Campus colleagues,

DocuSign is gradually moving to a new design system and recently rolled out a new user interface. There are quite a few small changes, but I wanted to share some highlights with you.

1.   The Manage tab has been renamed to Agreements, where you can  find envelope folders inbox, sent, completed,  etc.
2. My Preferences has a refreshed interface.  No functionality changes are involved; only a change to the look and feel.
3. The pages under the Agreements and the Templates tabs have a UI refresh.  As part of this update, the navigation for the envelopes lists and templates lists are paginated instead of having an infinite scroll pattern.
4. For Power Users who use the Bulk Send feature, please note that the Bulk Send feature also has a refreshed interface. There are no changes to the bulk send functionality; only a change to the look and feel.

Thank you Jocelyn Tom, Application Business Analyst, for all your work on digitization and 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

Campus colleagues,

Working hybrid or traveling this summer, but still need access to your office phone? Here’s a couple tips: you can forward your office calls to another number and access your voicemail from anywhere, anytime.

To forward calls from your office to another phone number:

1. Press the Forward All softkey.
2. Enter the number to which you want to forward your calls. Be sure to prepend the 10-digit phone number with a “71” (e.g., 714089241000).
3. The Forward All icon will display on your phone screen indicating that call forwarding is active.
4. To cancel call forwarding, press the Forward Off softkey on your phone’s touchscreen.

To check your voicemail remotely:

1. Dial 408-924-6800 and press * when the greeting begins to play.
2. Enter your 5-digit extension (e.g., 41000) followed by #.
3. Enter your voicemail PIN followed by #.

NOTE: If this is your first time accessing your voicemail, you’ll need to complete the voicemail setup process, including creating a new voicemail PIN.

Thank you Aaron Langford, one of our Network Analysts, for helping maintain our phone system and 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 Jose State University

Colleagues,

Updating your operating system and applications is a critical practice in maintaining the security and functionality of your computers and devices. Today’s tip is just four words: “Don’t wait to update!” Here are the two main reason why:

• Security Vulnerability: By fixing vulnerabilities, updates prevent cybercriminals from taking advantage of weaknesses in your software. These vulnerabilities can be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access, steal data, or disrupt services. With timely updating, your systems become less susceptible to attacks like ransomware, phishing, and malware infections.
• Performance and Stability: Updates not only enhance security but also improve performance and stability. They fix bugs, optimize code, and ensure that your software runs smoothly. Outdated software can lead to crashes, slow performance, and unexpected behavior.

If you’re using an SJSU-owned laptop or desktop, it’s likely that most of your updates are being managed automatically while you’re connected to SJSU’s network, but remember to keep an eye out for reminders to reboot your computer so that pending updates can be fully completed. Many of us also use personal devices and computers to do work and access SJSU systems. Keeping those personal devices up-to-date also helps keep university and student data secure.

Thank you to Noel McCormick from our Information Security Team for providing this tip and helping protect our university. 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 Jose State University

Campus colleagues,

Smart home devices like cameras, locks, and thermostats add convenience and automation to our homes. Unfortunately, they can also be a backdoor for attackers. As we have shifted to hybrid work and learning modalities, many of us have incorporated smart devices not only into our personal, but also our professional lives. While many smart devices have access to your accounts, passwords, and network, they often lack the robust security software and safeguards of larger, complex devices like phones and computers. Here are a few quick tips on how to protect yourself and the university by keeping your devices secure:

• Use a secondary or guest network – Most newer routers have the ability to create a secondary or guest network. The FBI recommends putting all of your smart devices on a different network from your computers, phones, and tablets, which is a great way to keep your data safe. Even if an attacker gains access to the network through a smart device, they’ll be separated from your data. Connect to the guest or secondary network as little as possible, ideally only while configuring your smart home devices.  Likewise, make sure your WiFi networks are secured with complex, unique passwords.

• Account Security – Many smart devices require you to have an account. Make sure those accounts use complex, unique passwords; avoid default user names; and equip those accounts with Multi-Factor Authentication whenever possible. Once your account is set up, take a few minutes to review all of the available security settings.

• Firmware Updates – “Firmware” is the software encoded onto your devices. Often, companies will send out firmware updates to their devices if they discover a security flaw. Take a minute to see if your device needs a firmware update. Usually you can find this information on the company’s website, application, or in your account information. Updates are most often done via WiFi.

• Maintain Privacy Mindfulness – Ensuring that your privacy is protected is a major concern whenever you install a new smart home device. Go through your device’s privacy features, disable extra features you don’t use. If the devices use cloud services, such as remotely viewable cameras, it’s important to know how the company may be using or sharing your data and how they keep that data secure. Factory reset any older devices before reselling or recycling them, and if they use cloud services, ensure the associated account is logged out and deleted from the device.

Thank you Cole Gunter, Information Security Analyst & Program Coordinator,  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

Spartans,

As an SJSU Student, faculty member, or staff member, you have access to Google Workspace with Google Slides. With real-time collaboration and automatic saves to the cloud, Google empowers teams and groups to create impactful presentations together. Today, I’d like to share three helpful tricks that can elevate your slides and captivate your audience:

1. Apply Image Effects: Google Slides allows you to add a touch of creativity to your images. You can apply shadow and reflection effects to your pictures or photos. To do this, select your image, click on “Format Options” in the toolbar, and enable either the Drop Shadow or Reflection options. Adjust transparency, distance, angle, or size to enhance your visuals.
2. Crop Images to Shapes: Sometimes, you want an image to fit a specific shape. Google Slides lets you crop an image to various shapes using a feature called masking. After selecting your image, click the Mask Image arrow next to the Crop Image button in the toolbar. Explore shapes like arrows, callouts, or equations to create eye-catching visuals. You can further adjust size, rotation, brightness, and contrast using the “Format Options” menu.
3. Create Even Spacing: Ensuring elements are evenly spaced and properly aligned keeps your slides looking sharp. Click and drag your mouse to select all the objects you want to distribute horizontally. (You can also hold the Shift key and click each object individually to select them.) Once the objects are selected, go to the “Arrange” menu in the toolbar at the top. Hover over the “Distribute” option in the menu. You’ll see two choices: “Horizontally” and “Vertically.” Choose the one best suited for the slide. Google Slides will automatically distribute the selected objects evenly along the horizontal axis.

Thank you Andrew Weiglein, from the SJSU IT Program 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