In the weeks leading up to the fall semester, which starts on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, many members of the University of Utah community have returned to their workplaces on a full-time or hybrid basis. Faculty and staff returning after an extended period of time may need to take certain IT-related actions, which are listed below.
Update your devices
To reduce the risk of infection from ransomware and malware, the Information Security Office (ISO) strongly urges users to make sure that all internet-connected devices—including personal computers, smartphones and tablets—are up to date with currently available patches. To update university-managed devices, you may need to contact your local IT support staff. The ISO recommends configuring devices to automatically update or to notify you when an update is available.
Please note that antivirus software like Endpoint Protection is available for purchase from the Office of Software Licensing (OSL). OSL provides special educational pricing for a variety of software for students, faculty, staff and departmental use.
Voice services
If you forwarded phone calls while working remotely, you may need to turn off call forwarding now. Visit this IT Knowledge Base article to learn more, and complete this IT Service Catalog form (authentication is required) to request to have your phone changed or moved.
This IT Knowledge Base article on remote voice services contains information on softphones, which allow users to make calls over the internet. Additionally, Office 365 Audio Conferencing for Microsoft Teams is now available. The feature enables users and external meeting participants to join a Microsoft Teams meeting by phone.
Network changes
UIT updated the server certificate for the UConnect and eduroam wireless networks earlier this year. Most university-managed devices with preconfigured wireless settings and personal devices configured through onboard.utah.edu will still connect to these networks without the need to reconfigure, however, there’s a possibility that users will need to onboard their devices again through the portal listed above.
UIT has transitioned UConnect to a 5GHz-only network, eliminating the suboptimal 2.4GHz connection previously available. 2.4GHz connections are slower and less reliable due to common interfering devices.
Specialized equipment
U employees working on-site in a hybrid arrangement may require specialized IT resources (e.g., headsets and a laptop/dock) to fulfill their role. Please consult with your supervisor to determine IT resource requirements unique to your position and potential budget restraints, and visit this IT Knowledge Base article for general recommendations on potential hybrid IT resources.
New to the U? Consult your IT guide
UIT provides digital resource guides for students, faculty and staff, including one specifically for IT staff. The guides provide a quick overview of campus IT that new members of the U community will be able to access, like setting up UMail, connecting to the U network, accessing web conferencing and collaboration tools and getting IT help.