There is no action required on the part of users to update their licensing. Immediate benefits of this change will include:

Advanced Analytics and Insights:��With the A5 license, users will have access to advanced analytics tools such as Power BI Pro, which can help create detailed reports, visualize data and gain deeper insights. These tools are designed to foster informed decision-making and improve productivity.

Improved Communication and Collaboration:��The A5 license includes advanced communications functionality in Microsoft Teams including dial-in conferencing for all meetings. This will enhance users’ ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, students and external partners, whether on campus or remotely.

Enhanced Security:��The A5 license includes advanced security features that are not available in the A3 license. These features include advanced threat protection, information protection and identity management capabilities. This means better protection against cyber threats, data breaches and unauthorized access, ensuring that our University’s data and your personal information are more secure.

Comprehensive Compliance Solutions:��The A5 license provides advanced compliance solutions that help ensure our University meets regulatory requirements. This includes tools for data loss prevention, eDiscovery and advanced auditing capabilities. These features will help maintain compliance with various regulations and protect sensitive information.

If you have questions about this or any other technology-related topic, please contact the ITS Service Center at��help@syr.edu��or 315.443.2677.

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• Lindsey Darvin (Falk): I
• Sylvia Sierra (VPA):
• Farhana Sultana (Maxwell):
• Charles Driscoll (Engineering and Computer Science):
• Margaret Talev (Newhouse/Maxwell): () | (NPR) |
• Kevin Antshel (Arts & Sciences):
• Shubha Ghosh (Law):
• Melinda Dermody (Libraries):
• Dessa Bergen-Cico (Falk): ,
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• Mona Bhan, (Maxwell):
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• Natalie Koch (Maxwell): |
• Joel Kaplan (Newhouse):
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• Gregory Germain (Law): | | | (UK) |
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• Patrick Penfield (Whitman): ����
• Jack Graves (Law):
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• Jon Ryan (Information Technology Services):
• Katherine Macfarlane (Law):
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• Ken Marfilius (Falk): Podcast –
• Keith Doss (Office of Veterans and Military Affairs):
• Dwayne Murray (Office of Veterans and Military Affairs):
• Tetiana Hranchak (Maxwell): |
• Kivanc Avrenli (Whitman) :
• Traci Geisler (Blackstone LaunchPad): ��
• Bhavneet Walia (Falk):
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• William Banks (Law): (UK) | |
• Bernard Appiah (Falk):
• Milena Petrova (Whitman):
• Kathleen Corrado (Arts & Sciences):

To get in touch and learn more about ���ϲ����� faculty members available for interviews, please contact��media@syr.edu.

When is the Answers migration to the cloud taking place?
The migration will start on Friday, June 21, at 4 p.m. and will finish on Sunday, June 23. The application will be down during the migration. When it comes back up on Monday, June 24, all Answers content will be accessed in the cloud.

What happens if I go to answers.syr.edu after the migration?
The Answers website URL (https://answers.syr.edu/) will be re-directed to Confluence in the cloud, so you will still be able to access Answers via this web address.

I use Answers for information but don’t manage any content. What changes for me?
The user interface will look different, with a new and improved feel and some slight differences in the navigation. The search option, in particular, has been greatly improved. We encourage users to utilize this search feature to find documents that they require. To learn more, please visit .

Will I need to log in for publicly accessed information?
Users who access publicly available information will not need to log in.

I have a public space. What happens if I don’t do anything before the migration?
Space administrators have been made aware of the change. The migration team has been working with them prior to the migration. If administrators of public spaces do nothing, the public space will move over as-is. Some access to editing functions could be unavailable until space administrators check with the migration team.

I want to keep my information private, but the cloud version of Answers only allows public information. Where should I put my private content?
Should you decide that transitioning to a public platform does not align with your goals, we are committed to providing support in finding alternative solutions that suit your needs. For more information, please visit��.

I have a private space. What happens if I don’t do anything before the migration?
Private spaces that have not been addressed with one of the above available alternatives will be archived after the migration. Owners of private spaces have been notified of these options. Private space owners should check with the migration team if additional support is needed.

I have links to Answers on my website/email signature/etc. Will those links still work after the migration?
Existing links will not work because the Confluence cloud application uses dynamically generated links. These links will be re-created during migration. Space owners and others with links in webpages, email signatures, etc., are reminded to find and update to the new corresponding links. The new enhanced search feature in the Answers cloud platform will assist in locating content in the cloud.

Is there still time to manage my content before the migration?
There is still time to clean up and manage content before June 21. If no cleanup is done, the spaces will be moved as per the public and private space details described above.

Who do I contact with questions?
Please direct questions to the Answers cloud migration team (aascsys@su-jsm.atlassian.net) or the��.

How Aira Works

To take advantage of the newly available visual interpreting service, users can download and launch the Aira Explorer mobile app while on the University campus. With the tap of a button, the user’s phone streams live video to a trained Aira agent, who will then provide verbal descriptions of the caller’s surroundings and reading assistance as needed. With Aira, users with blindness or low vision can better access the campus experience, including:

• Locating buildings and specific classrooms
• Reading signage, menus, product labels, price tags and other posted printed materials
• Attending events such as Commencement or sporting events
• Locating items in the Campus Store
• Finding items and available seating at dining halls

“We are thrilled to offer Aira’s visual interpreting service to anyone on campus,” says Marla Runyan, assistant director of digital accessibility and Aira user. “Whether attending a special event or just moving through a typical day, Aira offers greater access and independence for the blind and low-vision community. Becoming an Aira Access Partner just makes sense.”

Some well-known Aira Access Partners include Starbuck’s, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase & Co., TD Bank and the Smithsonian. ���ϲ����� joins a robust list of Aira’s higher education partners, including:

• Columbia University
• Duke University
• Princeton University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Pennsylvania

The Aira partnership continues recent investments in digital accessibility at ���ϲ�����. In March, the announced the availability of SensusAccess, a new and fully automated document remediation and file conversion service that makes electronic documents such as PDF files or Microsoft PowerPoint presentations more accessible to audiences of all abilities.

“We are excited to make Aira available to anyone who comes to campus, whether as a full-time student or as a visitor for a football game or concert,” Senior Vice President for Digital Transformation and Chief Digital Officer Jeff Rubin said. “This partnership attests to how technology can help create a university that is welcoming to all.”

Join the ITS Information Security team for the CyberStart launch party (with pizza!) on Fri., Oct. 14, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in Falk 100. Attendees will have the opportunity to try out the CyberStart online game and talk with our cybersecurity experts. You can .

