Untitled - VCU Technology Services

Quick Reference
HelpDesk
www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk
Get help for any
technology question.
(804) 828-2227
[email protected]
VCU Alert
www.vcu.edu/alert
Is school closed for snow?
Why are there sirens?
Alternative Web Page
Technology Services
is responsible for
all academic and
administrative computing at Virginia
Commonwealth University. This includes
student applications
like e-Services and
e-mail, as well as
research computing
and the Help Desk.
Mark Willis,
Chief Information Officer
[email protected]
www.vcuopen.org
If there’s a major problem or
disaster, this is the place.
VCUCard
www.vcucard.com
Let them know right away if
you lose your VCUCard!
(804) 827-CARD (2273)
[email protected]
myVCU Portal
my.vcu.edu
Log on once and access all
your online resources.
Blackboard
my.vcu.edu
blackboard.vcu.edu
This book was designed,
laid out and edited by
Kari Scott. Project
managed by Hope Adams.
Contributers include:
Dave Brobst, Sheila
Chandler, Rob Downs,
Joanne Einsmann,
Carol Haley, Lucy
Halunko, Bill Jones,
Connie Lowery, Patti
Murdock, Vivian Pair,
Kay Sommers, and Jim
Yucha from Technology
Services and Mike Nguyen
from ResNet, Division
of Student Affairs &
Enrollment Services.
Library chapter by Dan
Ream from VCU Libraries.
© 2006 VCU Technology Services
All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Getting started
Campus computing
Technology in the residence halls
1
13
27
Off-campus computing
31
Staying safe
37
Everything else
53
Technology & the library
63
Policies and Index
71
VCU
Boring Standard Disclaimer
This book contains many URLs (Uniform Resource Locator,
also known as a Web address). All of these URLs were
verified and were correct when this book was published
(April, 2006). As in life, stuff happens and things
change. Most of the time when VCU’s Web team changes
URLs for information, we provide a redirect so that your
browser will find the new page. But, we’re human and
mistakes happen sometimes. If you use a VCU URL and it
doesn’t find the page you wanted, there is hope. There
is a search engine built into the VCU home page, so just
enter the subject you’re looking for and chances are you
will find it very easily.
There are also some cases when we list URLs that are not
owned or operated by VCU (your clue is the URL does not
contain “vcu.edu” somewhere in the address). We don’t
control those sites, so they may change as well, and they
may not keep their URLs as up-to-date as we do. Most
likely, if you visit the VCU site that corresponds to
that info, we’ll have the most up-to-date off-site links
on our Web site.
In any case, we are not endorsing or guaranteeing any
information on any site that we don’t control. We can’t
possibly do that. You know that, right?
Getting started
P How to use this guide
P Before you arrive...
Buying a computer
Computer software
Your eID
How to use your e-mail account
Changing your password
P Getting help
P Your VCUCard
P Technology policies
P Technology checklist
How to use this guide
Welcome to the first annual Technology Services
Guide! We’ve tried to gather as much information
we could find to help you access the technology
you need to make your college career successful.
We hope that you will keep this guide throughout
your time at Virginia Commonwealth University and
will refer to it often.
We’ve included Web addresses for many of the
resources offered at VCU. But change is inevitable, and sometimes information changes or Web
sites move. If you can’t find information using
these addresses, the most current information
will be available on the Technology Services Home
Page at www.ts.vcu.edu.
This is the first year we’ve published this guide,
so we welcome your comments about information we
may not have included that you would find helpful
or suggestions to make it easier to use. If you
have comments, e-mail them to [email protected].
Before you arrive. . .
www.vcu.edu/sci/getstarted
In today’s world, everyone must be technology
savvy. Computers and other technologies permeate
our society. In response to this, VCU is crafting
a technology-rich learning environment to ensure
that you are positioned to excel in your chosen
field of study when you graduate!
As a VCU student, you will use computers to conduct research; to access course materials, to
take quizzes and tests; to create and share new
ideas and art forms; to discover new scientific
realms, and to communicate with colleagues, instructors and family, all from within the VCU
community! Visit the VCU Web page at www.vcu.edu
and become familiar with the VCU environment.
All students are required to have a computer.
The following section will help you select the
right computer for your program of study and
budget.
Be sure you are ready by following the checklist
on page 11 of this chapter. We’ve also created a
Web site with all the information you need before
you get to VCU. Visit www.vcu.edu/sci/getstarted
to GET STARTED.
Buying a computer
www.vcu.edu/sci
Every year, the University revises minimum specifications for student computers for each new entering class. These specifications can be found
on the VCU Student Computer Initiative Web site
(www.vcu.edu/sci/spec_detail.html). These specifications will aid in your purchasing decisions.
Some departments and schools recommend a specific
configuration from among the options outlined by
the University. If you have declared a major,
you will need to check with the school or college in which you are enrolling to ensure that
the minimum specifications are sufficient for your
course of study. For the latest information
about configurations, please visit the Web site
(www.vcu.edu/sci/spec_detail.html) or call (804)
828-3018.
VCU recommends that students purchase theircomputers from one of four manufacturers—-Apple,
Dell, Gateway, and Lenovo/IBM—-that have been
identified as conforming to the required computer
specifications. University support is assured for
computers purchased from these manufacturers; the
same levels of technical support may not be readily available for computers from other manufacturers.
Additionally, Online@VCU, the computer store
owned and operated by VCU, sells systems from
Apple and Dell that meet or exceed the University
and departmental requirements. Go to the Online@
VCU Web site: online.vcu.edu and you can order
direct from the manufacturer, custom build your
system, get academic discounts, and have it sent
directly to your home. We suggest that you order
early so that you can become familiar with the
computer before coming to school.
Online@VCU also has an excellent list of answers
to frequently asked questions about buying a new
computer. For more help with buying a new computer, visit online.vcu.edu and click on the Frequently Asked Questions button.
Computer software
Online@VCU sells discounted software required for
student use. This includes special student-only
pricing (VCUCard required) on Microsoft Office and
Windows. For pricing, visit online.vcu.edu.
Technology Services also licenses antivirus software for student use. All students living in
the residence halls are required to download and
install, and use this software. The license remains valid for as long as you are a VCU student.
The software is available at www.ts.vcu.edu/security/virus.html. Please read all documentation before you download and note that you must
uninstall any other antivirus software you are
currently running first. For help with installing the software, contact the Help Desk at (804)
828-2227.
VCU also licenses some software for specialized
student and faculty use, at low or no cost to users. For a list of these programs and instructions for downloading, see the software page at
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/software.
What’s your eID?
java.vcu.edu/EIDFINDER
At VCU, your eID is your electronic user identification for authentication with many VCU electronic services and Web applications. Currently, your
eID is used to gain access to the e-mail system,
myVCU Portal, the wireless network, Blackboard
System, ResNet, and some departmental applications. Future applications that will use the eID
include Web access to the Administrative Systems.
All accepted students have been assigned an eID
that in most cases is your last name, first initial, middle initial. In the case of duplicate
eIDs, numeric characters are added. For instance,
John J. Smith would have an eID of smithjj. Another John J. Smith would be smithjj2.
To find your eID, go to the following Web page:
java.vcu.edu/eidfinder. You will need to enter
two pieces of information: your birthdate, the
last 10 digits of your VCUCard number or your
social security number. Press the “FIND” button. Your eID will be displayed. You will then
be given the chance to set your password for the
first time as well as create a password phrase to
allow you to reset it.
Your eID is used for login to various computer
accounts and Web services, while your student
number is used for financial/transaction processing and it is assigned in lieu of the Social Security Number.
How do I use my e-mail account?
www.vcu.edu/vcu/webmail.html
Once you’ve obtained your eID and set up your
password, you can use your VCU e-mail account.
Your e-mail address is (your eID)@vcu.edu. You
can access e-mail via the Web by going to the email page and logging in. More information about
using e-mail at VCU is in the next chapter.
How do I change my eID password?
If you know your eID, you can change your password by going to the following Web page: java.
vcu.edu/eidchangepassword and enter your eID,
your old password and your new password twice for
confirmation and press the change password button. If you’ve forgotten your old password, you
can call the VCU Technology Services Help Desk at
(804) 828-2227.
Getting help
www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk
If you need help using your computer at home or
on campus:
(Call the Help Desk at (804) 828-2227, or
. Send an e-mail to [email protected], or
8 Go to www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk, or
N Come in person to these locations:
Monroe Park Campus:
Cabell Library, Room B-9
MCV Campus:
Sanger Hall, Room B1-018
The Technology Services Help Desk provides quick,
courteous, and comprehensive computing support on
the Monroe Park and MCV campuses. Online requests
can be made 24 hours a day. Go to the Technology Services Help Desk Web site to create help
requests; search Technology Services FAQs; find
software downloads; and more. Visit us at www.
ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk. Walk-up service is available on both the Monroe Park Campus (901 Park
Avenue, Cabell Library, Room B9 and MCV Campus
(Sanger Hall, Room B1-018). Visit the Technology
Services Help Desk site www.ts.vcu.edu/helpesk
for walk-up and phone support hours.
If you live in a residence hall
www.resnet.vcu.edu
ResNet provides on-site technical support:
(Call (804) 828-8943, or
8 Go to www.resnet.vcu.edu, or
N Come in person to 711 W Main Stree Suite 166.
Your VCUCard
www.vcucard.com
The VCUCard is the official identification card
for Virginia Commonwealth University and the VCU
Health Systems. While on either campus, all students, faculty and staff are required to carry
their VCUCard. Students may obtain their VCUCard
immediately after registering for classes.
