FY2023 Annual Report
Letter from Chief Information Officer, Jonathan A. Fozard
I am delighted to present the FY2023 Florida State University Information Technology Services (ITS) Annual Report.
This report showcases a year filled with remarkable achievements across Florida State University. We are partnering with academic programs, investing in innovative projects and advancing cutting edge research. The stories within this report below showcase how ITS has played a pivotal role in the pursuit of excellence.
Speaking of this past year, we made significant investments into our student success technologies, research capabilities and cybersecurity infrastructure to support campus growth, enhance the user experience and protect our critical systems. We launched groundbreaking and ethical artificial intelligence capabilities to enhance workflows, increase productivity and enable greater access to data. These advancements—plus many others—were recognized on the national stage and through national awards. On campus, we upgraded our entire campus community to an elevated level of Microsoft licensing which adds a variety of new tools for accessibility and increases collaboration across our organization. With all of these advancements in place, we are well positioned to further excel in our mission of providing cutting-edge research, education and technology services for our campus community.
ITS remains dedicated to the success of Florida State University. Together, we want to push the boundaries of what is thought impossible and embrace new challenges that further our mission. Looking ahead, we are excited to announce the new RISE 2030 campaign for the upcoming year. This campaign is built upon feedback from our campus community and has four key focus areas: Research & Instruction, Innovation & Modernization, Security & Compliance and Engagement & Student Success. The goal is to further align our technology investments with our strategic plan and aspirations. Look for more information coming out about RISE 2030 over the next few months.
As I close, I want to personally thank you for taking the time to review this annual report. I invite you to share your ideas and aspirations as we partner together towards even greater success!
Go Noles!
Jonathan
Jonathan Fozard
Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Information Technology Services
Jonathan Fozard
Associate Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Digital Design Studio serves as creative hub on FSUPC campus
The Digital Design Studio at FSU Panama City is a hub of activity on campus. The studio provides a space for students to experiment with new technology, collaborate on school projects—and find a place to belong. “We see an average of 4,000 students come through the lab each month during the Fall and Spring semesters,” says Destiny Hansley, Digital Design Studio lead technician at FSU Panama City. “We host a variety of clubs on campus for meetings and events.” From study breaks to Esports team meetings, students are drawn to the studio and the leading-edge technology it offers.
The Digital Design Studio opened in 2016 and has expanded every year thanks to funding from the Student Technology Fee. In addition to a computer lab stocked with iMacs and Alienware gaming computers, the studio offers 3D printing, large-format printing, laser etching, laminating, heat pressing and embroidery machines. Students can also use virtual reality equipment or reserve time in the podcasting studio. Students visiting the studio benefit from hands-on experience with much of the available equipment and can set up consultations for assistance on specific projects. In Spring 2023, a group of English students recorded a podcast in the studio each week. In Summer 2023, the studio provided the 3D printing of a model rocket for a group of engineering students’ NASA project. The studio also supports the student learning experience through job opportunities and is staffed by student managers who are available to operate equipment, explain programs and provide peer feedback on digital projects and designs. “The Digital Design Studio is a place for innovation,” sums up Katie Dier, Digital Design Studio lead technician.
ITS internship project seeks to build a better hybrid learning environment
In Fall 2022, six students were hired as solutions architect interns for ITS and tasked with the following problem: find a way to conduct and enhance hybrid learning at FSU—a problem that was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic when students needed to learn while social distancing. To better understand the issue, the six interns used an extensive data-gathering process. Then, under the guidance of ITS staff and two consultants from Accenture, a Fortune 500 technology company, the interns conducted surveys, interviews and focus groups to gain student and professor perspectives on the positives and negatives of hybrid learning.
We found that the main areas that were lacking due to hybrid learning are as follows: interaction between peers as well as professors, application of the knowledge and attention during class.
After identifying the outstanding issues, the interns met with campus departments and representatives from Microsoft to pursue a solution utilizing Microsoft Teams in FSU classes. The project continued throughout the Spring 2023 semester with a new team of interns focused on developing a technology implementation plan and defining a pilot program through Microsoft Teams on the FSU campus. The project evolved past hybrid learning to explore how Microsoft Teams can be used in all classes as well as student organizations to make FSU students more connected. Overall, the project was a unique experience that enabled FSU to better understand the issues facing higher education today while teaching the interns how to conduct market research, large-scale problem solving and consultations with professional teams—all skills that will be extremely valuable in their future careers.
Tech Checklist gamifies campus technology set up for new students
Between course schedules, purchasing residence hall supplies and everything in between, heading off to college can be a whirlwind. Not surprisingly, passwords and printers are often the last thing on students’ minds. To introduce new (and returning) Noles to campus technology, ITS created the Tech Checklist, an interactive list of must-know tasks, tips and tricks for students to quickly set up their technology at the start of the school year. Students accessed the checklist via the myFSU Mobile app or ITS website. The checklist guided students through account activation and device setup and explained how to access many free resources and services provided by ITS. Tech Checklist items included connecting to the FSU Wi-Fi network, registering gaming and streaming devices, accessing LinkedIn Learning and other free ITS services and how to receive support from the ITS Service Desk. To make it more competitive, ITS challenged students to complete the Tech Checklist by the first week of classes to be entered into a giveaway for a pair of Apple AirPods Pro. More than 1,000 students entered the giveaway, plus hundreds more entered ITS Instagram contests and stopped by ITS booths during Welcome Week to get started on the right foot with their campus technology.
Customized interfaces streamline the undergrad and graduate application processes
Tens of thousands of Seminole hopefuls submit applications to attend FSU every year. Though only several thousand will be accepted, collecting applications is a monumental task, facilitated online through a third-party vendor partner, Slate. To streamline the process, ITS worked with the Office of Admissions and Graduate School to split the application process into two unique experiences—one for undergraduate and non-degree seeking applicants and one for graduate and law applicants. Starting in August 2022, ITS separated applications for the Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 admission terms into two environments in Slate. Applicants were presented with application forms and instructions, depending on whether they applied to the undergraduate or graduate program. This separation enables customized questions and requirements for each level of admissions, allowing FSU to better meet the specific needs of the different student applicant populations. Since implementation, ITS has received over 210,000 applications through the new platforms.
