Spartans,

Be technology ready this semester with a quick SJSU IT start-of-semester checklist. Here’s some things to double-check after the first week of Fall:

• Open up all the applications you use frequently and install any updates that might be waiting. Having mismatched or outdated versions of software can create technical and security problems.  It’s better to do it now than in the middle of class. 
• Visit the one.sjsu.edu app portal and explore many of the applications and services available to you as an SJSU student, such as MySJSU, MyGPS, Add/Drop Courses, and more. 
• Consider using an SJSU Zoom background for hybrid or remote courses. 
• Need technology equipment to achieve academic success? The SJSU IT Equipment Loaning Service has laptops, webcams, mics, mobile hotspots, major-specific gear, and more. Check our inventory at http://sjsu.edu/equipmentcheckout. 
• SJSU offers essential software at no cost for students. Take a minute to download something you need or something that just looks interesting. There are LinkedIn Learning courses available to get you familiar with new software. 

For this tip, I want to thank all of the student staff at the SJSU IT Service Desk for this tip and for supporting our university every day. As always, the 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,

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 key fob 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 key fob, 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. Requesting a key fob will take more time than the self-service Duo Mobile app activation process. 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 Jose State University

Colleagues,

On Thursday, we sent out an email about how to use Gmail’s Multi-Send feature. It quickly came to our attention that this feature was replaced very recently with the more advanced “mail merge” feature.  Mail merge has all of the same benefits of multi-send and is a much better option than mass BCC emails.  

Mail merge allows you to link a Google Sheet with up to 1,500 recipients and use any data column from the Sheet as a mail merge tag. Contact information must be in the first tab of your spreadsheet and can only contain text. Here’s how to use mail merge:

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. At the top left, click Compose.
   • You can also open an existing draft.
3. Go to the “To:” line.
4. Click Use mail merge:
5. Turn on Mail merge.
6. Click Add from a spreadsheet.
7. Select a Google Sheet, then click Insert.
8. Use the dropdown menus to select the columns from the spreadsheet to determine each recipient’s address (e.g. Lisa Rodriguez <lisa@example.com>). You can choose the following contact information from your spreadsheet:
   • Email
   • First name
   • Last name (optional)
9. Click Finish.
   • Your spreadsheet is added to the “To:” line in the message.
10. In your message, enter “@.”
11. Select a merge tag.
    • Merge tags are determined by the column headers in your spreadsheet.
12. To select a merge tag, press Enter.

Thank you to everyone who sent us their feedback on this recent tip. Of course, as always the SJSU IT Service Desk is here to help by phone at (408) 924-1530 or online.

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

Campus colleagues,

Here’s a tip for something simple you can do to help keep our university more secure: report phishing attempts!

During a phishing attack, a scammer disguises their email to look like a legitimate message from a colleague or company in an attempt to trick you. The goal of the phishing email is to have you click on a link, open an attachment, or take you to a fake login website that will ask you for sensitive or confidential information. You can find more information about Phishing on the SJSU IT website.

Although your first instinct might be to delete or ignore suspicious emails, please report them. If you suspect an email to be a phishing attack, you can use the “Report Phishing” button inside Google. This button will only appear if Gmail identifies the email as a potential phishing attempt. When this alert comes up, if it’s from a known contact, try reaching out to them with a phone call, chat, or email from your SJSU account to verify if the email is really from them or if it’s an impersonation.

If you’ve been targeted by a phisher, chances are your coworkers have been, too. By reporting suspicious emails, you can keep our campus safer. Here’s what the “Report Phishing” alert looks like in Gmail:

If you suspect an email is a phishing attempt and the alert has not appeared, you can click on the menu button within the email and select “Report Phishing.” Here’s what the menu option looks like:

If you think you have been compromised, email the Information Security team at security@sjsu.edu or call (408) 924-1530. Remember, SJSU will never send unsolicited messages asking for your password or other personal information.

Thank you Janice Lew, our Information Security Program Coordinator, for helping keep our university secure and 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 Jose State University