In addition to being your University ID, your
VCUCard has a wide variety of uses. To help keep
college life simple, most of the services you
will need are available when you receive your
VCUCard. Your VCUCard:
meal plan participants into dining
qAllows
halls
Allows student access to residence halls
and other campus facilities
B
Allows parking deck access to VCU parking
c decks
Allows students free access to athletic
events, recreational facilities, and student activities
S
Allows students to check out books from VCU
& libraries
v
G
Allows cardholders to ride the shuttle bus
between the Monroe Park and MCV campuses
Offers banking services through Wachovia
Bank that allows you to use your VCUCard
as your ATM card. Wachovia ATMs are conveniently located around campus and are programmed to allow cash withdrawals as low as
$10. For more information, contact Wachovia Bank at (800) WACHOVIA (922-4684) or
www.wachovia.com/campuscard
RamBucks
www.vcucard.com
RamBucks is a prepaid, stored value account that
is part of the VCUCard. It is the cashless way
to pay for those countless items and services
needed in everyday campus life--both on and off
campus. The VCUCard RamBucks account provides
these services:
Can be used at all campus food locations
Can be used to pay for a wide variety of
goods and services at over 30 off-campus
locations. (see www.vcucard.com/locations_
offcampus.jsp for a complete list)
Purchase drinks or snacks at on-campus
vending machines
Pay for printing in computer labs and
copies in the libraries
Purchase books and supplies at the
Follett Bookstores and Online@VCU
Pay for parking in Monroe Park Campus Decks
Pay for laundry in the residence halls
Parents can make deposits to your RamBucks account online (www.vcucard.com) or over the phone
using a credit card (804-827-CARD), or by mail-
ing a check to the VCUCard office. Your balances
carry forward each semester, so you’re never in
danger of losing your money.
You can also view your RamBuck balances and make
deposits to your RamBucks account from the myVCU
Portal (my.vcu.edu).
Lost cards
If you lose your VCUCard, report it immediately
to a VCUCard office. Although there is no fee
for the initial issuance of the card, there is a
charge for a replacement card. Any unused RamBucks will be automatically transferred to your
replacement card.
VCUCard office locations
Monroe Park Campus
Technology Administration Building
701 West Broad Street, Lobby
(804) 827-CARD (2273)
MCV Campus
Tompkins McCaw Library
509 North 12th Street, Room 1-025
(804) 628-CARD (2273)
Mailing Address is
VCUCard
P.O. Box 843069
Richmond, VA 23284-3069
E-mail & Web
[email protected] and www.vcucard.com
Technology policies
10
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) provides
and maintains computing resources to support
the education, research and work of its faculty, staff, and students. In order to ensure that
these resources are used ethically, equitably,
and legally, VCU has established certain guidelines and policies.
While you’re at VCU, you are subject to these
policies. Since policies can change, we’re not
going to include the text in this book. But you
should make sure you are familiar with them, because you are required to follow them! Read them
at www.ts.vcu.edu/policies.
Cut this page out for
a handy checklist to
help you get ready
to come to VCU!
Technology checklist
□ Have
you got a computer? If not, for help
in deciding what computer to get, or for a link
to programs with special computer requirements,
check www.vcu.edu/sci/spec_detail.html.
□ Have
you installed VCU’s antivirus software?
Do it now. Download it from
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/virus.html.
□ Do
you have Microsoft Office installed? If
not, you can get a specially discounted copy from
Online@VCU (online.vcu.edu).
□ Have
you registered your computer with the
VCU Police Department’s Operation PC-ID (www.vcu.
edu/police/oppcid.html). This link will tell
you how to identify your computer and register
it with the VCU Police, so, if it is stolen, you
might be able to get it back.
□ Have
you obtained your eID? Visit the eID
Finder to get yours! (java.vcu.edu/eidfinder)
□ Have
you logged onto the myVCU Portal
(my.vcu.edu)? This is your portal to all things
VCU. All you need is your eID and password.
□ Do
you practice Safe Computing? Make sure you
read the chapter on Safe Computing in this book
and visit www.ts.vcu.edu/security.
Are you living in the residence halls? Here’s your checklist:
Internet access is included as part of your technology fee. There is one Internet connection for
each bed in the room. You do not need to install
any special software to access anything at VCU—
it’s all done over the Internet. Typically computers in the Residence Halls are “plug & play”
but there will be help available on move-in day.
Please note that, because they can disrupt network access, routers and wireless access points
11
12
are not allowed under any circumstances in the
Residence Halls. Do not install a wireless access
point, wireless printer, Airtunes or music bridge
device, or a wired hub. (Wireless keyboards,
mice, and other infrared devices, and 900 Mhz
wireless phones--but not 2.4Ghz or above
--are okay.) If you use these devices your VCUnet connection will be cut off.
□ Does
your computer have an Ethernet card? If
you bought it within the last 2 or 3 years, it
probably does. Here’s how to tell. Look at the
back. If there’s a place that looks like you
could plug in a phone cord on steroids, you have
an Ethernet card installed. If not, you’ll need
to take it to a computer repair place (like Online@VCU: online.vcu.edu) to have an Ethernet
card installed.
□ Are
you running Windows 2000 or Windows XP
Pro (it will say when you start up the computer).
If not, you’ll need to install Windows XP Pro.
You can purchase a discounted copy at Online@VCU
(online.vcu.edu).
□ Do
you have a 25 foot Ethernet cable? If
not, you can get one at just about any store
where computer accessories are sold (like Target,
Radio Shack, or Best Buy). You can even get one
at Online@VCU (online.vcu.edu).
□ Have
you left your AirPort/Wireless hubs,
routers and access points at home? Don’t think
we won’t find you if you try to install them on
campus. We will. We will shut off your port!
□ Have
you bookmarked the Web site to get computer help in the Residence Halls? Here it is:
www.resnet.vcu.edu for computer support in the
Residence Halls. Bookmark it!
Are you living off campus? Here’s your checklist:
□ Do
you have an ISP (Internet service provider)? If not, you’ll need to get one. More information about ISP services is available on page 32
(Off Campus Computing).
Campus Computing
P Blackboard
P Connecting to the Internet
P Computer labs
& printing locations
PE-mail particulars
P MyVCU portal
P Student eServices
13
Blackboard
blackboard.vcu.edu
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/bb/student_faqs.html
14
Blackboard (Bb) is VCU’s online learning and content management system which allows you to connect to your classes and your information from
any computer connected to the Internet.
The
Learning Management System (LMS) is VCU’s standard for professors to post class information,
assignments and resources online. The Content
Management System (CMS) gives you a central location to store all of your files online, eliminating the need for you to carry around portable
drives or CDs, and allowing you to work on files
from any computer connected to the Internet.
Accessing Blackboard
My.vcu.edu
blackboard.vcu.edu
To access Blackboard you can use the VCU Portal
(my.vcu.edu) or go to blackboard.vcu.edu. In
either case, to login use your VCU eID and password.
If you need help with your eID, please contact
the Technology Services Help Desk via a help desk
ticket (www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk), e-mail (help@
vcu.edu), or phone (804-828-2227).
Blackboard’s two major components
Learning Management System (LMS)
Many of your professors will use the Learning Management System (LMS) to distribute course
information, hold on-line discussions, pass out
additional readings or resources, hold tests and
quizzes, and post assignments and grades. Dif-
ferent professors will use different resources in
Blackboard—in some courses you may use it a lot,
in some you may use it just to get your syllabus
and course schedule, and some professors won’t
use it at all.
When you register for a class, you are automatically enrolled in the Blackboard class by the
next business day. When you log onto the LMS,
the class should show up in your My Courses list.
If a course in which you are registered does not
show up, first check with the professor to make
sure he or she is using the LMS for that course,
and that he or she has enabled the course. If
the professor thinks you should have a LMS
course, contact Technology Services Help Desk via
a help desk ticket (www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk), email ([email protected]), or phone (804-828-2227).
If you need help with a particular Bb Course,
please contact the faculty member teaching the
course to see if they can help. If the faculty
member can’t help, please contact the Technology
Services Help Desk via a help desk ticket (www.
ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk), e-mail ([email protected]), or
phone (804-828-2227).
Content Management System (CMS)
The second component to Blackboard is the Content
Management System (CMS). CMS allows you to store
your files securely online. That means you’ll be
able to access that English paper from anywhere
you are on the Internet. So you can work on it
at your home computer, save it to the CMS, and
then work on it at a library computer, on your
mom’s computer, or on a friend’s computer—any
computer connected to the Internet! You can also
share it with people you specify, which makes
working on group projects a breeze. Organizing
your files works just like organizing files on your
computer’s hard drive, and uploading files is very
simple.
When you login to the Bb system you will see a
tab labeled “Content System.” Click on it to see
the many options you have in CMS.
15
If you need help with CMS, please contact the
Technology Services Help Desk via a help desk
ticket (www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk), e-mail (help@
vcu.edu), or phone (804-828-2227).
Connecting to the Internet
16
Wireless network
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless
As more and more students find laptops helpful for
their studies, VCU is responding by installing
wireless access points on campus. Maps showing
the location of the wireless access points can be
found at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless or
tha back page of this guide.
In order to access the wireless network on your
laptop, you will need a wireless card that conforms to standard 802.11b. Most newer laptops
come with the cards already installed. On older laptops, you can buy a simple wireless card.
Cards are available for purchase from the Online@
VCU store.
VCU has two different ways to connect: The simplest way is to log on using the Bluesocket page.
If you simply open a browser while in a wireless
hot zone on campus, you will be directed to a
Bluesocket log in page, where you enter your eID
and password (just like using Blackboard, myVCU
or your e-mail), and then you can use the wireless network just like you would if you were connected to a hardwire port. You should be aware,
however, that information sent this way is not
secure and could be captured by a wireless eavesdropper. You should never transmit private information using this connection.
If you do need to use a secure network, you will
need special software called a Virtual Private
Network (VPN) client to access the wireless network. The VPN client protects your privacy by encrypting any information sent across the wireless
network, making it impossible for a malicious
person to capture and use your personal data.
Windows users may download the VPN client from
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless/vpn.html.
Mac and PDA users can obtain a VPN client from
the Online@VCU store. For more information call
(804) 828-7295.
Campus laptop ports
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/dhcp/dhcp.html
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/laptops.html
Network ports for laptops are located in the
Student Commons Building under the stairwell by
the Career Center and on the second floor in the
lounges and hallway lounge areas. Ports are also
available in Cabell Library on the 3rd floor. A
more detailed list is available at www.ts.vcu.
edu/faq/connect/laptops.html.
Many schools have added or plan to add laptop
ports to their computer labs. Please check with
your school’s lab.
