Laurene Klassen

DUO: A Substantial Expansion

Six years ago, SMU implemented DUO to protect our data proactively. Since introducing two-factor authentication (2FA), we have seen quite an expansion throughout our services.

We first implemented DUO in 2016 to protect access to my.SMU and later webmail for our faculty and staff as passwords can often be stolen, guessed, and hacked, and we needed a solution to secure our data better. Once our faculty and staff gained familiarity with DUO, it was introduced to students on April 1, 2019, through our “Security is No Joke” campaign. Continue reading DUO: A Substantial Expansion

Century Link Conference Bridge Services Discontinued

OIT has received notice that effective immediately, Lumen will no longer be providing Century Link Conference services to campus. If you are needing a virtual conference room, we recommend using one of the on-campus solutions that are already available. Continue reading Century Link Conference Bridge Services Discontinued

Client Services Leader Receives President’s Award for Innovation

Lauren Nelson, Assistant Director of Client Services for OIT, received the Presidential Recognition Award for Innovation during the October 18th Staff Convocation. The award honors a staff member who has contributed significantly to the University by improving efficiencies and processes. Continue reading Client Services Leader Receives President’s Award for Innovation

Psychology Student Awarded SMU’s 3,000th Cert and Wins MOS3K Contest

In 2017, a student walked into my office and said, “I heard that you are Microsoft Certified, and my professor mentioned I can get certified in Excel. Do you know how I can do that?” I cringed when I heard that question again as I would recommend another interested party visit a neighboring institution of learning that was offering the exams.

That conversation prompted me to collaborate with my colleagues in OIT Customer Service to make this program available here on campus. After a long whiteboarding session, discussing funding options and program ideas, we decided to launch a pilot program to test the waters and determine if there was strong enough interest on campus to make Microsoft Office Certifications (MOS) readily available. Little did I know then how quickly the program would take off.

On Friday, December 3, 2021, we hit a significant milestone when issuing our 3,000th certification to Elizabeth Bell. Elizabeth carries a major in Psychology with minors in Statistics, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science, and Women and Gender Studies. As part of the 3,000th certification issued, Elizabeth was awarded our MOS3K Study Prize Pack, a perfect addition to getting her ready for final exams. Continue reading Psychology Student Awarded SMU’s 3,000th Cert and Wins MOS3K Contest