SJSU IT Tips – Protecting Sensitive Info on Social Media

Spartans,

Here are a few quick tips to help you stay safe while you connect with friends and family through social media.

  • Make your account private: While each social media platform has a different process to control privacy settings, most provide the option to make your profile and posts visible to friends only. Making your social media accounts private helps prevent unwanted persons from seeing what you are doing and posting.
  • Be careful posting photos: Photos can inadvertently provide personal information to individuals, such as your location, child’s school, place of employment, and so forth. Use discretion when posting images.
  • Review your tag settings: Sometimes well-meaning friends and family may tag you in posts that you would rather not be tagged in. Some social media platforms allow you to review posts that are tagged with your name. Consider checking your account settings to see how and where tags may be used by others.
  • Assume that what you post will not be private: Even if you have enabled strong privacy settings, you should not expect that what you share on social media will remain private. What you post can be saved and shared again. If you have any concern that what you share might  get out in the general public, it’s best not to share it.
  • Be critical of “friend” invites: While a friend request from a complete stranger will usually send up a warning flag, sometimes friend requests can come from fake accounts using the names of people you know. Always be cautious when accepting a friend request, even if it is from someone you know. When in doubt, reach out to the person and confirm the request is from them.

Thank you Jeff Japp from our Project Management Office for providing these tips. 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

Celebrating Lunar New Year

IT Colleagues,

This year, Lunar New Year celebrations begin on February 10. The Lunar New Year is known in China as the Spring Festival or Chūnjié in Mandarin, while Koreans call it Seollal, and Vietnamese refer to it as Tết. Observances are tied to the lunar calendar, and the holiday began as a time for feasting and to honor household and heavenly deities, as well as ancestors. For a brief overview of the holiday, check out this short video from Encyclopedia Britannica about the origin and traditions of the Lunar New Year.

Each culture celebrates the Lunar New Year differently. If you would like to learn more about the holiday and how it is observed across cultures, visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Arts’ Lunar New Year Celebration website which provides a wealth of information about the holiday and its associated traditions.

The SJSU DEI Committee wishes everyone a prosperous, happy Lunar New Year!

Thank you,

The SJSU IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Norma Brown

Ryan Campbell

Tino Cruz

Rashmi Kumar

Kara Li

Bob Lim

Matthew Loo

Maggie Panahi

Willie Simon

SJSU IT Tips – LinkedIn Learning

Spartans,

At SJSU, we all share a desire to learn new skills and broaden our horizons. So whether you are looking for a quick refresher, picking up a new hobby, or expanding your existing skills, consider checking out LinkedIn Learning.

Thanks to our partnership with LinkedIn, SJSU students, faculty, and staff have no-cost access to LinkedIn Learning, a collection of expert-led online courses. Videos range from 5 minutes to a couple hours, depending upon the topic and how deeply you want to explore.

If you are interested in seeing what LinkedIn Learning has to offer, you can get started with our guide to accessing LinkedIn Learning.

Thanks, Leon Nguyen, Interim Director – 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

Celebrating Black History Month

IT Colleagues,

February is Black History Month, when we take time to recognize the achievements of African Americans and pay tribute to their central role in US history. Each year, there is a theme for Black History Month, and according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, this year’s theme is African Americans and the Arts:

“African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment. Artistic and cultural movements such as the New Negro, Black Arts, Black Renaissance, hip-hop, and Afrofuturism, have been led by people of African descent and set the standard for popular trends around the world. In 2024, we examine the varied history and life of African American arts and artisans.”

In keeping with this year’s theme, we invite you to visit the SJSU King Library’s exhibit Unforgettable: Celebrating a Time of Life, Hope, & Bravery at the DiNapoli Gallery located on the 2nd floor. The exhibit, which runs through the month of February, showcases photographer Cecil Williams’ personal accounts and historically significant photos and milestones in South Carolina during the Civil Rights era.

In addition to the art exhibit, SJSU is hosting jazz musician Loston Harris at the Hammer Theatre on February 16, 7:00-8:30 PM as part of the Black Cab Series. Tickets for this performance are $20 to $40.

Thank you,

The SJSU IT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

Norma Brown

Ryan Campbell

Tino Cruz

Rashmi Kumar

Kara Li

Bob Lim

Matthew Loo

Maggie Panahi

Willie Simon

SJSU IT Tips – Equipment Loaning Service

Spartans,

A new semester means new courses, new research, and new work. SJSU IT empowers you with the technology equipment needed to stay up to date as you take on these new challenges. Our Equipment Loaning Service has everyday basics like laptops, webcams, microphones, monitors, keyboards, mice, and more. We also have major-specific, instructional, and hybrid work technology.

RESERVE EQUIPMENT

All of these items can be borrowed at no cost to you, for as long as you need. Extending access to education and the resources needed to succeed in higher education is a foundational mission of San José State University.

Another great resource is the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps ensure that households can afford broadband service for school, work, healthcare, etc. The program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Additionally, eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 on the purchase of a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. IMPORTANT: This program is closing for new applicants on February 8, 2024. If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, visit the SJSU IT Service Desk site.

I want to thank our entire Equipment Loaning Service staff for their work providing this service 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