Valeska Fahey Named Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Information Technology and CIO

Valeska FaheyPlease join us in congratulating Valeska Fahey, who has been selected as the new Executive Assistant to Michael Hites, Vice President for Information Technology and CIO for SMU.

Valeska joined OIT in 2019, and served as the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification Program Coordinator and Campus Operator. In this role, she managed academic scheduling and proctoring operations for approximately 1,500 certification exams each semester, supported faculty partnerships, and Continue reading Valeska Fahey Named Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Information Technology and CIO

Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management

Microsoft Certified Associate badgeIn the fall of 2023, OIT partnered with the Cox School of Business to onboard 500 new students, aiming to help them achieve Microsoft Certification for the 2023-2024 academic year. This effort was part of the Business Leaders Institute (BLI) course for first-year students. In response, IT Training & Communications expanded its certification offerings by adding ten additional class sections, totaling 564 certifications, on top of its existing commitment of 43 class sections. These sections cover certifications in Microsoft Office programs, which are widely utilized across most schools on campus, with Excel and Excel Expert required for Cox students and PowerPoint and Word for students in Meadows’ Corporate Communications and Public Affairs.

Recognizing that managing 500 additional students presented significant resource challenges, the team reviewed strategies to meet the increased demand. They extended testing times and added proctor resources to assist with physical resource limitations. Additionally, they examined the efficiency of data handling and grade reporting processes. Continue reading Enhancing Microsoft Certification Data Management