News

Banner SIS Migration Slated for January 30th

January 14, 2020

The planned migration of Georgia Southern University’s Banner Student Information System (SIS) will begin at 3:00pm on January 30, 2020. This migration is the final step in a 10-month long process to move to a University System of Georgia hosted Banner environment. This hosting model allows for more efficient, cost-effective management of student data. 

As part of this migration process, Banner and all ancillary software and services will be unavailable from 3:00pm on Thursday, January 30th, until 8:00am on Monday, February 3rd. A complete listing of these services is as follows: 

The Banner Managed Services (BMS) Migration is a collaborative project made successful by partnering with our colleagues in the divisions of Academic Affairs, Business & Finance and Enrollment Services as well as USG ITS. This project adds Georgia Southern to the USG’s GeorgiaBEST portfolio of customers. To read more about the GeorgiaBEST Managed Services initiative, please visit: https://www.usg.edu/georgia_best/managed_services.  

Scam Alert: Hurricane Harvey Charity Fraud

August 29, 2017

Many times when disaster strikes, cyber criminals see this as an opportunity to exploit would-be donors for their own gain.  The recent Hurricane Harvey disaster in Texas is no exception. Even as victims are being rescued from flood waters, there are already fake Facebook pages, tweets linking to fake charity websites, and phishing emails being sent out asking for donations to #HurricaneHarvey Relief Funds that scammers keep for themselves. These sites also collect your credit card information for fraudulent use.

Don’t fall for any scams. If you want to make a donation:

• Go to the website of the charity of your choice and make a donation.
• Type the address in your browser or use a bookmark.
• Do not click on any links in emails or texts you might get.

Whatever you see in the coming weeks about Hurricane Harvey disaster relief… THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK. 

IT Services Helps Military Science “Connect”

February 3, 2017

“State of the art,” “world class” and “cutting edge” are a few of the phrases that you’ll hear bouncing around the Georgia Southern University community if you ask about the new Military Science building, which opened its doors to students in January 2017. These phrases are descriptive not only of the facility’s construction and design, but of the sophisticated technology that helps make up the building’s infrastructure, as well. The IT planning phase of the building project began in November 2014 with one goal in mind: creating a learning environment that not only contains the Department of Military Science, but also connects it to the devices, resources, and features needed to educate and train the prestigious Army ROTC Eagle Battalion.

Sonya Chance, Associate Director for Academic Technology Support, says that the needs of the department were the first consideration in planning the hardware and software that would be installed in the building: “We met with the department early on to assess what their needs were–what they wanted to see in the classrooms, conference rooms, and throughout the building. Next we worked to find the best, most cost-effective equipment, developing efficiencies along the way.” These new efficiencies impact not only the Center for Academic Technology Support (CATS), but the end-users in the Department of Military Science, as well.

As part of the planning for the Military Science building, a new, streamlined process for installations in labs, conference rooms and classrooms was developed. All technology components in the five classrooms, conference room and computer lab are contained in cabinetry located in the rooms, providing ease of access for troubleshooting and less down-time for the department. New A/V framework, including an isolated VLAN, results in less programming and configuration for CATS support staff and a faster, more user-friendly experience for the department.

Bolstering the end-user experience is the intricate behind-the-scenes network infrastructure designed and installed by the Department of Networking & Telecommunications (NetTel). This infrastructure, winding its way between the walls and closets of this 33,280-square-foot facility, is not immediately noticeable. But while the students, faculty and staff working and learning in the Military Science building may not notice the the three data closets inside the facility, the services provided by the ten 48-port power-over-ethernet (POE) switches, three 12-port POE switches, three uninterruptible power supply (UPS) packages, Avaya telephone gateway, T-Link panel, and mini-computer they contain are undeniable, since these are the components that support networking, telephone, surveillance, cable TV, and life safety for the entire building and its occupants.

Visitors to the Military Science building will also notice the enhanced wireless connectivity in the building–in addition to the 26 wireless access points throughout the building, the NetTel team installed four high-density wireless access points in the building’s 5,000-square-foot multipurpose room (designed to host ceremonies and training events), which will allow a large number of devices to connect to the wireless network at the same time while supporting higher bandwidth and better wifi performance in densely populated spaces. NetTel also collaborated with the University Police Department to install 12 Pelco IP security cameras inside the building and six Pelco Environmental IP cameras outside, improving campus safety along with user experience.

“I’m incredibly proud of the work you’ve done behind the scenes to enhance the learning experience and increase efficiencies for the Department of Military Science and this University,” Ron Stalnaker, CIO, said to the CATS and NetTel teams as they gathered for a “cable cutting” to celebrate their part in making construction and operation of the Military Science building a success. Mr. Stalnaker thanked the groups for their dedication, innovation and collaborative spirits, and encouraged them to look forward to serving the University community in future building projects.