$1,265
IT spending per student
$4,189,459
Student Technology Fee dollars distributed in 2022/2023 award cycle
37
ITS interns
3,240
hours of mentoring provided to ITS interns through the InternFSU program
>250
FSU classrooms supported by ITS
Wireless force plates give students a competitive advantage in sports and health care industries
Feeling fidgety? A course within the College of Health and Human Sciences encourages students to jump and move as part of their learning. Within the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, undergraduate and graduate students are given the unique opportunity to learn from the Hawkin Dynamics wireless force plates. The force plates, funded by the Student Technology Fee, are used to measure force, time and post-injury readiness of an athlete. Students can analyze the data delivered by the plates to benchmark performance and neurological readiness, exploring the connection between fatigue and the nervous system.
The [force plates] have given me the opportunity to create athletic profiles for my athletes, as well as monitor fatigue in season and get a better understanding of return to play protocols.
Teaching faculty Jason Williams says, “It really starts to connect the dots between the theoretical and the practical. It really ignites the learning process. There are so many metrics you can measure with these force plates. So, beginning with that is just a foundational exercise.” Access to this type of hands-on learning and real-world application gives students relevant experience and prepares them for careers in athletic training, sports performance, health care and beyond—an advantage in an increasingly competitive industry. “Our kids are finding jobs. And they’re not only finding jobs, they’re finding good jobs, quality jobs,” verifies Williams.
Process improvements and self-service resources simplify student tuition and fees funding
Students utilize a myriad of funding sources to finance their higher education degrees. To improve the student experience, ITS partnered with the Office of Financial Aid and Student Business Services to rethink several facets of the student financial experience. A new financial aid self-service page in the myFSU Student Central student information system will make it easier for students to access important information, such as current loan indebtedness and financial aid status regarding student loans, grants and scholarships. This information will aid students in making sound decisions and taking appropriate actions regarding their financial aid package. Additionally, a new online form and workflow allow students to submit documentation for third-party agency funding—a method whereby private agencies financially support student degrees. The electronic form has dramatically improved the speed that FSU applies private funds to existing fees, including tuition, housing, and food services. Finally, in partnership with Student Business Services, ITS established a new feature that expands traditional payment installment options. When students enroll in a payment plan, they choose to pay in two, three or four installments during the fall and spring semesters. The payment plans mitigate the potential financial burden the traditional two-installment payment plan places on students by allowing them to split payments into smaller installments without accruing additional fees.
Speed networking event introduces FSU students to numerous IT professions
In April 2023, 16 ITS interns and information, communication and technology majors attended a speed networking event at the ITS Technology Services Building. The event functioned much like a speed dating event, but instead of making a social or romantic connection, conversations focused on career advice and words of wisdom from professional staff. Twenty IT professionals were stationed throughout the room and paired up with interns to discuss everything from current positions and career paths to professional advice and personal hobbies. Every five minutes, interns rotated to another IT professional to ask new questions and learn about another IT profession. "At the event, I was able to grow my professional skills and build valuable connections to further my career," states Kyla Cacoilo, ITSM specialist and former ITS intern. "The event helped me to create connections that I continue to value in my daily work activities. Whether it is meeting with an ITS professional to discuss a high-level project or simply waving in the halls of TSB, I feel that the event allowed me to be more comfortable with my colleagues and introduced me to people I would have never interacted with as an intern." ITS staff members who participated in the event ranged from entry-level positions to executive team members and represented information security, networking, application development, research computing, project management and more, providing a broad spectrum of IT career paths to the interns. The inaugural event sparked many great conversations, opened doors for soon-to-be-grads and was an overall success among those who attended.
I have been accepted for the Comunidad de Madrid English Teaching Assistantship! I always say this because it is true, but I could not have completed this process without your support. I am truly grateful for the impactful words and mentorship!
Interdisciplinary Data Humanities Initiative bolsters research computing in the humanities
The Research Computing Center now provides specific services for high performance computing users in the humanities via the Interdisciplinary Data Humanities Initiative. IDHI is a three-year pilot project with University Libraries that aims to foster more data-driven research in humanities, arts and social sciences—a typically underrepresented focus in the STEM-dominated world of research computing. The initiative aims to make advanced computational data tools available to FSU researchers in all fields of study—including literature, history, religion and art—and thus diversify the RCC customer base. Through the initiative, the RCC is installing specialized software and training faculty and students to increase exposure to available research tools. The RCC held a workshop in February to introduce new humanities researchers to RCC services and has hosted ten additional humanities-focused workshops in and out of classrooms since November 2022. A total of 116 people attended the workshops, and several humanities pilot projects are underway from multiple departments, including a study by associate professor of history Dr. Will Hanley to digitize historical issues of an Egyptian newspaper.
Researcher builds machine learning model to spot deepfakes using HPC
A celebrity makes a surprise appearance in an old film. A prominent public figure makes a degrading comment … Deepfakes, manipulated images and videos produced by AI, can be created for everything from entertainment to attempts to sway public opinions. Deepfake technology, though not new, poses an increasing threat to national security as its technologies and applications become more advanced and more malicious. But understanding and detecting likeness manipulation is a complex and under-researched problem. Dr. Shuyan Metcalfe, associate professor in the College of Communication and Information, is changing that. Her most recent project, funded by the U.S. Air Force, is leading research to address the issue of deepfake image alteration using artificial intelligence and machine learning. Using the Research Computing Center’s high performance compute (HPC) cluster, Dr. Metcalfe and her team create, train and run machine learning models to detect when images are manipulated. Dr. Metcalfe’s research is a trailblazing effort in the intelligence analysis community by using machine learning to examine image manipulation at the pixel level.
The more I study this deception problem, the more I think it is critical to afford everyone the ability to safeguard against social manipulation and seek the truth.
The research team’s ultimate goal is to develop an application that empowers individuals to upload images and run them through the model to detect if an image has been manipulated. The research conducted by Dr. Metcalfe and her team, using the HPC, represents a significant contribution to addressing the pressing need for reliable methods to combat deepfake technology.
Read the full story about Dr. Shuyan Metcalfe’s deepfake research.
Research Computing Center teaches Python programming language
Python programming language, which is soaring in popularity, has nothing to do with taming snakes, but learning it brings its own challenges. The Research Computing Center (RCC) led a successful Python Bootcamp in March 2023. The hands-on training introduced attendees to the Python programming language as part of a day-long session covering basic and advanced topics. Python has experienced exponential growth in recent years due to its’ code written in clean syntax, making it relatively easy to learn and use. More than 40 participants attended the Python training event in person in addition to online attendees, many of whom had never interacted with the RCC previously. The training was so popular that the event was a trending item on the FSU calendar for a period.