Information about setting up your laptop from
these ports can be found at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/
connect/dhcp/dhcp.html. If you need assistance,
please call the Technology Services Help Desk at
(804) 828-2227.
Computer lab &
printing locations
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/labs
Several open access computer labs are available
on both the Monroe Park and MCV Campuses. These
labs are open to all students. For hours of operation and other information about these labs,
please see www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/labs.
17
Monroe Park campus
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/labs/b8.html
Cabell Library Room B-8
18
This is Technology Services’ lab on the Monroe
Park Campus. Resources include 86 PCs, 9 Power
Mac G5s, 3 Pay-for-Print laser printers (2 black
and white, 1 color), 2 scanners, as well as
adaptive equipment for students with disabilities. Wireless is also available for laptop connections.
MCV campus
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/labs/sangerlab.html
Sanger Hall B3-012
This is the main lab on the MCV campus, equipped
with 8 PCs, 4 Macintoshes, and 2 Pay-for-Print
laser printers (1 black and white and 1 color)
plus group study and collaborative rooms.
Computer labs are also available in Residence
Hall for resident students. Labs are located in
GRC, Johnson, Brandt/Rhodes, and West Grace Residence Halls, Ackell and Broad & Belvidere apartments, and the Larrick Student Center.
In addition to the labs listed above, specific departments/units may have open access labs available. Or, they may have labs reserved for their
students only. Check with your instructor, department, or school about these labs.
Printers & photocopiers
www.vcucard.com/making_deposits.jsp
www.library.vcu.edu/services/pay4print
VCU uses a pay-for-print/copy service tied to
your VCUCard. Printers are available in both
the above labs, some other computer labs on cam-
pus, as well as the libraries. As of this printing (Fall 2006) single page black & white laser
prints are 8¢ each, and double-sided and color
prints are also available at additional cost.
You must have RamBucks (www.vcucard.com/making_
deposits.jsp) on your VCUCard. Pay-for print is
very easy to use, reliable, and you don’t have
to carry around change. For more information,
there’s a handy FAQ (www.library.vcu.edu/services/pay4print/faq.html) which should answer all
your questions.
E-mail particulars
All new students are required to have a VCU email account to facilitate communication with
instructors, classmates, and others at VCU and
elsewhere. Accounts are free. All electronic
correspondence from the university will be sent
to your “vcu.edu” e-mail address. VCU policy
does not allow mail to be forwarded to an outside
e-mail address and all correspondence with faculty is expected from your “vcu.edu” address.
Your account was automatically created for you
when you sent in your paperwork to attend VCU.
To use your account, you will need your VCU eID
and password. If you’ve not yet set your password, follow the instructions in VCU eID section
on page 5. Your e-mail address is (your eID)@
vcu.edu. Once you have set your eID password,
you are ready to log into your account.
Important updates regarding scheduled maintenance
and any changes to the e-mail system are available at beech.vcu.edu/mail.
19
Accessing your e-mail via
a Web browser
20
VCU Mail Anywhere is a Web interface for students
to access their VCU Lotus Notes e-mail, calendar,
and personal address book from a browser such as
Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. VCU Mail
Anywhere requires a Java-enabled browser. You
may be prompted at initial login to accept a Domino Web Access Control or trust content from IBM
Corporation. You must accept this prompt to correctly access your mail. Your browser must also
allow pop-ups (you can limit popups to just the
VCU site). Additional troubleshooting tips and
steps for using VCU Mail Anywhere can be reviewed
at beech.vcu.edu/das/vmawebhome.nsf/webcontent/
studentemail.
1. To log into your e-mail account with a Web
browser, go to:
webdirect1.vcu.edu
or
webdirect2.vcu.edu
You can also access your e-mail from the MyVCU
Portal (my.vcu.edu)
2. You will by default open directly to your
Inbox. If you wish, you can personalize a Welcome Page by clicking the Welcome tab, click Edit
Layout, Save and Close. Then change your default
start up view in Preferences – Other.
3. Double-click the sender’s name to open a
message from your Inbox.
Replying to a message
1. After reading an e-mail, you may reply to
the sender by pointing your mouse over the Reply
button and selecting:
.Reply to Sender (replies to the sender of the
original message)
.Reply to Sender with History (replies to the
sender and includes the text of the original
message and any attachments)
.Reply to Sender Without Attachments.
.Reply to All (replies to the sender and everyone in the TO or CC fields of the original
message) and other Reply to All options include the same features as Reply to Sender
NOTE: E-mail quotas are 50 MB for undergraduate
students and 75 MB for graduate students. Since
all Sent mail is saved by default, attachments in
Sent items remain in your mail database and can
quickly put a database over quota. Reply without
Attachments whenever possible.
Creating a new message
1. From your Inbox, point your mouse over the
New button and select Message.
2. Type an e-mail address in the To: field or
click on the To: button to access your personal
Contacts or the VCU Notes Address Book, the global address book for the entire university population.
3. Type the person’s last name in the Find:
field and click the Search button. Highlight the
person’s name and click the To: button to add him
or her to the recipient list for the message.
Repeat the search as necessary. Click Exit when
done.
4.
Type a Subject in the subject area.
5. Click in the message area to begin typing
your message.
6. To send an attachment, click the Folder
icon in the Add Attachments section at the bottom
of the message screen. Select the file you want
to attach.
7. Click the Send button when your message is
ready to be mailed.
21
Deleting messages
1. With the message open click the trashcan
icon to delete the message.
22
2. To delete multiple messages, highlight the
first message, then hold down the CTRL key and select the other messages to be deleted. Release
the CTRL key when done selecting. Click the
trashcan icon to delete all of the selected messages.
3. By default the trash will empty automatically 72 hours after mail is placed there. This
allows the ability to open the trash and restore
an item that you mistakenly deleted.
Additional help for VCU Mail Anywhere
For additional assistance with mail, click the
Help button in the upper right corner. Information on creating folders, managing junk mail, and
creating rules are located there.
Accessing your e-mail
via an IMAP client
beech.vcu.edu/das/vmawebhome.nsf/
webcontent/studentemail
You may also configure an IMAP configuration with
popular IMAP e-mail clients such as Microsoft
Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, or Eudora. Please visit beech.vcu.
edu/das/vmawebhome.nsf/webcontent/studentemail
and follow the link to PC IMAP or Mac IMAP Information for detailed instructions on configuring
your account. VCU Mail Anywhere runs on multiple
servers for redundancy. If the primary site is
unavailable, please use the secondary site.
I use a Macintosh. What should I do?
beech.vcu.edu/das/vmawebhome.nsf/
webcontent/FAQ17
Macintosh users have the same options of using
the Web client or setting up an IMAP client as PC
users. You also have the option of downloading
and installing the Lotus Notes Client.
If you would like to install Lotus Notes for Mac
on your computer, you can download the software
at beech.vcu.edu/das/vmawebhome.nsf/webcontent/
FAQ17. You must contact Doctor Notes (dnotes@
vcu.edu) for your client password prior to installation! Please provide a telephone number;
otherwise, it will be mailed to your VCU e-mail
account only.
What about spam?
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/email/spam
Unsolicited E-Mails
The increasing frequency of unsolicited commercial e-mail (commonly known as spam) and viruses
that use e-mail as the method of propagation has
caused significant aggravation for many VCU students. In response, VCU has implemented tools to
centrally address this problem.
Viruses
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/av_info.html
The system detects virus-laden e-mail and eliminates the virus from the document before sending
the affected e-mail to you. When you open the
e-mail, you will receive an acknowledgement that
a virus was removed from the attached document
making it safe to open in the usual manner. The
system may also block known viruses from arriving in your Inbox. Because it is possible for
some viruses to go undetected by this system, it
23
remains very important for you to maintain up-todate antivirus software on your computer as well.
Download it for free at
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/av_info.html.
Spam
24
VCU uses a program called Brightmail to filter
incoming spam. On an average day 66% of the mail
received at VCU is identified as spam and blocked.
To ensure that no messages are falsely identified
as spam, VCU configured the Brightmail scanners
to only filter out messages that have the highest
confidence of being spam. So a few spam messages
do get through, but we would rather that happen
than have a legitimate message be labeled as spam
and not be delivered. If our spam scanners identify a message as spam, the message is placed in
quarantine. A Spam Quarantine Summary is sent to
your Inbox daily with a summary of the quarantined items. The summary contains instructions
for releasing a document for delivery, deleting a
document, or after 14 days quarantined messages
are automatically deleted.
Tips for handling spam
Never respond to unsolicited e-mail/spam. To the
individuals who send spam, one “hit” among thousands of mailings is enough to justify the practice.
Never respond to the spam e-mail’s instructions
to reply with the word “remove.” This is a ploy
to get you to react to the e-mail--it alerts the
sender that a human is at your address, which
greatly increases its value. If you reply, your
address may be placed on more lists resulting in
more spam. Unfortunately, the best response now
is to simply delete the message.
Never sign up with sites that promise to remove your name from spam lists. Although some of
these sites may be legitimate, more often than
not, they are address collectors. The first kind
of site is ignored (or exploited) by the spam-
mers, the second is owned by them--in both cases
your address is recorded and valued more highly
because you have just identified it as read by a
human.
You can also apply spam filters to your e-mail.
Details can be reviewed at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/
email/spam/filters.htm.
myVCU Portal
my.vcu.edu
The myVCU Portal (my.vcu.edu) is your personal,
customizable, Web-based informational portal to
Virginia Commonwealth University. Logging into
the myVCU Portal with your VCU eID will help make
campus services and information both faster and
easier for you to find and manage. The various
portlets allow you to view your Blackboard courses and content system, access your e-mail, advising information, customize your view of the University Events Calendar, and look at your library
record. Other available portlets include access
to library databases, The Facebook, RSS feeds
(both internal and external), local movie listings, weather, stocks, and many more. The number
of portlets is constantly expanding to enhance
the capabilities of myVCU.
Please feel free to share problems, suggest enhancements, or give general feedback on the myVCU
portal by using the “Leave Feedback” form at www.
pubinfo.vcu.edu/myvcu/.
