Colleagues,
As the entire University community wrestles with the impact of COVID-19 on our campuses and beyond, we continue to explore ways to leverage technology resources to facilitate continuity of instruction and business operations. Last week, we announced the availability of a series of resource guides on the www.maine.edu website. We would like to inform all faculty and staff of the most recent updates that have been made to these guides which are summarized below.
- Please help encourage students to sign up for Direct Deposit
The University is encouraging ALL students to sign up for Direct Deposit to ensure timely processing and distribution of funds. This includes workstudy students who receive paychecks as well as students who will be eligible for refund payments for housing and meal plans. We have posted new visual guides to walk students through the direct deposit registration process. These resources are posted on the ‘Update Account Information’ page: https://www.maine.edu/information-technology/support/update-account-information/. Please help distribute this information to student groups you or your teams may have access to.
- Internet Access for Students and Employees
The Tools for Remote Teaching, Learning and Work Resource Guide (https://www.maine.edu/information-technology/support/tools-resource-guide/) has been updated to include information regarding internet connectivity options across the state. The FCC recently announced the ‘Keep Americans Connected’ pledge which asks telecom providers to play their part to ensure citizens are able to maintain or gain internet access, including providing current mobile subscribers with unlimited data and free mobile hotspot services for the next 60 days. On the Resource Guide, we’ve included a NEW interactive graphical map showing the locations of educational sites in Maine where internet and/or computer access may be accessible to students (as of today). We’ve also included a listing of Public libraries in the State as well as the most popular national chains where free public WiFi is available. As the COVID-19 situation in Maine continues to change by the hour, the availability of these resources may be affected and we will be keeping this guide up to date.
- Resources for Teaching and Working Remotely
The Tools for Remote Teaching, Learning and Work Resource Guide (https://www.maine.edu/information-technology/support/tools-resource-guide/) has been developed to provide a comprehensive source of information for faculty and staff exploring options for teaching or working remotely, including how to access voicemail and forward incoming calls. We encourage everyone to please refer to this guide for timely updates and information as new tools or services are offered. We would also like to remind faculty and staff that updated remote work guidelines will be made available on the UMS Health Advisory site (https://www.maine.edu/health-advisory/). We are currently exploring mechanisms to enable faculty and staff to access office PC workstations and network-based resources from off campus. At this time, the University is NOT authorizing the relocation of desktop workstations and equipment, including monitors and printers, without prior management approval. Please refer to the Resource Guide for additional information and guidance.
Should you have any questions or need assistance, please contact help@maine.edu or visit the UMS IT Support site (https://www.maine.edu/information-technology/support/).
Sincerely,
David Demers
Chief Information Officer