The new myBama is now available in dark mode! After receiving many requests from UA students, OIT developers created a dark mode version of myBama.
The new myBama automatically detects a user’s default device settings and provides a myBama experience consistent with users’ preferred settings. If dark mode is not selected as your default settings but you want to see and use dark mode myBama, log into the new myBama, click your username at the top right, then select User Settings. From there you can select Light, Dark or Default OS settings.
The new myBama will replace the “old” myBama on Sunday, Jan. 23! Learn more about the new myBama and its search features on the OIT website.
The new myBama, which has been available for beta testing since Nov. 15, will replace the current myBama portal on Sunday, Jan. 23. The new myBama has a clean, bright and modern design. It also features several new functional elements that make the site user-friendly and mobile-first.
Search
UA students, faculty and staff can search for links.
Pinned Links
Pinned Links provides the opportunity for each user to customize their own myBama homepage. Pin your most frequently visited links to quickly access the content you need.
Popular Links
Popular Links refreshes regularly with the most frequently used links by others in your role. What’s at the top for students may be different than faculty and staff.
Learn more about each of these features in the promo video below!
Effective Dec. 15, Jira will replace Kace as OIT’s ticketing system.
Jira Service Management will provide a smoother experience for UA students, faculty and staff, as well as better internal systems for the OIT organization. Jira Service Management will serve as the ticketing solution for OIT, AVS and CIT.
Beginning Dec. 15, users who submit tickets to the IT Service Desk, AVS and CIT will receive new, streamlined communication from Jira. Please note that communications may appear different than previous experiences.
OIT has developed a new, streamlined and searchable version of the myBama portal.
The new portal will be released for beta testing November 15, and will be released to all of campus in the spring 2022 semester. Beginning Nov. 15, users can log in at myBama.ua.edu and select the option to try the “new myBama.” In January 2022, the previous version of myBama will be decommissioned and all users will transition to use the new myBama.
“We’re excited to provide the opportunity for users to poke around and test out the new myBama before making a permanent change,” said Meagan Bennett, director of customer relations for OIT.
Before developing the new site, OIT met with its Student IT Forum to hear from students how myBama could be improved.
“The Student IT Forum is incredibly helpful for us when considering changes to services,” said Bennett. “We meet with them once a month to ask questions, test out projects and get immediate feedback. The Student IT Forum provided several things for us to consider when designing a new version of myBama.”
The new myBama has a clean, bright and modern design. It also features several new functional elements that make the site user-friendly and mobile-first. One key feature that students specifically asked for in the new myBama: search.
“When OIT started talking with the Student IT Forum about designing a new myBama, my top request was that they incorporate a search bar,” said Sarah Liang, a senior majoring in computer science. “The new myBama has search functionality (and keyboard shortcuts) that even power users will love. students will be able to use MyBama to get to what they need faster and easier than ever before.”
Users can search for links by keyword. For example, if a student is looking for the MyTickets link, they can search football, tickets, or even Nick Saban to find the MyTickets link.
The new myBama also offers a “Pinned Links” section that allows users to customize their own homepage of myBama.
“We’ve found that most students, faculty and staff visit myBama for a handful of routine things, but those things may be different for each user,” said Joey Stowe, director of software and application development in OIT. “Staff may visit myBama to enter vacation or sick time. Students may visit myBama to view their class schedule. The Pinned Links section allows you to customize myBama for your needs.”
The site also provides a “Popular Links” section. This section is custom for each type of user. Once a week, this section will refresh to show the most popular links based on a user’s primary affiliation: student, faculty or staff. This time of year, you can expect to see MyTickets at the top for students, and BenefitFocus for faculty and staff.
“Our goal is to provide elements on the homepage of myBama to get users the content they need,” said Stowe.
If users prefer to scan content on pages, that option is still available in the new my
Bama. Content is available in the legacy format by visiting the pages listed on the left menu.
Along with a sleek design, the new myBama is also designed to be mobile-first. Users can visit myBama on their mobile device and access the same functionality.
Check out myBama.ua.edu on November 15 to see the new version of myBama.
Register to attend a live webinar on how to use Microsoft Bookings. Microsoft Bookings is an app integrated with your Outlook email and Calendar that allows others to schedule appointments. This tool is ideal for faculty to use for students to schedule office hours. To see an example of Bookings, visit the IT Service Desk’s Booking page. Register for the webinar today!
While many students and faculty depart campus for the summer, the teams in the Office of Information Technology are busier than ever. The Office of Information Technology’s Audio/Visual Solutions (AVS) team was hard at work this summer upgrading technology in a record-breaking number of classrooms and meeting spaces.
