IDs and Security

• Your Network Username is assigned to you at the start of your employment. Your Network Username will be required for access to the secure wireless network, university email, Blackboard, and some departmental systems. You will need to establish a password for your Network Username at myaccount.sc.edu. For security purposes, the password expires every six months. You will receive an email from the Division of IT Service Desk when the password is close to expiring. No one at the university will ask for your password. Do not respond to any emails requesting your Network Username and password.
• Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is a secure dual authentication system required to access university applications that store Personal Identifiable Information (PII), such as Banner, PeopleSoft, my.sc.edu, and more. MFA requires you to confirm your identity via text or phone, but you can also use Duo Security – an app that can be used on your smartphone. You can download the free Duo Security app to your smartphone from the app store for your system – just search for “Duo Security.”
• Computer and information security begins with YOU!  As a faculty member, it is critical you implement and practice information security on your digital systems. We urge you to visit the DoIT Security site to learn about information security. The site maintains a library of helpful videos, links, and tips, as well as ways to receive assistance from our cybersecurity professionals.
• Personal Digital Devices, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones can be connected the campus wired or wireless networks. However, you must have current antivirus software installed on all personal computers that connect to a university network. If you do not have antivirus software, please contact the IT Service Desk at 803-777-1800 for guidance.
• Connecting from Off Campus can be done securely using the university’s Virtual Private Network (VPN). The VPN allows secure access to university resources including share drives, databases, and select systems. Free VPN software can be downloaded from my.sc.edu under Purchase Computer Software.
  
  

IT Services

• University email is automatically provided to faculty. The first portion of your email address (before the @), is your Network Username. To access your email, visit portal.office.com from any browser. You can also install the Outlook app on your mobile device, see the instructions in our Knowledge Base by clicking here. 
• Remember - the university will never ask you for your password via email. If you receive a request to provide your password via email, forward the message to phishing@sc.edu immediately. Do not click any links in the message. 
• University networks operate both wired and wireless systems. Wireless access is available in all buildings on the Columbia campus. Employees are asked to refrain from connecting to the uscguest sites network, which is limited in connectivity to certain university sites. Instead, please use eduroam, which is a faster, secure network. Click here for more information and instructions on connecting to eduroam. Wired access is available in most offices and computer labs on campus.
• Telephone Systems across campus are maintained by DoIT, which also provides equipment and support for analog, digital, and Voice over IP (VoIP) telephones. You should contact your department administrative staff concerning telephones.
  
  

Employee Discounts

• Software Programs are available at reduced or no cost for use on university-owned computers. Software such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Qualtrics, and much more are available at my.sc.edu under Purchase Computer Software.
• Microsoft Office 365 is provided to faculty, staff, and students free of charge. You can access Office 365 online and log in using your university email address and password.
• Apple and Dell provide educational discounts for purchase of personal computers and devices. Many computer manufacturers and local electronics stores also offer educational discounts with a university ID.  
• Cell Phone Discounts for university employees are available through AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Visit your provider’s local retail store or website for more information.
  
  

IT Support

• A support Knowledge Base is maintained by DoIT. This searchable library assists with common issues in working with systems and programs online. Articles include step-by-step instructions to address many common IT requests such as password resets.
• The DoIT Self Service Portal allows you to easily request technology assistance, report an issue, request services, and access articles in the Knowledge Base.
• The IT Service Desk puts you in contact with a technology support technician via telephone and chat. Phone support is available at 803-777-1800. Chat support is available Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. from the Self-Service Portal.
  
  

Teaching and Learning

• Blackboard is the university’s Learning Management System. Blackboard support for instructors may be found in the Knowledge Base.
• Blackboard Support can be obtained through our dedicated Blackboard support group. This group can assist with Blackboard and other supported educational technologies. To contact the Blackboard Support Group, please use the Self-Service Portal or contact the Service Desk at 803-777-1800.
• Blackboard Training is regularly offered on Blackboard and supported educational technologies. Visit the HR Training Calendar to view and register for these sessions.
• Presentation Tools are available for instructors to use in conjunction with Blackboard. Collaborate is available to conduct live web sessions. VoiceThread works within Blackboard to create interactive audio/video presentations. More information can be found in the Knowledge Base.
• Microsoft Office 365 is the university’s online suite of productivity and teaching tools, available to all faculty, staff, and students. You may access Office 365 using your university email and password.
• Assessment and Survey Tools are available to instructors through Blackboard, Office 365, Class Climate, and Qualtrics. For more information, visit our Self-Service Portal or contact the Service Desk at 803-777-1800.
• Scanning and Graded Output for scoring paper tests via graders, bubble sheets and Scantron is available. Visit the Knowledge Base for more information.

 

Research Computing

• High Performance Computing  clusters are available to researchers requiring specialized hardware resources for research applications. The clusters are managed by Research Computing in the Division of Information Technology.
• The Carolina Enclave for Secure Research (CESR) is a secure, centralized service for faculty and researchers that work with regulated research data.  CESR meets the high-water mark of security standards to ensure that restricted information is protected per local, federal, and international laws while ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• Research Computing presents an ongoing series of workshops to help train new users and refresh existing users on the supercomputer cluster, the Linux computing environment, job scheduling, machine learning and deep learning, scientific computing programming languages, and quantum computing.