CyberStart is an online game for problem-solvers who welcome a challenge. Open to all students, CyberStart offers an opportunity to learn more about the cybersecurity profession, test your problem-solving skills and learn new technology.

During this year’s kickoff event, students will try out 12 challenges. Students interested in continuing can then sign up for the semester-long competition with prizes for top finishers and random drawings for participants who complete a minimum number of challenges.

In the inaugural competition, College of Engineering and Computer Science graduate student Weiling Wang G ’21 won CyberStart by more than 10,000 points. After winning the CyberStart competition, Wang joined ���ϲ�����’s Security Operations Center (SOC) as a student employee and currently works as a security engineer at TikTok.

“CyberStart reinforced my enthusiasm and passion for cybersecurity,” Wang said. “After [CyberStart], I also participated in some other capture the flag competitions. What I learned from these competitions will help me pursue my career in cybersecurity.”

More information and FAQs are available on the .

The University, in partnership with JMA Wireless, will install a cutting-edge, 5G private wireless network in select residence halls and academic buildings as part of a pilot program. Photo by Marilyn Hesler, staff photographer

“Technology is among the most rapidly evolving parts of our lives—professionally, personally and recreationally,” says Eric Sedore, interim vice president and chief information officer. “As our community’s needs and expectations change, it is imperative that we align our technology to meet our students, faculty and staff where they are. My colleagues in Information Technology Services [ITS] and I are looking forward to learning from this pilot program, assessing the feedback and applying key learnings to the future of technology on our campus.”

This new technology is being leveraged at various facilities across the United States, including on college campuses and at event facilities and private companies. The pilot program will help the University determine whether its users will broadly adopt and benefit from this technology.

“Given the ever-growing digital nature of teaching, living, learning and research at ���ϲ�����, now is the time to advance our technology infrastructure,” says Sedore. “I am confident the pilot will provide our community with the elevated experience provided by 5G wireless technology.”

Individuals selected to participate will receive a survey request from ITS to indicate their willingness to opt into the pilot program and identify the phone and laptop models they plan to use to connect to the on-campus network. ITS will monitor adoption rates and collect and assess feedback through the fall semester. The outcomes of the pilot, along with anticipated next steps, will be shared with the campus community in spring 2023.

Users can begin preparing for this transition by logging in to Answers and going to the DataInsights at ���ϲ����� page, which features a link to the DataInsights environment, as well as some FAQ and a high-level navigational training provided by ITS. Individual departments will also deliver communication and training this summer regarding specific dashboards and reports as the transition nears.

ITS encourages users to begin or continue exploring DataInsights to ensure a smooth transition over the next few months. There will be live training sessions scheduled throughout the summer for end-users to learn more and ask questions.

If you have questions about a specific MyReports report, please contact the department that owns that data/report. If you are not sure or have general questions, please email��DIHelp@syr.edu.

Hosted by the ITS Research Computing team, the Research Computing Series provides a forum for faculty and students to learn more about the wide range of tools available to them—including the SUrge graphics processor unit (GPU) cluster.

SUrge provides a significant speed increase over traditional CPUs for a variety of uses, such as mathematical operations, rendering, photogrammetry and more. The cluster features more than 300 GPUs, including several NVIDIA models.

At the next edition of the Research Computing Series, NVIDIA Senior Solutions Architect Brad Palmer will discuss how faculty and student researchers can get the most out of GPU resources. Registration is .

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Information Technology Services (ITS) network administrators continue to detect wireless access points or “hot spots” coming from personal devices across campus. Hot spots can disrupt the normal use of University-provided wireless access (Wi-Fi).

ITS encourages anyone using a hot spot to disconnect it in their device’s settings and connect to the wireless AirOrangeX network instead.

Faculty and staff also can begin their in-person meetings and classes by asking everyone to check their devices before they get started, similar to setting a phone to “airplane mode” before a flight.

To connect a computer or iOS device to AirOrangeX:

1. Choose AirOrangeHelp from your device’s list of available wireless networks.
2. Navigate to aoh.syr.edu and follow the instructions.
3. If your computer is not automatically connected, choose AirOrangeX from the list of networks.

To connect an Android device to AirOrangeX, navigate to answers.syr.edu/aox and follow the instructions for your respective operating system from the list provided.

WiFi is broadcast over radio frequencies. When someone uses a hot spot on campus, their signal competes with the existing AirOrangeX wireless network.

The use of hot spots has increased in recent years, with many people using their hot spots elsewhere and forgetting to turn them off when they arrive on campus. ITS recommends only using a hot spot at home or while traveling.

Connecting to the AirOrangeX network instead of a personal hot spot is a great way to improve the campus computing experience for everyone.

If you have questions related to these changes, please contact the ITS Help Desk by calling 315.443.2677 or emailing help@syr.edu.

As a result of the upgrade, MySlice features increased mobile compatibility, accessibility and personalization. You can find information about the enhanced navigation and user experience, including screenshots, on the��. Helpful tips include:

At the same time as the upgrade, MySlice’s security was enhanced with Microsoft Two-Factor Authentication (also known as multi-factor authentication or MFA). MySlice users will need to ensure they have access to their multi-factor authentication methods, which they can manage at��.

If you have any questions about the MySlice upgrade, you can contact the ITS Help Desk at��help@syr.edu��or by calling 315.443.2677.

Each semester, ITS hosts the to help students, faculty and staff understand how they can leverage ���ϲ�����’s advanced computing resources. This semester, the Research Computing Series will take place virtually over two sessions:

• On April 19, Shane Sanders and Justin Ehrlich from the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics will discuss some of their work in the R programming language that required extra resources beyond desktop machines.
• On April 28, the ITS Research Computing team will provide an overview of available research computing resources and how faculty members can get started.

Chief Technology Officer Eric Sedore recently participated in a brief Q&A as the Research Computing team approaches its 10th anniversary and prepares for this semester’s sessions.

“Everything rolls up to expanding the reach and impact of ���ϲ����� nationally and internationally…”

What is the Research Computing team’s mission? Why was it created?

The Research Computing team originally launched in 2011 to address a gap: There were no central research computing resources or capabilities to help faculty members who needed something beyond their desktop computer or what was available in their lab. ITS utilized and combined some existing resources, such as OrangeGrid, which securely scavenged compute time from idle desktops, and the Academic Virtual Hosting Environment from an existing investment in disaster recovery, to provide campus researchers something that could assist with challenging and compute-intense academic work.

