September Technology Workshops
Solstice Wireless Projection
Wednesday, September 17
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
The Williams School 305*
Classroom Technologies, ITS & Zach Nix, ITS
Box AI & Box Hubs: Unlock Answers not just Keywords
Friday, September 19
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Chavis 208
Zach Nix, ITS
*Location subject to change until Drop/Add is complete
Helpdesk 2 Truths and a Lie
- Homeland Security has called the Helpdesk.
- Someone impersonating a W&L professor called the Helpdesk needing login help and answered the initial follow up question correctly.
- The Helpdesk will answer phone calls at 1:00 AM.
ITS Helpdesk Hours
During the academic year, the ITS Helpdesk is here to support you at these times:
- Monday to Thursday: 7:30 AM – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM
- Sunday: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
You can reach us in any of these ways during Helpdesk hours:
- Walk-in: Visit us at the Helpdesk in Leyburn Library or Sydney Lewis Hall
- Phone: Call extension 4357 (HELP)
- Email: Send your questions to help@wlu.edu
When should you stop by, call, or email?
- Call for urgent issues or emergencies.
- Stop by if you prefer face-to-face help or need quick assistance.
- Email for non-emergency requests or questions that don’t require immediate attention.
You can expect your request to be processed as a Helpdesk ticket in 1-2 business hours. We’re here to help!
13,640
Is the number of faculty, staff, students, retirees and alums that have W&L accounts that the Helpdesk supports. That number doesn’t even include calls from parents or Homeland Security.
The Helpdesk provides support to incoming students, faculty and staff before they even arrive on campus!
1,184
Is the number of Helpdesk tickets that were opened in the month of August. That is a 29% increase from August 2024. Last year, the only month to surpass 1,000 tickets was September. Peak Helpdesk season has arrived!
Brilliant & Talented Helpdesk Employees
When you call the Helpdesk, you may be greeted by one of our brilliant student workers. Rest assured, you’re often speaking with a talented computer science major who provides expert IT support while still in school. Many of our former student workers have gone on to successful careers at top companies such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Workday, and Washington and Lee.
Not all our alumni stayed in IT. One 2010 Helpdesk student, Arese Emokpae, went on to win The Voice Nigeria in 2016. Before the big stage, her voice got practice answering calls to extension 4357.
The Helpdesk is staffed exclusively by student workers after 4:30 on weekdays and during Sunday hours.
A’rese Emokpae ’10 Wins “The Voice Nigeria”
Need Equipment for a Project or Presentation off Campus?
Microphone with stand, fully charged Samson portable PA system with bluetooth, projectors, presentation clickers, faculty/staff laptops for checkout… these are just a few of the items available for checkout! For a full list see the link below.
Student Computer Support
We provide complete support for student computers, handling everything from start to finish. If you encounter any issues, don’t hesitate—reach out for help right away.
Faculty & Staff Personal Device Help
What services can the Helpdesk provide for personal devices?
- Connecting personal devices (e.g., Kindle or phone) to Eduroam Wi-Fi
- Assisting with installation of the Workday app for logging work hours
- Installing communication apps such as Microsoft Teams, Outlook, or Zoom
- Setting up the DUO Mobile app for two-factor authentication
When a “Professor” Sounds… Suspicious
The Helpdesk regularly receives calls from individuals claiming to be “Professor ___________” who need assistance resetting their password or DUO authentication. These callers are bad actors trying to take advantage of our staff’s helpfulness and kindness.
While our polite and courteous Helpdesk team is always ready to assist, they also serve as gatekeepers, carefully vetting calls. Not every suspicious call is easy to spot; some lack obvious red flags like unfamiliar voices or call center noise. To protect everyone’s security, the Helpdesk will ask for multiple forms of identification before acting on certain requests.
Photo used with permission from the Office of Communications and Public Affairs.
Sustainable Work
You may have read about Kameliya Atanasova’s recently published book featured in The Columns. The article mentions that Professor Atanasova has been at Washington & Lee University since 2017.
Did you know?
Kameliya has been using the same computer throughout her entire time at W&L! While we usually think of a “2-for-1 deal” as getting two items for the price of one, our Tucker Hall colleague has stretched her 8-year-old computer to last nearly the lifespan of two machines by holding off on replacement.
With Apple discontinuing macOS support for 2017 iMacs this fall, Kameliya will need to upgrade to a new Mac soon. The proposed replacement is a Mac mini desktop that is 4.5 times faster than her current machine.
From our sustainable colleague’s experience, desktops tend to last longer than laptops because they are handled more gently and don’t face battery wear issues that can make devices obsolete sooner.
Do you have an obsolete device?
The Helpdesk in Leyburn Library is a drop-off location. Be on the lookout for an E-Waste exhibit from the Office of Sustainability and Energy Education in Leyburn Library this month.
Apple Tip of the Month
macOS Tahoe 26 is expected to be released this month. For campus owned Macs, ITS is going delay the release of the latest OS for 30 days. While ITS has users testing macOS 26 Beta, our group is a relatively small sample size. We recommend waiting for other early adopters to work out the bugs. If you are a brave Mac soul that would like to be an exception, email help@wlu.edu.
Apple has introduced a new numbering system with this fall’s release. With the naming convention transition, upgrading from macOS Sequoia 15 to macOS Tahoe 26 might look like an 11-version jump. In reality, it represents the next macOS.
PC Tip of the Month
Did you know?
Your W&L-issued Windows computer automatically receives updates every month. If you shut down your computer daily, you’ll usually see these updates installing the morning of what’s typically the 4th Tuesday of the month.
Before updates reach you, ITS installs and tests them on our own computers to make sure everything runs smoothly.
You may have noticed the countdown timer (shown below). That timer ensures the update is applied, recognizing that you may need some time before you restart.