25
Student eServices
my.vcu.edu
iserver.adm.vcu.edu/students
26
eServices@VCU is a password-protected service
that enables you to access your student records
via the Web at VCU. You may access:
R Personal information (update your address,
check to see if there are registration holds
on your account--so you can clear them to register--or find your student number)
R Registration information (register for classes, add or drop classes, or withdraw from a
class, view your grades, print your class
schedule)
R Financial Aid (find out your application status, check to see if your financial aid has
been updated or awarded)
R Student Bill (check to see how much you owe
and when payment is due)
R Academic Record (print out your unofficial
transcripts, see what progress you’re making towards your degree, or begin the checkout
process to graduate!)
eServices@VCU is available from 7 a.m. to
midnight Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, and noon to midnight Sunday. After
your initial registration at Summer or Fall
STAR, or at the Student Services Center, you
are encouraged to register for classes by using
eServices on the Web. You may also adjust your
schedule by adding, dropping or withdrawing
from classes by using the Web according to
deadlines published in the Academic Year Calendar
(available at www.vcu.edu/academiccalendars).
Technology in the
Residence Halls
P Connecting on campus
P Downloading music, movies
and software
PJust for gamers & geeks
P Telephone services
27
Connecting on campus
www.resnet.vcu.edu
www.vcu.edu/sci/spec_detail.html
28
All residence hall rooms at VCU are connected to
VCUnet (the university network). To connect your
computer to VCUnet from a residence hall room,
you will need a 10/100 BaseT Ethernet card (usually included with most new computers, if you’re
using an older computer you’ll have to check)
and a RJ-45 (UTP) patch cord (ethernet cable).
Please refer to specifications provided on the
SCI Web site at www.vcu.edu/sci/spec_detail.html
for recommended Ethernet cards and cables.
The Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Services provides on-site technical support to students living on campus. This support includes:
8Network Card installation (if computer does
not have an ethernet network card; students
must purchase an ethernet card)
8In-room help if students cannot connect to the
Internet on their own
8Network connectivity issues
8Internet help
8Basic troubleshooting
8Virus removal.
ResNet will provide you with the same level of
support that any technical services shop would
provide; however, if you experience hardware
problems, you must purchase replacement hardware
at a computer store like Online@vcu (ResNet will
install this hardware for you). They will also
help you diagnose any problems you have so you
if or what know what you need to purchase.
Students are responsible for following the computer guidelines listed in their Residence Hall
Handbook.
All technical support requests must be submitted via the on-line service request form located
at www.resnet.vcu.edu. Registration is required
to request technical support and can be done at
www.resnet.vcu.edu (you’ll need your eID). Using
the on-line service request is the best way to
request service so that a history can be created
for you to help if other problems arise.
Just for gamers & geeks
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/network/
If you are a gamer, or one of those computer
geeks who likes to juice up your rig, please review the information in the Advanced Users section of Chapter 6 (page 59) for information about
doing that.
Downloading stuff
Watch the University of Richmond’s Intellectual
Property movie (seriously, it’s not lame!)
Quicktime
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/security/urip.mov
Windows Media
video.vcu.edu/asxgen/rmdowns/
UofR_IPlarge.wmv
So, what do you think?
Okay, now for the facts. As much as you want to
share/download “free” music, movies and/or warez
(pirated software), if it is copyrighted, it is
most likely illegal. It is also against VCU
policy (www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/computeruse.html)
and if you do download illegal files, you are subject to VCU’s Honor System as well as the civil
and/or criminal penalties from violating the law.
While you may have shared files at home with no
repercussions, now that you’re in college you are
much more likely to find out that the record and
movie industries (RIAA & MPAA) mean business.
They specifically target university networks for
29
enforcement, because that’s the most likely place
for them to find violators. You are much more
likely to get caught here than you were at home.
30
And if you get caught, the RIAA or MPAA will notify us and the first thing we’ll do is cut off
your network port without warning. Then, you
will have to prove that you’ve removed all the
illegal stuff from your computer before we reconnect your system. If the university gets served
with a subpoena asking for your name in a lawsuit, we will have to comply; otherwise we could
be sued and the entire university network could
be shut down. That would be very bad for everybody. So think about all these consequences, and
don’t share files illegally.
Telephone services
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/telephone
VCUnet Residence Hall Telecommunications provides
local telephone service to VCU students in all
of the residence halls except for Capital Garage Apartments. The local telephone service is
charged on a per semester basis and is included
in the Communications Fee. Call waiting, caller
ID, call forwarding and private voice mail are
all included in this service. For long distance
dialing, will be able to make collect calls or
use a calling card.
Local telephone service is already connected
when students arrive on campus. Students need
to bring their own telephone, one with Caller ID
capability, or separate Caller ID equipment, if
they want to utilize this feature. An answering
device is unnecessary because voice mail is included with the local telephone service.
Instructional information can be found on our Web
site at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/telephone. You may
also contact VCUnet Residence Hall Telecommunications at (804) 692-6000 or [email protected].
Off-campus computing
P Configuring your computer
P Connecting to the Internet
P Getting an ISP
P Software downloads
31
Configuring your
computer
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/dhcp/dhcp.html
32
If you are connecting VCUnet, either from the
Residence Halls or using VCU’s wireless network
or laptop ports around campus, you’ll need to
make sure your computer is configured for a DHCP
connection. The good news is that most computers
come that way by default, so you’ll only need to
change it if at some point you used your computer
on a network that required a static IP connection. The bad news is that the instructions are
different for each version of the various operating systems. To help you configure your computer,
we’ve put instructions for each operating system
on a Web page (www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/dhcp/
dhcp.html--read before you get to VCU) for you
to download.
If reading the instructions makes
your head spin, you can always call the Technology Services Help Desk at (804) 828-2227, and an
actual person will walk you through it.
Getting an ISP
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/webdesign/start/isp.html
Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is your
gateway to the Internet. If you’re living on
campus, VCU is your ISP and you don’t need to do
anything. But if you are living off-campus (either at home with your parents or on your own
in an apartment or house) you’ll need to get an
ISP. Some larger apartment complexes will either provide this as part of your rent or offer
this service at an additional (usually modest)
cost. Check to see if yours does. Otherwise,
you’ll need to acquire this for this yourself.
You have two basic choices:
Dial-up service
online.vcu.edu
This is the easiest and usually cheapest alternative, but it’s also the slowest. You connect
over your phone line using a modem. These are
usually built into your computer, but you’ll have
to make sure. If you bought your computer and it
doesn’t have one you can purchase an external 56k
modem for between $50 and $75. Then you’ll have
to contract with an ISP for service. Online@VCU
(online.vcu.edu) offers one to VCU students for
about $10 a month. Or you can use a commercial
service like NetZero or Earthlink. Whatever service you choose will tell you how to set up and
dial-in to their system. Once you’re on the Internet, all you have to do is log onto my.vcu.edu
to access most everything you need at VCU.
High-speed service
This is usually more expensive, but it’s much
faster. If you have a phone line in your house
or apartment, you might be able to have DSL. It
will depend on your phone line, so you’ll have
to check with your phone service to see if it’s
available on your line. If you have Verizon
phone service, contract for a discounted rate
through Online@VCU (online.vcu.edu). If you
don’t have Verizon service, you’ll need to check
with your phone service provider about rates and
availability. You may have to purchase a special
modem, or they may provide that for you (often,
that’s a “special offer” you can negotiate).
If you don’t plan to have a phone line installed
(i.e., you’re planning to use your cell phone exclusively), it will probably be less expensive to
use a cable connection. Cable is more expensive
than dial-up service, but when you factor in the
cost of getting a phone line too, cable’s cheaper.
33
If you’re living near campus, you will probably be working with Comcast. Check with them
about rates and connections. If you were
planning to install cable for your TV, you’ll
probably get a discount on your computer connection.
Connecting to the Internet
34
VCU uses the Internet for most of the computing resources students will need. There are
some exceptions, and instructions for specialized connections are in the Advanced Users section of Chapter 6 of this guide. In
most cases, your professors will tell you if
you need the advanced connections. Otherwise,
as long as you have an Internet connection,
you’ll be able to do anything you need to do
at VCU.
Wireless network
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless
As more and more students find laptops helpful for their studies, VCU is responding by
installing wireless access points on campus.
Maps showing the location of the wireless access points can be found at www.ts.vcu.edu/
faq/connect/wireless or on the back cover of
this guide.
In order to access the wireless network on
your laptop, you will need a wireless card
that conforms to standard 802.11b. Most newer
laptops come with the cards already installed.
On older laptops, you can buy a 802.11b compliantf wireless card. Cards are available
for purchase from the Online@VCU store.
VCU has two different ways to connect: The
simplest way is to log on using the Bluesocket
page. If you simply open a browser while in a
wireless hot zone on campus, you will be directed
to a Bluesocket log in page, where you enter your
eID and password (just like using Blackboard,
myVCU or your e-mail), and then you can use the
wireless network just like you would if you were
connected to a hardwire port. You should be
aware, however, that information sent this way
is not secure and could be captured by a wireless
eavesdropper. You should never transmit private
information using this connection.
If you do need to use a secure network, you will
need special software called a Virtual Private
Network (VPN) client to access the wireless network. The VPN client protects your privacy by encrypting any information sent across the wireless
network, making it impossible for a malicious
person to capture and use your personal data.
Windows users may download the VPN client from
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless/vpn.html.
Mac and PDA users can obtain a VPN client from
the Online@VCU store. For more information call
(804) 828-7295.
Campus laptop ports
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/laptops.html
Network ports for laptops are located in the
Student Commons Building under the stairwell by
the Career Center and on the second floor in the
lounges and hallway lounge areas. Ports are also
available in Cabell Library on the 3rd floor. A
more detailed list is available at www.ts.vcu.
edu/faq/connect/laptops.html.
Many schools have added or plan to add laptop
ports to their computer labs. Please check with
your school’s lab.
Information about setting up your laptop from
these ports can be found at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/
connect/dhcp/dhcp.html. If you need assistance,
please call the Technology Services Help Desk at
(804) 828-2227.