What makes a researcher or a project a good candidate for working with your team?��

We are happy to explore ways we can help with any project that needs resources beyond what is readily available to the researchers.��We will work with anyone in the University community, whether it’s related to research or teaching and learning. Although historically we’ve worked a lot with STEM projects, we collaborate with all academic areas—we have great relationships with faculty across a variety of fields.

What are some key successes that the Research Computing team worked on?��

We’ve been very proud to help some really remarkable researchers. We’ve provided support for a wide range of academic work, including research as well as teaching and learning. One thing that stands out is our involvement with [Arts and Sciences Physics Professor] Duncan Brown’s research, which contributed to the confirmation of the existence of gravitational waves. We also have helped secure three grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support computational needs on campus.

How have research computing needs on campus changed over time? Specifically, what changes have you noticed during the pandemic?��

From its inception, research computing on campus has constantly evolved to offer a portfolio of services to meet the diverse needs of the campus community. These services include high-throughput computing, high-performance computing, high-speed networking and most recently an NSF augmented GPU cluster. In addition to local capabilities, the team has built connections to allow for utilizing the public cloud and collaborated with other institutions across the nation to provide access to federated compute resources.

During the pandemic, requests for resources and assistance increased notably. From what we observed, researchers were transitioning time from their on-campus labs to computational projects. The community readily adapted to virtual meetings for interactions with us, which helped in terms of onboarding and exploring complicated issues.

What are your goals for the future of research computing on campus?��

We want to continue to provide a relevant set of resources for all academic areas, including cloud-based options. In terms of support, we want to move toward more proactive interactions with our community. Ultimately, everything rolls up to expanding the reach and impact of ���ϲ����� nationally and internationally, both for assisting existing researchers as well as attracting top-tier students and faculty.

All students with an appetite for challenges (and pizza) are invited to the CyberStart launch party on Friday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. in 200 Falk College. Attendees will have the opportunity to demo the CyberStart video game and talk with cybersecurity experts from ���ϲ�����.

���ϲ����� is one of just nine universities selected by the SANS Institute to participate in the CyberStart program. Chief Information Security Officer Chris Croad and Professor Shiu-Kai Chin from the College of Engineering and Computer Science have partnered to bring CyberStart to campus.

“I’m excited that we’re able to bring this opportunity to all of our students,” Croad said. “CyberStart will help students across all majors learn about a field that effectively has negative unemployment.”

In addition to career opportunities, CyberStart offers a chance to think about the “promise and pitfalls of cyberspace,” according to Chin.

“Our society is increasingly a cyber-physical one, where how we live and what we can do depends on decisions made by electronic systems,” Chin said. “People who understand the cyber nature of the world can help shape it to become a more positive version of itself.”

The CyberStart program offers students across all disciplines an opportunity to learn more about the cybersecurity profession, test their problem-solving skills and learn new technology. The first round (CyberStart Go) consists of unscored gameplay. At the end of the first round, interested students will have the opportunity to move on to the competitive round (CyberStart Game) in March. CyberStart Game offers more advanced challenges and is scored by ITS. The top scorers from the second round will be recognized at a champions’ reception and will receive access to CyberStart Essentials, which provides a deep dive into cybersecurity technology equivalent to roughly 70 hours of professional training.

“My hope is students from all academic areas will give this a try,” Croad said. “Although they might lack the classic ‘cyber skills,’ students who excel in critical thinking and problem solving could discover that they want to further explore the cybersecurity discipline.”

���ϲ����� alumnus Josh Aviv ’15, G‘17 is the founder and CEO of , a startup that manufactures portable high-speed chargers for electric vehicles. Aviv began working on his startup during his time as a student at ���ϲ����� by utilizing several innovation hubs on campus, particularly the located in the Kimmel Computer Lab.

“The MakerSpace was crucial to our company,” he said in an interview with Information Technology Services. “I just have a lot of fond memories of going in there and getting jump-started in our business.”

As part of the 2019 Orange Central celebration, Aviv returned to his alma mater to host two Fireside Chats at the Blackstone LaunchPad, a campus-based entrepreneurship program based in Bird Library. During these chats, Aviv discussed how he built SparkCharge from the ground up and provided the audience with insight into how to develop their own entrepreneurial ideas.

The MakerSpace’s 3D printers were a huge help to Aviv as he began to construct the portable charging units that formed the basis of his company. The printers enabled him to design prototypes and intricate parts for the devices. Aviv said he found the printers so useful that he later purchased the same model of 3D printer for his company after he graduated.

Beyond 3D printers, the MakerSpace houses a wide range of technological resources for students to utilize, including textile machines, a laser engraver and other machines. Through the MakerSpace, Aviv found an outlet for his entrepreneurial spirit and received the opportunity to make significant progress toward achieving his dream of starting his own company.

Aviv also used the MakerSpace’s laser engraving machine and t-shirt maker to create marketing materials that would become essential in his startup’s efforts to get off the ground.

“Some of our first business cards, we made on the laser machine there,” he says. “Those were some of the first business cards we handed to investors that actually got us funding for our startup.”

The MakerSpace is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and from noon to 6 p.m. on weekends. All ���ϲ����� students are welcome to use the center, whether they are interested in computer science, design, engineering or any other field. The MakerSpace has several staff members—including lead technologist John Mangicaro—who can show students how to use the center’s various machines and help them realize their visions for a particular product or design.

“We practically lived in the MakerSpace,” Aviv said. “We’ve been working with (Mangicaro) pretty much since day one. He’s so knowledgeable about the tools you have at your disposal as a student that it makes getting things done a lot easier.”

Aviv encourages ���ϲ����� students to explore the MakerSpace and utilize its technologies and bounce ideas off of its staff. With the help of the MakerSpace, Aviv was able to turn his dream of starting an innovative and successful technology company into a reality. To students who hope to achieve the same entrepreneurial success as Aviv, he offered this advice:

“Be patient, but move fast at the same time. If I could go back in time, I would tell my younger self, ‘Hey, it’s going to take a long time to take something that doesn’t exist in the market and the world and bring it to fruition and actually make it happen. That doesn’t happen overnight. So be patient.’”

For more stories of students and faculty taking their research and creativity to the next level, follow Information Technology Services (ITS) on , and .

Story by ITS student-worker Gillian Follett ’22.

The workshops will help participants understand accessibility, put it into practice on the job and support the University’s efforts to ensure accessibility of documents, systems and communications across campus. All sessions will be held in Room 1116, 621 Skytop Road.

