General Information

Scott McNamee, Director of Information Technology Services

The department of Information Technology Services (ITS) is the central agency that supports enterprise-wide computing on campus. It provides the products and services that you will use every day to complete tasks related to your studies or your jobs with a commitment to excellence in customer service and technical support. These services are provided to the college community in support of the mission of Millsaps College.

Overview

ITS  is responsible for providing central platform and operating system, database, application, email, digital signage, and identity and access management services.  ITS provides the connecting layers, services, and support for campus applications and systems.

Identity and access management provides core infrastructure and services that support authentication and authorization, identity and user lifecycle management, directory services, and related technologies, processes, and procedures.

Infrastructure Service is responsible for the design, deployment, and maintenance of the underlying technical infrastructure used to deliver the services used by the College. Infrastructure Services support the physical and virtual environment, communications infrastructure, storage and backup, and physical IT facilities as well as the processes required to ensure a reliable and stable infrastructure.

Core Services provides support for storage and backup services, the virtual environment used to host applications, and manages the multiple IT Facilities used to support those services.

Network Services designs, deploys, and maintains the network infrastructure connecting the College to external networks and the ability to transport information to internal users.

Services provided include:

  • Wired Network Connectivity
  • Wireless Network (PC-Secure) Connectivity
  • NAC
  • Network IP Management
  • Firewall Services
  • Internet

Telephone Services is responsible for the Millsaps telephone system including VoIP, as well as the services dependent on telephone systems.

Data and Voice Network maintains the physical fiber, copper, and Ethernet infrastructure that physically interconnects all of campus.

User Services, ITS Helpdesk provides IT support to currently affiliated members of the Millsaps community.

Help Desk

ITS Help Desk is the campuses first level of contact for support and assistance. Some services provided include software installation, network access assistance, office computer and network printing. ITS also manages the Colleges telecom system. Help Desk your contact for centralized purchasing requests.

  • Location: Academic Complex 100
  • Phone: 601.974.1144
  • Email: http://help.millsaps.edu
  • Hours of Operation: Monday – Thursday, 8am – 6pm; Friday, 8am – 4:30pm
  • When classes are in session during the academic year, extended office hours: Monday – Thursday: 4:30pm – 6pm
  • ITS Coordinator – Jeanne Bodron

After Hours, Weekend and Holidays

ITS provides on-call support coverage in the event of unexpected failure or significant problems with critical resources during non-business hours which includes weekdays after 5 p.m., weekends, holidays, or any other time the college is closed.

To report an outage of a critical ITS resource during the holidays please contact Campus Safety at 601-974-1234. Provide your name, a brief but detailed explanation of the problem and the best call-back phone number. This information will be passed to on-call ITS staff and we will respond as fast as possible.

Critical services include:

  • entire building network loss
  • server failures (e.g. H: and M: drive, MajorPortal, Colleague, etc.)
  • campus-wide email outage
  • campus-wide wireless outage
  • campus-wide telephone outage
  • campus-wide internet outage

Non-critical service issues, such as printer and copier malfunctions, audiovisual equipment malfunctions, and password resets will be addressed during regular business hours.

In the event of a network, email loss of service or loss of network printing abilities, please contact Millsaps College Campus Safety. Staff will gather basic information to determine if an outage exists, and report it to the appropriate ITS staff for repair.

Web Help Desk – http://help.millsaps.edu

Web Help Desk is your online web based ticketing system that provides users with convenient method of reporting. In addition, the application allows you to open your own support ticket by simply emailing your request to help@millsaps.edu.

What to Expect Using the Web Help Desk

Users will be prompted to login using your Millsaps credentials. Once you are logged in, some of the features available to you are:

  • Open a new support ticket
  • Add detailed comments and/or request closure on a current ticket
  • Track the progress of your support ticket
  • View the status, comments and the resolution of your support ticket
  • Upload file attachments associated with your request

Options After Hours

The HUB Office is open from 6-8 p.m., Monday – Thursday, during academic class schedule only.

ITS Help Desk Mission

To provide prompt, courteous, and informed support to the College’s community.

Service Statement

Help Desk strives to provide effective resolutions to daily challenges and to support Millsaps College faculty, staff and student productivity. We achieve this through:

  • Improved communication processes
  • Increased “first contact” resolution
  • Tiered patron-focused support
  • Shortened service response time
  • End-to-end patron support

The Hub

theHUB is an ITS student staffed after-hours extension of the Help Desk to support faculty, staff and students.

Extended hours do not offer a fully functioning Help Desk office. Classroom support is available.

Student staff is available to assist with a variety of other services such as wireless setup, software installation, smartphone email configuration, to name a few.

Hours of Operation

The HUB Office is open from 6-8 p.m., Monday – Thursday, during academic class schedule only.
Academic Complex 105
Telephone: 601.974.1144

Wireless Networks

Major Air

Major Air provides students, faculty, and staff members secure access to email, networked drives, and other resources in addition to providing a faster connection speed. Users may wish to keep in mind that a wireless connection will fluctuate in strength, meaning it will be stronger in some areas than in others.

