ITS Works on Summer Upgrades

During the summer, Truman’s Information Technology Services team will conduct a number of projects to improve campus infrastructure and enhance user experiences.

New Website Search Tools
ITS has implemented a new Google search tool for all campus websites. This tool will become active for all website searches done after July 1. To preview what the new search results will look like, click on the “Try the new Google search!” button on the main website. Along with many other enhancements, the result sets bring the most current and relevant search information to the top of the search list.

Enhanced Website Analytics
ITS has also set up all Truman websites to utilize the new Google Analytics 4 (GA4) tools. The old Google Analytics system will stop working July 1. GA4 is a new feature designed for the future of measurement. Among its notable features, GA4: collects both website and app data to better understand the customer journey; uses event-based data instead of session-based; includes privacy controls such as cookie-less measurement, and behavioral and conversion modeling; its predictive capabilities offer guidance without complex models; and it offers direct integrations to media platforms to help drive actions on a website or app.

Email Updates
ITS previously posted tips and tricks on how to best use Gmail while Truman migrates to Microsoft 365 this summer. As a reminder, faculty and staff may open the Outlook Desktop Application to review emails sent/received prior to April 21. This only provides access to old email and calendar items, it will not allow users to send or receive from this application. ITS plans to migrate all of the email currently stored in Exchange to Microsoft 365. For those who cannot currently access some of their email via Outlook for some reason, this email will still be migrated to Microsoft 365. The Outlook desktop application may not be able to access all of their old information, but it is still stored in the Exchange email server. Anyone who only used a web browser to access their email (i.e., exchange.truman.edu) and who cannot access this email at this time, it will still be migrated to Microsoft 365. Those who cannot currently access some of their email via Outlook because the Outlook cache was not enabled, this email will still be migrated to Microsoft 365. The Outlook desktop application may not be able to access all of the old information, but it is still stored in the Exchange email server.

Classroom and Other Infrastructure Updates
Through system upgrades and delivered enhancements, ITS will begin to take advantage of additional features available in the Banner Enterprise Resource Management System, as well as the TruView portal.

Telephone system upgrades will be done on a building-by-building basis over an extended period of time, minimizing the impact of any downtime to one building at a time.

Security updates will extend throughout the summer. Work is currently under way adding enhancements to campus firewalls, and personal workstation upgrades will happen as needed over the summer.

An upgrade to the campus bandwidth is also planned. The result of this upgrade will more than double the capacity of Truman’s MOREnet internet link.

Several classrooms will benefit from improvements over the summer. Major renovations will occur in Magruder Hall 1090 and Ophelia Parrish 1224 to better support the new majors that utilize these spaces. Magruder Hall 2078, Baldwin Hall 102, Baldwin Hall 257, Ophelia Parrish 2210, Violette Hall 1000 and Ophelia Parrish 2230 will receive needed upgrades or repairs.

There will be much activity in the Greenwood Interprofessional Autism Center to prepare for the planned fall opening. Several new classrooms, videoconference rooms and clinic spaces are being outfitted with technology to support teaching, clinic observations and general patient management and oversight.