Coming Soon: Rate Your Courses Online

Ever wish you could know other students’ opinions of a class before you sign up for it? Think a consistent way of evaluating courses across the university would be a plus? You’re in luck!

An online course evaluation system is currently being developed and tested for use here at Maryland. When the system is fully-operational, you’ll have the opportunity to rate your classes by answering both university-wide standard questions as well as questions each department and professor has included. All of your course evaluation data will be confidential — professors and administrators will not be able to connect specific ratings or comments with individual students. If you rate all your classes, you’ll be able to access class rating data for every university class that has been reviewed by at least 70 percent of its registrants to help you make your decisions on what to sign up for in the future.

“This system will live or die based on student participation,” according to Sharon La Voy, Director of Assessment in the university’s Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment group and the director of this project. “In order for professors to improve courses, students need to provide feedback. This feedback will also contribute to tenure and promotion decisions, and it is an essential way students can participate in the improvement of teaching and learning at Maryland.”

More than 500 courses (324 courses in Summer I and 238 courses in Summer II) were used to test the system this summer. Testing will expand this fall, and students in all courses with enrollments above five will be asked to answer the university-wide evaluation questions. If you are in one of these courses, an e-mail will be sent to your university e-mail address giving you more information. In the spring, several colleges will be testing the capability of adding their own items (as well as department- and instructor-level items) to the evaluations, and the entire system should be fully operational and available university-wide in time to rate next year's fall courses. More information is available at https://www.irpa.umd.edu/
Assessment/CourseEval/stdt_faq.shtml.

News from ACT and the Terrapin
Technology Store

By Fred Morris

This summer, OIT’s Academic Computers for Terps (ACT) program completed a successful first year of operation, during which it saved the university community more than $1.8 million over and above regular educational discounts! The ACT program’s second year brings updated systems and continued lower prices offering even better value in your computer purchase.

ACT offers University of Maryland, College Park students, faculty, and staff high-end Apple and Dell systems at prices that are lower than even standard educational discounts. Along with exceptional pricing, all ACT units are protected by a full four-year warranty serviced by the OIT Help Desk. If your machine ever needs warranty repair, just drop it by the warranty desk (in room 1400 of the Computer and Space Sciences Building) and OIT will handle everything from there. Additionally, if your repair requires the machine be left overnight, you’ll get a loaner laptop computer to use free of charge. It’s the best deal with the best coverage around. Log on to www.act.umd.edu for all the details and to see Apple’s very latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models, as well as Dell’s newly released Latitude D630, all available and ready for use on campus.

OIT has also added an ACT program retail shop, the Terrapin Technology Store. The store is located on the ground floor of the Stamp Student Union, just off the Food Court. The Terrapin Technology Store is a great way for customers to get a hands-on demo of many of the specially priced systems ACT offers and to purchase their new computers, software, and accessories. For more information about the store, visit www.oit.umd.edu/techstore or call 301.314.7000.

Need IT Help?
Call the Help Desk!

OIT is working to consolidate all
of its customer service numbers
to the OIT Help Desk.

For the most efficient assistance
with any OIT-related help request, whether it’s related to your computer, your telephone, or your network connection, please call the
OIT Help Desk at

301.405.1400

Don’t Dole Out Your Digits

The security of personal information is a priority at the university, especially in the information technology arena, where there are outsiders always working to compromise your data for nefarious purposes.

It is important for you to do your part to keep your Social Security Number (SSN) safe. Don’t send your SSN through e-mail or fax communications. There are lots of places where your messages can be stored in between your computer and their final destination, not to mention the possibility that the recipient can save or forward any e-mails they receive. Any of these electronic pit stops are places where your identity can be compromised. Keep those digits to yourself! When sending identifying information about yourself at the university, please use your Directory ID or U ID number.

For information on personal identity security at the university, visit www.oit.umd.edu/units/dataadmin/
PersonalIdentification/faq.html. For tips on preventing identity theft, visit www.nethics.umd.edu/resources/
factsheets/identitytheftprevention.htm.

Windows Vista and Microsoft Office Available to Maryland Students at Discounted Prices

The OIT Software Licensing Office recently enhanced its available offerings to Maryland students by including Microsoft Windows Vista and Office 2007 at discounted prices. To purchase your copies, stop by the Terrapin Technology Store on the ground floor of the Stamp Student Union or go to the OIT Help Desk in room 1400 of the Computer and Space Sciences Building. A valid University ID card is required to make purchases.

Microsoft Office 2004 is also available for Macintosh users. For a complete list of discounted software titles available to the university community, visit www.oit.umd.edu/slic/howto/homeuse.html.