Continuity and Community is a biweekly digest that includes timely information about new and changing UC Merced services, tips for how to use existing services more effectively, and resources that may be of value to staff and faculty alike.

Be sure to visit the OIT pages dedicated to Educational Continuity For Instruction , Continuity For Learning , and Continuity for Remote Work . These pages, along with a broader set of crowd-sourced, curated resources for faculty , students , and staff are being updated frequently with new information to aid your transition.
ISSUE 9: June 24, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE
  • New UC Merced Directory Launched
  • Adobe Creative Cloud Updates & Purchases
  • Update your Sophos Anti-Virus Software
  • Hybrid-Flexible Learning Environments Webinar
  • CETL: Resilient Teaching in Caring Communities
  • Send Zoom Recordings to Kaltura Automatically
  • Kaltura Video Quizzes
  • Library Updates: Suspended Due Dates, Expanded Resource Access, O'Reilly for Higher Education
  • Curated Resources
  • Software for Staff & Faculty
  • Campus Ready Resources for Return to Work
  • People First Workgroup Virtual Focus Groups
  • Student Laptop Recommendations
  • Endpoint Management
  • Curated Resources
FOR ALL
NEW UC MERCED DIRECTORY IS LIVE
This week, OIT launched the redesigned UC Merced Directory.

The new directory features:
  • Significantly improved user experience
  • Expanded search functionality
  • Responsive interface for use on mobile as well as desktop

There are even more changes on the horizon for the directory. In the coming months, OIT will be working to add the ability for users to update some of their own information in the directory as well. Stay tuned!
ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD UPDATES & PURCHASES
If you require access to the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, now is the time to update your license or consider purchasing a license.

Recently, the University of California entered into a new contract with Adobe which reduces the cost of Creative Cloud access to $180 per license (savings of around $80/year). The initial request for Adobe Creative Cloud license was on 6/12, but you can still get your order in through July 23!

Existing CC users, be aware that the grace period for your current license will be from July 5 - August 4th. During this time, you can still use your copy of CC. Adobe will release our new and renewing licenses on July 23rd.

NOTE: All campus Adobe CC license follow the same timeline and will expire on August 4th if OIT does not received your request by July 23!
UPDATE YOUR SOPHOS ANTI-VIRUS
Your computer doesn't want to be quarantined any more than you do! OIT Service Desk would like to remind faculty and staff that it's time to update the Sophos Antivirus software for your UC Merced devices.

Follow the simple instructions below to update your version:
UPDATES FOR FACULTY
HYBRID-FLEXIBLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WEBINAR
The primary modality for Fall at UC Merced is a hybrid design that incorporates both in-person and virtual learning experiences. As you begin to plan for Fall instruction, the following webinar may be a good resource for exploring hybrid teaching techniques.

Webinar: What is HyFlex
and when should we use it?
Thursday, June 25
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
This Future Trends Forum webinar will explore the HyFlex method of teaching with its creator, Dr. Brian Beatty, associate professor of Instructional Technologies in the Department of Equity, Leadership Studies and Instructional Technologies at San Francisco State University. At SFSU, Dr. Beatty pioneered the development and evaluation of the HyFlex course design model for blended learning environments, implementing a “student-directed-hybrid” approach to better support student learning.

The HyFlex model presents the components of hybrid learning in a flexible course structure that gives students the option of attending sessions in the classroom, participating online, or doing both. Students can change their mode of attendance weekly or by topic, according to need or preference.

Models like HyFlex, which present multiple paths through course content, may work well for courses where students arrive with varying levels of expertise or background in the subject matter. Courses built on the HyFlex model help to break down the boundary between the virtual classroom and the physical one. By allowing students access to both platforms, the design encourages discussion threads to move from one platform to the other.
CETL: RESILIENT TEACHING IN CARING COMMUNITIES
On June 10th, many in our community participated in the Academic Shutdown. The day was a time to read, reflect, and begin to identify meaningful action steps to address biases, social injustice, and racism at the individual and institutional levels. Please join CETL as we extend this work and reflect on how we can design safe and resilient learning environments for our emerging scholars.
KALTURA UPDATES
AUTOMATICALLY SEND ZOOM RECORDINGS TO KALTURA
Academic and Emerging Technologies is pleased to introduce the Zoom to Kaltura upload feature for UC Merced instructors.