Strickland Recognized with ITS Service Award

January 13, 2017

In the Division of IT Services at Georgia Southern University, being nominated for the ITS Service Award is a badge of honor. This annual recognition of IT Services professionals has pretty rigorous criteria: members of the University community are asked to base their nominations on performance in the areas of customer service, job knowledge, dependability, human relations, departmental interaction, self-motivation and improvement orientation. Nominees must then be evaluated by their peers based on these same criteria. The winner of the award receives a $500 prize.

For the calendar year 2016, IT Services received an outpouring of 70 nominations for this award. Comments from the University community in support of ITS staff members exemplify the customer service culture that the division strives to embody:

• “Most noteworthy is her patience, grace and professionalism exhibited in the multiple hats she wears and champions each day for her department and our University.”
• “He is always professional, friendly, caring, and knowledgeable. He takes pride in finding solutions for all issues. It is a pleasure to work with him. It is easy to acquire new equipment because we know that he will quickly get up to speed on all facets of the equipment. He is a huge asset not just to IT but to the University.
• “He is very knowledgeable, intelligent and has a willingness to support any scenario until it is completed successfully.”
• “There should be a bumper sticker placed on her vehicle that reads, ‘Well done will always be better than well said.’”

During the ITS Annual Holiday celebration on Dec. 17, 2016, these quotes and others were read in front of ITS staff members and their families. Past winners of the award were also recognized before CIO Ron Stalnaker began to read quotes that were submitted about the 2016 award winner, Jonathan Strickland. One nominator said of Jonathan, “He is always quick to respond to any issues we are having. He also always checks back to make sure we are happy with the outcome. He is easy to get along with and is liked by the entire department.”

Another submission detailing his customer service abilities read, “Jonathan goes above and beyond what his job requires. He makes sure that we are not having any issues every morning and is quick to respond to all of our IT needs. He is an asset to his department, Georgia Southern, and especially our department.” As Jonathan stepped forward to accept his award, he was met with applause and cheers from his ITS colleagues. On receiving the award, Jonathan remarked, “I feel incredibly honored to receive this award and very lucky to provide support to some wonderful people. My first year at Georgia Southern has been great so far and I am looking forward to many years to come!”

Mr. Stalnaker congratulated Jonathan on his award, stating, “Being recognized by your peers and the customers you support is one of the most humbling and honorable things you can experience. Our focus within the Division of IT Services is service, simplicity and speed, meaning that we measure our success based on our customers’ experiences as opposed to the technology they use. I am extremely proud of the service mindset that Jonathan and our other nominees have portrayed.” In closing, Mr. Stalnaker added, “We are all one team at Georgia Southern and we pride ourselves on providing services that ensure student and faculty success–that’s what makes us GATA everyday!”

IT Services Staff Honored for Years of Service

January 10, 2017

On Thursday, Jan. 5, Georgia Southern University’s Staff Council hosted the 2017 Staff Awards of Excellence Ceremony. During the ceremony, more than 200 staff members who had reached their five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 40-year employment milestones were recognized for their years of service to the University. Of the staff members recognized, 16 are employed by the Division of IT Services:

Five Years of Service

• Todd M. Aldrich, IT Business Services
• Clinton L. Bridges, Center for Academic Technical Support
• James H. Brown, Networking & Telecommunications
• April Burke, Information Technology Services
• Benjamin N. Duggar, Executive Technical Services
• Cordero A. Fields, Networking & Telecommunications
• Rebekah L. Hickey, Enterprise Technology Solutions
• John B. Karrh, Information Security Services
• Gary Wallace, Networking & Telecommunications
• Elizabeth R. Williams, Enterprise Technology Solutions
• Tom C. Williams, Enterprise Technology Solutions

10 Years of Service

• Sonya Y. Chance, Center for Academic Technology Support
• Krey E. Tinker, Networking & Telecommunications
• Todd A. Tinker, Center for Academic Technology Support

15 Years of Service

• James A. Crosby, Enterprise Technology Solutions

20 Years of Service

• Sandra M. Luther, Information Security Services

Congratulations to these staff members on the recognition for their years of dedicated service not only to Georgia Southern University, but to the Division of IT Services, as well.  

2025 Spring Cybersecurity Training Now Available

March 17, 2025

During the months of April and October each year, all Georgia Southern University employees, including student workers, are required to complete Cybersecurity Training in order to maintain compliance with University System of Georgia cybersecurity awareness requirements. 

This training can be completed in 4 easy steps: 

Step 1: Click on the “Cybersecurity Training” link in the Training tile in your MyGS portal.

Step 2: On the training dashboard, click the “Go to Training” button to get started.

Step 3: Click the “Start” button and progress through the video portion of the training.

Step 4: Complete the 5-question quiz and click “Exit Course” when you’ve finished.