Workshop Schedule

• “Evaluating Your Website for Accessibility”
  • Thursday, Feb. 7, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 20, 9 a.m. to noon

• “Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat DC”
  • Monday, Feb. 11, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, March�� 28, 9 a.m. to noon

• “Accessible Documents: Building Accessibility Into Existing PDFs”
  • Wednesday, Feb. 27, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Friday, April 5, 9 a.m. to noon

• “Video Captioning”
  • Thursday, March 7, 9 a.m. to noon

• “Creating and Delivering Accessible PowerPoint Presentations”
  • Thursday, Feb. 28, 1 to 4 p.m.
  • Monday, April 8, 1 to 4 p.m.

• “Creating Accessible Forms”
  • Wednesday, March 13, 9 a.m. to noon

• “Accessibility in the Procurement Process”
  • By request. Please contact the IT director or support team for your organization, or email accessibleIT@syr.edu to arrange training for your department or unit.

Seating is limited. There is high demand for this training, so registration is on a first-submitted, first-enrolled basis. Use the links below to register.

For workshop details and to register, visit the in .

For more information and assistance, ITS offers a growing variety of resources to ensure accessibility for all members of the University community. Visit the web page and check out the . has Accessibility Training and Tutorials among their online video courses, including how to make sites friendly to screen readers and assistive technology and how to use proper markup and web standards to make sites more accessible and search engine friendly.

University and local community members are invited to create and pitch new game ideas to the global community in a hackathon-style environment. ���ϲ����� is expected to join more than 700 locations in 95 countries. The event launches Friday late afternoon in the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars in Bird Library, which will serve as the hospitality suite. The kick-off will include a short video keynote and the announcement of this year’s theme.

Game Jam open hours in the Blackstone LaunchPad at Bird Library are:

• Friday, Jan. 25, from 4 to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, Jan. 26, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with final pitches that afternoon to game industry experts

Prototyping materials, software and other tools like 3D printing will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops. No coding or computer skills are required to participate; only an interest in making games. Basic design and software skills can be helpful, but are not necessary.

Learn more about the #SUGGJ19 event at

SU Libraries and two of its programs—the Digital Scholarship Space (DSS) and the Blackstone LaunchPad—are among the co-sponsors of the event. It is also sponsored by Computer Art and Animation in the Department of Transmedia, the Department of English and the Department of Writing Studies, Rhetoric, and Composition.

DSS is a project by ���ϲ����� ITS that provides students and faculty access to a variety of technologies for software design, gaming, data visualization, digital humanities projects and digital mapping. Located in Bird Library, DSS serves both students and scholars. It features a computer lab to facilitate the development of interactive, immersive and mobile applications, projects and games on emerging technologies and systems, including virtual, mixed and augmented reality platforms. It is home of the Game Lab to support courses and research on digital and analog games, both for in-class usage and to be available during “open lab” hours for students, faculty and staff. It is accessible and available to faculty, students and staff from all departments, colleges and schools across the University and is staffed by graduate students.

The Blackstone LaunchPad is ���ϲ�����’s innovation hub, connecting creatives, inventors and entrepreneurs with campus resources and a global network.�� The LaunchPad offers one-stop connections, coaching and mentoring, along with specialized programs and tools to help take ideas from concept to creation.

More information about the global activities can be found at

There are currently at least three types of email scams that are targeting the ���ϲ����� community:

1. Phishing scams that contain a link that when clicked takes you to a page appearing to be a legitimate login page and attempts to get you to enter your SU NetID and password. Often, the fake login page looks exactly like MySlice!
2. Employment scams that offer some type of well-paying job. If the victim accepts the job, they receive a counterfeit check or money order with instructions to deposit it into their personal account. The victim is instructed to keep some of the funds (usually several hundred dollars) as their compensation, and withdraw the balance and send it, via wire transfer or in the form of gift cards or gift card codes, to another individual or “vendor.” The money is supposedly for equipment, materials or software necessary for the job. Days later, the victim’s bank confirms the counterfeit check and demands the money back from the victim. The scammers often obtain personal information, such as social security and telephone numbers, physical and email addresses, from student victims while posing as their new employer, leaving students vulnerable to identity theft.
3. Known as a “sextortion” scam, the victim receives an email from someone who claims to have hacked their computer. They back up this claim by providing an actual password that the victim may have used or is currently using, on some website somewhere. The hacker says they have used the camera on the hacked computer to take videos of the victim in compromising situations and threatens to publicize the videos if the victim does not pay an extortion fee, usually in the form of bitcoin. These are false. The password is usually an actual password that the victim used on a previously compromised site like Yahoo that has been made public.

Recently, numerous ���ϲ����� students have reported all three scams, and several students have fallen victim to them. Unfortunately, students who fall for the scams suffer financial losses and identity theft. The students’ bank accounts may be closed due to fraudulent activity, and student victims are responsible for reimbursing the bank the amount of the counterfeit checks.

Be Vigilant. Protect Yourself!

If you receive such a job offer by email, examine it closely. Assume that any job that seems too good to be true probably is. Employment scams begin with experienced con artists posing as recruiters or employers who offer attractive employment opportunities doing simple tasks for a few hours a week. These criminals frequently work from overseas locations. They often require job seekers to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of work-at-home, high salary, no experience required, make your own schedule, shopping or personal assistant, and special vacation or travel arrangements.

Here are some tips to help you avoid email scams:

• Enable two-factor authentication for your online University and, if available, other accounts. This will protect against unauthorized use of your credentials, even if they are stolen.
• Do not pay any money up front.
• Do not accept payment for services you have not provided (i.e., as a “pre-payment” for expected services).
• Be cautious of emails written with poor grammar, lacking proper verb usage and sentence structure, or with text in all caps or bold font.
• Never send money from a deposited check until it officially clears your bank. Note: It can take several weeks for a fake check to be discovered.
• Never provide credit card or bank account numbers, and be cautious of payments by wire service or courier.
• Be suspicious of any email from senders you don’t know, or that seems out of character for the sender. Verify that the sender is actually who they appear to be before clicking on any links or attachments.
• Verify the URL of any link before you click it by hovering your cursor over the link and examining the URL. If you don’t recognize the URL, don’t click it.
• Never open attachments unless they are from someone you know, or you expect them.
• Don’t enter your username and password (especially your University NetID) to access any website if you are not 100 percent sure of its validity. In particular, you should be suspicious of email messages that have links to sites that ask you to use your University NetID and password to log in.
• Keep your computer software updated and patched, particularly your antivirus and anti-malware software.
• Remember that nobody at ���ϲ����� will ever ask for your NetID or password for any reason, in any form other than when you’re logging in to an SU system. If somebody does, they’re not representing the University or any of its offices. Report any occurrences to itsecurity@syr.edu.