35
Software downloads
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/virus.html
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/software/
36
Technology Services licenses antivirus software for student use. All students living in
the residence halls are required to download and
install, and use this software. Off-campus students are strongly encouraged to download and use
this software as well. The license remains valid
for as long as you are a student at VCU. The
software is available at www.ts.vcu.edu/security/
virus.html. Please read all documentation before
you download and note that you must uninstall any
other antivirus software you are currently running first. For help with installing the software, contact the Technology Services Help Desk
at (804) 828-2227.
VCU also licenses some software for specialized
student and faculty use many at low or no cost to
users. For a list of these programs and instructions for downloading, see the software page at
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/software.
Staying Safe
P Virus protection/
antivirus software
P Backing up your data
P Online safety & security
P File sharing
P Reporting suspected
security problems
P Copyright &
computer use policies
37
Virus protection
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/av_info.html
VCU has a site license for antivirus software
which is available for download at no cost to VCU
students, faculty and staff for use on university
and home computers. The site license for antivirus software covers both Microsoft Windows and
Macintosh platforms.
All students living in the Residence Halls are
required to install and use this software. Students living off-campus are strongly encouraged
to use the software as well. The software is free
and can be legally downloaded to all computers
you use as a student (i.e., if you have both a
laptop and a desktop computer, you can put the
antivirus software on both computers).
38
Please visit www.ts.vcu.edu/security/av_info.html
to get the latest information about VCU’s antivirus product, complete installation instructions, and to download the software. You will
need to remove any antivirus software that is
currently on your computer. If you have a dialup connection to the Internet and do not wish to
download the software, you may pick up a free CD
with the software installation package at the
Technology Services Help Desk. Call (804) 8282227 for more information or visit www.ts.vcu.
edu/helpdesk for hours and locations.
If you have already purchased antivirus software, please note that the license for the software generally only lasts for one year. If you
got a free copy with your computer, the license
is probably only valid for 3-6 months Your license for VCU’s software will last for as long as
you are an enrolled student. The site license
requires that this software be removed from any
machine owned by a person who is no longer a current member of the VCU faculty, staff or student
body.
Back up your data
After your hard drive crashes is the worst time
to develop a backup plan. Especially when your
20 page term paper is due tomorrow. And it was
just about done. And you don’t have a hard copy
of it.
Get into the habit of regularly backing up your
important files. Most modern computers have CDR and/or DVD drives which can burn CDs or DVDs
quickly and easily, and a package of blank discs
is relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of
losing your data. Make use of this technology
and save yourself a lot of grief. USB (sometimes
called thumb or flash) drives are another good option for backups. You can save your important
school work to your Blackboard Content Management
space and access them from any computer connected
to the Internet (especially helpful when you’re
doing research papers in the library). For more
information on using this service, see www.
ts.vcu.edu/faq/bb/student_faqs.html#content for
instructions on using this system.
Online safety & security
www.ts.vcu.edu/security/
Top 6 safety tips
Here are some basic rules for keeping your computer and data safe:
1.Be absolutely sure you have antivirus installed and that the virus signature files are
always up-to-date so that your machine is
protected against the latest threats. See the
previous page for information on downloading
VCU’s antivirus program so that your computer
has optimal protection against infections.
39
2.If you have a Windows computer, it is very important for you to configure your PC to perform
automatic updates to Windows. The Automatic
Update service will help to ensure that the
most critical security patches are installed
as they become available. You can also call
the Help Desk for help in making sure your
computer is configured to receive automatic
updates. Please note that older versions of
Windows, including 95, 98, NT and ME are no
longer supported by Microsoft--if you are using an older version of Windows, you should
upgrade to the currently supported versions.
40
You can get more information about configuring
and deploying Microsoft Automatic Updates at
www.support.microsoft.com.
Operating system patches and updates frequently require that your computer be restarted
before they are fully installed. If a restart
is needed, Automatic Update will give you the
option to restart immediately or to wait until
a more convenient time. If you choose to wait,
please be sure to restart as soon as possible.
Also be aware that in most cases it is best
to shut down your computer when it won’t be
used for several hours, such as at night, unless some automatic process like a back-up or
scheduled software update must run in your
absence.
3. Use strong, hard-to-guess passwords on all
your accounts, and don’t use the same password
for multiple systems or applications. See Use
Strong Passwords on the next page for further
information.
4. Install a personal firewall on your computer. A
firewall will help stop intruders from the Internet from breaking into your computer.
Windows XP SP2 includes a free firewall built
in. For instructions on how to use it, see
their firewall page: www.microsoft.com/
windowsxp/using/security/internet/sp2_wfintro.
mspx. Make sure you are using SP2.
For more information on using firewalls, along
with reviews of commercial programs and links
to some free downloadable programs, visit
www.firewallguide.com.
5. Be suspicious about e-mail and e-mail attachments, and do not open an attachment that
comes in an e-mail message unless you have
asked somebody to send it to you. The VCU email system blocks attachments that could contain viruses or other malicious threats, but
you still need to be careful in your handling
of e-mail. Malicious worms have been known to
use other methods besides e-mail attachments
to deliver payloads of infection and propagation. It is possible for an e-mail message
to contain a link that will redirect your Web
browser to a site where the worm’s components
are downloaded to your computer. Never click
on a link that appears suspicious.
6. Be sure you back up your important data. Get
in the habit of always making back up copies
of your term papers and other important data
to ensure that you have these files if your
computer fails. You can use writeable CDs DVDs
or USB flash or thumb drives to make backups of
your files.
Use strong passwords
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/security/l
Using strong passwords is one of the most important actions you can take to protect your computer and data.
Your password should be at least 7 characters
long, should not contain your name or login information, and should include upper and lower
case letters and numbers (at least 1 number is
required.
Good password:
Bad password:
jH4dKnY
mydogspot
41
Think that first one is hard to remember?
it means:
Well,
Joan is hot for Dave Krause and Nick Yates
See, you can think of a sentence only you would
know and create a set of letters and numbers to
stand for that. If you relate it to something in
your life (your friend Joan, who can’t make up
her mind between Dave & Nick), you’ll be able to
remember it. Simple, eh? Just don’t tell anyone
what your sentence is--you don’t want anyone to
be able to guess your password. And then you can
be as snarky as you like.
Memorize your password, and don’t write it down.
Use different passwords for different sites.
Don’t use the “remember my password feature” on
Web sites, especially if you’re using a public
(i.e., lab) computer.
Change your passwords at least every 6 months.
(so maybe Joan dumps Nick and Dave dumps her.
Who is she hot for now?)
42
Avoid viruses and other malware
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/av/info.html
We can’t say it enough: the best way to avoid
viruses and other malware is to be sure you have
an antivirus program installed on your computer
and always keep the virus signature files up-todate so that your computer can fend off the latest attacks. See the first section in this chapter for links and info.
Don’t open e-mail attachments unless you’re sure
they’re legitimate. Even if they come from a
friend, make sure your friend sent them! Viruses
can “spoof” senders to make you think that it’s
coming from someone you know. And never click on
a link in spam or other unsolicited e-mails or
e-mail you think might not have come from someone
you know. If you’re not sure, don’t click, don’t
open, just delete.
How to handle dangerous e-mail
Be suspicious about e-mail and e-mail attachments, and do not open an attachment that comes
in an e-mail message unless you have asked somebody to send it to you. The VCU e-mail system
blocks attachments that could contain viruses or
other malicious threats, but you still need to
be careful in your handling of e-mail. Malicious
worms have been known to use other methods besides e-mail attachments to deliver payloads of
infection and propagation. It is possible for an
e-mail message to contain a link that will redirect your Web browser to a site where the worm’s
components are downloaded to your computer. Never
click on a link in a suspicious e-mail message.
Phishing scams
Phishing scams involve fake e-mail messages or
Web pages that mimic well-known, trusted Web
sites. These online fraud techniques are attempts to trick you, the user, into revealing
personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, passwords and other
information that can be used for identity theft.
Learn more about what students need to know about
identity theft by visiting the U.S. Department of
Education’s Identity Theft site at www.ed.gov/
about/offices/list/oig/misused/idtheft.html.
Spyware and spam
Spyware refers to software that performs certain
tasks on your computer, typically without your
consent. This software runs the gamut from innocent but often annoying pop-up advertising windows to the more serious tracking of your online
activities and the changing of your computer settings without your permission.
Learn more about spyware symptoms and how you can
43
protect your computer by visiting Microsoft’s
spyware site: www.microsoft.com/athome/security/
spyware/spywarewhat.mspx.
It’s a good idea to have at least two anti-spyware programs on your machine. Select any two of
these:
! Download Microsoft’s AntiSpyware: www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software
! Download Spybot Search and Destroy:
www.spybot.info/en
! Download Ad-Aware: www.lavasoftusa.com/
software/adaware/
Spam is defined as junk mail which is an electronic version of advertisements from people you
don’t know trying to sell you something you don’t
want. VCU blocks spam on the University mail
servers in order to reduce the amount of junk
mail that gets delivered to users’ mailboxes.
See page 23 for more information.
44
Visiting malicious Web sites
Some Web sites may look legitimate but are actually being used by a remote attacker to download malware to your computer when you visit the
Web site. Avoid clicking on links contained in
e-mail messages you receive unless you are sure
the message is legitimate. Be very careful when
browsing the Internet. If something doesn’t look
right, it probably isn’t.
Chat rooms
www.wiredsafety.org/safety/chat_safety
Chat rooms are online gathering places. They use
a protocol named Internet Relay Chat (IRC) that
allows real-time conversations. Chat rooms are
used to meet friends, share interests and hobbies, buy and sell items, and study and complete
homework projects. They can also be places where
predators hang out. Never arrange to meet someone you only know through chat room conversations.
Instant messenger
www.microsoft.com/athome/security/
viruses/imvirus.mspx
Instant messaging (IM) is a form of online communication like e-mail. The main difference is that
IM is instantaneous. Using an IM program, you and
a friend can type messages to each other and see
the messages almost immediately . Unfortunately,
viruses and other malware can infect your machine
through IM and then spread very quickly by sending copies to everyone on your IM contact list.
For five simple steps you can take to avoid viruses in instant messages, visit www.microsoft.
com/athome/security/viruses/imvirus.mspx.
