By Alex Lehr
SE campus has recently undergone many changes to the IT network that will benefit students and staff alike.
The SE website was updated with a new design and interface, as well as new features available to the SE community, according to Executive Director CIO of IT Daniel Moore.
Moore explained that one change has been the implication of department heads being able to use a content managing editor.
The content editing manager, which was taught to each department head by the IT department, will allow department heads to modify information over their department on the SE website at any time, according to Moore.
This power will help department heads to ensure that their information is kept updated without having to go through the IT department, according to Moore.
The editor is also mobile friendly and adjusts the pages according to the device being used.
Daniel Moore addressed the mobile capabilities as beneficial, as it allowed the IT department to avoid having to make many different apps for mobile devices, as the new website is formatted to them.
Moore said, “It allows us to kill 20 birds with one stone.”
In addition to the new updates, the new design of the SE website has also come with a new map of campus.
The map, which can be accessed at the About Southeastern tab on the main page, showcases Southeastern with an up-to-date satellite image of the campus, hosted by Google maps.
The map is interactive and each building can be clicked to see a photograph of the updated building.
A link will also be given to the webpage for covering that building or department.
The SE branch at the McCurtain County campus in Idabel, Oklahoma has also been given an updated map.
Network Operations Director Austin Harman has been responsible for the installation of IT projects across campus and said that most installations occur during times when students are not present.
Harman said, “We prefer to make our changes over breaks to minimize student interruptions.”
In addition to the website updates, the campus firewall has also been upgraded, a process that began in spring 2013 and finished in December.
The firewall protects the campus network from viral infections and other nasty programs, said Harman.
While some students have had issues with dead links on the school website. Harman said, “The core website is pretty much finished. We’re working on fixing the dead links now.”
80,000 static pages have been converted to the new website via the content managing editor.
Computers on campus still work with lockdown protocols, refreshing the system entirely every time a computer is shut down.
This allows for the removal of any possible viruses that may have gotten into the network by removing student-downloaded programs. Student work and saved files will not be deleted.
While students have been known to have issues with outdated flash players, Moore said that students can update flash players as they please.
The only catch is that they must repeat this process with each log-in.
Moore said, “We have a lot of flexibility to use Microsoft update packages, which are financially helped by student technology fees.”
For more information on the IT changes of SE, visit http://www.se.edu/dept/information-technology/computer-policies-procedures/information-technology-accessibility-act/.