Did you know that all McMaster students, staff and faculty have access to the Microsoft Office 365 (O365) suite for free? As part of the university’s software licensing agreement, Marauders are able to take advantage of multiple Microsoft products being integrated into curriculums and work environments. A new online hub A new online hub has been…

Happy Sys. Admin. Day! July 26th is a national day dedicated to celebrating system administrators. McMaster IT is lucky to employ a team of dedicated individuals and wanted to celebrate our valued colleagues. The Office of the AVP & CTO worked closely with Greg Atkinson, Manager of Information Technology with the Faculty of Science to…

We aren’t ashamed to admit that we look to our peers for guidance, and in some cases, outright follow their lead! The Office of the AVP & CTO chatted with Josh Mitchell, a developer with the Education Program in Anatomy, whose team is exploring the impacts of VR on teaching and the student experience writ-large.…

Cyber security is one of McMaster IT’s 2019 priority initiatives and supports the Seamless Foundation pillar of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. As part of our efforts and investment in cyber security, McMaster has been working on the development of the Canadian Shared Security Operations Centre (CanSSOC) proof of concept, along with five other Canadian…

Four project proposals were endorsed at the July 16th McMaster IT Executive meeting: Course Planning Portal: (Endorsed) Lori Goff and Joanne Kehoe of the MacPherson Institute presented this proposal. The purpose of the project is to implement a Course Planning Portal that will guide instructors through comprehensive course planning process in order to produce two key products…

McMaster IT @ CANHEIT-ARC 2019 and a CUCCIO Award for McMaster’s AVP & CTO! McMaster IT was well represented at the CANHEIT-ARC - the Canadian higher education IT conference, in Winnipeg this past June. A contingent of McMaster IT professionals attended the conference and presented and supported on various topics including IT Governance, IT Service…

By Greg Atkinson (Science). We aren’t ashamed to admit that we look to our peers for guidance, and in some cases, outright follow their lead! Courtney Sheppard’s team in the Faculty of Social Sciences is a step-ahead of us on important IT and accessibility challenges. When we heard that her Faculty is experimenting with a…

Recently the McMaster community came together through a series of engagement sessions to discuss the implementation of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. To continue these valuable conversations and in support the strategic pillar of ‘A Connected McMaster Community’, McMaster AVP & CTO Gayleen Gray is inviting the McMaster community to ‘Tech Tuesdays’ for the months of…

Recently, Christa Morrison from the MacPherson Institute, and Marzena Kielar with University Technology Services (UTS), both co-chairs for the Information Technology Student Advisory Committee (ITSAC), presented the committee’s first year final report to the McMaster IT Executive Committee. ITSAC launched in September 2018 and provides a forum for undergraduate and graduate students to discuss current…

Calling all McMaster IT community members! Let's kick-off summer with a little social activity! As a small thank you and in direct response to feedback and requests for more opportunities to connect as an IT community, the Office of the AVP & CTO will be hosting a McMaster IT Summer Social on Wednesday June 26…

At the May 30, 2019 McMaster IT Executive meeting, two projects were submitted for endorsement: McMaster Campus-Wide Wi-Fi Enhancement: Proposal available here. This project is part of the overall Wireless Upgrade initiative. Recent related projects implemented improvements in the libraries, FHS and MUSC, and included a campus wide wireless assessment as well as a wireless satisfaction survey. The…

An interview with Pat De Luca from the Faculty of Science, School of Geography and Earth Sciences By Greg Atkinson How does our IT work impact the community outside of McMaster? For Pat De Luca, the answer has become increasingly clear during his time at McMaster. The GIS technology he deployed to instruct students has…

Last month, more than 100 financial administrators from across campus attended the MacBuy town hall event on April 12. Members of the Financial Affairs team provided updates and answered questions, and user testers shared their early experiences with the new purchasing system. Dee Henne, AVP and Chief Financial Officer, emphasized the flexibility of the rollout,…

A preview of the McMaster Cisco Smart Building Occupancy proof of concept At their March meeting, the McMaster IT Governance Executive committee endorsed a Cisco Smart Building Occupancy proof of concept project. The purpose of this project is to better understand the opportunities related to automated management of buildings such as HVAC controls for energy…

Registration is now open for the McMaster IT Strategic Plan Engagement Sessions. Topics and dates are listed below. To register for one or more sessions, and for more information, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/mcmaster-it-strategic-engagement-sessions-april-may-2019-registration-60085252608 . Please register by Thursday April 25th.  Engagement sessions are open to all members of the McMaster community. The Office of the AVP…

