Information Technology Services

June 1, 2023

The Technology Help Desk is pleased to share Summer 2023 support hours for all technology-related issues. From June 5, 2023 through August 11, 2023, the Help Desk will be open for support at the following times:

• Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday, Closed
• Monday, June 19, 2023 : Closed Juneteenth
• Monday and Tuesday, July 3-4, 2023: Closed Independence Day

The Help Desk staff is committed to providing high-level technology support and service to the Brandeis community this Summer. Our team of technology support specialists is located in the Goldfarb Library, Level 1. Community members can also get support by sending an email to help@brandeis.edu or calling 781-736-4357. For more information, including a detailed support schedule for Summer 2023, please visit the ITS website.

May 18, 2023

The Technology Help Desk is pleased to share Pre-Summer 2023 support hours for all technology-related issues. From May 22, 2023 through June 4, 2023, the Help Desk will be open for support at the following times:

• Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday, Closed
• Friday May 26th, 2023 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
• Monday May 29, 2023, Closed Memorial Day

The Help Desk staff is committed to providing high-level technology support and service to the Brandeis community this Summer. Our team of technology support specialists is located in the Goldfarb Library, Level 1. Community members can also get support by sending an email to help@brandeis.edu or calling 781-736-4357. For more information, including a detailed support schedule for Summer 2023, please visit the ITS website.

May 4, 2023

The Workday Human Resources Subcommittee, reporting to the parent Workday Advisory Committee, provides oversight and direction for the Workday Human Resources Module — approving and prioritizing changes stemming from Workday product releases and needs across campus. The subcommittee is led by Dana Sheehan, Associate Director of HR Operations, and includes representatives from Brandeis schools and departments. Representatives work with the Brandeis community to vet and advance requests to the subcommittee.

The IT Governance Program includes committees, processes, and communications that engage the Brandeis community. For more information about the IT Governance Committees, including the Workday Human Resources Subcommittee, to sign up for IT Governance WAC communications, or to learn about the requests or your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

April 20, 2023

Pulse Connect Secure, the Brandeis-approved virtual private network (VPN) software that allows you to securely access and connect to systems and services on the Brandeis network when you are off campus, is rebranding to Ivanti Secure Access. The new name and look will be reflected in all future software updates beginning April 25; nothing else will change. The update is automatic, and users do not need to take any action. To learn more about the Ivanti Brandeis VPN, including instructions and sample screens, please visit the ITS website. If you have additional questions about Ivanti Secure Access, please contact the Help Desk at help@brandeis.edu.

April 20, 2023

The Workday Student Subcommittee, reporting to the parent Workday Advisory Committee, provides oversight and direction for the Workday Student Module — approving and prioritizing changes stemming from Workday product releases and needs across campus. The Subcommittee is led by Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, Kim Godsoe and includes representatives from Brandeis schools and departments. Representatives work with the Brandeis community to vet and advance requests to the Subcommittee.

The IT Governance Program includes committees, processes, and communications that engage the Brandeis community. For more information about the IT Governance Committees, including the Workday Student Subcommittee, to sign up for IT Governance WAC communications, or to learn about the requests or your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

April 6, 2023

How secure is your home network? Can you “Spot the Phish”? The Information Security Services team will offer an interactive workshop on securing your personal devices and protecting your family’s privacy online. A panel of Brandeis security experts will provide security tips and answer questions about available security tools, avoiding social engineering attacks, and securing your family against cyber attacks. 

Participants can choose from one of two lunchtime sessions — Wednesday, April 26, at 12:30 pm or Friday, April 28, at 12:30 pm. Registration for Security Awareness Beyond the Office is now open. Additional data privacy resources and security tools can be found in the Information Security section of the ITS website. If you have any questions or issues with security, please email security@brandeis.com.

April 6, 2023

Brandeis is moving to DUO Universal Prompt on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, to improve security and simplify authentication. All end users will see a refreshed display screen design when logging into Brandeis applications through single sign-on. The upgrade to DUO Universal Prompt from DUO Classic will not change the functions for most users but will enable several improvements to secure the Brandeis network better. To learn more about DUO Universal Prompt, including instructions and sample screens, please visit the ITS website. If you have additional questions about DUO authentication, please contact the Help Desk at help@brandeis.edu or 781-736-4357. 

March 9, 2023

The Workday Advisory Committee (WAC) provides oversight and direction for the Workday enterprise system — including business processes, system configuration, security roles, and changes stemming from Workday product releases. 

WAC membership includes representation from University departments and schools. The Committee meets regularly to review community requests presented by its functional subcommittees for Student, Finance, and Human Resources. 

For more information about WAC, to sign up for IT Governance WAC communications, or to learn about the request process or your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

March 9, 2023

Workday’s first 2023 semi-annual feature release takes place the weekend of March 11, 2023. Workday is unavailable during the weekend update — beginning Friday, March 10 at 9:00 PM through Saturday, March 11 at 9:00 AM. 

This release focuses mainly on back-end improvements not visible to most end-users. However, some users may notice changes to entering and updating Period Activity Pay. For more information on the upcoming changes to Workday, please visit the Workday@Brandeis website or email help@brandeis.edu.

February 9, 2023

The Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) evaluates and makes approval recommendations regarding IT proposals, priorities, policies, and technology investments in support of University objectives.