Windows

Mac

Other Devices

Major Guest Wireless Network

Major Guest network allows guest access to the internet only for a period of 24 hours and must re-enroll to access. When a device is joined to MajorGuest, the user is directed to enroll.

If the user disconnects and reconnects within that 24 hour time frame they do not have to re-enroll.

How to Delete or Forget a Wi-Fi Network

See this PDF for instructions on how to delete or forget a Wi-Fi network.

Email is one of the most-frequently used modes of communication at Millsaps. Users may access email through the Web, smart phones and other devices.

Major Portal

Major Portal – https://majorportal.millsaps.edu – is a web-interface for students, faculty, and staff using your Millsaps account name and password. Major Portal is your online resource for just about everything you’ll need at Millsaps.

Telecommunications

Voice Over Internet Protocol

VoIP is basically a telephone connection over the Internet. The data is sent digitally, using the Internet Protocol (IP) instead of analog telephone lines.

Please contact the Help Desk for telephone request and assistance.

Phone Instructions

VoIP Phone Model 8800 basic features of your phone, including how to access voicemail from off campus.

Dialing Reference

  • Emergency calls – Dial 1234, or 601.974.1234.
  • On-campus dialing – Dial the last 4 digits.
  • Off-campus and long distance – Dial 9 + the number.

Network Drives

Network drive storage is a useful way to back up important information or to share information with colleagues. Networked computers will automatically connect with login. If you wish to connect with a personal computer, simply ensure you are connected to the wireless or wired network, and follow these instructions.

Student Device Management

Device management self-service allows users to manage their own devices. Students may add a device as well as manage the other devices they own.

How to register non-802.11 devices:

  • Go to https://devreg.millsaps.edu.
  • Login using your Millsaps credentials.
  • Add the Wi-Fi MAC address and select save.
  • You may connect device to the BYOD wireless network to gain internet access.

Note: If you join the BYOD wireless network first without registering the device, internet access is not available until the device is registered. For further assistance, email help@millsaps.edu.

How to Find Your MAC Address

See this PDF for instructions on how to find your MAC address.

Employee Information

Employee Discounts

Employees of Millsaps College are able to take advantages of our on-going partnership with Dell to receive discounts on computers and related equipment. For more information on the available discounts from Dell, please visit the Millsaps Dell store.

Employees are also able to receive an Educational Discount from Apple. To take advantage of this discount online, please visit the Apple online store, then click Education Store on the lefthand side. In the next window, type Millsaps College in the search bar. It will appear in the list below. Click on it, then click on the Shop for Yourself button. If you are in the Apple store, you can simply present your Millsaps-issued ID for the discount.

Student Information

Student FAQs

Purchasing Personal Computers

Active students enrolled at Millsaps may purchase Dell systems and other peripherals through the Millsaps Dell Univer¬sity Program. To receive educational discounts not available to the general public please access the Millsaps College Dell store.

Apple, Inc. offers educational pricing for active students enrolled; please visit the Education Store.

Student Employment Opportunities

Center for Career Education

Services are available to Millsaps students, Millsaps alumni and approved employers. Employers may register and post full-time opportunities, part-time jobs and internships at any time. Our staff will respond to your registration request in a timely manner. Students and alumni may register and search opportunities by job type, location and industry.

Students and alumni may register and search opportunities by job type, location, and industry.

Millsaps College respects the principle of protection for intellectual labor and creativity as a vital element in the academic enterprise. The works of authors and publishers, performers and film makers, whether in printed or recorded form, are recognized as protected intellectual property under the Copyright Law of the United States (PL 94-553). Fair use of copyrighted material by students and faculty is also protected by copyright law as interpreted in Agreement on Guidelines for Classroom Copying in Not-for-Profit Educational Institutions (H. Rept. 94-1476).

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998, and provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, are designed to protect copyright owners and requires colleges to help prevent illegal sharing of copyrighted property. The DMCA makes it illegal to copy or share intellectual property – music, videos, games, software and other materials – without permissions. The HEOA requires colleges to inform students about illegal file sharing, to advise them of potential penalties for violating the law, and to implement technological deterrents.

Unauthorized downloading or uploading of copyrighted material can result in legal action against you, including lawsuits by the copyright holder or their agent (such as the RIAA and MPAA). It is also a violation of Millsaps’ Ethical Use of Computing Facilities policy. There are legal ways to download copyrighted materials but peer-to-peer sharing of copyrighted material without the copyright holder’s permission is illegal, whether you are serving it up or downloading it. In most cases, the software you use to download files automatically makes your machine into a server, so you may be serving files without even realizing it. Copyright holders can file lawsuits against you and the maximum penalty can be very large. They can also notify Millsaps College of infringements that are taking place on campus, and require us to intervene to stop them.

