ORIENTATION FOR NEW FACULTY: HOW TO GET STARTED

Step 1: RIConnect
Step 2: Campus ID Card
Step 3: Access to Classrooms/Teaching Labs and Keys
Step 4: Network account/Email
Step 5: Blackboard
Step 6: Technology Orientation
Step 7: Network and Telecommunications Telephone Services
Step 8: FDR (Faculty Data Repository)

Step 1: RIConnect

When your paperwork at Human Resources is complete, you will be given an account on RIConnect.  RIConnect is the College's web-based administrative system which gives you access to your class schedule, rosters, room assignments, and more.   

How to access RIConnect:

Step 2: Campus ID Card

Campus ID Card
Your Campus Card identifies you as a member of the faculty at RIC. You need it to access library resources, to enter secure locations on campus, such as eClassrooms and computer labs.  You may also use your Campus Card as a debit card for vending machines, copiers and printers.

- Campus Card Office is located in the Student Union (click here for link to map). They will issue your Faculty ID card after verifying your identity and your position with the College.

- More information on Campus Card

Step 3: Access to Classrooms/Teaching Labs

Your classroom assignments are listed in RIConnnect. If your classroom is a technology-enhanced classroom, you will gain access using either your Campus Card or a security token.

To check your classroom's access type, card or token, please look at this list (click to view)

ID Card access:
When you are assigned to an eClassroom with card access, you do not have to request room access.  Your card should be pre-programmed for classroom access. If you have difficulty entering a room controlled by Campus Card, please report your problem to the USS Helpdesk at Ext 8803 or the Campus Card Office.

Tokens:
Tokens are issued by the Office of Security and Safety (where you obtained your parking permit). Before you can obtain your token at Security, your Department Chair needs to email  Cyrille Cote (Director for the Security and Safety Department) letting him know what e-classroom or lab that your teaching in.

Keys to Access Equipment in Labs

The teaching labs in Alger are equipped with an ePodium, an annotation monitor, a ceiling mounted projector, and a projection screen. To open the ePodium, you will need a key from the Audiovisual department.

Click to view a detail technology guide for using the Sympodium

Click to view Audiovisual contact information

Click to view a chart on what equipment is available in your classroom

To access locked rooms within your department or school, please see your Department Chairperson or the Deans Office to request access and keys.

Step 4: Network Account/RIC Email

If you haven't already been given a RIConnect/RIC email/network account contact the Help Desk 456-8803 or email helpdesk@ric.edu and ask for information about your account. 

Faculty Staff Network Account Information

Personalized Spam control has arrived at Rhode Island College. Beginning September 6th, Rhode Island College SpamGuard was replaced with eMailGuard. eMailGuard will continue to intercept suspicious email before it reaches your mailbox and hold it in quarantine for your review. Information Services recommends evaluating your quarantined items to minimize the possibility that email will be incorrectly tagged as spam. Every Monday morning, you will be sent a reminder to check your quarantined messages, if you have any in your personal quarantine. If you would rather not review suspicious email, eMailGuard will discard your quarantined mail items 30 days after receipt. You will continue to be able to manage a Safelist and Blocklist of email addresses and domains (formerly called a whitelist and blacklist).

For complete eMailGuard document, click here

FAQ:

Can I change my account name?
Usernames (account names) cannot be modified unless your name changes legally though marriage, divorce or other legal procedures.

Can I change my email/network account password?
Once your account has been created, you may change your password.  For more information on how to change your password, please checkout the following links.

Changing Your Windows Networking/Email Password from OWA
Changing Your Windows Networking/Email Password from OWA Light

Help Using Outlook Web Access for RIC online email

Forwarding RIC Email
Spell Checker
Sending and Attachments
Adding Contacts
Adding a Signature and Changing Mail Editor Font
Changing Your Password in OWA Light
Calendar
Creating a Task
Mailbox Cleanup OWA - IE
Mailbox Cleanup OWA - Light

More information on logging into your RIC email 

Step5: Blackboard

Blackboard is a popular Learning Management System for posting course assignments, quizzes, handouts.  Blackboard offers you many ways to communicate effectively with your students.

We recommend training for anyone wanting to use Blackboard - please contact ittraining@ric.edu or check out the training page for training opportunities.

Requesting a course:
To request a Blackboard course you must be officially listed in RIConnect as teaching the course.  Please click here for instructions on how to request a course.

Logging on:
https://blackboard.ric.edu

- Blackboard ID: Same password as your RIC email/network password
- Password: Same password as your RIC email/network password

Blackboard Faculty Support

Step 6: Technology Orientation

Step 7: Network and Telecommunications Telephone Services

Step 8: FDR (Faculty Data Repository)

The FDR is a web server and storage repository for academic content such as PDF's, PowerPoint's, and streaming media for Windows Media Player. Faculty may also use the FDR server to store their private files for use on and off campus. The FDR server will be closely linked with our WebCT server and any future course management system to supply storage for streaming audio and video content, image files and large PowerPoint presentations. By using the FDR, faculty will be able to upload and manage their own streaming content both on and off campus. In addition, the FDR may be used to make class materials now stored on the J-drive available to students from off campus locations. The security of streaming data and off-campus class materials can be further protected by requiring authentication with a RIC username and password in order to access the content. The FDR becomes available for faculty use in the Spring Semester.

Think of the FDR as a hard disk drive located on campus that can be accessed and updated off campus. On this drive you can store any type of file – Microsoft Office documents, PDF’s, video, audio, graphic images, Web pages, and anything else.

Access is through a secure connection, a connection that requires you to enter your RIC username and password. This paper discussed how to acquire the necessary secure FTP application, install it, and set it up to access your “hard drive” on the FDR.

Window users - using WinSCP secure FTP - white paper

MAC users - use Cyberduck secure FTP - white paper

Your FDR area has a number of folders pre-installed. The Private folder can only be accessed by you. The Coursework folder can be accessed by you and anyone with a valid RIC username and password. The same applies to the media folders. The WWW folder is open to the World Wide Web and is where you would place your personal Web pages, should you desire one.

How do you get a FDR account?

You need to call the HelpDesk at 456-8803. A work order will be created for Henk Sonders to create you your FDR account.

Where to I place my personal website files?

Once you have your FDR account, you can place your html files within the www folder. Your home page should be either named index.html or index.htm.