Chico State has a “Learning Glass” and Multimedia Recording Studio available for faculty, staff, and students to produce high quality recorded lectures and training content. The studio is in the Meriam Library basement and has 2 recording modes:  

• One mode makes use of a traditional classroom podium, which is outfitted with the standard smart classroom equipment (including a computer and document camera).  
• The second mode makes use of the learning glass as a teaching tool. The learning glass allows the presenter to face the audience, while simultaneously appearing to write in the air. 

Any recordings produced in the studio are automatically uploaded to the provided user’s Kaltura account and Classroom Technology Services provides training and tech support for the studio. The space can be reserved in one-hour increments on Outlook.

The Division of IT gets Face-to-Face Perspective on how to Foster Student Success in an Open Interview with AS President Autumn Alaniz-Wiggins

Curating the ideal user experience for Chico’s diverse community is at the heart of Chico State’s mission, and The Division of IT used its recent fall quarterly all-hands IT meeting as a platform to interview Associated Students President Autumn Alaniz-Wiggins and learn more about the student experience from her lens. In a conversation about IT services the student body values, affordability was among the key issues raised, as the student experience in the classroom is limited for students who do not have personal phones. The Division of IT provides Duo “tokens” for students who need an alternative form of access to Duo Multifactor Authentication than a phone, but not for tools like Kahoot, which teachers use to engage students in classroom activities. Her insights shed light on technology loaning resources available on campus that DoIT can market and raise awareness for more students to gain access.

Autumn also talked about how the Division of Student Affairs has normalized curating spaces for students to hang out and seek information in an environment that is comfortable and accessible to them, and how the Division of IT can join the efforts by providing students more access to IT peer mentors. Autumn stated, “I know the resources, but it is still the walking through the front door that is the hardest part. And I think that's where technology can help with those first-generation students getting access to resources.” Autumn elaborated further on how accessible user-interfaces influenced her own choices, commenting that the universities with the most intuitive websites influenced where she applied to graduate schools. The conversation flowed to leveraging User Experience UX design to improve Chico State’s web presence to improve the student experience and bolster enrollment efforts. Autumn’s voice left the decision makers in the Division of IT with many insights to ponder and explore further.

A Mechanical Surfboard + Cybersecurity Trivia + Plenty of Swedish Fish to go around was a Recipe for Success at Chico State’s Inaugural Cybersecurity Carnival

On October 25th, the rain did not stop the Division of IT from coming out in their numbers to stand up the first cybersecurity carnival presented at Chico State. A total of 80 DoIT staff worked the event throughout the day, working carnival booths like “Slam the Spam,” “Cybersecurity Showdown,” and “Go Phish.” The standout attraction was the mechanical surfboard, a carnival game where users learned some smart tips to stay safe while surfing the web and were then invited to ride the mechanical surfboard to complete the fun analogy. A steady stream of students, staff, and faculty trickled in throughout the day, with over 1,000 visitors partaking in the food & snacks station that offered popcorn, cotton candy, goldfish & chips, and of course Swedish Fish. 

Curious about how to make the most of Photoshop? Join CMT (Creative Media and Technology) graphic designer Scott Sleeper for Tips and Tricks

All Chico State users can request access to a full suite of Adobe products including Photoshop, the most used tool for professional digital art. The application can be used anywhere from retouching photos to using predictive technology to extend the background of your existing work. In house graphic designer, Scott Sleeper, is leading a workshop to shed some insight on how the capabilities of Photoshop can help reduce workload in graphic design with its handy tools in editing and generative AI. Join him for an informational session on how to utilize the helpful tools in Photoshop and pick up quick tips on how to utilize our University Style Guide to make your visual materials match Chico State branding guidelines. Refreshments will be served.

Session: Adobe Photoshop Workshop with Scott Sleeper

Date: November 16, 2023

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Where: MLIB 045 (basement)

Leadership through Storytelling: Vice President Monique Sendze tells the Story of How She Stood Up a Project & Change Management Office during a Hiring Freeze in a Podcast by Higher Digital

Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Office Dr. Monique Sendze learned early in her career that technical skills are not enough to earn a place in leadership, building and nurturing relationships with colleagues and business leaders inside and outside of an organization is equally important. It is through these partnerships and role models she met along the way that allowed VP Sendze to drive change communication, receive buy-in from stakeholders, and achieve organizational redevelopment throughout her career. The story VP Sendze focuses on in her podcast with Higher Digital is how she navigated her way through creating a partnership between Information Technology and Business & Finance to create a transformational service to Chico State in the form of a Project & Change Management Office (PCMO) currently led by director Shannon Roskosky. This new department was created during a hiring freeze, which involved evaluating what resources the campus already has and positioning them to maximize the benefits they can have on campus services and business processes. 

New Fall 2023 Students Predicted Difficulties During their First Year at Chico State

Before the Fall 2023 semester started, IRSA (Institutional Research and Strategic Analytics) partnered with Academic Advising Programs to administer the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BSCEE). This survey collects entering students’ prior academic and co-curricular experiences, as well as their academic expectations and perceptions for the coming year.

Survey results are being used for several purposes including assisting in the advising of students, highlighting services where students did not feel prepared, and joined with other survey data for analysis. The top three areas students had the most concerns about were:

• Time Management. Study expectations for college-level courses is a point of apprehension for new and returning students. Students can book an appointment here to meet with an academic advisor, who will walk them through time management exercises and help them establish a plan. 
• Learning Course Materials. A wide variety of learning resources and tutoring services are available to help student success. Information about resources can be found here. 
• Paying for Course Materials. The Financial Wellness Clinic offers support with budget planning, and appointments for these services can be made by emailing FinancialWellness@csuchico.edu. Students who are facing financial challenges can also receive aid from the Chico State Basic Needs Project. For information, email basicneeds@csuchico.edu.