Welcome! The Office of Information Technology (IT) has been busy preparing for new and returning students. Below are some of the key technology topics; please take a moment to get up to speed.
Protect your WebID. Your UM WebID is used to access many University systems and services mentioned below. Please treat it like your toothbrush; it is intended for you and you alone. If friends or family need guest access to UM Wi-Fi while on campus, we support guest accounts. You may want to grant parents access with a parent WebID. Password resets are required every ninety (90) days, so please choose a complex password which does not need to be written down. To help remind you, we’ll send you an early password expiration notice in your UM Today email.
Enjoy wired and Wi-Fi connectivity in all residence halls and in buildings across campus. IT Networking and Telecommunications continually work to provide you with one of the best University networks available. When it comes to UM Wi-Fi, we recommend OleMiss_V2 for a secure connection. On V2, students love not having to log in again and again. Besides that, UM Wi-Fi supports Eduroam, which allows you to use your UM WebID to log on to other participating university Wi-Fi networks. And yes, we know you’re using Netflix and brought your XBox. We strongly recommend wired connections for these heavy bandwidth needs and for taking online tests. So, take a moment to learn more about UM Wi-Fi and be sure to contact Telecommunications when you need a network or TV cable. Their prices are very reasonable.
Visit Weir Hall. Weir Hall is the home of the IT Helpdesk. If you need assistance with your computer, WebID, password, or email, our IT Helpdesk personnel are there to help. Weir Hall is also the home of the Weir Hall Student Computer Lab. The student lab is open most all the time during the fall and spring semesters. We offer access to over 50 computers and printing services. Your printing costs are 10 cents/page for black and 50 cents/page for color. Please come by or visit the itlabs site for the latest information on the lab schedule, meeting areas, computers and services we offer.
Back up your files. I hope you never spill coffee on your laptop. If you do and it won’t boot, having your important files backed up can save the day. While you can use a USB drive, we recommend two UM sponsored cloud storage solutions: Google Drive and Box. Google Drive offers unlimited storage while Box offers 15 GB with options to expand. Visit the links above and log on using your UM WebID to get started.
Learn how to use Blackboard effectively. Blackboard is commonly used by instructors to communicate with students, provide course documents, and even take quizzes and tests. Before you get to class, check out our Blackboard documentation, and also download the Blackboard Mobile App from your app store. It’s free for Ole Miss students!
Navigate myOleMiss like a pro. The myOleMiss portal provides various online services to students, such as creating course schedules, viewing mid-term/final grades, and requesting unofficial transcripts just to name a few. You might find these navigation tips very useful.
Take your ID to class. Ole Miss offers attendance scanners in over 50 classrooms across the Oxford campus. Especially in the larger sections, you may be asked by your instructor to scan your ID in order to track your attendance. It’s not difficult, and you’ll be up to speed in no time.
Enable RebAlert. RebAlert is an emergency text message notification service available to UM employees, students and parents. University students who have provided a valid cell phone number will automatically receive RebAlert text message notifications from the University. These can be received on any cellular device, even cell phones that are not smartphones. Students can verify or change their cell phone information by logging in to myOleMiss with their WebIDs. Within myOleMiss, students click the Student tab => My Profile => Contact Information.
Read UM Today at least once per week. It may look like a lot of information, but a lot is happening on our campuses. Don’t ignore it. IT uses UM Today to communicate important announcements, including your ninety (90) day password reset notice.
Call us or come by. If you have additional questions, please contact the IT Helpdesk at 662-915-5222 or helpdesk@olemiss.edu. In Weir Hall, their hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM Central – 5 PM Central.
We hope you have a great semester. Go Rebels!
Tags: IT, Technology, tips