If you receive a suspicious offer or fall victim to an email scam,��please forward any related emails to the ITS Information Security team at��ITSecurity@listserv.syr.edu��and the Department of Public Safety at��dpsadmin@syr.edu. Please include your name, SU email address and contact telephone number.

If you have questions about student employment at ���ϲ�������contact Student Employment Services at 315.443.2268 or��HRSES@syr.edu.

ITS staff will do all they can to prevent spam and phishing emails from landing in your SU mailbox, but inevitably some will get through. Please, be cautious about the email to which you respond. And if you’re not sure, get in touch with ITS at 315.443.2677 or�� help@syr.edu.

The 21st annual conference will be held Monday, Nov. 12–Friday, Nov.16, and the virtual conference will be hosted in two locations in the Center for Science and Technology. Registration for local presentation of the conference is free; by Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, for the sessions you plan to attend.

Accessing Higher Ground (AHG) focuses on the implementation and benefits of Accessible Media, Universal Design and Assistive Technology in university, business, and public settings. There is a strong focus on Universal Design, curriculum accessibility, incorporating accessibility into the procurement process, accessibility evaluations, and ADA and Section 508 compliance. Other topic areas cover legal and policy issues, video captioning, and expanded sessions for creating accessible math content.

One of the pre-conference sessions is a lab related to Accessible InDesign layouts for producing accessible PDFs and EPUBs. And, on Friday a main conference session focuses on making accessible content visually compelling, which will be of particular interest to graphic designers.

Presentation of the virtual AHEAD annual conference on the University campus is sponsored by the Office of Disability Services and Information Technology Services (ITS).

Who should attend?

If you create or manage content that must comply with the University’s this conference will be very helpful. The conference is intended for individuals who need to design or provide accessible Web, media, information resources and technology in the academic and business environment, including faculty and administrators interested in ADA & Section 508 compliance and faculty and other professionals who wish to ensure that their curriculum is accessible. In the past, audiences have included web designers, assistive technologists, ADA coordinators, human resource personnel, persons with disabilities, disability specialists, faculty, media specialists and programmers interested in accessibility and incorporating Universal Design into curriculum and information and communications technology.

About the virtual conference

AHG will stream sessions live from two tracks, all five days of the conference, including the pre-conference sessions on Monday and Tuesday. Main conference sessions start on Wednesday. For complete information, including session abstracts and schedule (Mountain time zone), visit the .

NOTE: ITS has arranged for group tickets which cover the presentation here on the University campus of all virtual pre- and main conference sessions. DO NOT register for the virtual conference on the AHG website, unless you want to participate as an individual, or from another location. Also, note that the times shown on the virtual conference website are Mountain Time. Events will be presented here on campus two hours later than shown on the conference website.

Questions? Send an email to ITS at accessibleIT@syr.edu, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Please include your name and phone number in your email.

2FA is an added verification step during authentication that helps to prevent the unauthorized use of University NetIDs and passwords by ensuring that only the account owners themselves use their credentials on systems hardened with 2FA, in this case, Office 365. Typically, 2FA is described as “something you know and something you have” where the “something you know” is your username and password, and the “something you have” is often called a “second factor.”

Multiple second factors can be configured in Office 365, such as the confirmation of a push notification via the Microsoft Authenticator mobile application, a text message, a phone call, or a verification code.

“The login credentials of students, faculty and staff are targets for organized crime and hackers,” says Christopher Croad, ���ϲ�����’s information security officer. “Criminals use stolen NetIDs and passwords to harvest personally identifiable information from compromised accounts or sell them on the ‘dark web’ for financial gain, or use in gaining access to academic assets such as library resources or educational discounts on software and services. Two-factor authentication makes it difficult for anyone except the account owner to log into a resource that uses 2FA as part of its authentication mechanism.”

Students are encouraged to opt-in to Office 365 2FA protection at any time by visiting and clicking Two-Factor Opt-in. All students will need to turn on 2FA in their Office 365 and email accounts by Feb. 12, 2019. Faculty and staff have been required for several months to set up 2FA in their Office 365 apps for additional security verification.

Important Recommendation: Anyone who plans to travel away from the main campus between now and the end of the academic year is strongly encouraged to opt-in to two-factor authentication as soon as possible. Unreliable or nonexistent internet or cell coverage prevents connectivity in some areas, domestic and abroad. Opting in now can enable continuing access to protected University accounts regardless of location.

Additional information and instructions are on the Microsoft Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Setup and Management page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

ITS has chosen Microsoft’s Azure Active Directory system to provide “Additional Security Verification” to University Office 365 accounts. “We use Azure to manage the University’s Active Directory within the cloud environment,” says Eric Sedore, Associate Chief Information Officer for Core Infrastructure Services, “It already has two-factor and multifactor authentication tools built-in. We are leveraging our existing deployment, so it does not increase our costs to take advantage of the advanced functionality.”

Over the summer, ITS added applications and features to the Office 365 suite including One Drive cloud storage, Teams collaboration suite, One Note digital notebooks, and multi-user document editing. These new services are available to all active ���ϲ����� students, faculty and staff and are protected with 2FA. Office 365 enables enhanced collaboration and streamlined meeting, scheduling, and calendaring among members of the University community. Installation instructions and details about these and other Office 365 services are on the Office 365 @ ���ϲ����� page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

For assistance with Office 365 and two-factor authentication, students are invited to contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff should contact their IT support team.

The Address Book in Outlook now includes all active students, faculty, and staff. It has never been easier to check calendars, make appointments, and find email addresses of other campus community members directly from Outlook. See the related ���ϲ����� article for details.

You will find details about these and other Office 365 services at the Office 365 @ ���ϲ����� page in the Answers.syr.edu knowledge base: .

For assistance with Office 365, students are invited to contact the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 and help@syr.edu. Faculty and staff should contact their IT support team.

“This incident is a sobering, real-world reminder to us all that the login credentials of faculty, staff and students are targets for organized crime and hackers,” says Christopher Croad, ���ϲ�����’s Information Security Officer. “These criminals use stolen NetIDs and passwords to harvest personally identifiable information from compromised accounts, or sell them on the ‘dark web’ for use in gaining access to academic assets such as library resources or educational discounts on software and services.”

