opportunity to highlight some of the innovative solutions that we have developed at UMBC”


Overall, Alliance 2017 was a great experience for the two and provided a great networking opportunity as well. “Networking with my peers at that conference is always helpful and by presenting, I made even more connections than I have at previous events.” said Long. 

As for Alliance 2018, the two want to present again but on different topics. “Presenting at regional and national conferences gives us the opportunity to highlight some of the innovative solutions that we have developed at UMBC.” said Haddaway. “It also fosters conversation and collaboration with folks from other institutions.”

Follow the DoIT myUMBC group for more news and updates.
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Khalid Muqueeth, a senior in information systems, is a student worker at the Technology Support Center (TSC), which is the first stop in assisting the UMBC community with technology questions and requests. As he prepares for graduation, Muqueeth reflects on his past two years as a Senior Consultant at the TSC.

Growing up, Muqueeth had an affinity for technology. He always went after the tech classes in high school rather than the art ones. Muqueeth was also good with talking to people in general, so naturally the TSC was a good fit for him.

When he first started at the TSC, Muqueeth was thrown off as to what he would be doing. “I didn’t know what to expect,” Muqueeth said. “I thought I would be doing more hardware stuff.” Things like hardware support are one of the few things the TSC can’t do. Although he was good at answering phones, he made a small script of what to ask people to better assist them with their problems until he had it memorized by heart.

“One thing I always try to follow is, life is too short [you should] help someone else.”


He also recalls his first day as a jumpstart into working in IT support. On his very first shift, there were multiple calls coming in at once and a constant rush of people coming up to the front desk seeking tech support. 

It wasn’t a solo effort though, as Muqueeth would go on to learn. Even during the constant rush, there was always someone with him at the desk to help out when needed. “It’s a group effort more than a solo effort,” Muqueeth said. “Everybody who works there, we all have each others backs.”

When not at the TSC, Muqueeth spends part of his time volunteering. Ever since high school, he has actively volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and has gone on to join Helping Hand. “One thing I always try to follow is, life is too short [you should] help someone else.” said Muqueeth. 

He also finds time to volunteer at soup kitchens, while also playing an active role as an advisor to the Muslim Student Association (MSA) here at UMBC.

“....It’s like a little world in an office”


For the next wave of TSC student workers, Muqueeth has some key advice to pass down. First, practice makes perfect when you’re answering phone calls and it’s beneficial to recognize the tone of the person you’re talking to. The most important piece of advice? Don’t be afraid to fail, since you will learn a lot with assisting with different types of people. 

 “It’s a spontaneous job, no matter what you’ll be asking for help.” Muqueeth said. 

Looking at his past two years, Muqueeth never imagined staying on this long, but has felt good for the times he was able to help people and is thankful for it. He attributes it to two main things; his fellow students he has worked with and how fulfilling the work is when he helps someone. “Everyone is different and fun,” said Muqueeth. “It’s like a little world in an office.”

Like this story? Read about other TSC students like Lily Prokop who is also an Oboist or Saiful Islam, another senior consultant who works at the TSC.

Be sure to follow the DoIT myUMBC group for job listings at the TSC and additional news and features.
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After 24 years at UMBC, Betty Blanchette, Software Developer for DoIT, is retiring. Blanchette not only leaves behind a varied career, but a positive impact on UMBC and the many people she has worked with. 

“She takes on a task, she researches it deeply, she gets everything pulled together and makes it happen. You can always count on her to get the job done.” said Cheri Putro, Project Manager for DoIT. 

Putro and Blanchette were both part of IT when it was two separate departments, academic and administrative. As UMBC continued to grow and expand, their group of IT would frequently move from building to building, even ending up in the basement of the library at one point, where the HP mainframes were located. They both would joke about how they had to fight off the geese at the time just to get to where they were going. 

“She always maintained this wonderful sense of humor, and that's not always easy to do when you are under pressure.” said Putro, “I don’t think we could have made the conversion from HP to PeopleSoft without Betty, because [of] her institutional knowledge, we’re really going to miss that.”

Blanchette served as the Student Financials Technical Lead for the PeopleSoft SA implementation, where she was instrumental in ensuring UMBC’s students had accurate bills, 1098Ts, and overall provided a high level of support to Student Business Services (SBS). 

Over the last few years Blanchette branched out beyond Student Financials and served as the SA Security Expert along with lending her support and knowledge to support all areas of Enrollment Management while still supporting SBS.

Before coming to UMBC, Blanchette was working for a company in Glen Burnie as a programmer. Her husband had spotted a job ad in the paper that UMBC was looking for programmers. Knowing nothing about the campus at the time, Blanchette decided to apply and interviewed with Putro and Joe Kirby, Assistant VP of DoIT. “I had never stayed at a place for more than three years, due to the whole contracting mentality” Blanchette said. 