ITAC membership includes representation from University departments and schools. The Committee reports to the IT Governance Program Executive Sponsors, who receive regular updates, validate its direction, resolve escalated issues, and, as needed, provide approval of policy changes and funding requests.

For more information about ITAC, to sign up for IT Governance ITAC communications, or to learn about your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

Last year, the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) expanded Data Privacy Day into Data Privacy Week to highlight the importance of data privacy for individuals and organizations. The NCA 2023 education campaign’s themes “focus on reinforcing consumer knowledge about personal data protection while addressing business’ responsibility for ethical user privacy and data collection practices. 

The IT Security group would like to remind everyone of the important role we each play in protecting the privacy of our Community by following Information Security guidelines, including: 

• Never sending or receiving Personal Identifiable Information (PII) through computer or email.

• Moving confidential information to secure applications such as Box. 

• Strengthening passwords and regularly checking to ensure passwords are not compromised. 

• Reviewing the Written Information Security Policy (WISP) on accessing, gathering, storing, using, and safeguarding Regulated, Restricted, and Confidential data. 

Additional data privacy resources and security tools can be found on the Information Security section of the ITS website. If you have any questions or issues with security, please email security@brandeis.com.

January 12, 2023

The Technology Help Desk is pleased to share Spring 2023 support hours for all technology-related issues. Beginning January 17, 2023, the Help Desk will be open for support at the following times:

• Mondays - Thursdays, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

• Fridays, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

• Weekends, 1 - 5 p.m.

The Help Desk staff is committed to providing high-level technology support and service to the Brandeis community this Spring. We continue to adhere to University and health guidelines to ensure your safety and that of the team. 

Our team of technology support specialists is located in the Goldfarb Library, Level 1. Community members can also get support by sending an email to help@brandeis.edu or calling 781-736-4357. For more information, including a detailed support schedule, please visit the ITS website.

January 12, 2023

The Academic Technology Advisory Committee (ATAC), led by the University Librarian, Matthew Sheehy, guides technology decisions to support the University's academic mission for teaching, learning, research, and scholarship. ATAC membership is role-based to ensure representation across all academic areas. Members meet regularly to evaluate academic-related technology software and products requested by the Brandeis community, as well as policy and standards related to academic technology, including the learning management system.

For more information about ATAC, to sign up for IT Governance ATAC communications, or to learn about your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

December 15, 2022

Proofpoint Email Protection safeguards the Brandeis network against potentially fraudulent emails. It automatically filters emails determined to be spam (e.g., marketing, cold sales, etc.) or bulk (e.g., newsletters, other mass mailings, etc.) and will quarantine the messages. 

While spam filtering is accurate, no automated system is perfect. We all receive numerous emails, and there may be times when a desired or legitimate email message is marked spam. We recommend you review your quarantined messages periodically in your Daily Email Digest or by logging on to your Web Digest. From the digest, you can release messages, allow or block senders, and read quarantined emails on the web. 

To learn more about Proofpoint and how to manage your spam filtering options, please visit the ITS website. To learn more about email security and protection, please contact security@brandeis.edu.

December 15, 2022

Have you noticed an increase in phishing emails? Are you confident you would recognize one? 

Phishing emails often appear genuine and can expose our network to bad actors when users don’t immediately recognize red flags and take precautions. The ITS Security Group has seen a recent increase in sophisticated phishing emails — including some that look like official internal announcements or the Brandeis login page. 

Over the next few months, ITS Security will conduct a KnowBe4 Phishing Education Campaign to increase awareness. The campaign simulates phishing attacks using emails that look like internal announcements and log-on pages. As a reminder, you should always verify the addresses of links in emails and ensure login pages utilize “brandeis.edu” in the browser location. If in doubt, please reach out to security@brandeis.edu. 

Phishing awareness helps to secure the Brandeis network. We look forward to our continued success with this education program. For additional tips on identifying and avoiding phishing messages, please visit phishing awareness on the ITS website. 

December 1, 2022

The Information Technology (IT) Governance Program, established in 2020 under the sponsorship of executive leaders, provides a structure for the community to become more engaged in technology decisions while increasing transparency and efficiency. 

We are excited to share a new IT Governance Community Outreach initiative beginning in 2023 — to better engage the community in the IT Governance Program. The outreach initiative, led by Steve Knowles, will provide students, faculty, and staff with the knowledge they need to stay informed about IT Governance through newly established channels and directly engage in governance with various academic, administrative, and operational technology committees. 

As Director of Strategic Outreach & Engagement for ITS, Steve’s mission is to provide support and guidance for all members of the Brandeis community while engaging with IT Governance groups. 

For more information, to sign up for IT governance-related communications, or to learn about your committee representatives, please visit our updated IT Governance website.

November 17, 2022

Managing and protecting data is the shared responsibility of the Brandeis Community. The Brandeis University Data Governance Program provides our community with a management framework for the accessibility, integrity, accuracy, and security of data used at Brandeis. 

The Brandeis University Data Governance Policy was approved last summer, following the program’s launch in Spring 2021— and continues to be built incrementally, through the creation of data-related protocols and standards.  Data Trustees recently approved protocols for Data Access, Proxy Access, and Demographic Data. Data Stewards are now in the process of creating an implementation plan for the new protocols.

You can learn more about the Brandeis Data Governance Program at the Data Governance website. For questions or suggestions, please contact Ian Rifkin at irifkin@brandeis.edu.