Across the month of May, the McMaster IT community came out in full force to participate in various McMaster IT Strategic Plan engagement sessions. Topics and dates are listed below. Engagement sessions are open to all members of the McMaster community as the Office of the AVP & CTO is seeking broad input and ideas…

Recently, McMaster AVP & CTO Gayleen Gray was invited to present alongside at Cisco Canada President Rola Dagher at the Activate Digital 2019 conference presented by Longview Systems. Rola and Gayleen delivered a dynamic exchange covering the new McMaster IT Strategic Plan, digital transformation for the higher education landscape, and cultivating Canada’s future IT leaders.…

Following on from International Women’s Day where Canada’s theme emphasized getting more women and girls into STEM fields, Roy Russell, Senior Research Computing Specialist, Research and High Performance Computing Support (RHPCS) shared his involvement with a regional initiative aimed at doing just that. Roy and his wife Jill are very involved in Technovation, a yearly…

Prioritizing strategic initiatives and seeking further campus engagement Following the recent launch of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan for 2019 - 2021, work has begun on prioritizing the IT Strategic Initiatives for 2019. In April, the IT Governance standing committees will be reviewing the list of proposed initiatives in the context of the McMaster IT…

Celebrating women (and men) on the path to IT leadership this International Women’s Day. As a professional, educated, privileged Canadian woman who has had many opportunities and successes in my personal and professional life, I don’t often think about International Women’s Day (IWD) and what is represents throughout the year. I recognize it as a…

At the recent launch of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan and indeed throughout the planning process, the following message was reinforced: efforts in IT should all be about positively impacting the student experience. But how do we as a community do that? And how do we involve students? One of the answers lies in the…

McMaster University recently completed the implementation of a new 10 Gbps Ethernet (GbE) connection between the main campus and the McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) Atrium Building.  Connectivity to both the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) and the Fraunhofer Project Centre for Biomedical Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing (BEAM) was also improved by increasing those network paths…

A critical network switch replacement project to update 19 buildings across campus has been completed ahead of its projected timeline, and within its $2M budget. The initiative was approved through McMaster IT Governance and completed by the University Technology Services (UTS) Network Team. Now that  all network switches on campus are current and within support…

McMaster University’s IT Security team has announced its commitment once again to Data Privacy Day by signing up as a Data Privacy Day 2019 Champion. Data Privacy Day is an international effort held annually on January 28th to create awareness about the importance of respecting privacy, safeguarding data and enabling trust. As a Champion, McMaster…

Following almost a year of broad consultation with cross-campus constituencies and stewardship from the McMaster IT Strategic Plan Steering Committee, the McMaster community gathered January 23, 2019  to celebrate the launch of a new strategic direction for IT. Following opening remarks from President Patrick Deane, Roger Couldrey, Vice-President (Administration), reflected on the genesis of the…

January 23, 2019 will mark the official launch of the new McMaster IT Strategic Plan for 2019 – 2021. The three-year plan provides the roadmap to achieve the university’s strategic IT vision. On Wednesday January 23, the McMaster community will gather at the L.R. Wilson Concert Hall to celebrate the launch and hear campus leaders…

As the calendar year winds down, it is hard not to become reflective of all that has happened over the last 12 months. For McMaster IT, 2018 has been a year of connections, accomplishments, and planning for the future. It’s been a thrilling and productive year! The McMaster IT Strategic Planning process definitely stands out…

On December 11, the McMaster IT Strategic Plan Steering Committee rounded out a productive year with their final meeting for 2018. Committee members regrouped to review and discuss the final designed report and web strategy, as well as plans for the launch event scheduled for the January 23, 2019. Gayleen expressed gratitude for each member’s…

The Office of the AVP & CTO invites you to the official  launch of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019 from 1:30 – 3:30PM in the L.R. Wilson Concert Hall. Senior leaders and representatives from across McMaster will be on hand to discuss McMaster’s IT strategic…

Last month, at the second annual McMaster IT Forum, Gayleen Gray, AVP & CTO, presented the draft McMaster IT Strategic Plan and welcomed questions from the McMaster IT community in attendance. A total of 26 questions were submitted during and after the event. Gayleen addresses your questions in this video series. Watch one or all…

McMaster’s IT Executive has endorsed the articulation of the McMaster IT Vision, the three Strategic Pillars, and the key objectives of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. “Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback into the plan, participated in discussion sessions and asked great questions about next steps. I am very much looking forward to…