ITS designs new FEAS+ website to search for faculty experts
FSU faculty are frequently quoted in news articles and publications around the globe. These faculty experts provide valuable data and insights on everything from research breakthroughs to current events. In April 2023, ITS reimagined the website to search for faculty experts across campus. The project was a collaborative effort with the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement to provide access to the Faculty Expertise and Advancement System (FEAS). This faculty-sourced database is a treasure trove of collective knowledge and can be searched by name, keyword or area of expertise. Search results can fuel everything from connecting colleagues with grant funding or mentors to linking reporters to faculty experts on current topics.
Search the faculty experts database to find faculty career accomplishments and trending news.
History professor and students digitize historical issues of Egyptian newspaper
A significant factor in understanding history is viewing the whole picture. However, without uninhibited access to global historical documents, a great deal of important information—and inevitably part of the story—gets left out. Dr. Will Hanley, an associate professor in the Department of History at Florida State University, is trying to lessen this information gap by making historical materials more accessible. In one of his ongoing projects, he is assisted by undergraduate students in his 'Digital Microhistory Lab' course to digitize The Egyptian Gazette, the oldest English-language daily newspaper in the Middle East, established in 1880 in Alexandria, Egypt. The historic paper provided news of the day, maritime schedules and daily financial records of stocks and shares, providing great insight into the events and economics of the region. Converting the newspaper from microfilm to a digital format requires a lot of energy and resources, which is where the Research Computing Center (RCC) comes in. As part of the RCC Interdisciplinary Data Humanities Initiative, RCC staff worked with Dr. Hanley to encode the newspaper files in an XML format and display them in a user-friendly format. To date, Dr. Hanley and his students have digitized more than 900 issues of The Egyptian Gazette from 1904-1908. "The RCC's new initiative to try to reach out to scholars in the humanities is much appreciated," states Hanley. Read the whole story about making history accessible online.
Read hundreds of historical issues of The Egyptian Gazette on the Digital Egyptian Gazette website.
842
high performance computing users
8,055,247
CPU hours used on RCC systems
400
research computing workshop attendees
3,068,978
jobs submitted to RCC systems
We need to use a lot of computation. The RCC is [a resource] that I can approach and is very helpful.
ITS rewires network in key academic facilities
As technology advances and requires faster speeds and greater bandwidth, ITS must provide a wiring standard that supports this growth. As such, during the last year, ITS has focused on bringing the wiring standard for the university up to the new industry standard of Category 6A cabling that can support up to a 10-gigabit connection to networked equipment. These updates, funded by an investment from the university provost, will support a more robust and secure network in key academic facilities across the Tallahassee campus. In 2023, ITS completed wiring updates at the Williams Building and Claude Pepper Center and created new communication closets and wiring pathways at the Housewright Music Building and Facility for Art Research. ITS is excited to continue this effort into the next fiscal year with upgrades underway for the Longmire Building, Diffenbaugh Building, Kuersteiner Music Building, Dodd Hall and several College of Fine Arts locations. The aggressive, five-year goal is for all network infrastructure supporting academic programs to be upgraded to the latest specifications, which will prepare FSU for the explosive growth in technology that is coming.
New compute nodes fuel faster research results
More research requires more power; and more power leads to more breakthroughs. The ITS Research Computing Center added 40 new compute nodes to the high performance compute (HPC) cluster as part of annual upkeep in September 2022, just in time for a new academic year of research projects and discoveries. The nodes were immediately available to FSU research groups with Slurm accounts and queues, the scheduler used to submit jobs to the HPC. Each node—which packs a powerful punch with 2.8 GHz processors, 512 GB of RAM, 512 GB solid-state disks and 100 Gbps networking speeds—works in tandem to share the workload of large and demanding jobs submitted to the HPC, like analyzing vast amounts of data or running complex simulations. This extra computing power enables FSU researchers to analyze data and generate results faster, catapulting them to research breakthroughs and advancements.
Drupal upgrade brings better performance and enhanced security to university websites
FSU websites got a refresh in Spring 2023 when ITS coordinated an upgrade of Drupal, the university’s website content management system. The update moved over 250 university websites from Drupal 8 to Drupal 9. To prepare for the upgrade, ITS created a sandbox environment for university units to preview the changes to their sites in the months leading up to the switchover. ITS gathered feedback from the test site reviews and addressed several glitches before the upgrade went live. The top deliverables of the Drupal upgrade 9 included better performance and site loading times, improved compatibility and integration with third-party apps, more accessibility features and enhanced security. Drupal 9 also introduced updated fonts and styling to make websites more consistent across the university.
“You are among a small group of individuals who can truly appreciate how much behind-the-scenes work has gone into the growth of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. I hope ... you know you’re making a difference in the lives of children, families and workers in child welfare by keeping us running."
Immutable backup promises increased protection from ransomware
Backups of files are great, but what happens when your backup file gets corrupted? The need for immutable backups was highlighted by recent cybersecurity events at local businesses. An immutable backup ensures protected backup data cannot be overwritten or encapsulated by ransomware. ITS took the lead to ensure FSU is prepared if such a threat occurs on our campus. After evaluating several immutable backup solutions, a selection was made that will protect and recover FSU data and identify any abnormal patterns related to FSU backup data that could be potential ransomware activity. ITS began implementing the new data security platform in May 2023. Within the first 30 days of implementing the solution, ITS is protecting 569 servers totaling 4.2 PB of data. In recognition of the fast deployment, FSU was nominated for the Cohesity Trailblazer Rookie of the Year award. The award recognizes an organization that has innovated in groundbreaking ways, including driving exceptional early outcomes and charting a new course in how data is protected, secured and managed.
Ringling campus added to the university phone system
The FSU Ringling campus phone system got a major upgrade in August 2022. Though The Ringling is located in Sarasota, their phone lines were added to the main university phone system. This change enabled staff at The Ringling to reach staff at the Tallahassee campus using the direct-dial five-digit call feature and vice versa - no outgoing call or area codes necessary. The upgrade also provided The Ringling staff with a more reliable phone system and expanded voicemail features, including the option to forward voicemails to an FSU email account. To help with the transition, ITS provided virtual training sessions for The Ringling staff on preparing for the upgrade and using the new voicemail system. Upon completion, the upgrade significantly reduced the yearly maintenance fee of the university phone system.