As more ���ϲ����� services move to the cloud, it is getting more difficult to identify what is and is not an actual ���ϲ����� service. It’s best always to be cautious of any site that requires your ���ϲ����� log-in credentials, and never use those credentials to create an account on any non-���ϲ����� system.

“The bad guys will try to ‘phish’ you into logging onto the websites they control through email, attachments and even phone calls,” says Croad. “Be vigilant! We’re all targets, and our best defense against threats is the knowledge, caution and awareness each of us exercises when online.”

If you’re unsure of a website’s validity, please reach out to the Information Technology Services Information Security Team at ITSecurity@listserv.syr.edu or the ITS Service Center at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.

The technology in 202 Hall of Languages makes it easy to use Blackboard Collaborate.

Notable classroom upgrades have been in and . “The classrooms now host the latest technology, and they got a major facelift thanks to . We replaced technology systems used by instructors and students,” says Mike O’Mara, director of LEMP. “The rooms are now equipped with high-definition projection and displays, Windows 10 computers, Blu-Ray players, web-based video conferencing, high-fidelity playback speaker systems and accessibility features.”

Instructors are pleased with the classrooms upgrades. Bruce Kingma, professor of entrepreneurship in the and and former provost for entrepreneurship and inovation, says the upgrades have been working well in his classrooms. “I have one guest Skype in,” he said. “This was simple and easy, and the speaker quality was clear.”�� Kingma teaches in this semester, another room whose technology was upgraded. Kingma records all class presentations using . He has noticed a significant improvement in the quality of the audio and video. “It’s wonderful to go into a classroom and simply start the Blackboard Collaborate recording and know the results will be good,” he says, “The sound, video and lighting are perfect.”

“Better technology helps create better classroom environments,” says Sam Scozzafava, vice president for information technology and chief information officer. “Technology has a powerful effect on teaching and learning, and ultimately, student success.”

Professors and instructors who need help adjusting to the new technology in their classrooms can call on O’Mara and his team. “Whenever we upgrade the technology, we reach out to instructors to do a quick start session,” he says. “This group session will teach instructors about the newly implemented systems and allow them to get hands-on and ask questions.” LEMP also offers one-on-one training, and help is available on . Of particular interest will be the .

For more information about ITS and LEMP .

:

Teng Zhang, left, and Timothy Korter

Teng Zhang, an assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering in the , will present “Topology design in soft structures by controlling surface wrinkles.” Materials like tissues and gels are typical soft structures that have low elastic modulus and thus are easily deformed. Structures like surface topology change due to wrinkle instability are widely found in these soft materials and have been utilized to design smart adhesives, anti-biofouling, and in this talk, Zhang will demonstrate the principle of topology design via examples of controllable surface wrinkles. He will present a systematic study of the origin of the hexagonal wrinkle patterns observed in the experiments of bi-layer soft materials via large-scale simulations. Nonlinear evolution of surface wrinkle patterns and effect of curvatures will also be discussed.

Tuesday, April 17. 12:30-2 p.m. Katzer Collaboratory, 347 Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Thursday, April 12.

Timothy Korter, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, will present “Nondestructive and Noninvasive Identification of Historical Pigments.” Pigments found in modern art objects are often completely unlike those found in antiquity. The detection and identification of exact pigment components are critical to art restoration and conservation and important to revealing the provenance and authenticity of art pieces. Nondestructive testing is required, and noninvasive approaches are greatly preferred. Low-frequency vibrational spectroscopy is an emerging non-contact method for establishing the unique spectral fingerprints of pigments in art objects. Korter’s laboratory uses terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and low-frequency Raman spectroscopy (LFRS), both incredibly sensitive to the chemical identities and three-dimensional solid-state packing arrangements of pigments. The complete understanding of the observed spectral fingerprints is a continuing challenge due to the complexity of the samples. His team utilizes ab initio quantum mechanical simulations to simulate the structures and vibrational motions of both inorganic and organic materials. This enables complete assignment of the spectra and thereby unambiguous identification of pigment species. This work consists of rigorous calculations involving hundreds of atoms. The efficient parallel computing environment at ���ϲ����� makes it possible.

Wednesday, April 25. 12:30-2:00 p.m. Katzer Collaboratory, 347 Hinds Hall. Lunch will be included. Please register by Friday, April 20.

These sessions will explore how computing resources help researchers take on new and greater computational tasks, enhance research productivity, increase the competitiveness of grant submissions, and advance scientific discovery across many disciplines. Participants will have opportunities to:

• connect with other researchers on campus
• participate in an ongoing campus dialogue centered on research computing
• receive information on available resources and navigating the landscape; and
• meet and engage SU’s research computing staff.

Information Technology Services (ITS) hosts the sessions, in collaboration with the Research Computing Advisory Council (RCAC). CART services and other accommodations are available by request when registering to attend.

��Register or by Email

Please register for the session(s) you plan to attend, and request accommodations or send an email to researchcomputing@syr.edu. In your email, please include your name, daytime phone number, the session(s) you plan to attend, and any accommodations you may require.

For more information

To find out more about the growing variety of research computing resources and activities at SU, visit .

If you have questions about the Computing Colloquy sessions, send them to researchcomputing@syr.edu or Eric Sedore.

SITETL is an intense program for faculty members who wish to incorporate technology in their face-to-face courses or move a significant component of their courses online. This unique event will offer presentations and hands-on workshops involving current topics and technologies, as well as strategies and pedagogies to support accessible online teaching and learning. Participants will work alongside colleagues from a variety of disciplines as they develop skills and design content for their courses. Instructors will learn about a variety of technologies with a focus on enhancing instruction for students. Sessions will include presentations, panel discussions, and hands-on lab time.

Each session is limited to 15 participants selected through a competitive application process. The application deadline is Friday, April 13.

For more information, including the online application form, .

If you have questions or want more information, please contact Michael Morrison at memorr02@syr.edu or 315.443.1806.

About ���ϲ�����

���ϲ����� is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an��undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic , with a global footprint, and��, ���ϲ����� offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of ���ϲ����� is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit .

is a course content accessibility plugin that allows instructors to understand and tackle accessibility in a way that benefits all students. Ally automatically runs all of a course’s documents through an accessibility checklist, searching for common accessibility issues. Using advanced machine learning algorithms, Ally also generates a wide range of alternatives to the instructor’s original document file, such as accessible PDF, Semantic HTML, audio, ePub and electronic Braille.

