November

Announcing two new technology-related initiatives

Departments are encouraged to review shared network drives; two Lyris lists will be moved to Office 365 Groups.

By Diane Watkins

November 29, 2018

In an effort to increase security, reduce spending and streamline processes, Information Technology Services is leading two important initiatives to better use University resources. 

The first initiative is to reduce the number of files stored on the shared network drives. To support this effort, all departments at Metropolitan State University of Denver are asked to review the files that they have stored on the Y: drive and delete any files that are no longer needed. Prompt attention to the file-cleanup effort will mitigate upcoming file-storage constraints and remove outdated or potentially risky material from the shared network drives.

Office 365 provides two solutions for storing and sharing files – OneDrive and SharePoint – so departments are encouraged to store new files and move existing files to either OneDrive or a departmental SharePoint site. Both tools provide access to files from anywhere with an Internet connection and many other helpful features.

The second initiative is to move mass email lists from Lyris List Manager to Office 365 Groups, addressing recurring security and support issues with the Lyris system. As a first step, the “major” and “minor” Lyris lists, which are used to send messages to currently enrolled students with majors and minors declared in Banner, will be moved to Groups in December. This transition should be seamless to departments and will require only using the lists’ new email addresses, which will be provided to each department via email along with informational materials. The Groups will be integrated with Banner and automatically updated based on current enrollments, just as the Lyris lists were. 

If you want to learn how to use OneDrive, SharePoint and Office 365 Groups, Lynda.com provides numerous training videos that are available to you for free as an MSU Denver employee. To access Lynda.com, go to the Faculty & Staff Hub, click the “Lynda.com” link, and log in using your NetID and NetID password. Suggested videos about these Office 365 tools are OneDrive for Business Essential Training, SharePoint Quick Tips and Learning Office 365 Groups.  

By using the robust functionality and features of Office 365, ITS hopes to continue to effectively and efficiently support the technology needs of MSU Denver students, faculty and staff members. If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the ITS Helpdesk at 303-352-7548 or support.msudenver.edu.