1,073,489
authenticated sign-ins to FSU systems
6,916
Wi-Fi access points across FSU Tallahassee and Panama City campuses
3,575
ITS work orders completed
Cyber Bowl competition draws on FSU and UF rivalry to promote cybersecurity
Ready, set, HUT! Last fall, FSU went head-to-head with its biggest rival—the University of Florida—in a football-themed cybersecurity competition. The schools kicked off on the virtual gridiron in October 2022 for a two-week Cyber Bowl challenge during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The Cyber Bowl was an online game designed to test students’ and employees’ defenses against cyberthreats. Players took the field to tackle five challenging questions—ranging from phishing blindsides to intercepted credit cards—to help their school bring home the cybersecurity championship. Students, faculty and staff were invited to play the game, and each school awarded tickets to the Florida vs. Florida State football game to two lucky winners. The Cyber Bowl game was a nail-biter until the end, but a late rally by FSU led to a sizable lead, and the Seminoles never looked back. FSU won with a score of 4,106 to 2,589 to secure the title of Cyber Bowl champion. “The cybersecurity threats are never going away—like the UF and FSU rivalry,” said Bill Hunkapiller, ITS Chief Information Security Officer. “But maybe we can find a way to work together toward a common threat and get people at both universities thinking more about making smart decisions online.” In addition to the online game, FSU offered virtual cybersecurity training sessions on topics such as phishing and data resilience to 150 attendees and hosted ten educational outreach events on campus throughout the month. In the end, a friendly competition and synergetic partnership with a long-standing rival got each school thinking about cybersecurity in a fun and spirited way.
Cybersecurity threats are never going away. However, maybe we can find a way to work together toward a common threat and get people thinking more about making smart decisions online.
New enterprise defense suite strengthens university cyberspace
In 2022, ITS began implementing enterprise computer protection and threat response on FSU-owned computers. The new defense suite, powered by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, delivers the most advanced threat protection available to FSU devices. It is designed to stop attacks before they happen, protecting against malware, ransomware and cryptoware—to name a few. The top-tier security system helps ITS monitor, detect and respond to security threats across thousands of desktops, laptops and workstations on FSU’s network. Using the tool, ITS can work with individuals to mitigate risks and rapidly stop attacks. The defense suite has already demonstrated its value and helped ITS respond to security issues, which is important because cyberthreats continue to evolve at a rapid pace. Enterprise computer protection and threat response is one way FSU is continuing to strengthen our security architecture to stay ahead of modern threats.
Electronic certifications ensure regular review of employee security access roles
FSU employees are often granted specific security access roles depending on their job duties. However, these roles may change over time due to lateral moves, promotions or changes to job description responsibilities. A new, streamlined process digitized a previously paper workflow, making it faster and easier for FSU supervisors to certify or deny employee security access roles. Starting in Summer 2023, the review is now conducted quarterly via the myFSU HR portal. Supervisors of employees with requested security access roles receive notice via email and push notifications within myFSU HR reminding them it is time to review and adjust employee roles as necessary—a process that was often overlooked in the past. After the first review period in Summer 2023, 51 percent of assigned security role certifications were completed within the first two weeks. The new process accelerates processing time by eliminating unnecessary steps and paperwork and increases overall university security by ensuring regular reviews of employee security access roles.
Cybersecurity Tips
The ITS cybersecurity tips series on YouTube explores common topics to help the FSU community stay safe online. Videos explore everything from public Wi-Fi dos and don’ts to social media safety tips.
2FA verification changes increase security and streamline process
The university’s 2-factor authentication (2FA) verification process, powered by Duo, has decreased the number of compromised accounts at FSU by 97% since its implementation in 2021. However, as cyberthreats evolve, so must the university’s defenses. In June 2023, Duo verifications decreased in length from 30 days down to seven days. As a result of this change, when individuals check the “Remember me…” box when verifying their identity, the system will store their 2FA verification for only seven days. The change is designed to increase security for all user accounts and devices. Requiring individuals to reverify their identity every seven days lessens the time a compromised account could go unnoticed. In addition, the 2FA prompt screen got a new look that streamlines the verification process by automatically sending a Duo push to users, cutting out the extra step of selecting how to receive a Duo notification.
30,214
individuals who used the FSU virtual private network
376,284,302
malicious attacks blocked through email filtering
4,323,428
successful 2FA authentications
3,271
individuals who signed the FSU Cyber Pledge
ITS and MagLab publish paper on cybersecurity at large-scale research facility
ITS Information Security and Privacy Office team members collaborated with staff from the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at FSU on a case study about cybersecurity at a large-scale research facility. The peer-reviewed journal article showcased the unique challenges of standing up an effective cybersecurity environment at a research facility—from planning for the introduction of complex, industrial equipment to supporting technologies with long-usage lifecycles to building a data security solution that can meet the unique scientific research and access requirements inherent to the MagLab's mission. ITS worked with the MagLab to document its cybersecurity environment and summarize critical success factors, such as outlining a shared allocation of responsibilities between the research facility and IT provider. Overall, the presented approach focused on ensuring necessary cybersecurity and data privacy controls were in place while recognizing the need to balance and reduce the inherent friction between cybersecurity and research wherever possible. The finished article "Cybersecurity in a Large-Scale Research Facility—One Institution's Approach" published in the Journal of Cybersecurity and Privacy in May 2023 and attracted international attention to the collaborative approach ITS employs with FSU colleges, departments, centers and institutes.
Redesigned ITS website streamlines access to tech services and resources
In March 2023, ITS launched a completely redesigned and restructured ITS website. From full-width imagery to scrolling stats, the new site employed custom Drupal coding to give the ITS web presence some modern flair. The new site features simplified navigation that allows visitors to access essential tech resources in less clicks than before. The redesign streamlined the website, reducing the number of webpages from 744 to 308. Content on every page was refreshed, replacing outdated and underutilized webpages with pertinent and concise text, and each page was updated with fresh imagery and dynamic graphics. Several highlights of the new site are IT support webpages with content curated for specific audiences at FSU, expanded cybersecurity training topics and one-click tech support contacts. In addition, the ITS service catalog got a complete redesign consisting of a predictive text search feature that enables visitors to quickly find specific services and improved service offering pages that highlight key service features, associated costs and quick-access sign in and help buttons. The new website is one more medium for ITS to share our services, ongoing projects and accomplishments with the FSU community and beyond.
FSU single sign-on service upgraded to improve login performance
All roads to FSU systems go through CAS. CAS, which stands for central authentication service, is the single sign-on authentication service used to access enterprise university applications such as myFSU Portal, myFSU Service Center and dozens of departmental applications like FSU Libraries accounts, LinkedIn Learning and Concur. As one of the most used ITS services at FSU, it sees an average of 89 thousand unique users each month. In November 2022, CAS was upgraded to the latest version to improve performance and keep university systems secure and up to date. To prepare for the upgrade, ITS worked with all FSU departments with applications using CAS to review applications in the test environment to ensure continual and seamless use after the upgrade. The update, which encompassed months of planning, testing and prep work behind the scenes, went live on November 17—entirely transparent for users and just as planned.
