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Weekly Feed—January 13, 2024

Contents:

A New UITS Website is Coming This Month!

University Information Technology Services (UITS) is pleased to announce the launch of our new website at the end of January. Why the change? UITS is committed to providing you with the best possible IT support!

Our new website is designed to:

  • Simplify your experience with intuitive navigation and clear information.
  • Help you find the answers you need with a search bar directly connected to the IT Knowledge Base.
  • Keep you informed with the latest updates and announcements at your fingertips.

What you need to know:

  • Temporary redirects: Saved links and bookmarks will redirect to the new site for 12 months. 

Your feedback matters! We want to hear your thoughts on the new website. UITS's new website will include a feedback form for your input. 

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Important Update: New Gmail Security Message

Starting February 4, KSU’s email system will include a new security feature to help protect you from phishing attempts and scams: Emails sent from Gmail accounts will display a prominent warning message at the top. This alert is designed to remind students, faculty, and staff to exercise caution when interacting with Gmail emails.

Think Before You Click. Stay Safe and Secure!  

Always pause and verify before: 

  • Clicking on links 
  • Opening attachments 
  • Replying to emails 

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and secure email environment at KSU!

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Guidelines for AI Use at KSU

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our world, making it essential to use AI tools responsibly and effectively. KSU is committed to ensuring that AI supports innovation while safeguarding our community’s values, data, and ethical standards. 

Engage with generative AI thoughtfully: Communicate clearly using conversational language, and never share confidential information or protected research. To safeguard data when using AI, use Microsoft Copilot when logged in with your KSUmail address and password. 

General Guidelines

  1. Ethical Use: Always use AI in ways that uphold KSU’s values and ethical standards. Avoid using AI to mislead, deceive, or compromise academic integrity, privacy, or security. 
  2. Secure Use: Be mindful of information you share with AI, and never share sensitive information, such as university business, personal details, proprietary research, or any data protected by law.
  3. Transparency: Be transparent about the use of AI in academic and administrative contexts. Clearly communicate when AI is being utilized, especially in coursework or decision-making processes that impact students, faculty, or staff. 
  4. Respect for Privacy: Respect the privacy of others when using AI tools. Ensure that the use of AI complies with KSU’s privacy policies and relevant laws, safeguarding personal and sensitive information. 
  5. Inclusivity and Accessibility: Use AI to support inclusivity and accessibility for all members of the KSU community. Ensure that AI tools are designed and used in ways that are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. 
  6. Continuous Learning: Stay informed about AI advancements and their implications. Engage in training and educational opportunities provided by KSU to understand how to use AI tools effectively and responsibly. 
  7. Collaboration and Feedback: Collaborate and share feedback on AI tools and practices. Your input helps us continuously improve how AI is integrated at KSU, ensuring it meets the needs of our diverse community.
  8. Accountability: Take responsibility for the use of AI in your work or studies. It's essential to take ownership of how we use AI, ensuring that AI is applied ethically, responsibly, and in alignment with best practices.

Guidance for Faculty

Faculty wanting to use Artificial Intelligence to improve productivity in grading, writing, and research should be cautious and diligent when entering student data or intellectual property into these systems. To ensure data security and FERPA compliance, faculty should use their KSU Microsoft credentials (NetID) to log in to Microsoft Copilot. A green shield and check mark icon will be present in the upper right corner of the dashboard to indicate that you have successfully logged in to the protected enterprise version of Copilot. To log in, visit copilot.microsoft.com. AI is advancing very quickly, and this guidance is likely to change with future advances. If you have questions, submit a DLI service ticket for assistance.

—Office of the Provost, January 2024

KSU Digital Learning Innovations (DLI) provides resources on faculty use of AI, including suggested AI policy language for syllabi.

Looking for More Information?

For more information, including guidance for students, review the guidelines for AI use at KSU. 

To learn more about AI, check out this resource: Learn About AI. 

Remember: UITS is here to help! Please contact the KSU IT Service Desk if you have questions or concerns. 

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Grade Appeals Process

KSU has implemented a fully digital workflow for the grade appeal process. This digital submission process and workflow will make navigating grade appeals more straightforward and efficient for students as well as for faculty and administrators. 

Please note that the window of time during which students may appeal grades begins the day after grades are posted and ends 20 days after the first day of classes the following semester. 

For details, please see this resource.

If you have questions about the grade appeals process, please contact academicaffairs@kennesaw.edu.

For technical assistance, please contact the KSU IT Service Desk. 

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Important Fiscal Year Deadlines for AV Projects and Network Installations

If you are considering an audiovisual (AV) or network installation request within this fiscal year's budget, please note the following cutoff dates. These dates allow sufficient time for site visits, preparation and approval of Statements of Work (SOW), and submission of purchase requests in compliance with KSU guidelines.

To start an AV installation/network project, please email service@kennesaw.edu and include the installation location. 

Key Deadlines

  • Friday, March 7, 2025: Deadline for submitting requests to schedule a site visit and initiate a Statement of Work (SOW).
  • Friday, March 28, 2025: Deadline for departments to review and approve requested SOWs, returning them to UITS for purchase request processing.

By meeting these deadlines, we can ensure your project progresses smoothly within this fiscal year.

Questions? University Information Technology Services (UITS) is here for you! Contact the IT Service Desk.

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Instructors—Boost Your D2L Brightspace Skills with UITS Resources! 

Are you ready to enhance your D2L expertise? Whether you’re new to D2L or looking for a quick refresher, our D2L Brightspace Basics for Instructors journey in OwlTrain is here to help! This resource offers a series of short how-to videos on essential topics like course setup, gradebook management, and more. As we continue to develop this journey, new videos will be added regularly, so stay tuned for updates! 

OwlTrain also offers a variety of D2L workshops to further develop your skills. Additionally, check out the Technology Knowledge Base for additional support and resources on D2L and other topics. 

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