In a typical summer, AVS upgrades 12 classrooms. This summer they upgraded a total of 38 spaces with audio/visual equipment including 25 classrooms, 4 conference rooms and 9 additional spaces.
“We strive to provide cutting-edge technology and tools to create a modern learning environment,” said Greg McDonald, manager of AVS. “We want to compliment traditional learning with tech-based solutions.”
The AVS team works to create flexible spaces that foster a collaborative environment and maximize communication.
“When designing modern classrooms, we’re thinking about instructors first,” said Josh Adams, assistant manager of AVS. “Their needs are always at the forefront of our discussion and continue to be a driving factor in the functionality, layout and the hardware and software provided in classrooms.”
Instructors can look forward to new, user-friendly technology in several classrooms on campus. The AVS team upgraded one classroom in each of the following halls: BB Comer, Capital Hall, Gorgas Library and the Old Capstone Medical Building. Upgrades were completed in two classrooms in Farrah Hall, Garland Hall, Gordon Palmer Hall and SERC, three in Rowand Johnson, four in Reese Phifer and six in Graves Hall for a total of 25 classrooms.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a role to play in the selection of certain upgraded equipment in a few classrooms.
“The pandemic influenced the technology upgraded in some spaces such as cameras, web cameras and in-ceiling microphones in classrooms,” said McDonald. “Where possible, these tools help provide a more seamless learning experience for students.”
AVS strives to enable real-time classroom participation through hardware and software in classrooms equipped with tools for interactive video conferencing. In classrooms with this equipment, students and instructors can look forward to interactive and largely automated technology that provides almost immediate feedback.
A few equipment highlights include new technology that promotes interaction from smartphones and laptops, improved audio for lecture capture, larger desktop monitors with annotation capabilities, height adjustable podiums, as well as projector improvements for a high-resolution viewing experience. In Reese Phifer Hall, AVS was able to implement new pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) cameras in some rooms capable of capturing both instructor and audience participation.
“This technology provides students with interactive resources during and after lectures through Panapto, promoting engagement and keeping them connected to the course material,” said Adams. “Our detail-oriented team has worked tirelessly to make the Fall 2021 semester a great experience for UA students and instructors.”
Along with upgrading equipment in classrooms, AVS provides support and maintenance, consultation, design, installation, and training for a variety of audio/visual resources. Visit the OIT website to learn more.
In case you missed it, OIT migrated student Crimson email from Google to Microsoft O365. Students should regularly check their Crimson email to stay connected and receive campus news. Below are 4 ways students can access email.
Log into myBama.ua.edu and click the Crimson Email link
The OIT website has email best practices and step-by-step video guides for accessing email at oit.ua.edu/crimson. If you experience any issues accessing your Crimson email account, please reset your myBama password at myBama.ua.edu, then log in again.
In the coming weeks many faculty members may be returning to campus for the first time in months. OIT recommends that returning faculty perform updates to their University-owned computers before returning to campus. Updated computers are secure computers. Plus, by performing updates before coming to campus, you can be sure your computer is ready for #FirstDayUA!
Update Windows
Windows operating systems can be updated by first connecting to the campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) through the Cisco AnyConnect application. Instructions for connecting to VPN are available on the OIT website.
Once connected to the VPN, search for “check for updates” in the search area. The network will recognize your machine and begin to perform system updates. OIT recommends that you leave your computer on and connected to the VPN overnight to allow for updates. Restart your computer once updates are completed, then check for updates again. Repeat this process as needed, several rounds of updates may be available for machines that have not been connected to the campus network in a while.
Update Mac OS
Mac operating systems can be updated by visiting System Preferences > Software Update. Only update to the latest version of your installed OS. Please wait until tech support is available to assist you in updating to Big Sur as updates must first be performed to antivirus software.
Some “good” mail may be intentional delivered to your junk folder, and some junk may be delivered to your inbox. By labeling messages as “junk” and “not junk” users can train their mailbox to recognize what’s junk and what isn’t.
Beginning July 15, the Center for Instructional Technology will remove old course content from the Blackboard Learn system. This is accordance with UA’s LMS Course Retention Policy, which states that materials more than two years old will be removed from the system. Students and instructors should save any materials they wish to keep.
How to Back Up Blackboard Content – Students At the end of each semester, students should save anything they may want to keep. Courses will be made unavailable according to the LMS retention policy but can also be made unavailable by the instructor any time after a course is completed. Visit the CIT website for guidance on how students can back up Blackboard content.
How to Back Up Blackboard Content – Instructors Instructors have several options for backing up content or copying content into another course. More information about each of these options is available on the CIT website.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact CIT at 205-348-3532 or cit@ua.edu.