New Microsoft license delivers latest collaboration, productivity and security technology
In July 2022, ITS upgraded all FSU Microsoft accounts to Microsoft A5, which gives FSU access to the latest features. The upgrade, which arrived just in time for the new academic year, gave the FSU community access to the latest technology available to improve collaboration, increase productivity and enhance cybersafety. Additionally, the Microsoft A5 license introduced dozens of tools to help with productivity, accessibility, communication and organization. For example, Microsoft Bookings gives individuals a better way to organize and schedule meetings by finding times that work for everyone involved. Dozens of other online apps provide new and improved virtual office experiences and deliver notable security enhancements to the FSU environment, including advanced threat protection, data loss prevention and expanded security analytics. Overall, Microsoft A5 grants FSU access to a comprehensive suite of powerful tools and solutions to safeguard university data, streamline operations and empower the FSU workforce.
Enterprise tool streamlines FSU social media management
From retweets to reels, social media is a busy place. Daily posts on multiple channels and rapid-fire commenting across platforms can be tricky to manage. As a newly offered resource for university communicators, FSU supports Sprout Social, a leading social media management and intelligence tool. Sprout enables university departments to manage their Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Learning and other social media accounts through one platform. It supports scheduled messaging, real-time monitoring, advanced reporting and more. The Division of Student Affairs, with over a dozen collective social media accounts, was a key stakeholder and invaluable campus partner in bringing an enterprise social media management tool on board. And other departments were fast to follow. ITS launched the social media management service in March 2023 to 20 early-adopter campus departments. The enterprise license enabled FSU to negotiate additional features at a discounted rate per license, saving many university departments hundreds of dollars in annual subscription fees. Since its launch, five more university departments and 13 more contributors have joined the service.
ITS trains university units on sending mass emails via Marketing Cloud
Every year, FSU sends about 1,000 “Important Announcement” and other mass emails to university audiences. Until recently, ITS was solely responsible for sending nearly all of those messages on behalf of university units. In February 2023, ITS trained 22 individuals from 11 university colleges and departments on how to send mass emails using the university’s mass email tool, Marketing Cloud. Each training attendee was granted a Marketing Cloud account and underwent extensive training on creating and sending emails. Now, university colleges and departments no longer must submit a case and work with ITS to send mass emails. Emails can be sent to global university audiences, such as all students or employees or targeted audience lists—enabling university units to communicate with their unique audiences at their own convenience. Eliminating ITS as the middleman and empowering university units to send important campus messaging has streamlined university communications and expedited delivery times.
I cannot express enough gratitude for the creativity, professionalism and strong commitment to the [Instructor Credentials System] project displayed by each and every member of the ITS team. ... I will be forever grateful that the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement had such a strong partner.
Microsoft Viva encourages employees to find balance in their work life
Viva is life. Finding balance in life is critical to our well-being, so ITS is partnering with Microsoft to pilot a new employee experience platform called Viva. Employees can use the tool to find professional and personal growth opportunities; the tool’s AI identifies personal work patterns and suggests improvements to work life balance. ITS employees are piloting Viva and three distinct experiences within the platform: Viva Insights, Viva Learn and Viva Goals. From blocking off focus time on the calendar with Viva Insights to filling a gap in knowledge with Viva Learn, there is something for everyone. "The focus time feature has helped me be better prepared for meetings and has allowed me to recapitulate my gains for the day," states Jorge Vidal, ITS director of Data & Analytics. Employees can use the tool to set objectives, evaluate meeting stats or practice mindfulness—whatever they need in the moment to be a more effective and engaged employee. Overall, the tool has the potential to revolutionize professional development and employee well-being at FSU and is one example of how ITS persistently searches for new and innovative technologies to support the FSU workforce and mission.
167,861
user sessions in virtual computer lab
371,261,305
emails sent via FSU email system
1,875,535
webpages scanned by web accessibility checker
10,419
hours of LinkedIn Learning videos viewed
106
public ITS service offerings
FSU phases out alumni email for life service
As part of a larger project to streamline email communications at FSU, ITS began phasing out the alumni email for life service in 2022. Looking forward, FSU alumni can continue using their FSU email for one year after graduation. “When we started looking at the data, we found that fewer than 10% of alumni have accessed their FSU email account over the past three years,” explains Bobby Sprinkle, FSU chief technology officer. “Email is just not a service that is getting much use among our alumni anymore.” This decreased usage combined with security risks inherent to thousands of unused accounts and the opportunity for long-term cost efficiencies resulted in the decision to discontinue lifetime alumni email service at FSU. ITS began phasing out alumni email accounts in August 2022, allowing alumni who have accessed their email within the last two years until May 2025 to transition before their account closes. ITS worked closely with the FSU Alumni Association to communicate with alumni and help them prepare for the change. As of June 2023, ITS has closed out 400,000 alumni email accounts, with the project scheduled to wrap up in May 2025. This change to alumni services is in response to the shifting communication preferences of alumni. Though a free email account is not the draw it once was, FSU and the Alumni Association remain committed to delivering a positive alumni experience and looking for new ways to provide valuable alumni benefits.
New ITS webform uses predictive text to simplify case submission
Getting help just got a whole lot easier. In Summer 2023, ITS upgraded the case submission form within myFSU Service Center. The new webform uses a search field and predictive text to allow individuals to type a keyword and select from a list of results to route their case. Need help with Duo? No need to know it is called Duo. Just start typing “2FA” or a related word and quickly choose from the filtered dropdown options. This upgrade eliminates the old category, type and detail fields previously used to route cases. Now, individuals can easily find the service related to what they are asking for without having to click and guess or scroll through lists of options. This change greatly simplified the case submission process, allowing individuals to get help quicker and helping campus partners provide the best service possible for the FSU community.
ITS centralized calendar aims to reduce service outages
Coordinating support and upkeep for more than 100 technology services can be … a challenge. To help, the ITS centralized calendar brings visibility to changes across the multi-faceted organization. The internal calendar is housed in Outlook and available to all ITS employees to help increase visibility and coordinate the timing of events across the organization. It overlays major university events, such as payroll, admission decisions and more, with ITS scheduled changes like major upgrades and system maintenance. Several ITS groups piloted the calendar before rolling it out to all ITS during Summer 2023. Since its release, staff members have been able to strategically plan new feature releases in conjunction with the campus lifecycle, avoid overlap of internal changes and bring visibility and collaboration for upcoming activities within ITS. Ultimately, this comprehensive view of upcoming events and changes aims to improve service planning and efficiencies and reduce unplanned outages.