“Betty was instrumental in getting me through a lot of hurdles.”


Isabel Garrido, Assistant Director for SBS, remembers when she first came to UMBC and how Blanchette was very welcoming. “I came to this job after being away from the workforce so this was a real learning experience for me, and Betty was instrumental in getting me through a lot of hurdles.” said Garrido. 

One of those hurdles happened to be ‘the crossover’, something that was referred to frequently but was completely unknown to Garrido at the time. Garrido would later learn that ‘the crossover’ referred to a migration of user data from one database to another.

“I finally cracked one day and asked about the crossover and where the information crosses over to and Betty said to me, ‘Well it’s not something where the information is dead and is going [somewhere else].’ 

“Betty was a vault of information in resources.”


Jean Bunche, Director of Special Projects for SBS, was always impressed with not only Blanchette’s dedication, but her resourcefulness after absorbing additional responsibilities. Bunche would worry if Blanchette would have any time for her, but Blanchette would always find time to work with Bunche. 

“She never missed a beat,” said Bunche. “Betty is very responsive to your questions and if she doesn't know the answer, she will research it, she will dig, and she will get back to you. She doesn't just say ‘here's the answer’, she will help you learn.” 

Bunche has worked with Blanchette for many years both in bringing up PeopleSoft and working on the legacy system. Bunche would sit down and discuss with Betty how they did something in the legacy system and how should they do it now. 

“Betty was a vault of information in resources.” said Bunche.

Recalling some of the most memorable times she has experienced at UMBC, Blanchette reflected on all the community events and their importance. “I think it helps morale...the all staff meetings in IT help because you get to know other people. Keeping the community engaged is really important.” said Blanchette. 

“I’m going to miss some of the work but it’s the people I’m going to miss the most.”


As for what she is going to miss most about UMBC, Blanchette emphasized that her time at UMBC was fulfilling because of her programming work and the people she came across. “I like what I do, I’m going to miss some of the work but it’s the people I’m going to miss the most,” said Blanchette. “It made it easier to stay through hard times because of the people.”


Starting from the left is Betty Blanchette, Isabel Garrido, Jean Bunche, and Cheri Putro
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The Technology Support Center (TSC) is the first stop in assisting the UMBC community with technology questions and requests. The TSC is made possible thanks to its many student workers, who all have a unique background. Take Lily Prokop for instance, a sophomore majoring in Music Education & Music Performance.

Like many, Prokop applied to the TSC through UMBCworks. Prior to the TSC, she did not have any firsthand knowledge on IT support. “I’ve been working for the TSC for about a year,” said Prokop. “But when I first started, I had no idea what was going on. I was so nervous at answering phones.” 

Prokop was determined to change that. She had the drive to get over her nervousness by wanting to answer every phone call that came in. By doing so, she was able to get it down to a point where she didn't have to follow a script or go step-by-step on certain tasks. 

“I knew playing oboe would give me an advantage when applying to music schools…”


While not working at the TSC, Prokop enjoys playing music and can play six different instruments. Her favorite one, however, is the oboe. Before high school, she was a big fan of the clarinet but did not know about the oboe. After seeing someone in high school play an oboe, Prokop was inspired her to learn to play it. 

“I knew playing oboe would also give me an advantage when applying to music schools [and] college because there aren't many oboe players.” said Prokop.

Those advantages would become apparent. Prokop would be invited to perform as a guest at Carnegie Hall for the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) and plays wedding gigs in the summer. 

“It felt exhilarating to literally watch the sunset as we played…”


For Prokop, performing indoors is usually standard, with only a small handful of opportunities to play outside. That changed when Prokop performed at UMBC’s 50th anniversary with the rest of the UMBC orchestra outside. “I was so proud to represent UMBC,” said Prokop. “It felt exhilarating to literally watch the sunset as we played...playing in that setting to honor UMBC was really wonderful.” 

While being a full time student and musical performer, Prokop is also a proud member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, where she participates in fundraisers and other philanthropy efforts. Last semester, Prokop participated in Hula Hoop for Hope. During Hula Hoop for Hope, members all take turns hula hooping for 12 hours. She has also become their main line for tech support as well. “I end up answering people’s tech questions in our group chat.” said Prokop. 

Working at the TSC has been a great experience for Prokop, but it’s not a solo effort by any means. It’s a team effort that helps create a welcoming and productive work environment. “The people who work here are pretty cool,” said Prokop. “When customers are walking into the TSC, and there's an issue, I know someone I’m working with will know how to solve something.” 

“People are often surprised when they find out I’m a music major who works within DoIT…”


After the TSC, Prokop wants to become a music teacher in Baltimore City. When looking back at her time spent so far at the TSC, Prokop reflects on it being a positive learning experience.   