Sharon Trerise, IT Accessibility Analyst in Information Technology Services (ITS), says the University licensed Blackboard Ally in the summer and has piloted its implementation in a few courses since September. At first, it was introduced in the . Since then, a variety of professors across the university have expressed interest, including professors in the��. “We wanted to find a solution to make it easier for faculty to provide accessible course content to students and help them learn how to create accessible documents from the beginning,” Trerise says.

An important highlight of Blackboard Ally is that it is very simple to grasp. “This Blackboard tool was very easy to use. It easily created accessible options for documents I’m using,” says Assistant Professor of Music Education David H. Knapp. “The accessible options such as cleaner PDFs for optical character recognition (OCR) are useful to all students.” Once Ally has been turned on in a Blackboard course, there aren’t any additional steps for the instructors to implement the plugin.

Instructors will notice a change in the Blackboard they are accustomed to, once Ally is integrated into a course. “Faculty will see next to each document a visible indicator that looks like a speedometer or gauge,” Trerise says. The color of the indicator rates each document’s accessibility. A red indicator means it is not very accessible in its native format; yellow means it’s somewhat accessible, and green means the posted document meets most or all of the accessibility criteria. An instructor can then follow the steps outlined by Ally to enhance the accessibility of documents that have poor accessibility ratings.

Stephen Kuusisto, a University Professor in��Cultural Foundations of��Education in the School of Education, says, “As a blind faculty member, this is a good step forward for Blackboard. It puts the tools at the disposal of faculty who aren’t necessarily up to speed on accessible documents and course materials.”

Associate Professor Alan Foley, director of the Center on Human Policy, agrees. “I am glad to see that Bb has (finally) taken this step to improve the accessibility and universal design of its learning environment and the materials instructors put in Blackboard. I follow the principles of universal design for learning when I design and teach a class, and Ally gives me even greater capacity to do this.”

Not only are professors having a positive experience with Blackboard Ally, but students are also benefiting. Foley says, “My students were most excited about the ‘accessible versions’ feature, which offered them on-demand access to course readings I had posted as PDFs in alternative formats, including a downloadable audio version and an ePub version. This feature gave ALL my students access to course content in different formats and was widely used.” Foley notes that “students who need alt versions will have them at the same time as students who don’t need an alt version.”

���ϲ����� student Emmanuel Elia Mhewa concurs. “The introduction of Blackboard Ally has brought simple life for me.” Although he’s using Blackboard Ally in just one course, Mhewa said he can download materials in any format he wants. “I like materials in HTML format if I’m using my PC,” he says. “But MP3 is the best when I’m walking. Blackboard Ally allows me to choose my format.”

Trerise notes that ITS hasn’t seen any major drawbacks with the program yet, although it’s obviously in its early stages. For example, Kuusisto notes that he is “still a bit unimpressed by the��PDF converter, which isn’t quite fully reliable. But this is a step.”

In any case, Ally has helped students and instructors, providing for a more accessible and effective learning experience. “If professors take it seriously and modify their documents to make them accessible to their students, then it’s a win-win solution,” Trerise says.

For more information about Blackboard Ally visit Answers.syr.edu and search for . Faculty members who wish to have Ally turned on in their current Blackboard courses are invited to email their request to help@syr.edu.

Accessing Higher Ground (AHG) focuses on the implementation and benefits of accessible media, universal design and assistive technology in university, business and public settings. There is a strong focus on universal design, curriculum accessibility and ADA and Section 508 compliance. Other topic areas cover legal and policy issues, video captioning and creating accessible math content. Incorporating accessibility into the procurement process and accessibility evaluations��is a particular focus of the event.

Presentation of the main conference on the University campus is jointly sponsored by the Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services office, the Center for Faculty Development and Institutional Transformation, the Office of Disability Services, the Disability Cultural Center, ���ϲ����� Libraries and Information Technology Services (ITS).

Who should attend?

This conference is intended for individuals who need to design or provide accessible web, media, information resources and technology in the academic and business environment, including faculty and administrators interested in ADA & Section 508 compliance and faculty and other professionals who wish to ensure that their curriculum is accessible. In the past, audiences have included web designers, assistive technologists, ADA coordinators, human resource personnel, persons with disabilities, disability specialists, faculty, media specialists and programmers interested in accessibility and incorporating universal design into curriculum and information and communications technology.

About the virtual conference

AHG will stream sessions live from two tracks, all three days of the main conference. To register and see the schedule showing local times visit , For complete information, including session abstracts and schedule (Mountain time zone), visit the .

NOTE: ITS has arranged for group tickets, each of which covers the presentation of all virtual main conference sessions on the University campus. DO NOT register for the virtual conference on the AHG website, unless you want to participate as an individual, or in the pre-conference sessions, or from another location. Also, note that the times shown on the virtual conference website are Mountain Time. Events will be presented here on campus two hours later than shown on the conference website. The virtual pre-conference sessions are not being hosted on the University campus.

Questions? Send an email to ITS at accessibleIT@syr.edu, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Please include your name and phone number in your email.

• Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Pro
• Creating and Delivering Accessible PowerPoint Presentations
• Creating Accessible Documents Using InDesign
• Creating Accessible Forms
• Evaluating Your Website for Accessibility
• Video Captioning

The workshops will help participants understand accessibility, put it into practice on the job and support the University’s efforts to ensure accessibility of documents, systems and communications across campus. Importantly, the skills learned in these workshops will help you realize in your work the University’s commitment to create a more accessible, inclusive campus.

Sharon Trerise and Kara Patten from ITS’s Academic Services team will present the workshops at the dates, times and locations shown below. Each session has space for 12 participants. To request disability-related accommodations for any of these workshops, please contact the IT Accessibility Team at 315.443.2143 or email accessibleIT@syr.edu. Please submit requests for accommodations at least a week before the workshop you will attend.

��Seating is limited, so register early! There is high demand for this training, so registration is on a first-submitted, first-enrolled basis. Use the links below to register.

About the workshops

.

All sessions will be held in 001 Steele Hall except Creating Accessible Documents Using InDesign, which will be held in HBC 227.

Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat DC

This workshop covers the process of creating accessible documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Upon course completion, participants will be able to explain the importance of creating accessible documents and perform the steps necessary to create accessible Word and PDF documents.

The Creating Accessible Documents in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat DC workshop will be held on:

• Wednesday, Oct. 11, 9:00 a.m.-noon
• Wednesday, Nov. 1, 1-4 p.m.

Creating and Delivering Accessible PowerPoint Presentations

��This hands-on workshop is ideal for anyone who creates presentation materials using Microsoft PowerPoint. In the workshop you will learn how to make PowerPoint slides accessible when presenting, creating, distributing or posting presentation materials.