HR relies on ITS to provide solutions and services for many critical projects. From strategic initiatives to routine business, we know we can always expect the highest level of service and expertise.
New file access service improves virtual computer lab experience
The days of struggling to find virtual computer lab files are over. Thanks to Kumo, FSU students are now able to easily open and save files within myFSUVLab, the university’s virtual computer lab. Kumo, a software that enables access to cloud storage, allows students to directly access their OneDrive data and files inside the virtual lab. ITS listened and responded to feedback from students about the need for a simpler way to access files when using virtual computer lab apps and released Kumo to all FSU students, faculty and staff in Fall 2022. The software, originally funded by the Student Technology Fee, makes it simple to save, print or transfer files between myFSUVLab and personal devices. Files are available within seconds of logging in and can be accessed on any Windows, Mac or mobile device. “With Kumo, it makes it a lot easier to save files … making remote work a lot easier,” explains Alexa Lowry, media and communications graduate student.
New email type streamlines university account data and official communications
2022 was a big year for email at FSU. On the heels of the massive migration of all student email accounts to the @fsu.edu domain, ITS introduced a new email type to all user accounts. The new NOLE email type was set to the user’s FSUID@fsu.edu email address and became the default primary FSU email address for FSU students, employees and retirees. Leading up to the December 2022 transition, ITS worked extensively with campus departments to ensure all third-party applications would continue to work seamlessly throughout the transition. The new email type streamlined university account data and designated an FSU email address for official university communications.
>13,000
campus desktops, laptops and other devices centrally managed by ITS
115
departments receiving computer protection and threat response protection
352
subscribers to ITS service status alerts
Women in Technology community creates support system at FSU
Sometimes all you need is a shoulder to lean on, and when you do, look no further than the ITS Women in Technology (WIT) group. WIT focuses on cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment that advances women in technology, a field where women have long been underrepresented. With the number of female technologists rising, WIT seeks to support and encourage women in tech careers through networking, mentorship and engagement. The group is open to anyone at FSU and supports members in achieving their full potential through facilitating conversations and making connections, whether it be a group coffee hour, lunch and learn, weekly motivation or other networking opportunity. WIT held its first meetup in March 2023 in a casual happy hour atmosphere. Since then, more than 40 people have attended WIT gatherings and professional growth meetings. A recent session with the FSU Employee Assistance Program focused on work-life balance and maintaining equilibrium in career and personal life. Through WIT, ITS is promoting our values of an inclusive community.
IT staff support growth of Florida Institute for Child Welfare
One of the benefits of working in ITS is getting to work with and support diverse and meaningful organizations across the university. During the past year, IT professionals in the College of Social Work, a member of the Information Technology Administration Partnership Program (ITAPP), have had the privilege of supporting the IT needs of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare. The institute, which seeks to improve the well-being of children and families by cultivating an effective child welfare workforce, has experienced exponential growth in the past year. To keep up with operational advancements and related technology demands, ITS researched, designed and implemented audio-visual technologies to provide the institute with the capacity to host hybrid training and symposiums. ITS also installed high-quality sound dampening panels and audio equipment to enable the institute to record quality podcasts and helped facilitate the move of phones and computers for over 40 employees into newly renovated office spaces. The ITS commitment to the institute did not go unnoticed. “I’m extremely proud of what the institute has accomplished so far, and I consider you a part of that success,” remarked Lisa Magruder, institute director. “I hope as we continue our great work that you know you’re making a difference in the lives of children, families and workers in child welfare by keeping us running.”
Amazon conference explores how cloud computing can transform research and learning at FSU
What’s better than Amazon Prime Day? … AWS Campus Invent! In September 2022, ITS hosted a one-day educational event in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The event brought the experience and energy of an AWS conference to FSU for IT professionals, members of the FSU community and IT staff from the City of Tallahassee to spend the day learning how cloud computing can transform research and learning at FSU. Attendees spent the first half of the day in presentations by a team of AWS higher education industry leaders and solutions architects and open discussions on topics such as supporting the research lifecycle, integrating AI into university applications, using data to improve educational outcomes and establishing a cloud center of excellence. During the second half of the day, attendees got hands-on experiences with AWS services in interactive labs that explored building a virtual research lab, cloud computing and machine learning with Amazon SageMaker. The 150 members of the FSU community who attended the event left feeling energized by the university’s path to digital transformation.
In a data-driven cloud-based environment, partnerships like the one we have with [Amazon Web Services] are important, and those conversations need to be ongoing and continuous.
ITS partners with CCI to teach web design summer camp to high school students
Some kids spend their summer vacation at the beach, while other kids spend their summer vacation in the classroom learning website coding and design. ITS staff collaborated with the FSU College of Communication and Information to run a week-long summer camp on “Web Design in HTML and CSS.” The session kicked off the FSU iCamp, a five-week program that introduces local high school students to careers in technology and computing fields. ITS staff members created a custom curriculum that covered HTML basics, CSS styling and external style sheets. Lessons were split up with activities and guest speakers to keep students engaged. The week-long training culminated in a final project where individuals were divided into teams and tasked with creating a website about the iCamp experience. Each group presented its student-designed website to the class and nominated team winners for the categories of Best Style, Best Content and Best Architecture. This unique partnership with CCI allowed ITS to share our knowledge and skills with the greater community and inspire the next generation of technology professionals in the process.
ITS makes first appearance at FSU Day at the Capitol
Each spring, Florida State alumni and friends come together at the Florida Capitol building for FSU Day at the Capitol. The event celebrates and highlights the university’s academic, extracurricular and athletic achievements to the legislators who contribute to the success of FSU. This year—for the first time—among the 50+ FSU colleges, programs and organizations who hosted booths throughout the Capitol was Information Technology Services. The ITS booth drew attention to technology's integral role in the university’s success and showcased specific ITS projects and initiatives as examples of our work to support FSU students, faculty and staff. The Cyber Bowl cybersecurity month campaign, the Student Tech Checklist resource for incoming students and the ITS internship program were a few projects ITS bragged about to the 300+ people who visited our table at the event. Engaging conversations, team camaraderie and a candid shot with FSU mascot Cimarron solidified the participation of ITS in the annual event!