Cybersecurity training must be completed by Monday, April 28, 2025. Please complete this training as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t lose access to Georgia Southern systems and services. If you have questions or need technology assistance, please contact us by submitting a MyHelp ticket or using one of our other contact methods.

D2L-Folio AI Showcase 

January 31, 2025

Information Technology Services is pleased to host our partner, D2L, the platform that powers Folio, for a showcase on the latest feature functionalities of Lumi and Creator Plus, with a special focus on their AI capabilities and the value they bring to our learning platform. The event will be held on Monday, Feb. 10 from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Military Science Multipurpose Room 110 on the Statesboro Campus. This event does not require registration and is open to all faculty and staff who would like to participate.

This session will highlight emerging industry trends in AI-driven learning tools and explore real-world use cases that demonstrate how Lumi and Creator Plus can enhance content creation, improve student engagement, and streamline instructional design. Attendees will gain valuable insights into these tools’ features and capabilities, helping you explore new ways to connect with students and apply innovative teaching strategies in the classroom.

If you would like more information about this session or have questions please contact Kimberly Martin at kmartin@geogiasouthern.edu. 

Urgent Notification Regarding Payroll Fraud

August 23, 2024

Instances of payroll fraud continue to escalate across the USG. Through a combination of phishing and MFA fatigue attacks, criminals have been increasingly successful at misdirecting employee payroll to fraudulent accounts, resulting in loss of pay for the impacted employees. The points below are critically important reminders to help ensure that you are not affected: 

• NEVER approve a Duo authentication attempt that isn’t initiated by you. If you receive repeated prompts that you did not initiate, report them immediately to IT Security (912-478-2287 or security@georgiasouthern.edu). 
•  NEVER click on links asking you to validate your credentials. Georgia Southern will never ask you to do this. If you receive a message asking you to do this, report it to IT Security. 
• The phone call authentication method that is currently an option through Duo is one of the least secure methods of authentication and is a tool that is commonly used in MFA fatigue attacks. Over the coming weeks, IT Services will take steps to help employees using this method to transition to more secure authentication methods in order to help protect your payroll and other sensitive information. 
• Remember that if your pay is misdirected to a fraudulent account through your own actions, including approving an MFA prompt you did not initiate, you cannot be paid a second time. 

If you missed previous notifications regarding this unfortunate trend, you can read the previous payroll fraud alert here. Please be vigilant with your information and take steps to protect your sensitive data and financial information. Thank you for doing your part to help keep Our House safe and secure. 

A New Look for Duo

March 25, 2024

Beginning this Thursday, March 28, 2024, Duo will get a new look that will make two factor authentication more secure and accessible. The new Universal Prompt will offer a more streamlined experience, as well, enabling faster logins.

New Universal Prompt

Previous Traditional Prompt

First Log In With the Duo Universal Prompt

The first time you log in with Duo using the Universal Prompt, Duo chooses one of your configured login options automatically, selecting the most-secure method from the ones you have available. 

If you don’t want to use the method selected, cancel the Duo authentication in progress and click “Other options.” Then, select the method you want from the list. Future Universal Prompt logins from the same device and browser will automatically use that same method.

Although using the Duo Mobile app on a smart device is the fastest, most convenient authentication method, some users authenticate with a phone call. Beginning Thursday, the security of this authentication process will also be enhanced. Where previously you could press any button to verify login, you will now press “6” to verify the login or “4” to deny the login.

For more detailed instructions on the phone call feature, view our landline instructions.

IT Services Updates and Upgrades October 21st-24th

October 19, 2022

All Campuses

Business Objects, MyHelp Reporting, Pyramid Business Intelligence, AppXtender: Georgia Southern IT Services Systems will be performing maintenance on Business Objects, Pyramid Business Intelligence, and AppXtender. During the maintenance period, these services will be unavailable.     

       Maintenance Period: 9:00am on Sunday, October 23rd, until 5:00pm on Sunday, October 23rd.

EagleXpress and Quadpoint Point of Sale: Georgia Southern IT Services Systems will be performing maintenance on EagleXpress and the Quadpoint Point of Sale systems. During the maintenance period, EagleXpress and the Quadpoint Point of Sale will be unavailable.

      Maintenance Period: 6:00am on Sunday, October 23rd, until 8:00am on Sunday, October 23rd.

Operating System Updates

Beginning at 5:00pm on Friday, October 21st, and ending at 9:00pm on Friday, October 21st:

• Dining Plan Manager
• Bookstore and Tech Corner
• Advancement Self Service
• Business Objects
• Xtender
• Pyramid
• Digital Signage
• Fax Server
• Financial Edge
• Health Services
• Metasys-Online Student Health
• Network Printing Services
• R: Drive
• Starrez-Housing
• TMA-Maintenance Work Orders
• ARMS
• Advancement Affiliate Search
• Watchguard