“People are often surprised when they find out I'm a music major who works within DoIT. The TSC has not only given me versatile work experience, but it has also given me confidence in my knowledge of general technology and customer service skills.” said Prokop.

Interested in working at the TSC? Follow the DoIT myUMBC group for job postings and additional news and updates. 

Like this story? Read about senior technology consultant Saiful Islam and his two years at the TSC.

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This crash took down service to both wired and wireless connectivity within all of the Residence Halls and Apartment Buildings. 

Networking staff were able to restore wired connectivity around 10:30pm and wireless connectivity around 11:30pm Monday evening to all residential facilities. 

We are looking into the failure of the battery back up unit that is designed to protect the equipment in the event of such outages and we will have it repaired once the campus re-opens after the storm. 

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me for additional information.

Thank You, 

Damian Doyle
Senior Director of Enterprise Infrastructure and Support
DoIT - UMBC
]]> Monday evening around 7:15 pm there was a power outage on part of the campus which caused some of the core switches in the Residential Network to crash and their configuration became corrupted. ... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/66458/guest@my.umbc.edu/2ef7b866b10c7b9d0781a2cbc81be1e7/api/pixel outage resnet wireless Division of Information Technology (DoIT) https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doit https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/original.JPG?1727453227 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/large.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/medium.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/small.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxsmall.png?1727453227 Division of Information Technology (DoIT) 1 0 true Tue, 14 Mar 2017 10:01:19 -0400 Computer Replacement Initiative Deadline is March 29 Faculty & staff can fill out the DoIT web form
The Computer Replacement Initiative (CRI) is a UMBC campus-wide initiative designed to replace faculty and staff laptops and desktops. For the 2017-2018 academic year, within Academic Affairs, the subsidy for a laptop is $1,000 and the subsidy for a desktop is $600. You can fill out the DoIT webform here.

Ordering of the new machines will occur in early June with installations planned for completion by early August. DoIT has an FAQ on the recommended configurations for desktops and laptops available here. 

Timeline for this year’s CRI:

* March 29, 2017: Deadline for submitting the CRI application via the DoIT web form
* April 10, 2017: Notification to chairs/directors of award recommendations from the committee
* April 14, 2017: Feedback from chairs/directors on the award recommendations
* April 19, 2017: Review by the deans of the awards list
* April 21, 2017: Awards are announced
* May 12, 2017: Deadline for awardees to make their computer options selection
* Early June: Computer order will be placed

For more information, there is a full detailed post on UMBC Insights found here. If you have any additional questions, please contact Vice Provost Moreira at x56576 or Executive Assistant, Susan Mocko at x56577.
]]> The Computer Replacement Initiative (CRI) is a UMBC campus-wide initiative designed to replace faculty and staff laptops and desktops. For the 2017-2018 academic year, within Academic Affairs, the... https://umbcinsights.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/2017-2018-computer-replacement-initiative/ https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/66359/guest@my.umbc.edu/fbf1a23d7f180999265c7fce9ef5feb5/api/pixel computer faculty initiative replacement staff technology Division of Information Technology (DoIT) https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doit https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/original.JPG?1727453227 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/large.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/medium.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/small.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxsmall.png?1727453227 Division of Information Technology (DoIT) https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/xxlarge.jpg?1489094487 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/xlarge.jpg?1489094487 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/large.jpg?1489094487 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/medium.jpg?1489094487 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/small.jpg?1489094487 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/xsmall.jpg?1489094487 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/066/359/0efd2c7163080ddf4a1308e4325fe495/xxsmall.jpg?1489094487 3 0 true Thu, 09 Mar 2017 16:24:52 -0500 System patching on Friday, March 17th starting at 5pm

As part of our ongoing commitment to security, the Unix Infrastructure group will be conducting its quarterly system patching on Friday, March 17th from 5pm to 10pm.  While many systems will be patched without any service disruption, there are several systems which require the downtime of key services for short times during this window.  The schedule below outlines which key services will be offline and for how long.

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

Tim Champ
Manager of Unix Infrastructure
UMBC DoIT
]]> As part of our ongoing commitment to security, the Unix Infrastructure group will be conducting its quarterly system patching on Friday, March 17th from 5pm to 10pm.  While many systems will be... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/66351/guest@my.umbc.edu/74fa98474721cff5253458857f9db8b0/api/pixel Division of Information Technology (DoIT) https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doit https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/original.JPG?1727453227 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/large.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/medium.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/small.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxsmall.png?1727453227 Division of Information Technology (DoIT) 0 0 true Thu, 09 Mar 2017 14:52:36 -0500 LDAP-Master and Webadmin downtime on 3/16 On Thursday, March 16th starting at 2pm LDAP-Master and Webadmin will be taken down for system maintenance.  During this time account creations and password changes will be unavailable.  Account authentication and logins will not be affected during this downtime.  

