ACO Meeting Minutes May 9, 2019

Minutes of the Arts Computing Department meeting held on May 9th, 2019

Present:  S. Hartung, B. Baer, R. Park, K. McGowan, H. Balagtas, S. Speers, N. Bromley, J. Schildroth, T. Marshall-Taylor, W. Lewis

Co-ops:   J. Lam, J. Li, C. Hinton

Regrets: S. Paterson

Attendees:

  • Sherry
    • Today is the release date for Winter 2019 Course Evaluation results. Emails with results were distributed prior to this meeting.
    • The Course Evaluation Project Team (CEPT) invited all Faculty administration across campus responsible for running or setting up course evaluations in their respective Faculty to a number of meetings this week to explore ideas of standardized and cascading questions, systems and processes to gather our input.
    • Worked with HR to get Cameron and Jayden set up to access Workday. They did not receive the Workday Welcome email needed to activate their WatIAM userid. HR is looking into why they and many other new hires across campus did not receive that email. HR re-sent the emails and I sat with both to ensure they got set up. Cameron and Jayden are now set up and will be completing their onboarding process.
  • Bill B.
    • Current fiscal budget (May 2019 to April 202) is being finalized, and we should have a decision this week.
    • Once budget has been finalized we can officially update the current roll-over process.
    • I has come to my attention that recent changes to surplus process can provide employees the option to purchase surplus computers which have been wiped. They would need to pay Central Stores the value of the computer and it becomes a personal purchase. This has been in place over the last two years, but not well communicated. I will be talking with Sean Kimpinski on Monday to get all the details of how to get it valued, the wiping process, what software is left on if any. Servicing of these computers should not ACO responsibility. Will report on findings later.
    • The Human Factor training opportunity was very well received. Two staff suggested similar training for additional opportunities. We will be acting on some of the prioritized action items that came out of the training.
    • A co-op student's backpack was stolen from ML Theatre office during lunch yesterday with their computer and wallet. This is a reminder to be cautious and keep doors locked.
    • It was recently discovered that the new MacOS Mojave (10.14) may cause significant delays with standard spinning HDs resulting in a very slow machine.
    • Would like to hold a potluck in the PAS 2081 common area sometime this term. This is to test the software upgrade made by the Winter 2019 co-ops, as well as having a get together.
    • Welcome back Will Lewis.
  • Bob
    • Bruce Campbell, CIO, has announced there will be a one year campus information technology review. This was announced in the Daily Bulletin, and is outlined in the Campus IT Review website. I sit on the Steering Committee. The review was approved by the Provost and will be a high level self study of IST and will include external reviewers much like is done in department reviews.
    • Discussion: Bill suggested this topic could be further discussed in the Professional Development meeting next month.
  • Jayden
    • Have checked all labs to get familiarized with locations/environments.
    • Completed two work placement training online courses.
  • Jackie
    • Completed three required work placement courses.
    • Completed SEW099 course and attending SEW100 on Thursday afternoon.
    • Going through Survival Guide to understand responsibilities of Help Desk and Technical Writer.
  • Cameron
    • Fixed two computers in the Arts Lecture Hall .
    • Completed mandatory work placement training.
    • Prepared spare for deployment.
    • Wiping computers from SAF.
  • Herbert
    • Deployed laptop for Nicolas Hebbinckuys (French) and finished imaging iMac from ECH for Shana MacDonald (SPCOM).
    • Downloaded PatStat datafiles for Joel Blit (ECON) and working on imaging laptop.
    • Provide support for John North (English) with regards to setting up iMac for his lab in PAS. Setting his personal computer up for researcher image. Bill to talk to John to clarify his computer needs.
    • Schedule CALMS training for co-ops.
    • ECONSERV is failing or is about to fail. Warned Pierre Chause (ECON) that services should be moved to ECONSERV2.