This year, as part of its annual conference, EDUCAUSE is offering various sessions online. In our ever changing environment, and in the spirit of continuous learning, there is some interesting content that would be of value to McMaster’s IT professionals. We will leverage the licenses the institution has to facilitate web casting of the EDUCAUSE Conference…

On October 11th, over 200 McMaster professionals gathered for the second annual Connectivity – McMaster’s IT Forum. Participants enjoyed a full day of interactive sessions tailored to sharing knowledge and information relevant to McMaster and the higher education IT landscape. The 2018 agenda was developed based on feedback and input from participants. Watch the 2018…

After a busy start to the new school year, October has arrived, and with it refreshing weather and bright colours! October is also National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCASM). National Cyber Security Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about cyber security and to help foster a safer place for all online. McMaster has…

When IT Governance started over a year ago as part of the IT Services Review recommendations, we knew we were testing the waters of change. The purpose of IT Governance is to ensure that IT resources are aligned with university priorities, and that decisions are transparent and made in consultation with the broader community. A…

The start of the fall semester in September is a new beginning for so many. For some, it’s a time to take stock of the challenges to come and prepare for the road ahead. For others, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved and the foundations that have been laid to…

It was an active summer as Assistant Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer Gayleen Gray and team moved forward with the McMaster IT Strategic Planning process! The beautiful weather, campus environment and challenge at hand helped to keep the team energized. Here’s a look back at what the summer held: Based on feedback and demand stemming…

Registration for Connectivity 2018, the McMaster IT Forum, closes on Friday September 28th. This year’s forum is sponsored by the Office of the AVP and CTO and promises to be an engaging opportunity for McMaster’s IT professionals to connect and learn about the ever-evolving technology landscape. and learn about the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. The…

If you have a great IT resource or experience to share, consider hosting a table at Connectivity 2018 on October 11th! In the course of an hour you’ll be able to connect and collaborate and learn with colleagues from across McMaster! Interested in hosting a table? Register Now

The Office of the AVP and CTO has officially moved down the hall in the Burke Science Building to Room 246. This move included the relocation of the UTS Network team to BSB Room 202.  Doors are always open, however a formal Open House is being planned for the fall.

It has been an active summer as we move forward with the McMaster IT Strategic Planning process! The beautiful weather and campus environment has helped to keep us energized. Based on feedback and demand stemming from the initial five IT community sessions held in June, three additional sessions have been held to gather input. One…

Today is Systems Administrators (Sys Admin) Appreciation Day. This is a day to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of the many System Administrators who provide IT support at McMaster. This year to celebrate, McMaster Sys Admins were asked to participate in a fun trivia quiz. Congratulations to Michael Mallon (pictured with Greg Atkinson), a…

Did you miss the the June story telling the future event sessions for the McMaster IT Strategic plan? Based on feedback we've added a session on July 27 at 10 AM - Noon in LRW 1057! Click here to register for the July 27 event! Background On June 4, 6, 7 and 11 the McMaster IT…

Preparations are underway for Connectivity 2018, the McMaster IT Forum. This event will be held on October 11, 2018 and promises be an engaging opportunity for McMaster’s IT professionals to connect and learn about our landscape. I encourage you to save the date in your calendars and share with other IT professionals on campus. As…

By Chukky Ibe, MSU President This past year, in addition to other IT-community interactions in my role as MSU President, I had the opportunity to work with the McMaster IT community as a member of the Wireless Network Working Group. I hope it was clear to those who worked with me this year that I am…

Congratulations to the McMaster IT Services Review project team who received second prize in the 2018 CAUBO Quality and Productivity (Q&P) Awards Program for its IT Services Review, a comprehensive, transparent, and collaborative review to develop recommendations to improve the institution's culture and environment. The award recognizes McMaster's University's approach to the IT Services Review…

By Melissa Pool, University Registrar MyTimetable is an exciting tool that fills a direct and obvious need of helping undergraduate students build their timetable and then links into Mosaic to provide enrolment directly into courses. While it was soft launched in March 2018 for Spring / Summer enrolment, MyTimetable is ready for students to access…

On June 4, 6, 7 and 11 the McMaster IT Community had the opportunity to engage in the McMaster IT Strategic Planning process. The AVP and CTO convened colleagues from across campus to envision the future of IT at Mac. Groups engaged in a collaborative storytelling exercise to craft ‘Digital Moments’, capturing the potential and…