13,046
ITS Service Desk support requests
4,122
@floridastateITS social media followers
18
university units participating in IT Administration Partnership Program (ITAPP)
1,500+
instructor user accounts for classroom technology
FSU Sustainable Green Team supports sustainability in local community
In FY2022, the FSU Sustainable Green Team, led by ITS employee Mitch Gans, made considerable strides to extend its efforts and services beyond FSU. The team partnered with Keep Tallahassee Beautiful to adopt East Paul Dirac Drive and conduct quarterly litter pick-up patrols outside ITS offices at Innovation Park. They encouraged physical activity outside the workplace by hiding the SGT Green Guide Alpha geocache along the Central Pond Walking Trail in Innovation Park. They also successfully implemented a materials recovery facility in the Sliger Building that works with several recycling programs across the United States to collect, process and ship items for recycling. The facility supports the ITS zero-waste data center and serves as a community drop-off point for multiple product streams, such as rechargeable batteries and small appliances. These sustainability efforts were recognized at the state level when the team was invited to present its success story at the Florida Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers conference in Orlando, Florida, in June 2023. Thanks to the efforts of the Sustainable Green Team, their impact expands beyond the FSU campus to serve the greater Tallahassee community.
RISE campaign sets new course for technology at FSU
At his first town hall as ITS’ new Chief Information Officer in April 2023, Jonathan Fozard introduced the RISE 2030 campaign and framework. The visionary framework outlines the commitment of ITS to invest in modern technologies, innovative ideas and pilot projects in four focus areas: research and instruction, innovation and modernization, security and compliance and engagement and student success. The framework is designed to take technology services at FSU to new heights in the coming years by aligning individual ITS projects within the four focus areas and encouraging employees to advance these important initiatives on campus to new levels. ITS staff members responded and embraced the challenge. For example, FSU was selected by Microsoft as a higher education pilot school for a new experience platform, and a recent AI pilot caught national attention. Through exploring university applications of virtual reality and other emerging technologies, ITS is defining the future of technology in higher education.
ITS welcomes more than 200 people to open house
In November 2022, ITS hosted an open house for faculty, staff, students and visitors at the FSU Technology Services Building (TSB) in Innovation Park. The event welcomed more than 200 people to TSB and brought ITS employees and campus partners together for an afternoon of networking and collaboration. Campus partners met ITS staff, putting faces with names and learning about upcoming projects and recent accomplishments across the organization. Each ITS department created a poster highlighting the team’s overall role, responsibilities and current projects. Posterboards lined the building, and ITS employees were on hand to engage in conversations. The posters that saw the most activity and discussion though were in Intern Alley. In this dedicated space, ITS interns proudly displayed posters highlighting their Fall 2022 semester activities and accomplishments. The open house was a tremendous success and marked the first time all ITS employees were back in the building since 2020. The high turnout, morale and camaraderie shared at the event left ITS staff energized and ready to reach new for new heights in 2023.
MOR Leaders Program coaches next generation of ITS leaders
ITS believes leadership is worth developing and refining within our staff members through both formal and informal programs. For the past four years, ITS has supported employees’ leadership development through the MOR Leaders Program, a development experience that coaches, empowers and transforms participants to have a leadership mentality. In March 2023, ITS welcomed our fourth class of MOR leaders with a special kick-off luncheon and meet-and-greet. This year’s MOR Leaders cohort consisted of 41 employees from ITS and university partner offices. Over the following six months, the class participated in workshops, applied learning and one-on-one coaching to build valuable leadership skills and learn how to lead and effect change from where they are. “From the start I immersed myself in the learning framework and practices. In return, I have a stronger sense of self, inspiration and community,” remarks Lisa Martin-Brown, ITS Service Desk associate director and MOR Leaders 2021 alumna. “One of the learning objectives that I always reference in my personal and professional life is that feedback is a gift. When used in-kind, those words have proven to be invaluable, and the possibilities are endless!” To date, 66 ITS employees have completed the MOR Leaders curriculum, each one helping to build a more adept and balanced culture within ITS.
The MOR Leaders program has been the most impactful in achieving my professional development goals. I feel that my purpose as a leader grew from this opportunity.
NWRDC celebrates 50th anniversary
The Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC) celebrated 50 years in operation in 2022. The Center, founded in 1972, serves as the state of Florida’s leading computing provider in the educational, governmental and non-profit communities. The NWRDC, which has experienced exponential growth in recent years with the addition of 150 Florida Virtual Campus and state data center staff members to the team, kicked off its golden year with renovations to its operations area. The Center also installed a time capsule with items related to the data center from over the years—mainframe punch cards, USB drives and more—to honor 50 years of service. As the NWRDC reflects on five decades of achievement, they look to the future with anticipation of new milestones and continued growth. Happy 50th anniversary, NWRDC. A testament to the power of data!
ITS invests in employee professional development and training
ITS is committed to the development and growth of our employees, both personally and professionally. During FY2022, ITS offered seven professional development training sessions. Topics ranged from an overview of the ITS disaster recovery process to a special session on how to support the technology needs of older adults. The monthly training sessions are offered exclusively for ITS employees and promote understanding of university policies, industry applications and social trends impacting the technology field. In addition, ITS entered into a contract with ClassPass which allows ITS employees to take technical courses via Computer Tutors. This partnership enables ITS staff to explore everything from advanced Microsoft applications to cybersecurity certifications at no personal cost. ITS continues to invest in our employees’ development and growth in the coming year by placing a renewed focus on job-specific training and incentivizing individual training and certifications.
40
new ITS hires
804
total attendance at ITS professional development sessions
>300
ITS employees who attended Spring 2023 ITS town hall
Bill Hunkapiller named University Technology Leader of the Year
ITS chief information security officer Bill Hunkapiller was named the 2022 University Technology Leader of the Year by EdScoop, a leading media brand in the higher education IT market. The awards, in their inaugural year, honor influential people and projects in the higher education tech community. Bill, who has accumulated more than 25 years of IT security, privacy, governance, risk and compliance experience, joined the ITS team in 2017. During his time with FSU, Bill has worked with the Information Security and Privacy Office to oversee several significant university security efforts, including securing the CSO50 award, improving the overall FSU cybersecurity risk rating, implementing 2-factor authentication, and launching the award-winning Seminole Secure business continuity program. Bill was one of 200 technology leaders and projects nominated for an EdScoop 50 award, and more than 200,000 votes were cast to select this year's winners.
