February is Black History Month, which celebrates and honors “the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout [American] history,” in the words of former president Gerald Ford. Clark ITS would like to highlight a few pioneers, both past and present, who made incredible contributions to the field of technology. Dr. Valerie Thomas, inventor of 3D…
Once upon a time, in the bustling city of Clarksville, lived a young woman named Maya. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, she wanted to surprise her partner, Alex, with a special gift. She decided to buy an exquisite piece of jewelry from an online store she had discovered through a social media ad. Excited, Maya clicked on the…
Last month, we covered some common tech acronyms used both on campus and within the wider world of technology. This month we’re going over some more tech terms you might hear from members of ITS, in future editions of Bits & Bytes, or when contacting the Help Desk. Asset tag All Clark-managed devices–including chargers, desk phones, and more—have an asset…
A few reminders and announcements! Moving tech equipment? Let us help! If you need to move monitors, computers, docks, or other equipment to a different office, give the ITS Help Desk a call. We’ll work with you to make sure everything’s set up correctly and update the equipment in our system, so we know where to find it for future…
While ITS recently announced that Clark-managed PCs are now eligible for upgrades to Windows 11, don’t worry—the Macs aren’t missing out! Clark-managed Macs (as well as most personal Mac devices) can now upgrade to macOS Sequoia. Regardless of which computer you use here at Clark, you can conveniently upgrade your operating system on your own schedule—no need to coordinate with…
This month, say hello to Joanne Dolan, the Director of Academic Technology and Client Support, who has been with Clark for almost 10 years. Born and bred in Dublin, Ireland, Joanne got wanderlust while studying Computer Science at Trinity College Dublin. Over the following years, she worked as a director of a sports and tech summer camp in Washington DC,…
The technology training specialist is pleased to announce the Spring 2025 tech training workshop schedule for faculty and staff. Sharpen your skills and connect with different people across campus in these hour-long sessions, hosted both in-person and virtually. New this year! Attend any 2 workshops and complete 1 pre-selected LinkedIn Learning module to earn a Digital Learner badge to add…
Since the very beginning of the internet (the predecessor of which was called ARPANET, or Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), acronyms have abounded in our digital spaces and in the devices we use to get there. Below, ITS has included a list of some of the most used around campus. Some of these are specific to Clark, while others are…
Once upon a frosty winter, in a small town blanketed with snow, there was a cozy little office full of hardworking, cheerful employees. The office hummed with the sounds of typing and the occasional clink of a coffee mug, but as the winter deepened, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The arrival of a new year brought with it…
The start of a new year often inspires us to make new resolutions. Maybe you’d like to learn a new language or take care of your health. Keep reading to learn more about ITS’s resolutions and how we’re planning to keep them. Stretch every day Tess Walsh, the technology training specialist, is determined to stretch more in 2025 for increased…
This month we meet one of ITS’s incredible student workers: Efrem! Efrem is a senior at Clark and one of ITS’s Help Desk Student Supervisors. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he is a dual citizen of the United States and England studying political science and Spanish. Last year, he studied abroad in Argentina and highly recommends a visit there for…
Once upon a time, in the bustling city of Clarksville, the holiday season was in full swing. The streets were adorned with twinkling lights, storefronts showcased festive displays, and the air was filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies. Amidst the holiday cheer, a student named Anita was eagerly preparing to travel to visit her family for the holidays. …
While you’re preparing for projects, presentations, and exams this week, check in with your tech to make sure you’re saving time, staying organized, and studying smart! Canvas If you’d like to save any readings, presentations, or other material from this semester’s courses for future reference, make sure to export or download these files and organize them on your computer or…
Technology can help you connect, give back, and have fun this holiday season, no matter how you choose to celebrate. Host a virtual party Connect with loved ones near and far via video chat! Use free tools like Random Trivia Generator and Teleparty to play games or watch movies together or take turns telling stories around a virtual fireplace. Don’t…
