Technology experts at Central Michigan University offer tips to smooth transition

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Central Michigan University’s team of tech experts is on hand to prevent technological breakdowns as students adjust their gadgets.

Jeff McDowell, Information Technology Help Desk manager, said freshmen should come to CMU prepared since so many of their lives revolve around computers.

“I think the single most important thing for freshmen to know is to get their computer registered on our network prior to arriving on campus,” McDowell said. “In the fall, there are a lot of people who try to do this all at the same time which means if they need help, there will be wait time involved.”

McDowell said the best place for students to start when having technical problems is by contacting the Help Desk at 774-3662.

“The Help Desk will help with students with any technology-related questions,” McDowell said. “They also have a great deal of experience helping new students locate the correct contact point for other CMU services.”

Students can register their computers at reg.cmich.edu starting August 1 for one less frustration when moving in, McDowell said.

Part of the registration includes making sure the computer is up to date and has anti-virus software installed, Technical Writer Kole Taylor said.

He said computers can be brought up to snuff for free by downloading McAfee Enterprise antivirus software from antivirus.cmich.edu.

Although illegally downloading digital content can be risky on a home network, it is doubly inadvisable to do so on CMU’s, McDowell said.

He said it is very easy to get caught pirating  music and videos at CMU and thousands of notices to cease are delivered to CMU students by license holders every year.

“Universities are disproportionally targeted by the (Recording Industry Association of America) and other organizations that represent distributors of music, video and other content protected by intellectual property right,” McDowell said.

Taylor said CMU does not monitor internet traffic, but if the university is contacted by the RIAA, the Office of Student Life will take action.

Limitations and services

Students are limited as to the amount of pages they can print on university printers per semester by the PrintQ system.

“Undergrads are allotted $10 worth of prints a semester and graduates are allotted $15,” Taylor said.

The quota equals 250 pages of black and white prints for undergraduates and 375 for graduates. Taylor said students may add additional paper to their quotas by going to printing.cmich.edu.

Almost all of the online services students will need are available through the iCentral portal, McDowell said.

“If freshmen are looking for something, be it campus events, news releases, links to important web sites, accounts, billing, course registration, all of it is available right there,” he said.

Jeremy Bond, learning management systems administrator, is the “go-to guy” for any Blackboard-related questions.

“Most students find Blackboard relatively easy to navigate but there still can be challenging moments, especially when students are asked to do something in the system for the first time,” Bond said. “Fortunately, CMU has a collection of step-by-step guides available at www.cmich.edu/blackboard in the ‘Student Tutorials’ area.”