Category Archives: Top Stories

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Message from the VPIT-CIO

By | November 11, 2024

It’s a busy time at U-M right now. President Ono shared the new Campus Plan 2050 website and the Office of the Vice President for Research announceD a record $2.04 billion in research volume during FY2024. Additionally, registration is open for two of Michigan IT’s fall events: Hacks with Friends and the inaugural Michigan IT Winter Innovation Expo.

MPassport: Enhancing the international student experience

Student Life’s International Center supports U-M international students, faculty, and staff, as well as campus community members going abroad for study, work, and travel. Before 2021, the center relied on various Microsoft Access databases and software tools to engage with and track its constituents, lacking a unified system to streamline operations. The move to MPassport significantly reduced the… Read More »

Digitizing 1.7 million specimens at the U-M Herbarium with AI

The University of Michigan Herbarium is home to some of the finest botanical collections in the world. Founded in 1837 and growing ever since, their 1.7 million specimens of vascular plants, algae, bryophytes, fungi, and lichens, combined with the expertise of the faculty-curators, students, and staff, provide a world-class facility for teaching and research in systematic biology and… Read More »

New Football Season, More 5G!

There are new faces at the Big House this season and ever-growing demands on cellular networks during football games as the season kicks off. Now in its second year, a multi-year effort is underway to provide massive capacity cellular networks at Michigan Stadium – for the 5G era and beyond.

Fall 2024 Enhancements to Maizey AI

Earlier this fall, the Emerging Technology team within ITS released several improvements and new features for our custom generative AI tool, Maizey. As the academic year unfolds, these features will help faculty, staff, and students to streamline workflows, create and interact with custom AI tutors, and more.

Message from the VPIT-CIO

By | September 24, 2024

As we wrap up September and gear up for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we emphasize the importance of digital security. With a rise in cyber attacks, we’ve introduced Duo Verified Push across all U-M campuses, enhancing login security with a three-digit code. Additionally, we’ve integrated the Maizey AI platform into Canvas, making AI tutor creation easier for faculty and enriching the student learning experience. We appreciate your dedication and welcome suggestions for improving IT security and growth.

Save the Date: Michigan IT Winter Innovation Expo 2024 – A Celebration of Technology and Innovation

By | September 20, 2024

Mark your calendars! Michigan IT is excited to invite you to the Winter Innovation Expo on December 10, 2024. This not-to-be-missed event will be held at the Central Campus Classroom Building (CCCB) and promises a full day of discovery, inspiration, and networking. The Expo will feature an array of activities including the latest updates from Michigan IT, an… Read More »

Enhanced Duo Security Feature Starts Sept 25

Starting Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 12 p.m., Duo two-factor authentication push notifications will require university community members on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses to enter a three-digit code when they access U-M Weblogin. Michigan Medicine transitioned to the change on August 9. The enhancement, which impacts faculty, staff, students, alumni, and sponsored affiliates, is designed… Read More »

Maizey’s Media Debut: Will ITS’s Tool Change the Social Media Strategy?

As social media has becomes more of a battlefield for brand attention and engagement, understanding the factors of online interactions is not just helpful; it’s essential. Follow along with Abigail, an ITS intern, as she trains a Maizey to intricately analyze ITS’s social media metrics.

Profiles in IT: Kalpana Joshi—Teacher and Learner

Kalpana is an ERP Business Analyst with the ITS Teaching and Learning team. With a strong background in educational technology and computer science, she excels at integrating emerging technologies with educational tools. A firm believer in the adage “to teach is to learn twice,” Kalpana takes pride in helping faculty and students. She is a huge fan of reading books in Marathi, writing blogs, and learning new technologies.

Leadership Profile: Greg Laman

By | July 24, 2024

Meet Greg Laman, Director of Technology at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. He and his team support the general computing needs of the school and the more specialized technology in their studios. He has worked at the SMTD since the late nineties and enjoys seeing and hearing the great work being done by the school’s students and faculty.

LSA Technology Services partners with ITS to migrate load balancing services

Over the past several years, LSA Technology Services (LSA TS) has had to be nimble and spin up new services that could perhaps be better accommodated and scaled centrally. In late 2022, LSA TS opened discussions with Information and Technology Services (ITS) about migrating the LSA TS-managed load balancing services to ITS-managed hardware. Load balancing refers to efficiently… Read More »

Message from the VPIT-CIO

By | July 22, 2024

In these challenging times, it’s important to maintain respect and empathy for each other. Our unity as a team is crucial, and I am here to support you. Michigan IT exemplifies this spirit of service through tours and enrichment opportunities, such as visits to the U-M Nursing Clinical Learning Center and the Big House, which foster networking and understanding of campus technology.