The maintenance window will allow staff to apply needed security and application updates.  The outage window is expected to last two hours with services being restored by 4pm on Thursday, March 16th.

During the outage window account creations will be queued and then processed upon restoration of services.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Technology Support Center at x53838.
]]> On Thursday, March 16th starting at 2pm LDAP-Master and Webadmin will be taken down for system maintenance.  During this time account creations and password changes will be unavailable.  Account... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/66312/guest@my.umbc.edu/d57415aeb985604a54bfa350fe924371/api/pixel Division of Information Technology (DoIT) https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/doit https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/original.JPG?1727453227 https://assets1-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets3-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xlarge.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/large.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/medium.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/small.png?1727453227 https://assets2-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xsmall.png?1727453227 https://assets4-my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/000/021/d27760c5de12c74b73faec8d0e631acf/xxsmall.png?1727453227 Division of Information Technology (DoIT) 1 0 true Wed, 08 Mar 2017 15:15:09 -0500 TechFest 2017: New Presenters, More Vendors, and Giveaways This year’s event is on April 10 at the University Center
In 2016, DoIT hosted a brand new type of event known as TechFest, designed to bring UMBC students, faculty, and staff together to share different ways technology can both support and improve the efficiency of day to day activities. 

The event planning and implementation was spearheaded by Collin Sullivan, a DoIT student employee. It was a major success, and now, on April 10, at the University Center, TechFest 2017 will feature more presenters, more vendors, and a brand new web app that attendees will be able to download, and giveaways. 

Note: Find a complete list and brief description of all presenters as well as the option to and register for TechFest on the Instructional Technology post found here. 

“...we can get bogged down in the little work too often, and these types of applications can help us get to the deep work more quickly.”


TechFest 2017 will feature more than 10 faculty, student, and staff presenters. Ashley Waters, Associate Director for UMBC - Shady Grove Campus, will present her favorite Google extensions that enable her to be more productive.  “I have found that we can get bogged down in the little work too often and these types of applications can help us get to the deep work more quickly,” said Waters.

Waters wants to share her use of extensions like Google Keep, RescueTime, Boomerang, and more with the goal to share the news with others so they can find what works best for them. “If anyone can put one of these extensions to work and it helps them feel more in control of their demanding duties, my obsession with productivity hacks has been worth it!” said Waters. 

Tara Carpenter, Senior Lecturer for Chemistry and Biochemistry, will present her use of canned responses and Google Forms, which streamlines her inbox. Carpenter teaches a very large intro course and spends a lot of time answering emails from students. 

“I want to make others aware of how this tool can be used effectively to manage response to student emails,”


Carpenter saw that her emails could be broadly categorized and that she was typing the same responses over and over. By using canned responses, it has led to less time being spent on email for her. 

“I want to make others aware of how this tool can be used effectively to manage response to student emails,” said Carpenter. “I'm also going to present the use of Google Forms as a way to collect information from students without adding more email to your inbox.”

Sarah Lilly, senior in Information Systems and SGA Senate Speaker, is excited to attend TechFest and will be hosting a session on Google Calendar. Lilly wants participants get a firm grasp on the tool, and be able to check in with them a few weeks after TechFest and schedule a meeting with them through Google Calendar. 

“... I want more people to lean into and work smarter, not harder.”


As a full time student, full time worker, and involvement in student government, Lilly relies on Google Calendar to keep herself organized. “It's the only way I am able to keep my head straight and I want more people to lean into the tool and work smarter, not harder!” said Lilly. 

Coming to TechFest 2017 are new vendors. You can expect to see representatives from Microsoft, IEEE, Lenovo, and even some student organizations like the Game Developers’ Club. In addition, a new mobile app that will allow participants to create their own schedule, learn who else is attending, and connect with presenters of sessions. More information about the mobile app will be released closer to TechFest. 

Giveaways are returning to this year’s TechFest. To enter to win a giveaway, participants must complete feedback forms at the end of their sessions to get a raffle ticket. Participants can then use their raffle tickets to enter to win whichever prize they want. 

Don’t forget to register to attend TechFest here.

Read some great TechFest 2016 articles about how to get your inbox to zero from DoIT’s own Chief Information Officer Jack Suess and how student employee Collin Sullivan helped bring TechFest to UMBC.

For more news on TechFest and additional updates, be sure to follow the DoIT myUMBC group.
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Existing, in-use databases and their configurations will be migrated to this new database server.  DNS changes will be made so that the existing DNS names will respond on this new server, so no work is expected of the users of these databases at this time.

If you use either of these two database servers and have questions or concerns, please contact the TSC at x5383 and reference this notice.  Thank you for your understanding.
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