Be part of Diversity Summit Week Nov. 6–10
The university’s third annual Diversity Summit is November 6–10, with a number of central and unit-sponsored events. Be sure to attend these activities.
Author Archives: News Staff
Hidden Figures: When the Computer Wore a Skirt
The exhibit “Hidden Figures: When the Computer Wore a Skirt: NASA’s Human Computers” will run November 11–25, 2017 in the Duderstadt Gallery on North Campus. This exhibit also features: “Hidden Figures of Michigan: Women in Engineering and the Sciences.” The Exhibit Opening Reception will be held on Wednesday, November 15 from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm in the… Read More »
Upcoming Teach-Outs
Teach-Outs are open to the world and are designed to bring together individuals with wide-ranging perspectives in respectful and deep conversation. These events are an opportunity for diverse learners and a multitude of experts to come together to ask questions of one another and explore new solutions to the pressing concerns of our global community. Check out these… Read More »
How to create better privacy policies
A 2008 study estimated that it would take 244 hours a year for the typical American internet user to read the privacy policies of all websites he or she visits—and that was before smartphones with dozens of apps, cloud services, and smart home technologies. If you’re like most people, you don’t read them. Florian Schaub, assistant professor of information at… Read More »
How social media affects disaster coverage
Cliff Lampe, an associate professor of information, says there’s a definite connection between social media and how news organizations cover disasters. For example, after Hurricane Irma hit the U.S. Virgin Islands on Sept. 6, stranded islanders flocked to social media to reach families and friends. Facebook groups quickly formed with residents posting photos, updates, and requests for assistance. As… Read More »
More data transparency needed on Ph.D. programs
Association of American University members want more institutions to follow U-M’s example when it comes data transparency of their Ph.D. programs. U-M makes publicly available data on admissions, enrollment, funding, time to degree completion and completion rates, along with the results of a basic doctoral exit survey and job placement information. Chief academic officers representing AAU campuses at their annual… Read More »
Social media in higher ed
Social media have changed how colleges interact and communicate with the world. Every post paints a picture of what a college is like, who makes up its community, and what’s important to them. It’s a 24/7 job that didn’t even exist a few years ago. For Nikki Sunstrum, U-M’s director of social media, that means constant monitoring of what’s happening… Read More »
Celebrate GIS Day Nov. 15
GIS Day provides an international forum for users of Geographic Information Systems technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society.
Lynda.com agreement renewed three years
All benefits-eligible faculty and staff have access to Lynda.com through their U-M email and password (Level 1).
Meet the Contact Centers CoP
An interview with the co-facilitators of the Contact Centers Community of Practice: Lisa Callihan (Customer Experience Manager, LSA IT) and Jennifer Herron (IT Business Planning Lead, ITS Infrastructure). What were the initial goals of the Contact Centers Community of Practice? The initial goals of this community were to: Bring together disconnected contact centers from across our 3 campuses Keep track of… Read More »
ITS helps improve cell coverage at the Big House
AT&T, working with Facilities and Operations, Information and Technology Services and numerous contractors, delivered “stealth” antennas that not only restored the beauty of the skyline, but improved network capacity.
First-day WiFi traffic triples
Last year, we reported the amazing, first-day usage statistics that made it clear just how much the U-M community relies on WiFi. That was nothing. On the first day of fall term, September 5, 2017, wireless network traffic increased by three times compared to fall 2016. Total unique devices observed: 100,087 Number of authenticated users on MWireless: 57,789 Number of… Read More »
U-M participation with HDI
Lisa Callihan (LSA IT customer experience manager) and Michael Morabito (Secure-24 client services manager) presented at the Help Desk Institute (HDI) local chapter meeting on September 14 in Southfield, MI. Their presentation, “Creating the Ideal Customer Service Experience,” was an interactive experience with two industry experts discussing the importance of building a customer service philosophy and culture. They… Read More »
Learn how HITS does agile on Sept. 19
Michigan IT’s Agile Community of Practice will host a special presentation by U-M Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) on September 19 at Arbor Lakes. All are welcome to attend.
The IT workforce: A journey of continuous change
How do we make sure higher ed teams are prepared and supported as the pace of academic technology moves ever more quickly? In a wide-ranging article in “EDUCAUSE Review,” U-M’s VPIT-CIO Kelli Trosvig writes that higher education IT leaders must commit to a journey of continuous change and improvement, driven sometimes by technology and sometimes by culture. “Expectations… Read More »
Accelerating the mobile web
Most web traffic today comes from smartphones and tablets, but the mobile web remains frustratingly slow. Even on fast 4G networks, a page takes 14 seconds to load on average—an eternity in today’s connected world. A team of computer science researchers at U-M and MIT has found a way to dramatically speed up the mobile web. Their new… Read More »
Digital tools for underserved job seekers
As more employers turn to sites like LinkedIn and CareerBuilder to recruit talent, job seekers from low-income areas or who have limited education often are left out. Tawanna Dillahunt, assistant professor at the U-M School of Information and College of Engineering, hopes to change that. Dillahunt has received a $499,729 National Science Foundation grant to help improve digital employment… Read More »
TapDancing around the censors
What if circumventing internet censorship didn’t rely on some app or service provider that could eventually get blocked, but was instead built into the very core of the internet itself? After six years in development, three research groups including the University of Michigan have joined forces to conduct real-world tests of an experimental new technique called “refraction networking.” They… Read More »
Ride-sharing apps affect car market
New research involving U-M’s Transportation Research Institute found that apps like Uber and DriveNow may be doing to cars what the web already did to newspapers. Two academic studies published this year have shown that people say they will reduce their use and ownership of private cars when they have access to ride-sharing or car-sharing apps. The U-M study of… Read More »
IMS Hackathon August 17-18
As part of its Quarterly Meeting & Technical Congress being held at U-M, the IMS Global Learning Consortium will host a hackathon focused on “Building the IMS Ecosystem.” Developers, programmers, engineers, UI designers, and any educational technologists are invited to participate. Improve your skills and knowledge working with the latest versions of IMS Global standards like LTI, Content-Item Message,… Read More »