In case you missed it, as of May 2018, all McMaster faculty and staff have access to MacDrive, the University’s own online cloud storage infrastructure to store, synchronize and share data files. Cloud storage solutions are robust and convenient. A secure, in-house cloud storage solution addresses the potential security or data protection concerns attributed to commercial cloud…

On May 31st, Gayleen Gray and the IT Strategic Plan Steering Committee regrouped to continue the McMaster IT Strategic Planning process. The planning session was once again facilitated by Meghan Kirwin, of The Kirwin Group. The session focused on refining the McMaster IT Vision and Strategic Pillars, creating Digital Moments to help tell the story of…

McMaster IT staff are invited to share their input to the McMaster IT Strategic Planning process. Gayleen Gray will be hosting sessions June 4, 6, 7, 11 to gather input from the IT community on aspects of the strategic plan framework. Be sure to register for one of the sessions here.  

By Dale Askey, Associate University Librarian One of the major challenges any large research institution faces is having a full and accurate picture of its broad research activities. This challenge has both inward-facing and an outward-looking aspects. Inwardly, the institution wants to know how the money it invests in research is being spent. Additionally, faculty…

The Discovery process to understand the current and desired state of Customer/Contact Relationship Management (CRM) at McMaster has begun. A kick off is planned for June 6 & 7, 2018 with the goals to: Develop a shared understanding of CRM at McMaster. Identify problems we want to solve at McMaster with community interaction. Validate our…

An upcoming system upgrade will change the way staff and students log in to a number of McMaster applications. Instead of reading and agreeing to the Privacy and Information Statement each time the application is accessed, users will now only need to do this once per device. The software applications impacted by this system upgrade…

On April 24th, Gayleen Gray and the IT Strategic Plan Steering Committee kicked off their Strategic Planning process. The initial planning session was facilitated by Meghan Kirwin, of The Kirwin Group. The development of the McMaster IT Strategic Plan is the next step in implementing the recommendations from the IT Services Review. It will frame…

By Daniel Agostinho, Software Engineering Level III It’s really hard to believe that my time here in UTS is coming to an end. Man, this year has just absolutely flown by. In May 2017, I started as a Junior Data Warehouse Developer Analyst. I had learned quite a bit about databases in my university courses but I…

Thanks to those who responded to the IT Town Hall Survey and provided valuable input to help us improve the next IT Town Hall. Some of the ideas we received include submitting questions electronically both in advance and during the event as well as presenting strategic information about IT and IT projects. We plan to incorporate…

The IT Town Hall took place on Friday, March 16, 2018. Please fill in the survey to let us know your thoughts! There were some excellent questions asked that will be distributed accordingly to all of the committees for their awareness and ability to discuss them in the context of priorities. The status of projects…

By Greg Atkinson, Media Specialist Supervisor, Faculty of Science Last October I had the privilege of volunteering for McMaster’s first IT Forum: Connectivity. Units from across campus networked over breakfast, discussed projects, and shared knowledge through workshops. The word “opportunity” best describes the positive feelings my coworkers and I left the event with opportunities to do our jobs…

Here you can find out what is going on in IT! Learn about decisions that have been made, what is happening in the broader IT community, IT service offerings, and how to engage with the McMaster IT Community. Read Gayleen's Welcome message for more information about how to join in the conversation!

There has been significant progress on the recommendations from the IT Service Review.The IT Service Review Progress Report on McMaster's Daily News site details the updates in the areas of IT decisions, funding, and structure and service delivery.  

A large project to upgrade the network, in approximately one-third of the buildings across campus, is underway as part of an initiative IT Governance approved in September 2017. Read more about the upgrade on McMaster's Daily News Read more about the project status on the Network Improvements status update page on Confluence Your feedback is important to…

MSU and IT hosted a forum to learn about how students use technology at McMaster, what has changed since we last talked (IT Review), and what could change. Read about what we learned by Cassidy Bereskin.

Are you passionate about IT services and support for students, and want to have your voice heard? McMaster University’s IT Community is looking for students to participate in the newly created Information Technology Student Advisory Committee (ITSAC). This committee will: create a platform for students to advise on their technology needs, priorities, and concerns establish…

Colleagues, I invite you to join my team and I, along with other members of the campus community, at the upcoming McMaster IT Town Hall. This is an opportunity for us to provide you with an update on the many IT activities that have taken place since my arrival on campus six months ago, including…