Facebook, MySpace, blogs, etc.
www.wiredsafety.org/safety/chat_safety/
Facebook and MySpace (and other similar sites)
are online “social network” services that allow
students to post personal information and pictures on a profile. In spite of privacy statements, these sites are free to use the information you provide in any manner they choose. Your
personal information could be forwarded to spammers and data mining sources.
Never use your email password on sites like this since that could
compromise access to your e-mail account.
A blog is a Web site where an individual or a
group generates text, photographs, videos, audio
files, and/or links, typically on a regular basis.
Be careful not to post sensitive information to
blogs since you do not know who will be reading
this information.
45
When creating profiles, posting diaries or blogs,
posting pictures, or posting in online discussion
group, remember that these are public spaces.
Everything you post in them is available to anyone with a computer and Internet connection. If
you post your phone number, e-mail address, residence hall room number, etc, anyone can use that
information any way they want. Not everyone on
the Internet has good intentions. You don’t want
some weird person to know a lot about you including where you live. Both female and male students need to be very careful about posting their
personal information.
Remember also that if you post stories and pictures about your wild exploits and intensely
personal experiences, you are letting everyone
in the world know about them. Before you post,
think about whether you would want your mom, your
grandmother, your pastor, or a potential employer
knowing about these things. Someday you may want
to run for political office--you know that information will end up on The Smoking Gun if you do.
Think before you post!
46
P2P - spread of malware
Users of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems are prime
targets and/or launching points for malicious
hacker attacks simply because these networks require downloading and sharing of electronic files
or programs. Here are some typical attacks:
MTrojan horse poisoning attacks (e.g. providing files whose contents are different
from the description)
Mpolluting attacks (e.g. inserting “bad”
chunks/packets into an otherwise valid file)
Mmalware in the peer-to-peer network software itself (e.g. software may contain spyware)
Mdenial of service attacks (attacks that
make the network run slowly or break completely)
Mspamming (e.g. sending unsolicited information across the network)
These programs infect your computer, collect
personal information for marketers and provide
access to your computer by malicious hackers.
Besides being a legal problem, P2P can be very
dangerous for the health of your computer and
should be avoided completely.
File sharing
You should know that almost all music or video
files that you find on the Internet are copyright
protected. It is illegal to download those files
or share copies with friends without permission
from the copyright owner. It is also contrary to
VCU policy.
Top 10 reasons NOT to download free
movies or music
10
9
8
7
Napster has to make a profit now!
Downloading copyrighted material without permission is wrong and is against the law.
That indie artist that you love so much will
continue to live on tofu mac n’ cheese because they aren’t getting your royalty money.
6
The version you download won’t sound as good
as CD versions. The reason mp3s are traded
is because they’re small. Stuff’s been lost.
Stuff you need for the music to sound good.
One day, you will be writing your English
200 paper and that killer live 50 Cent track
will actually be a virus that takes out a
whole semester’s worth of work that you never
backed up because you thought computers were
more reliable now.
47
5
4
3
48 2
The music reeks. When record companies don’t
recoup their costs on studio releases, they
lower production costs. Music is recorded at
lower quality and without the production enhancements. Also, new, unproven (but maybe
the next [insert your favorite artist here])
acts aren’t getting contracts or being released. Instead, Britney Spears Greatest
Hits Volume 27 is being released.
Downloading files, especially movies, makes
the whole network slow. That means, when
you’re trying to do actual homework (you
know, that stuff you gotta do to get good
grades?) it will take you twice as long to
access that library reference you need or upload it to your professor at the last minute.
It’s just mean to do that to your neighbors.
And mean people are lame.
VCU has a zero tolerance policy on downloading illegal files. If you are caught, we will
disconnect you from VCUnet with no warning.
Zip. Zero. That paper due in 20 minutes?
Too bad, so sad.
VCU has already been served with subpoenas
for names of downloaders. That means the
lawsuits were already filed. Lawsuits. Lawyers. Expensive lawyers. You think college
is expensive? ‘Nuf said?
And the number one reason not to download music?
1
Karma, baby, karma! One day in the near future, you will be working at an actual job
and you will curse those kids for slowing
down your broadband with their stupid downloads.
Legal downloads
If you want to download, do it legally. Yes,
you’ll pay. But you’ll be guilt-free and you
won’t get any viruses. Here are some places to
start (please note, this is not an endorsement—
these are just some legal places we know about):
iTunes (itunes.vcu.edu)—-the gold standard, big
catalog, 99¢ per song. VCU has contracted with
this site to provide space for professors and
others to upload podcasts for you to download for
free. You can also buy music there.
eMusic (www.emusic.com)-—$10/month for 40 songs.
Not a huge catalog, but hey, they’re 25¢.
Napster (www.napster.com)-—the old standard, now
$15 a month for unlimited downloads.
Reporting suspected
security problems
blog.vcu.edu/itsecurity
www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk
www.restnet.vcu.edu
If you’re having problems on the network and
suspect a security problem, first check VCU’s IT
Security Advisory Alerts on the VCU security Web
site (www.ts.vcu.edu/security). Information on
the latest threats will be posted there. You
can also check VCU’s Systems and Network Status
page at www.ucc.vcu.edu/other/networkissues.aspx
for known problems with the network. If you’re
still having problems and nothing is listed in
either of those two places, or you want to report
a security threat, you can call the Technology
Services Help Desk at (804) 828-2227 or e-mail
[email protected], or create an online ticket at www.
ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk.
If you live on campus and are having trouble with
your network connection, create an online ticket
for ResNet support at www.resnet.vcu.edu.
49
Computer use &
copyright policy
Copyright information
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/copyfaq.html
A series of court rulings has made it clear that
it is against the law to upload and download
copyrighted works such as music and movies without permission. The courts have ruled that peerto-peer (P2P) and other unauthorized uploading
and downloading of music, pictures, software or
written text inherently amount to copyright infringement and therefore constitute a crime. The
punishment for this crime can be very stiff.
Here are some examples of copyright violations:
50
L Someone e-mails you a copy of a copyrighted
song and you then e-mail copies to all of
your friends.
L You make an MP3 copy of a song from a CD
that expressly permits you to do so, but
then you put your MP3 copy on the Internet
via a file sharing network and now millions
of people can download it.
L You join a file sharing network and download
unauthorized copies of all the copyrighted
music you want for free from other network
members.
L You share copyrighted music using an instant messaging service.
L You use your CD burner to make CD copies of
music you have downloaded and distribute
these CDs to your friends.
Here are a few tips on how to enjoy music while
respecting rights of others in the digital world.
J It is okay to download music from sites au-
thorized by the owners of the copyrighted
music whether or not the site charges for
the music.
L It is never okay to download unauthorized
music from pirate sites or peer-to-peer
systems. Examples of peer-to-peer systems
that make unauthorized music available for
download include Kazaa, Grokster, Gnutella, WinMX, LimeWire, Bearshare, Aimster and
Morpheus.
J It is acceptable to copy music onto an analog cassette, special audio CD-Rs, minidisk
and digital tapes (because royalties have
been paid on them) but not for commercial
purposes.
J Transferring a copy of your music CD onto
your computer hard drive or your portable
music player is okay as long as the copy is
made from an authorized original CD that
you own and the copy is just for your personal use. It is illegal to give away the
copy or lend it to others for copying.
Computer Use Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/computeruse.html
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/
compuse_enforcement.html
Information Security Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/
intro_security.html
Intellectual Properties Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/ippolicy.html
Web Privacy Statement
www.vcu.edu/privacy.html
51
Notes
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52
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Everything Else
P Accessible technology
P Technology training
P Your presence on the Web
P Podcasting
P Research support
P Equipment loans
P Graduation: completing the
technology assessments
P Information for advanced
computer users
53
Accessible technology
www.students.vcu.edu/dss
www.library.vcu.edu/services/
VCU is committed to providing students with disabilities equal opportunities to benefit from all
programs, services and activities offered. Federal and state laws define disabilities as physical
or mental impairments that substantially limit
one or more major life activities, such as caring
for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking,
seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning
and working. Their office is in the Student Commons, room 102.
In most cases, assistive/adaptive technologies
are coordinated through Services for Students
with Disabilities. Information about these services is available at www.students.vcu.edu/dss.
54
Both of Technology Services Computer Labs, Cabell
B-8 on the Monroe Park Campus and Sanger B3-012
on the MCV campus, include an adaptive workstation running the latest software and text inhancing technology. In addition, both the Tompkins-McCaw and Cabell Libraries have adaptive
workstations and reading machines. The latest
information about those services is available at
www.library.vcu.edu/services/disability.html.
Training classes
KnowledgeNet
www.vcu.edu/cte/knowledgenet
KnowledgeNet is a computer/Web-based training
system available to all VCU students, faculty,
and staff. Approximately 280 different tutori-
als are available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. In addition to the tutorials, KnowledgeNet
also provides assessments. There are assessments
that are associated with each of the tutorials,
or you may be assigned a customized assessment
as an academic requirement. To access the KnowledgeNet Web site you will need the last 10 digits of your VCUCard and the last 4 digits of your
social security number. Visit the Knowledgenet
Web site for more information at www.vcu.edu/cte/
knowledgenet/
Blackboard student FAQ
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/bb/student_faqs.html
Technology Services has Blackboard self-service
help site for Blackboard issues. There’s a downloadable student manual available as well at www.
ts.vcu.edu/faq/bb/student_faqs.html.
Knowledge Base
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/
The Technology Services Help Desk has put together a wealth of information in the self-help
Knowledge Base available 24 hours a day/7 days a
week. Most of the pages include links to even
more information. It’s all right at your fingertips.
Business School short courses
www.bus.vcu.edu/16x
The Business School offers online self-paced
classes in Microsoft Windows and Office software
programs for credit. Classes are offered on a
pass/fail system for one credit for each course.
More information is available on their Web site
at www.bus.vcu.edu/16x.
55
Your presence on the Web
Personal Web pages
ramsites.net
In addition to e-mail accounts and computer accounts, students are able to create personal Web
pages on the RamSites network. These accounts are
free to all VCU students. For information about
this service or to set up your own personal Web
page, visit ramsites.net. If you have a question
or need assistance, contact the Technology Services Help Desk at (804) 828-2227.