ITS is excited to announce that Clark University will transition to a new video management system, Kaltura, during the summer of 2025. Kaltura offers a robust, versatile, user-friendly video platform and is a market leader in higher education. Kaltura will provide students, faculty, and staff with the same features that they love about Panopto but with many more benefits, such…
The ITS Help Desk will operate on its normal schedule (8 am – 12 am, Monday-Thursday) until the end of exams. December Wednesday, Dec. 18 – Friday, Dec. 20: 8 am – 5 pm Saturday, Dec. 21 – Sunday, Dec. 22: CLOSED Monday, Dec. 23: 10 am – 2 pm (operating remotely, no walk-up service available) Tuesday, Dec. 24 –…
Tis the season for holiday feasts and holiday shopping! ITS is happy to share our top gift recommendations for everyone on your list this year. If you have any questions about our gift picks, let us know! Click here for ITS contact information. While Clarkies have access to The New York Times and its many recipes through Goddard Library, not…
Beginning this fall, Clark ITS will begin transitioning campus devices to the Windows 11 operating system. Windows 11, the latest operating system for PCs, is similar to the university’s current operating system of Windows 10 but introduces a revamped interface, new productivity features, and enhanced gaming capabilities. With a focus on creativity and productivity, Windows 11 offers a centered Start…
Emma sat at her desk, the soft glow of her computer screen illuminating the darkened room. It was almost Halloween, so it had been a long day at the candy factory, where she worked designing colorful paper wrappers for delicious delicacies. Emma was eager to finalize her design for Frankenfudge before going home. As she sifted through her emails, one…
Take your meetings to the next level with AI Companion, a recently added feature within Zoom meetings. When enabled by the meeting host, AI Companion will automatically summarize a meeting hosted on Zoom, organizing different topics into chapters and automatically identifying highlights such as next steps. AI Companion automatically shares its summary with the meeting host, who can then choose…
This month, we meet Shasha Yu, a Business Analyst & Report Writer in ITS. Shasha has been with Clark University for 3 years. Before joining Clark, she gained extensive experience in IT project development and management in China, as well as conducting computer science study and research in computer science in the UK. A naturally curious person who loves to…
The start of fall and a new semester is the perfect time to buy school supplies, pick apples, and do some digital housekeeping. Here are our top tips for taking care of your device and your data in preparation for the new academic year. Set aside part of your day to organize and review files Did you know that the…
The start of school is the perfect time to brush up on your skills so you can be confident, happy, and productive for the upcoming academic year. Clark University provides free LinkedIn Learning access to all members of the campus community. Practice public speaking, explore Excel, or manage mindfulness skills! Click here to access LinkedIn Learning. ITS has curated a…
The networking and telecommunications team has continued working hard over the summer to seamlessly transition more individuals and departments to Teams phones. As of September 1, 49 of 90 departments have begun successfully using Teams phones and 72.4% of individual phone users have been migrated to the new system. Benefits Teams Phones, which make and receive calls using the internet,…
Tess Walsh, the technology training specialist, used to teach college writing classes and loves to learn about new technology that supports learning. Here are some of her favorite “smart” school supplies for reading, writing, and learning. Kindle App Did you know you don’t need a Kindle to read digitally? Anyone with an Amazon account can download the Kindle App for…
ITS Bot is an automated support assistant designed to answer ITS-related questions quickly and connect you to the Clark-supported technology solutions you need. Say hi to ITS Bot here! ITS Bot has been answering questions on the Clark ITS website since 2023. Prior to arriving in Worcester, they “grew up” in Raleigh, NC with over 700 siblings as part of…
ITS is excited to support your teaching during Fall 2024 and have included a range of services below. If you have any additional questions, concerns or suggestions, we recommend contacting the Help Desk (helpdesk@clarku.edu) so that we can direct your request to the most appropriate department for the quickest response. Table of Contents Banner Resources Classroom Technology Other Technology Student…