Summary of Civil and Criminal Penalties for Violation of Federal Copyright Laws

Copyright infringement is the act of exercising, without permission or legal authority, one or more of the exclusive rights granted to the copyright owner under section 106 of the Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United States Code). These rights include the right to reproduce or distribute a copyrighted work. In the file-sharing context, downloading or uploading substantial parts of a copyrighted work without authority constitutes an infringement.

Penalties for copyright infringement include civil and criminal penalties. In general, anyone found liable for civil copyright infringement may be ordered to pay either actual damages or “statutory” damages affixed at not less than $750 and not more than $30,000 per work infringed. For “willful” infringement, a court may award up to $150,000 per work infringed. A court can, in its discretion, also assess costs and attorneys’ fees. For details, see Title 17, United States Code, Sections 504, 505.

Willful copyright infringement can also result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and fines of up to $250,000 per offense.

For more information, please see the Web site of the U.S. Copyright Office at http://www.copyright.gov, especially their FAQ’s at http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq.

Policy and Procedures for Handling Violations

Illegal file sharing discovered by the College

Network traffic will be monitored for peer-to-peer file sharing activity. Students found to be using P2P software or engaged in other illegal activity will be notified

First offense: Student is warned of possible violations and is required to read the policy on ethical use of computers and copyright again.

Second offense: Student is denied access to the internet for five days and is reported to the Academic Dean. Judicial Council or Academic Honor Council charges may be filed and appropriate sanctions imposed.

Copyright holders and their agents (e.g., Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America) monitor file sharing sources and send notices to the College when violations are found.

First notice:

  • Check network usage logs and registration information to examine the system alleged to be involved in copyright infringement and identify the person using it;
  • Inform the user that an infringement claim as been made and ask if the user has downloaded or shared the copyrighted material in question without permission.
  • User is required to remove file sharing software and all illegal files from their computer.
  • User is required to re-read the Computer User Agreement and to review information about the DMCA statute and copyright regulations

Second notice:

  • Deny the user’s system access to the outside Internet for a period of five days; email, on-campus internet, and network drives will remain accessible.
  • require the user to re-read the Computer User Agreement and to review information about the DMCA statute and copyright regulations;
  • require the user to submit a statement: (a) confirming the second case of copyright infringement, (b) acknowledging violation of the Computer User Agreement and his/her promise not to repeat this behavior,
  • inform the Academic Dean of the actions taken; Judicial Council or Academic Honor Council charges may be filed and appropriate sanctions imposed.

Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Requirements

Introduction

This page outlines Millsaps College’s plan to comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), 2008. HEOA includes provisions designed to reduce illegal uploading and downloading of copyrighted works through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing on college campuses. These provisions include requirements that institutions:

  • make an annual disclosure that informs students that the illegal distribution of copyrighted materials may subject them to criminal and civil penalties and describes the steps that institutions will take to detect and punish illegal distribution of copyrighted materials;
  • implement procedures for handling unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material, including disciplinary procedures. See policy.
  • use one or more technology-based deterrents to illegal file sharing.
  • periodically review the effectiveness of the plans to combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials by users of the institution’s network using relevant assessment criteria.

Annual Disclosure

Consistent with our educational principles, we view education as the most important element in combating illegal sharing of copyrighted materials at Millsaps. We will use a variety of methods to inform our community about the law and Millsaps’ response to copyright infringement claims:

  • MajorFacts, the student handbook,
  • Code of Conduct and Honor Code
  • Pre-registration and Orientation references to policies
  • CourseConnect link to copyright policies
  • Millsaps web page on copyright and illegal downloading
  • Notices posted in student computer labs.
  • All members of the Millsaps Community endorse a Computer User Agreement that includes a section on copyright compliance.
  • Library FAQ and ITS policies web page
  • Computing support staff, including student Help Desk workers, are regularly trained on the College position with respect to copyright issues.
  • Annual notice to each student and employee containing a list and brief description of consumer information the college must disclose and institutional policies and sanctions including Federal copyright law penalties.

Use one or more technology-based deterrents

Millsaps currently employs bandwidth shaping to limit P2P traffic and can employ other limits as needed. Students and employees found to be using excessive bandwith are contacted to insure bandwidth consumption is for legal purposes and that the user is aware of the College’s policies concerning illegal file sharing.

The College investigates all Digital Millennium Copyright Act notices from copyright holders.

Offering Alternatives to Illegal File Sharing

The Millsaps web site provides links to sites that provide numerous options for obtaining music, videos, and other digital content in a legal manner. Members of the Millsaps community are encouraged to take advantage of these legitimate sources of digital content.

Reviewing Effectiveness

Beginning in 2012-13 and periodically thereafter we will examine how well the college community is informed about illegal file sharing and other copyright regulations; the extent to which community members are taking advantage of legal alternatives to file sharing; the impact of our technical efforts to combat illegal file sharing; and other aspects of our plans to combat the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials.

VPN

Virtual private network (VPN) is a network that is constructed using public wires to connect to a private network. It secures the private network as these systems use encryption and other security mechanisms to ensure that only authorized users can access the network and that the data cannot be intercepted.

  • VPN for Windows
  • VPN for Mac OS X

Staff