Student organization Web pages
www.studentorg.vcu.edu
56
Registered student organizations at Virginia Commonwealth University can create Web sites free of
charge. For information about this service or to
set up your organization’s Web page, visit
www.studentorg.vcu.edu. If you have a question or
need assistance, contact the Technology Services
Help Desk at (804) 828-2227.
Student blogs
blog.vcu.edu
Personal Web Blogs are available to VCU students
and student organizations free of charge. For
information about this service, to set up your
own blog, or to update your block, visit blog.
vcu.edu. If you have a question or need assistance, contact the Technology Services Help Desk
at (804) 828-2227. Please read the safe blogging
practices found in the “Staying Safe” section of
this handbook (page 45).
Podcasting
Podcasting is posed to become an everyday
part of life at VCU. The University has
been accepted into the Apple Computer iTunes
University program. This program provides an
easy method for publishing campus podcasts for
the University. VCU on iTunes is available at
itunes.vcu.edu from your browser. iTunes is not
the only way to obtain podcasts at VCU. Faculty,
staff, and students can use the VCU Blog site to
publish podcasts as well. This tool is available
at blog.vcu.edu. Classes on creating blogs
are available during the academic year. Check
the VCU training site at www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/
training/it/search.asp for more information.
Media Support Services does have digital audio
recording equipment that is available for use in
producing podcasts. Student use of equipment
requires faculty authorization. The faculty member accepts responsibility for the return of the
equipment--intact and on time--when he/she signs
the MSS equipment request form. For information,
visit www.ts.vcu.edu/media/equipment/loans.html.
Research support
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/software
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/support
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/stats/statconsult.html
Students involved in research projects will find
a wealth of support at VCU. VCU licenses major
software packages used for research and provides
them to students at little or no cost. A list
of the software VCU provides is at www.ts.vcu.
edu/faq/software. Most of these are available
for download and many have online tutorials. For
Web hosting and central server access, visit www.
ts.vcu.edu/faq/support.
57
Free one-on-one statistical consulting is available by appointment. Biostatistics graduate
students can assist you in selecting appropriate
statistical methods, software, determining sample
size, interpreting results, and can advise you
about collecting and inputting data. For information and to request an appointment, visit www.
ts.vcu.edu/faq/stats/statconsult.html.
Equipment loans
www.ts.vcu.edu/media/equipment/loans.html
58
Media Support Services maintains an inventory of
audiovisual and multimedia presentation equipment for loan to VCU faculty, staff and authorized students on both the Academic and MCV Campuses. This inventory includes camcorders, data
projectors, slide projectors, cassette recorders,
TVs and VCRs. Student use of equipment requires
faculty authorization. The faculty member accepts
responsibility for the return of the equipment-intact and on time--when he/she signs the MSS
equipment request form. Equipment must be picked
up at the MSS office in the basement of Cabell Library or Sanger Hall B1. For more information,
visit www.ts.vcu.edu/media/equipment/loans.html.
Graduation: completing the
technology assessments
www.vcu.edu/cte/knowledgenet#vcu
Some VCU students, most notably majors in the
College of Humanities and Sciences, School of
Nursing, and some in the School of Pharmacy, are
required to take and pass a technology skills
assessment test. These tests are administered
through KnowledgeNet (more about KnowledgeNet in
the section about training on page 54).
The tests are very simple to take and you can
take them anytime prior to graduation. Each test
has 10 questions, and you are required to answer
7 correctly on each test in order to pass. If
you do not pass a test, you are given a tutorial on that subject and allowed to take the test
again until you pass. Your scores are automatically sent to your school adminstator; you are
also able to print a copy of your scores to take
to your advisor if you’d like.
Plan ahead--you can take these tests anytime while you’re at VCU. No need to wait until the week before you have to have all your
requirements turned in so you can graduate.
For more information, or to get this requirement out of the way now, visit www.vcu.edu/cte/
knowledgenet#vcu.
Information for advanced
computer users
Most students at VCU know how to turn their computers on and do basic stuff on the Internet.
Then there are those students who love to tweak
their systems and push the limits of their computers to do all sorts of fun stuff. If you’re
one of those people, this section is for you. If
you’re barely able to tell the difference between
a megabyte and a gigabyte, well, then just move
along. Nothing here you need to see.
The University network is designed to support
thousands of users in a corporate-like environment. What works well at home or in a small business often does not scale well when supporting a
large number of users. The following points were
developed from previous experience dealing with
59
reported problems. By understanding the features,
and limitations, of the VCU network you can maximize your computing experience.
Wireless networking
FUse
the authorized access points provided by
the University. When you connect, make sure
you are connected to “VCU” and not a rogue
port. If you connect to a non-University access point there is no way to predict how well
it will perform, and it could represent a security risk for yourself.
FDon’t
plug in your own wireless access points
or routers. There are only a few frequency
ranges/channels available for wireless, so it
is very likely that they will interfere with
the official VCU access points. Also, running your own access point could allow others
to bypass wireless security (and your network
port will be associated with whatever they are
doing!) and could degrade network performance
for everyone. We will catch you and disable
your port.
FUsers
60
should be careful to never bridge their
wireless and wired connections (a configuration
setting on many laptops). Doing so will allow
others to bypass wireless security (and your
ID will be associated with whatever they are
doing!) and could degrade network performance
for everyone.
Wired connections
FThe
network is configured to divide the 90Mbs
of Internet bandwidth allocated to the residence halls as equitably as possible. The
bandwidth is also allocated dynamically, meaning that the available bandwidth is divided
up based on how many people are active on the
network at any one time. So, be a good network
citizen and if you’re aren’t using your com-
puter, disconnect it from the network.
FThe
network is designed to support only one
active device per outlet. It is OK to change
between PC, laptop, game consoles, etc, but
only plug one in at a time. Don’t use hubs or
routers to run multiple devices at one time.
Doing so uses more than your fair share of resources, and sometimes causes disruptions on
the network when installed improperly (this is
one area where what works great at home causes
problems here).
FWatch
out for spyware and virus/worm infections, and if you think you might have a problem get help quickly. Not only does malware
cause your PC to run slow, waste network bandwidth, and annoy your neighbors, it is a serious risk to your security and privacy.
FThere
are very few restrictions on what you
can do on the network. The ones that are there
are intended to protect you or the University.
Two that you might notice are:
IMicrosoft
Windows networking is blocked
outside of your local subnet. Sharing your
PC’s hard drive or printer is a bad idea
because there is insufficient security to
protect you. Works great at home, not so
much when you have thousands of neighbors
on the network. Also, the same configuration
rules help prevent the spread of viruses
and worms that use the Microsoft networking
ports to propagate.
IIf
you set up a server, people outside of
ResNet will not be able to connect to it.
The No Server Rule helps to protect you
from hacker attacks and helps keep someone
from using more than their fare share of
bandwidth.
FOnline
games are OK, and as far as we know,
are working fine. The No Server Rule mentioned
above should prevent you from setting up as
a server for the world, but game clients and
consoles should be working. Let us know if
something is not working.
61
FP2P
applications work, but responsibility for
copyright infringement will be all on you. Be
responsible. See the copyright information
on page 50 for tips on avoiding copyright infrigement.
FReport
problems through ResNet (www.resnet.
vcu.edu) or the Technology Services Help Desk
(www.ts.vcu.edu/helpdesk or 828-2227)-–we
often don’t know there is an issue until it
is reported. Complaining about problems to
friends and faculty will not get the problem
resolved (at least not as quickly); making an
official report will.
Specialized computer accounts
www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/accounts/accounts.html
Everyone gets an e-mail account when they first
register at VCU. That’s all most student need,
but there are some students who need specialized
accounts for spedific programs or classes. If you
need one of these, your professor or advisor will
tell you. Here’s where to get them: www.ts.vcu.
edu/faq/accounts/accounts.html.
62
Technology &
The Library
P Library hours/general information
P Reference/Instruction Services
P Accessing the library databases
P Top five database search tips
P Interlibrary Loan Services
P Reserves and Electronic Reserves
P Special Collections
63
Library hours &
general information
www.library.vcu.edu
You thought libraries were just about books?
Think again! There are lots of cool things to
do in the Library. VCU has two libraries: The
James Branch Cabell Library (Cabell, rhymes with
babble) on the Monroe Park Campus and the Tompkins-McCaw Library for Health Sciences (TML) on
the MCV Campus. Both libraries provide quiet
areas for individual study (4th Floor in Cabell,
Basement in TML) and Group Study Rooms for group
work (1st & 3rd Floor in Cabell, 2nd Floor in
TML). For more information about the libraries,
there’s a general information page, including
hours, services offered, and floor plans on these
links:
James Branch Cabell Library
www.library.vcu.edu/jbc/)
Tompkins-McCaw Library
www.library.vcu.edu/tml
64
Some library services, including the card catalog, library news, Ask a Library, course reserves, and your personal library record are also
available on the myVCU Portal (my.vcu.edu).
Computers
Both libraries have public access computers on
every floor (your eID & password is required for
Web surfing), as well as network jacks at selected
locations and wireless access (www.library.vcu.
edu/wireless) throughout for those with laptop
computers. Specific information is available for
Cabell (www.library.vcu.edu/jbc/computing.html)
and TML (www.library.vcu.edu/tml/information/computing.html).
Printers & photocopiers
VCU uses a pay-for-print/copy service tied to
your VCUCard. You must have RamBucks (www.vcucard.com/making_deposits.jsp--see page 8 for more
information) on your VCUCard, which you can do at
a Value Transfer Station (in the libraries—1st
floor copy station in Cabell and in the Photocopy/Print room in TML). They’re very easy to
use, reliable, and you don’t have to carry around
change. For more information, there’s a handy
FAQ (www.library.vcu.edu/services/pay4print/faq.
html) which should answer all your questions.
Coffee
Both Cabell (Java 901) and TML (Skull & Beans)
have coffee bars that serve Starbucks® coffee and
Vie de France™ pastries, cold drinks, and light
lunch items. There are tables where you can
work with your friends, comfortable chairs, and
computers so you can work while you enjoy your
treats. A percentage of profits go to support library collections.
