Spartans,

Accessibility is a key component in the success of students, faculty, and staff at SJSU. I want to share some resources that are available through San José State, if you could use assistance with your work or studies.

If you are a student requiring special support, the Accessible Education Center (AEC) is an invaluable source of assistance. The AEC provides a wealth of resources, including assistive technology and training. Some examples of assistive technologies that are available are text-to-speech software, note-taking software, and information on device settings that can aid in accessibility.

Another great place for support is the Accessibility at SJSU webpage. In addition to providing information for students, there are links to resources specific to SJSU faculty and staff requiring assistance or accommodation. There are also guidelines for creating accessible content and a list of tools to help you to create accessible content.

Thank you Andrew Weiglein from our Project Management Office for providing this tip. As always, the SJSU IT Service Desk is here to help by phone at (408) 924-1530 or online.

Thanks,
Bob Lim
Vice President for Information Technology
and CIO at San José State University

Spartans,

Did you know that as part of SJSU, you have access to the Research Electronic Data Capture tool (REDCap) at no cost to you? REDCap is a secure data collection tool that is widely used for research, quality improvement, clinical applications, health services management, and training/education.

REDCap allows you to quickly and securely build online surveys and databases in your browser without the need for extra software. You can access your project from any device with a secure login. The tool enables fast and flexible project creation, with the ability to start data collection in less than one day and make customizations anytime, even after data collection begins. Advanced design features include auto-validation, calculated fields, and branching/skip logic. You can choose from diverse survey distribution options, including personalized messages for email or phone contacts, or simple links for anonymous surveys. Lastly, you can ensure data quality with field validation, branching/skip logic, and Missing Data Codes, and resolve issues in real-time with open data queries.

To find out more about this tool, check out Project REDCap, or reach out to harish.chander@sjsu.edu, SJSU’s REDCap Administrator.

Thank you Harish Chander from Enterprise Systems for providing this tip. As always, the SJSU IT Service Desk is here to help by phone at (408) 924-1530 or online.

Thanks,
Bob Lim
Vice President for Information Technology
and CIO at San José State University

Spartans,

Here’s a tip for Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): SJSU IT provides hardware tokens (key fobs) as an alternative to authenticating with your phone. The hardware token is a good option for folks without a mobile device, with an older mobile device, or who need to minimize device usage. It generates a random six digit code used for verification. A different code is generated for each login attempt.

To request a hardware token, contact the SJSU IT Service Desk by phone at 408-924-1530, in person, or online. Once you’ve put in a request, the SJSU IT Service Desk will let you know when your hardware token is ready to be picked up. After your hardware token has been activated and issued to you, you will be prompted at each login to enter the special security code provided by your hardware token.

Thank you Celine Mingfield, Customer Service Specialist, and Sharon Watkins, Lead Service Desk Support Specialist, for providing this tip to campus. As always, the SJSU IT Service Desk is here to help by phone at (408) 924-1530 or online.

Thanks,
Bob Lim
Vice President for Information Technology
and CIO at San José State University

Campus colleagues,

As we prepare for the upcoming academic year and are engaged in research, it is important to remember that filter bubbles, also referred to as information bubbles and echo chambers, affect the results of our online searches.

Filter bubbles occur when your search engine uses algorithms to “curate” your results, promoting results that are in line with your browsing history, past click behavior, and personal preferences. This “personalization” of search results is intended to provide you with the most relevant information possible. However, it can create biases and distortions by prioritizing information in which you have previously expressed interest. And as AI becomes more prevalent in technology platforms, the risk of filter bubbles is likely to increase.

There are a couple things you can do to minimize filter bubbles. Regularly clearing your browsing data (history, cookies, cache, etc.) can help pop the bubble (see Sophos’ article for links to browser-specific instructions on clearing data). Also using different browsers if you have the ability to do so may help. Finally, some experts suggest browsing in “private” or “incognito” mode, which prevents the browser from storing information which could be used to create filter bubbles.

While the personalization of online content resulting from digital tracking provides convenience and may lead to improved productivity, there are concerns about data privacy. The storage of user data increases the risk that unauthorized parties could gain access to that data and use it for identity theft or fraud. Please read my recent data privacy post for more information about privacy.

If you would like to learn a little more about filter bubbles, there is a great 9-minute TED Talk by Eli Pariser from 2011 which focuses on filter bubbles and is still relevant today.

Thank you Jeff Japp from our Project Management Office for providing this tip. As always, the SJSU IT Service Desk is here to help by phone at (408) 924-1530 or online.

Thanks,

Bob Lim
Vice President for Information Technology
and CIO at San José State University