On March 9, OIT will enable a security feature in Catmail called Safe Links and will release a new version of the OHIO login page that requires users to enter their full @ohio.edu email address instead of just their OHIO ID to login. Normally, we would provide several weeks’ notice for a change like this. In this case, we have chosen to accelerate the timeline to provide additional protection against a recent uptick in phishing scam attacks. Spring break represents our best opportunity to implement these measures quickly while minimizing impact on the university community.

Both changes are part of a broader campaign to enhance online communication security at Ohio University. 

To provide a better wi-fi experience for faculty, staff and students, OIT will retire the OHIO University network name in favor of eduroam at the end of spring semester. Eduroam is just as fast and secure as OHIO University with the added benefit of free wi-fi access at hundreds of universities worldwide. 

If you have any computers, phones or tablets that connect to the OHIO University wi-fi, we recommend switching to eduroam before the end of the semester. You will receive periodic email reminders about this change as long as you still have devices that connect to "OHIO University."

To support the University’s decision to brand itself exclusively as “OHIO," OIT will retire the ohiou.edu internet domain in favor of ohio.edu on Dec. 21, 2018. From December 21, 2018 through June 30, 2019, ohiou.edu web addresses will redirect to a page that informs visitors of the name change and recommends that they replace “ohiou.edu” with “ohio.edu” in the address they were trying to reach.

As part of ongoing efforts to improve data security, Ohio University has established a new annual password change requirement for employees. Password expirations will be phased in gradually over the next several months. To minimize the impact of this change, faculty will not be required to change outdated passwords during high demand times like the start and end of a semester. 

Email scams can take many forms, but they all have one thing in common. They all ask you to provide your password or other personal information. If you receive a message that asks you to log into a website or reply with personal information, it is a scam. Learn more about how to protect yourself from email scams.

To connect a TV, game console, streaming device, smart speaker, wireless printer, or other device that does not support eduroam, use the new Device Registration tool to register your device for the guest network (you must be on the campus network to use this tool). 

Faculty and staff now have a powerful new tool available to facilitate online communication and collaboration. With text, audio, and video chat plus built-in integration with the University's OneDrive file storage and Office 365 online collaboration suite, Teams makes working together online easy.

This semester's Blackboard Learn upgrade will take place from 5 pm on May 9 to 5 pm on May 10, 2018. The updated version will provide new features and enhancements that simplify many of your everyday tasks, offer a better mobile experience, and improve accessibility, assessment and grading. As part of this work, we also will apply a new system theme that provides a more consistent and accessible look and feel.

The spring semester's Blackboard Learn upgrade will take place from 5 pm on May 9 to 5 pm on May 10, 2018. The updated version will provide new features and enhancements that simplify many of your everyday tasks, offer a better mobile experience, and improve accessibility, assessment and grading. As part of this work, we also will apply a new system theme that provides a more consistent and accessible look and feel.

Building descriptive links is the art of creating phrases that provide their own context and can stand on their own. Using descriptive hyperlinks gives us an opportunity to create a more meaningful experience for every visitor to our websites. This is particularly important for people with disabilities.

The creation of a dedicated position for web accessibility reinforces OHIO's commitment to making accessibility an integral part of building digital assets.

You don’t have to be a code whiz to make web pages accessible. In fact, one of the most effective ways to improve accessibility doesn’t require any coding at all. It just requires you to visualize your content as an outline. Using headings correctly helps our websites make more sense, not just for people who use assistive technologies like screen readers, but for all visitors. Having content organized in a logical order also may contribute to improved search engine results. 

As Ohio University moves forward with the Accessible OHIO initiative in other areas on our campuses, we will be breaking down barriers to OHIO websites. Together, we can send a strong message that those with disabilities are welcome to live and learn at Ohio University. 

A Website Audit is an inventory and analysis of all the content on your website. It is an essential part of creating a robust content strategy that will help connect visitors with the information they need on your site.