ITS staff presentations, publications and pedagogy
Throughout FY2023, ITS represented FSU and showcased our staff’s experience and expertise as a leader within our field. ITS employees presented and served as panelists at 11 national and regional conferences that were offered in both virtual and face-to-face formats. Several members of the ITS Information Security and Privacy team published an article in an international, peer-reviewed journal. Three staff members served as adjunct faculty members and taught classes at the undergraduate and graduate level at FSU.
Presentations & Panels
Jonathan Banks, “HEUG Human Capital Management Advisory Group,” Alliance 2023
Andrew Bucior, “Creating and Leading an AI revolution on Campus,” Spring 2023 Common Solutions Group Workshops and Meeting
Rebekah Dorn, “IT Talent Pipeline,” Spring 2023, Common Solutions Group Workshops and Meeting
Jonathan Fozard, “What Else? How to move beyond comp/benefits to retain staff and deliver results,” 2023 Summer Higher Education CIO Congress
Jonathan Fozard, “DocuSign Campus Innovators,” EDUCAUSE
Dongmei Gao, “GraphQL, a Query Language for Your API, Using GraphQL to Get Data from CANVAS on PeopleSoft Campus Solutions,” Alliance 2023 & PeopleSoft RECONNECT 2022 & SEARUG Alliance 2022 & BLUEPRINT 4D
Dongmei Gao, Gary Chismar, “Bring PeopleSoft Approval Workflow Engine (AWE) into Day-To-Day Business Processes,” BLUEPRINT 4D
Dongmei Gao, Sarah Mahler, Gary Chismar, “Study on Delivered Global Search in PeopleSoft Campus Solutions PeopleTools 8.59,” Alliance 2023 & BLUEPRINT 4D
Dongmei Gao, “Fluid User Experience” panel, PeopleSoft Week
Bill Hunkapiller, “Enterprise and Third Party Risk Management on a Distributed IT on Campus,” Winter 2023 Common Solutions Group Workshops and Meeting
Bill Hunkapiller, “Defending Your Data – Keys to protecting and managing your institutional, student, and research data,” eCampus News
Bill Hunkapiller, “Creating Pathways: Addressing Digital Equity & Inclusion for Students & Staff” panel, 2023 Spring Higher Education CIO Congress
Sathish Sundaramoorthy, “Robotic Process Automation in Peoplesoft,” BLUEPRINT 4D
Sathish Sundaramoorthy, “Case study on Kibana and Realtime Indexing,” BLUEPRINT 4D
Jorge Vidal, “Snowflake Data Lake,” Snowflake webinar
Jorge Vidal, Andy Bucior, “Moving from Data Analysis to Data Action in Higher Education,” Snowflake webinar
Corey Webster, Diane Higgins, “FSU’s One O365 Phase II,” Alliance 2023
Kathy Wilkes, Sara Mischler, “Changes are coming: Did you remember to talk to your users?,” Alliance 2023
Publications
Rebekah Dorn, “Broken Things”, MOR Association Tuesday Leadership Journal
Bill Hunkapiller, Joe Brigham, “Cybersecurity in a Large-Scale Research Facility—One Institution’s Approach,” “Journal of Cybersecurity and Privacy” (collaboration with National High Magnetic Field Laboratory staff)
Pedagogy
Rebekah Dorn, LIS4351 Introduction to User Experience
Rebekah Dorn, LIS5255 IT and the Elderly
Bill Hunkapiller, LIS5775 Organizational Information Security
Bill Hunkapiller, LIS4774 Information Security
Bobby Sprinkle, LIS5487 Information Systems Management
Research & Instruction
ITS is poised to make significant advancements in our research and instructional technology efforts in the year ahead. By creating a framework to dynamically manage cloud resources, ITS will support rapid service delivery for campus partners. IT units across campus will be able to manage their areas of the campus network within provided boundaries to offer highly efficient and flexible cloud solutions to their departments. ITS will also deploy a data catalog and governance solution to organize, integrate and administer data from multiple sources across the university. By doing so, ITS will enhance institutional decision-making processes and become better stewards of the vast amounts of institutional data the university generates. Finally, an ongoing cybersecurity education program will equip faculty, staff and students with the training and resources needed to create a safer learning and research environment across the university.
Innovation & Modernization
As we look to the future, ITS is committed to pursuing innovation and modernization with increased enthusiasm and dedication. Embracing more cloud technologies and actively exploring opportunities for automation will allow the university to leverage the latest advancements, ensuring a modern experience for the entire university community. ITS will start by migrating our central authentication service, which controls access to university systems and data, to the cloud. This move will provide a scalable and flexible solution that enhances the service's reliability, availability and security, reducing the impact of major outages and poising FSU for more cloud service opportunities. ITS will also revamp the existing identity and access management system, replacing it with a new, comprehensive infrastructure and processes that are easier to maintain and compatible with current compliance and research environments. This renewed focus on innovation and modernization will challenge our staff to consider new ways to solve old problems and position ITS at the forefront of technological advancements.
Security & Compliance
As the cybersecurity landscape constantly evolves, ITS is amping up efforts to fortify the university against future cyberattacks. First and foremost, ITS is furthering our advanced enterprise protection and threat response service to ensure the highest level of security across FSU servers, desktops, laptops, mobile and smart devices. Next, an access management project will implement stringent safeguards for privileged access to critical university data and infrastructure. Additional layers of protection, including role-based access controls and regular access audits, ensure that only authorized personnel can access critical information, thereby minimizing the risk of data breaches and insider threats. ITS aims to enhance resilience and safeguard the university's digital assets through these comprehensive cybersecurity measures, fostering a secure and protected environment across FSU.
Engagement & Student Success
To foster student success and engagement, ITS is building a real-time data model that populates data from university enterprise systems into multiple internal and external systems at FSU to support a more seamless user experience across the university. Leveraging this new data model, colleges can identify students who may require additional support and intervene proactively to enhance their academic journey or identify trends to ensure we are guiding students towards graduation. ITS is also pursuing the creation of a single point of entry for IT support. The solution will streamline the support process, improve ITS internal processes and retire several antiquated technologies. By maximizing existing systems and benefiting from real-time data, ITS empowers students with the tools and resources they need to succeed academically and fully engage in their university experience.
Credits
Writing
Megan Del Debbio | ITS
Design
Derek Kooi | ITS
Photography
Samantha Klupchak | ITS
Alexa Lowry | ITS
Destiny Hansley | FSUPC
Carlton Ward Jr. | National Geographic