This new feature allows instructors to choose to automatically upload any Zoom recording to Kaltura for use in CatCourses. It only takes three simple steps to get it set up!
KALTURA VIDEO QUIZZES
Instructors can now combine formative assessment with videos uploaded into Kaltura to create videos with quiz questions placed at key times throughout the video.

Videos can also be set up so the questions are scored and the student’s grade is automatically entered into the course grade book. Kaltura quizzes allow for multiple choice, true/false, open-ended, and reflection point question types.
UC MERCED LIBRARY UPDATES
SUSPENDED DUE DATES
Due dates on library materials continue to be suspended. Thank you for holding onto those materials.

If you wish to return items, the library’s outside book drop is available. Due to cautionary processing procedures, returns may take a few days to be reflected on your account. 
PRIMARY RESOURCE ACCESS
UC Merced Library has expanded access to rich primary resources available through  ProQuest Historical Newspapers and  History Vault modules  via a UC Libraries’ evidence-based acquisitions pilot plan. 
O'REILLY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
O’Reilly tech books, previously accessed through Safari Tech Books online, are now available via  O’Reilly for Higher Education (OHE)  and accessible with single sign-on. 

This expanded collection includes 48,000 titles; its content is strongly focused on technology, coding and web applications but includes titles related to management, media, data science, math, engineering fields and more.
CURATED RESOURCES FOR FACULTY
Have a great resource that you'd like to share? Tell us about it!
UPDATES FOR STAFF
SOFTWARE FOR STAFF & FACULTY
Did you know that OIT maintains a list of commonly-requested software for staff, faculty, and students? Many popular titles can be downloaded for no cost, and others are available at a higher ed discount.

This is a great resource if you need to upgrade or re-download a title to a new system, or to just keep yourself aware of what software is supported and offered by OIT.
CAMPUS READY
UC Merced has introduced  Campus Ready , an online resource for information and guidance on measures such as face coverings, physical distancing and disinfecting work areas.

The Campus Ready site includes helpful information and links to eye-catching signage that can be printed out and posted throughout campus.
PEOPLE FIRST WORKGROUP VIRTUAL FOCUS GROUPS
The People First workgroup is designed to ensure that the campus is providing adequate support and responding to gaps and issues related to UC Merced campus-wide strategies on COVID-19.
STUDENT LAPTOP RECOMMENDATIONS
At UC Merced all students use technology for a variety of learning and research. Course work, research, and social networking all require technology.

OIT has compiled recommended laptop specifications to assist students in choosing a new computer that can get them through four years of study (with appropriate upgrades along the way).
ENDPOINT MANAGEMENT
Over the past few years, Information Security has developed and implemented the Bobcat Desktop Endpoint Management environment—a system which allows OIT to provision, deploy, update, and troubleshoot individual campus devices (or 'endpoints') on an opt-in basis. Pre-COVID, Bobcat Desktop had expanded to more than 1000 systems at all levels of the University.

In this COVID-19 environment, the protection and management of devices connected to UC Merced systems and resources have become increasingly important. Remote work, learning and teaching has created an environment with increased attack surface, and Bobcat Desktop is more helpful than ever to campus users. We've been expediting our efforts to get Bobcat Desktop rolled out to more campus systems. Watch this space for more information, coming soon!
CURATED RESOURCES FOR STAFF
Have a great resource that you'd like to share? Tell us about it!
PAST DIGESTS
Missed an issue? Explore past issues of Continuity and Community
to look back on important news and updates.