You have your passport, you have your bags packed, and you’re excited to get going. But wait! If you plan on connecting to your Clark account when travelling, preparing your MFA in advance can make your trip much easier. When travelling or otherwise, ITS recommends using the Microsoft Authenticator app as your primary MFA factor. This app can be installed…
The newest addition to the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Adobe Firefly is a browser-based app that uses “generative AI and simple text prompts to bring your ideas to life.” Firefly, drawing on the extensive Adobe Stock image library, can generate artistic or photorealistic images of almost anything you can imagine. Adobe Firefly also offers a generative fill function, which you…
Jarrod Evans, ITS’s Help Desk Technician, has two apps he loves and uses constantly: Hoopla and AntiStress. Hoopla Hoopla—available on the web, as well as in the App Store and Play Store—is related to last month’s pick Libby. Hoopla uses your library card to provide access to magazines, comic books, movies, music, and TV shows. Stream, listen, and read for…
Clark University’s transition to Microsoft Teams Phone is making significant headway! As of today, 44% of users and 23 out of 87 departments have successfully migrated from the legacy phone system to Teams. Modern and cloud-based solution offers numerous benefits, such as: Enhanced Collaboration: Make and receive calls directly within the Teams app, on any device with an internet connection. …
This month, we meet Becky Tamm-Shettler, Clark University’s Endpoint Systems Manager. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Becky has worked in higher education technology for over 30 years, with the past year here at Clark. The best part of her experience working here so far, she says, is getting to spend every day with the incredibly conscientious Endpoint team and connecting…
Beginning today, a new version of ClarkYou – ClarkYouBeta – is available for you to experience and give feedback on. ClarkYou is the portal to many Clark services and applications. However as the technology behind ClarkYou ages a transition to a more responsive, modern platform is needed. ClarkYouBeta is built to offer much of the same functionality but with a…
In February of this year, many of you received invitations to participate in a survey about Clark’s Information Technology Services. Over 1000 Clarkies participated by answering questions about classroom technology, networking, support, and much more. And we want to say a big thank you! Your feedback will help us evaluate our services, set future prioritizations, and better meet your needs.…
ITS is excited to introduce ITStatus.clarku.edu, a systems status page dedicated to Clark applications, networks and systems. ITStatus.clarku.edu will have up-to-date information on which applications are running smoothly, a schedule of planned maintenance, notices about possible current issues, and a history of previous outages. Visit the page if you are experiencing issues with a certain application. If you’d like to…
With ClarkFEST right around the corner, it’s time to prep and print those posters that show off all your hard work! Keep reading to make sure the poster process is quick, simple, and stress-free. Step 1: Make your poster using provided templates To avoid delays in printing your poster, use the templates provided by Clark ITS to make sure it’s…
Ever thought about starting a podcast? This form of audio entertainment has exploded in popularity in recent years and continues to grow: in the next 5 years, Statistica predicts there will be over 100 million podcast listeners in the US alone. The software Adobe Audition is one of the most popular tools used to create and edit podcasts, and it…
Welcome to a new series in Bits & Bytes where ITS will be sharing the apps that make our lives a little easier or more enjoyable. As mentioned back in the May 2023 issue of Bits & Bytes, Libby is an incredible app considered essential by Tess Walsh, Clark’s technology training specialist. The app allows you to borrow ebooks…
This month, we get to know Julian Killo, a Network Engineer in ITS. Julian started working at Clark in 2022 as a grad student and transitioned to working full-time in September 2023. Prior to joining the Clark community, Julian worked on major projects, like implementing public WiFi and conducting enterprise resource planning, with the Municipality of Tirana and Bechtel Corporation.…
Recently, Clark University has partnered with LastPass, a password management application, to help students, staff, and faculty on campus protect their passwords and keep their accounts secure. There are multiple ways to access LastPass on your device or phone for ease of use. Why should I use LastPass? We’re often told to create strong, complicated passwords and avoid reusing…