  • Sean
    • Created new Lord of the Rings online package for ECH lab at the request of Neil Randall. Old one was removed when lab upgraded August 2017. 26GB installer. Deployed via Munki.
    • Setup Janet Klassen in Advancement who will be temping for Sherri Anne's old position until it's filled.
    • Created a Windows 10 VDI machine for kaborien to run Power BI as she has a Mac and BI desktop is Windows only.
    • Setup iMac and MacBook for Communications Arts co-op to use this term.
    • Added GIMP (free alternative to Photoshop) and Microsoft RDP as optional installs in Munki.
    • artsstore1 and cygnus are running storage server 2008d Should they be surplussed or upgraded? Both are 9 years old and artsstore1 has dead RAID battery. I'm thinking we just surplus them. artsstore1 is the only one in active use as a replica of cygnus2.
      • Discussion: Nevil needs to have them keep going until after the student tenant has been moved to faculty tenant.
  • Nevil
    • Fixed LearnLock in PAS 1237, HH 280, ML 113 after 1809 upgrade.
    • HH 280 has been rekeyed. There is a new fob in our lockbox for room access now.
    • Ongoing issue troubleshooting stp-resa logging on to some St. Paul's computers.
    • Recommended SAF change generic co-op student account passwords every term as one password has been used for a long period of time. I will check in with Patty Mah in a week to confirm passwords are changed. Will also look at any other generic accounts in the Faculty that may need to be changed.
    • Working with Peter Pillsworth from St. Paul’s to try and get their automated building system email working.
    • Discovered a bad network drop in the SWORDC.
    • A problem with people not being able to login to emails again, but not as widespread as in March .
  • Scott (presented by Nevil)
    • Co-op student on-boarding.
    • IDEA License manager: renewed the license for IDEA and documented the process.
    • HH 2104 podium Crestron not working - ITMS fixed.
    • Helped Rachel Stevenson with the Ref Works popup in Word.
    • Win 10 1809 HOME image uploaded to \\artspythos.
    • frenchlab21012-1 replaced.
    • Tech Writer project for summer from Wendy (collaborate with Elizabeth to move Randy Harris's web site to the WCMS).
    • All Labs upgraded to W10 1809.
    • Approximately 23 non W7 systems left to upgrade to W10 1809 in Arts tracking.
  • Jameson
    • Picked up new IP conference phone. Working on getting it working. It uses a generic Skype userid which is not currently being charged. The phone itself is programmed and runs on Android. It has a POE adapter to plug into the Ethernet.
      • Discussion: Should test the phone in locations that likely will be using it, like PAS 2030 and HH 178 to ensure it will work when needed.
    • Working on getting quote for FOB access system in PAS 2464.
    • PHD Defense for English on May 6.
    • [Games Institute] Created new Windows 10 1809 image.
    • [Games Institute] Created new staff accounts for new co-ops.
    • [Games Institute] Looking into using MDT for imaging in the GI.
  • Todd
    • David Kang working in Language Lab 9:30am to 3:00pm Monday through Thursday.
    • Met with ML 117 users (especially new users).
    • There were two ML 117 evening bookings, one was cancelled.
    • Met with new Communication Arts co-op John Tran. Set up access to all rooms and demonstrated resetting of sound processor.
    • New computer put in French Student Lounge.
    • New PC for Salle Pierre Dubé (ML 355).
    • Request for newer Nexus PC in ML 217 for Zoran Maric.
    • Request for upgrade to W10 for Alice Kuzniar's take home machine. Take home form to be completed.
    • Four printer connection made in French Studies (2 RAs, 2 for professor Kaminskaya's laptop machines).
    • Svetlana Kaminskaya has a new laptop to be registered for Ethernet access and has to get installation of SPSS Statistics 25 (skaminsk-fr15 laptop SPSS needs to be un-installed).
  • Will
    • Maple license server will be updated to support the recently released Maple 2019. This will mean dropping support for Maple 2015, Maple 18, Maple 17, and Maple 16, which all have minimal installations.
    • MATLAB license server now supports R2019a for both research and classroom use.
    • First-level Webstore and MATLAB questions are now going to the IST Service Desk.