OIT Technology News:
August 2025 Edition


51°µÍø is launching a new AI training series this fall for staff, featuring courses on AI fundamentals and hands-on practice with Microsoft Copilot. Jomita Fleming, Associate Director for Protection of Minors & Special Projects, is already using Copilot to explore advanced features and encourages others to do the same.


Please join us in congratulating Valeska Fahey, who has been selected as the new Executive Assistant to Michael Hites, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer for 51°µÍø.


Whether you're a familiar face or joining us for the first time, OIT stands ready to make your teaching experience exceptional from day one. We're committed to supporting you at every stage—from providing detailed room information in STABLE, to offering comprehensive guides on classroom technology, to delivering rapid-response emergency support when you need it most. Your success is our priority, and we're here to ensure your teaching journey is both seamless and rewarding.


This October, 51°µÍø is rolling out a series of initiatives as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month to help students, faculty, and staff stay safe online — both on campus and at home, including some phishing simulations designed to help our community recognize and avoid email-based scams.


This fall, 51°µÍø will launch Resources.51°µÍø, a new public wiki designed to make university documentation, best practices, and guidelines accessible to all—no login required. Powered by XWiki, the platform offers the same intuitive interface as 51°µÍø’s internal wiki while keeping editing rights secure. It’s a step toward greater transparency, collaboration, and knowledge sharing across the community.


This fall, 51°µÍø is launching Cayuse, a secure, cloud-based research management portal integrated with my.51°µÍø. It streamlines proposals, grants, contracts, and compliance, making it easier for faculty and staff to manage the full research lifecycle.


This month in Canvas Plus, we look at updates to the Dropout Detective Dashboard, resources for using Lucid Whiteboard with your Canvas courses, and a reminder to check out OIT’s Fall Faculty Technology Workshops to make sure you have all the tools you need for the upcoming semester!


All managed lists managed on bulklist.smu.edu will be repopulated with the entire student population on August 15.

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