Reference/
Instruction Services
www.library.vcu.edu/askalib/
There’s lots of help available to help you navigate the world of college research. You can email a librarian (www.library.vcu.edu/askalib)
with a research question. You can chat with a
65
librarian online. You can call 804-828-1101. Or
you can walk in and get assistance in person with
one of the friendly research librarians who are
there to help you.
Want to REALLY succeed in college? Look for free
library tours during Welcome Week and the first
weeks of the fall semester. Times are posted
in the library lobby, and you just need to show
up—-no pre-registration required. You’ll spend
an hour learning all of the great services you
can use while you’re at VCU and will have a head
start next time you need to write that paper
on “How the Invention of the Fork Changed the
World.” Or, teach yourself! (www.library.vcu.
edu/help/learnhow.html) Distance Ed students
have their own resource. (www.library.vcu.edu/
profile/distance.html)
Accessing the
library databases
66
Although the open Internet searched by Google
and other search engines contains much of value,
it also contains a lot of junk, as well. Thus,
the library has purchased access to subscription
databases for you to use. These databases (Infotrac, Lexis-Nexis, and over 200 others) are like
pay channels on cable TV (HBO, etc) in that VCU
Libraries buys them for better quality of content.
These databases allow you to type in your topic
and will lead you to published journal articles
that the library has usually purchased and provided either on the Web or on the shelves. These
databases can be found on the VCU Library homepage under “Databases by Subject” or by name in
the A-Z list at the bottom right corner of the
library home page. After completing a search,
articles listed in most databases will have yel-
low “Get it at VCU” buttons after each listing.
Click on these to see whether VCU Library owns
each particular journal and where it is found.
Off-campus attempts to access VCU Libraries databases will cause a login screen to appear that
requires your eID and eID password. After login
you can search off-campus just as you would in
the libraries.
Databases by subject:
metalib.vccs.edu/V/?func=find-db-1
A-Z databases list:
www.library.vcu.edu/cfapps/webdb/
ulsdb_actionatzip.cfm?AtoZ=ALL
1
2
3
Top five database
search tips
Reference librarians search the journal article databases every day and are very good at
it-consult with one in person or at 828-1101
or online at www.library.vcu.edu/askalib/
when you are searching for advice on techniques for your search.
Truncation is a
journal article
ing. Truncation
to database but
“help” pages of
technique that virtually all
databases allow for searchsymbols vary from database
are usually explained in the
each database. Example:
behavio* searches the words… behavior,
behaviour, behavioral, behaviors, etc
Many databases allow you to limit your search
results to scholarly journals or “refereed
publications”. These journals have strict
quality control and review all articles carefully before publication. Scholarly journal
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4
5
articles are usually longer and more research
and analysis oriented than popular magazines.
Some professors require using only this type
of journal for research papers—if not sure,
ask your professor.
Some databases contain the actual articles
they list, while most offer only abstracts or
summaries of each article. Click the “Get it
at VCU” button in our libraries’ databases to
see if VCU Libraries own each needed article
and where it is found-—on the Web or on the
shelves.
If unsure which of our 200+ databases to
search for your topic, ask at librarian at
828-1101 or online at www.library.vcu.edu/
askalib/.
Interlibrary Loan Services
The Richmond Academic Library Consortium (RALC)
is a group of Richmond area libraries which have
agreed to extend limited borrowing privileges to
faculty, graduate students, staff, and undergraduates of any RALC school. Using the RALC program
can be faster than waiting for these same materials to be requested through the Interlibrary Loan
Service.
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In order to take advantage of this service, VCU
students and staff need to obtain a “borrowing pass” from either the Cabell Library Reference Desk or Tompkins-McCaw Library Service Desk.
Bring your staff or student ID with you. We will
need to check our records before a pass can be
issued. If your borrowing privileges with VCU Libraries have been “blocked” (you have not registered for classes this semester, you have unpaid
book fines, etc.), you will not be issued a pass.
In addition, passes are issued only if you need
specific materials which you cannot obtain at a
VCU library.
Just as with materials which you borrow from VCU
Libraries, you are expected to return library
materials borrowed at a RALC institution in good
condition and on time. Your library privileges
will be blocked for overdue, lost or damage fines
accrued at any of the other institutions.
Reserves &
Electronic Reserves
Find both electronic reserves links and traditional reserves. Search by course, instructor,
title, or author.
Your library username is your eID. Typically the
eID login/password is the same thing you use for
VCU e-mail or Blackboard.
Remote users must log on to open electronic
reserves:
User name = eID
Password = eID password
VCU Libraries Course Reserve Services are
designed to provide assistance to faculty and
students by:
l Allowing faculty to place high demand or
specialized materials on reserve with
restricted loan periods
l Ensuring that every student in the class
has equal access to the assigned material
Electronic Reserves are digital materials (journal articles, book chapters, class notes, Web
pages, etc.) made available via the Internet.
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Traditional Reserves are materials from the VCU
Libraries or personal copies of books, AV media,
and other materials that support classroom instruction. These materials are available at one
of the reserve service desks.
Special Collections
www.library.vcu.edu/jbc/speccoll/
www.library.vcu.edu/tml/speccoll/
Located on the fourth floor of the James Branch
Cabell Library, Special Collections and Archives
houses rare books and manuscript collections that
support the Monroe Park Campus programs of Virginia Commonwealth University. Special Collections and Archives contains over 20,000 volumes
in special subject areas, including Virginia history and literature, popular culture and graphic
arts, comic arts, artists books, and much more.
Special Collections and Archives is open to the
public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 12
noon and 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. All other times are
by appointment. For materials related to medical
history and to the records of the Medical College
of Virginia (MCV) Campus of VCU, visit the Special Collections and Archives department at the
Tompkins-McCaw Library.
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Policies
P Technology-related policies
P Other policies you should know
P Index
71
Technology-related policies
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies
You’re responsible for knowing them, so here they
are in one place. Remember that “ignorance of
the law is not an excuse for breaking it” so read
through them once and remember to keep them in
mind. These get updated occasionally, so we’re
only including the Web links to the most current
version. There are more than are listed here-these are just the most common ones.
Computer and Network Use Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/computeruse.html
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/
compuse_enforcement.html
This is the overarching policy you need to know
about when using a computer at VCU.
Student E-mail Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/webemail.html
This one governs using e-mail at VCU.
Student Conduct in Instructional Settings
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/
Here are the rules for how you are to comport
yourself in class. If you don’t know it, you’ll
have to look up the definition for “comport.”
72
Web Publishing Guidelines
www.vcu.edu/guidelines
If you have a Web site or a blog on VCU’s networks, these are the rules you gotta follow.
Intellectual Properties Policy
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/ippolicy.html
You know that the business plan for FedEx was
someone’s term paper, right? (It actually only
got a C). Here’s what should know in case you
solve the energy crisis or cure cancer in class.
Blackboard Organizations for Students
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/
Bb_studorg_policy.html
You’re busy; so are your friends. If your student
organization would like to use Blackboard for
virtual meetings, this is what you have to do.
Other policies
you should know
Student Honor Policy
www.students.vcu.edu/rg/policies/honor.html
Copyright FAQ
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/copyfaq.html
Rights of Students under FERPA
www.students.vcu.edu/rg/policies/privacy.htm
Americans with Disabilities Act
www.ts.vcu.edu/policies/ada.html
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A
Index
F
Accessible technology 54
Facebook 45
Advancing computing 59
Special accounts 62
File sharing 46, 47
Advanced sonnections
in the Residence Halls 60
Wireless 60
Graduation assessments 58
H
Instant messenger 45
Blogs 45, 56
ISP 32
Buying a computer 3
Computer labs 17
MCV campus 18
Monroe Park campus 18
Computer safety
Safety tips 39
Computer software 4
Connecting
Advanced connections 59
Configuring 32
Connecting on campus 28
Getting an ISP 32
Wireless connection 34
L
Downloading 29
Legal downloads 48
Software 36
E
74
E-mail 5, 19
Accessing in a browser 20
Creating a message 21
Deleting messages 22
Getting help 22
Replying 21
Accessing via IMAP 23
Spam 23
Special accounts 62
Using a Macintosh 23
eID 5
Equipment loans 58
Reporting problems 49
Research support 57
S
Safety 39
Chat rooms 44
Facebook, blogs, etc. 45
Instant messenger 45
Phishing scams 43
Laptop ports 35
Software 36
Library
Computers 64
Databases 66
Data searching 67
Hours 64
Interlibrary Loans 68
Printing & copying 65
Reference 65
Researves 69
Special Collections 70
Spam 23
Spyware 43
Tips for handling 24
M
MySpace 45
MyVCU 25
Copyright 50
D
R
I
Blackboard 14
Content System 15
Learning System 14
Chat rooms 44
Printers & copiers 19, 65
ResNet 7
Help 6
C
Portal 25
G
B
Backups 39
Web Privacy 51
Web Publishing 72
P
P2P 46
Passwords 41
Change password 6
Personal Web pages 56
Podcasting 57
Policies 10, 51, 72
Americans with Disabilities
Act 73
Blackboard Organizations
for Students 73
Computer Use 51, 72
Information Security 51
Intellectual Property 51, 73
Rights of Students under
FERPA 73
Student Conduct 72
Student E-mail Policy 72
Student Honor Policy 73
Special computer accounts 62
T
Technology assessments 58
Telephone services 30
Training classes 54
Blackboard 55
Business short courses 55
Knowledge Base 55
KnowledgeNet 54
V
VCUCard 7
Lost cards 9
Office locations 9
RamBucks 8
Virus
Antivirus 38
Avoiding viruses 42
Virus protection 38
W
Web Pages
Blogs 56
Personal Web pages 56
Student organizations 56
Wireless Network 16, 34
Laptop ports 17, 35
maps provided by PGFX, Inc.
For specific locations within building, see the information
at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless/medmap.html
d
Ry
lan
Ac
ke
ll H
Pin
e
Ha
rri
so
n
all
For specific locations within building, see the information
at www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/connect/wireless/mpmap.html
maps provided by PGFX, Inc.