The Creating and Delivering Accessible PowerPoint Presentations workshop will be held:

• Friday, Oct. 27 9 a.m.-noon

Creating Accessible Forms

��This hands-on workshop focuses on creating accessible online forms. The workshop will cover the ins and outs of creating accessible PDF, Frevvo and WordPress forms.

The Creating Accessible Forms workshop will be held:

• Thursday, Nov. 9, 1-4 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 1, 9 a.m.-noon

Creating Accessible Documents Using InDesign

This workshop will cover core InDesign accessibility concepts and specific best practices for document accessibility.�� Topics covered include:�� creating and mapping styles and tags; establishing reading order; creating forms; and conversion to PDF.

The Creating Accessible Documents Using InDesign workshop will be held:

• Friday, Oct.20, 9 a.m.-noon (227 HBC)

��Evaluating Your Website for Accessibility

This hands-on workshop guides participants through the process of evaluating their current website for accessibility.

The Evaluating Your Website for Accessibility workshop will be held:

• Tuesday, Oct. 17, 1-4 p.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1-4 p.m.

Video Captioning

This two-part workshop is for anyone who manages, creates or maintains video content. Part 1 covers captioning basics and third-party services; the optional Part 2 covers DIY captioning.

The Video Captioning workshop will be held on:

• Tuesday, Nov. 7, 9 a.m.-noon

.

For more information and assistance

ITS offers a growing variety of resources to ensure accessibility for all members of the ���ϲ����� community. Visit the web page and check out the . has Accessibility Training and Tutorials among��its online video courses, including how to make your sites friendly to screen readers and assistive technology, how to use proper markup and web standard compliance to make sites more accessible and search engine-friendly and more.

If you have any further questions about these workshops or other technology accessibility issues or want to arrange a consultation on related topics, including video captioning, remediation of your PDF, PowerPoint or Word documents to ensure accessibility and identifying and fixing accessibility issues on your website, please email accessibleIT@syr.edu or call 315.443.2677.

Pro Tips for Flipped Classroom Content Creation

July 25, 10-10:40 a.m.

In this live webinar, you’ll be introduced to a simplified workflow to plan, record, edit and broadcast interactive content through the use of mobile devices and computers. The webinar is presented by Sonic Foundry and includes a close look at its��MediaSite Video Platform deployed across the ���ϲ����� campus.

Jason Webb

Join speaker Jason Webb, online learning analyst in the University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) department, as he shares:

• his go-to consumer-grade tools and applications to create engaging and informative materials;
• how to put mobile devices and laptops to work to create professional looking content; and
• the framework to tell an interesting story that will get students to sit up and pay attention.

To register and for more information, .��

Webb��and his colleagues in ITS’s Online Learning Services group can provide you with their insights, guidance and assistance identifying and using the University’s technology resources for classroom content creation and other teaching and learning activities. Contact them at 315.443.2677 or help@syr.edu.

For a comprehensive catalog of ITS’s services for faculty and staff, visit .

��Numerous ���ϲ����� students have recently reported such scams and several students have fallen victim to them. , scammers continue to target students across the nation. We urge you to be vigilant of rampant, malicious employment scams, whether they’re in your mailbox, or you find them on employment websites.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) says the basic scam works like this:

• Scammers post online job advertisements soliciting college students for various administrative positions.
• The student receives counterfeit checks in the mail or via email and is instructed to deposit the checks into their personal checking account.
• The student is instructed to withdraw the funds from their checking account and send a portion, via wire transfer, to another individual or “vendor.” The money is purportedly for equipment, materials or software necessary for the job.
• Subsequently, the bank confirms the checks are fraudulent.

Examples of such employment scam emails read as follows:

“An advance payment will be made for all purchases and mailing you do for me during your employment time and you are free to resign respectively if you lose interest in working for me. This is a very simple employment … You will only be working for just 4-6 hours weekly not more than 2 hours daily and tasks can be completed at your own convenient time. I would be offering you $450 weekly as your salary.”

“You will need some materials/software and also a time tracker to commence your training and orientation and also you need the software to get started with work. The funds for the software will be provided for you by the company via check. Make sure you use them as instructed for the software and I will refer you to the vendor you are to purchase them from, okay.”

“I have forwarded your start-up progress report to the HR Dept. and they will be facilitating your start-up funds with which you will be getting your working equipment from vendors and getting started with training.”

“Enclosed is your first check. Please cash the check, take $300 out as your pay, and send the rest to the vendor for supplies.”

Unfortunately, students who fall for the scam suffer financial losses. The students’ bank accounts may be closed due to fraudulent activity, and student victims are responsible for reimbursing the bank the amount of the counterfeit checks.

In addition to financial loss, the scammers often obtain personal information such as social security and telephone numbers, physical addresses and email addresses from student victims while posing as their employer, leaving students vulnerable to identity theft.

Be Vigilant. Protect Yourself!

If you receive such a job offer by email, examine it closely. Employment scams begin with experienced con artists posing as recruiters or employers who offer attractive employment opportunities. These criminals frequently work from overseas locations. They often require job seekers to pay them money in advance, usually under the guise of work-at-home, high salary, no experience required, work on your own, shopping or personal assistant, and special vacation or travel arrangements. Here are some tips to help you avoid employment scams:

• Do not pay money up front.

• Do not accept payment for services you have not provided (i.e., as a “pre-payment” of expected services).

• Be cautious of people recruiting from out-of-state, or overseas “while on business,” or unwilling to meet in person.

• Be cautious of email addresses not associated with legitimate businesses.

• Be cautious of people planning to use a third party such as a lawyer, accountant or friend to pay your earnings.

• Be cautious of emails written with poor grammar, lacking proper verb usage and sentence structure, or with text in all caps or in bold font.

• Never send money from a deposited check until it officially clears your bank. Note: It can take several weeks for a fake check to be discovered.

• Never provide credit card or bank account numbers, and be cautious of payments by wire service or courier.

If you receive a suspicious offer or fall victim to an email scam, please forward any related emails to the ITS Information Security team at ITSecurity@listserv.syr.edu and the Department of Public Safety at dpsadmin@syr.edu. Please include your name, SU email address and contact telephone number.

If you have questions about student employment at ���ϲ����� contact Student Employment Services at 315.443.2268 or HRSES@syr.edu.

We’ll do what we can to prevent spam and phishing emails from landing in your SU mailbox, but inevitably some will get through. Please, be cautious about the email to which you respond.

help@syr.edu
315.443.2677