News
Good news: Nick Pappin and Michael Stoddard are scheduled to come out here the week of July 9th to work on various IT projects. These projects should include:
- Getting the network reconfiguration closer to being fully integrated with the larger WSU Network (might be able to complete). Note: there will be some network disruptions. They will try to schedule disruptions after regular hours.
- Getting everything set up for the VoIP integration and try to start moving some of the phones over.
- Setting up the new podium in the larger conference room.
- And, hopefully, do some work to help reposition the server equipment so we can repurpose the rest of that room.
Site Migration and Web Accessibility
As mentioned at the Admin/Faculty meetings while I was out, web pages on the old TFREC web server need to be either terminated or migrated to the CAHNRS server. I believe all of you that requested a website location got one. If you didn’t request one and still want one, let me know and I’ll help you get the ball rolling. If you have other sites/content on the old server that have not been dealt with, let me know. Once the plug is pulled, all content will be unavailable to the public.
One thing to be aware of is that they are beginning to enforce the Web Accessibility Guidelines. What does this mean for you?
- All web developers, content publishers, editors, domain owners, or anyone who has any other role in updating WSU web content must be trained annually. (WSU Web Accessibility Training)
- All web content generated from June 30 on must meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA. (Executive Policy #7)
- All older content must be brought into compliance by Sept. 1, 2019.
- Any newly requested websites must undergo and pass an accessibility audit prior to going live.
What I’m currently working on
Terminating our TFREC server means that both our ‘public’ TFREC website and our ‘intranet’ (Admin) website must be migrated to CAHNRS. The new public website was created months ago but doesn’t have much content yet. Eventually, it will have information about the Center and links to each of the program websites you have set up. Any suggestions about content/features for the public site would be welcome. I have also requested a new site for our admin website. Since this is a new request it will be subject to the full accessibility standards even though it is just used by us. The site is not password protected, so it’s available to the public. There isn’t anything ‘sensitive’ there, just not interesting to anyone but us. There will be some hurdles for me to get this new site launched. First, the current site is not in compliance and will take some work to fix things. Second, CAHNRS must determine if the Room Scheduler is a security risk, then determine if it meets accessibility standards. If it doesn’t pass muster, I have some thoughts on how to work around the problem.
The other website that will need to move is our Safety website. It will need to be completely rebuilt. This will take me a while to figure out. And a component of this site, the Pesticide Application/REI table will need to be rebuilt. I have asked CAHNRS IT to look into it.
Updates
Campus IT
There only a couple of notable items of interest to us going on with Campus systems. The first involves continued ‘tweeks’ to the myWSU site and associated applications. It is working, but some bugs still pop up. The second involves Syke for Business. There were several recent problems that caused the connection to drop or prevented logins. They believe the problems have been fixed.
Video Conferencing/AMS
They upgraded the system which changed way Conference IDs work. You no longer need to enter a 7 before the class or conference ID number. The VMRs for classes were generated to include the 7. This is being fixed for the Fall semester. One of the problems that has cropped up is that the system allows for both the 7-prefix to be used and without the prefix. The result is that the system sets up separate connections on the bridge for each call-in type (example: one call using 71234 and another using 1234). this means that the VC SErvices people have to manually reconnect the meetings. The preferred method of calling is without the 7-prefix. this also applies to any non-WSU remote sites and any RP Desktop connections. They should have all this worked out before Fall and all assigned numbers will be correct.