News | Technology Services | Office of the Chief Information Officer

New Student Orientation Resource Fair recap

Author: Zach Shapero
Zach is a student employee with Technology Services.

The Technology Services Communications and Marketing Team made its annual appearance at the recurring New Student Registration Resource Fairs in May, June, and July.

Volunteers staffed 28 resource fairs and answered questions from the newest Illini regarding this important information about the services that Tech Services offers. More than 6,800 students attended the fairs along with 10,500 family members and friends.

The goal of these fairs was to welcome new Illinois students and their families to campus and inform them of all the resources available to them. For Tech Services, this means making sure students can access their email, Wi-Fi, Canvas, Duo, and more. This helps students ensure they are all set for the upcoming semester by answering their questions, giving parents peace of mind knowing their student has a place to get help if something goes awry.

Tech Services was one amongst many organizations helping those students settle into their new home. They were alongside University Housing, the Illini Union Tech Zone, Campus Recreation, the Career Center, and many others.

While the resource fairs were a success, the work is just getting started. When students return to campus again in August, Tech Services plans to connect with students through Tech Points. Volunteers will be at pop-up IT Service Desks at popular locations around campus to provide a smooth transition for students arriving on campus while creating less demand for the traditional service desk locations.

This year, Tech Points will be located at the Campus Instructional Facility, Ikenberry Commons, and Illini Union on August 24 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The committee hopes to reach 10,000 students this year, and plans to attend other outreach events:

August 17: International Graduate Student Virtual Orientation
August 20: New International Student Resource Fair
August 21: Welcome Celebration and LAS Liftoff
August 22: Illini Frenzy

To learn more, visit the Tech Points page.

CIMS department highlight: Keeping our campus connected

Author: Lucy Roller
Lucy is a student employee with Technology Services.

While much of the work of Tech Services happens behind a screen, none of it would be possible without the physical efforts of several organizations. Today, we’d like to highlight the hard work of one of those groups: the Communications Installation and Maintenance Service, or CIMS. For over twenty years, CIMS has done the hands-on work to keep our campus connected.

What does CIMS do?

The CIMS team is incredibly dynamic, installing and maintaining all communications cables and equipment on campus, as well as all security cameras, wireless access points, and emergency phones. They usually work in groups of two to four technicians on each project. Whether an assignment takes a few hours or a few months to complete, the CIMS team works with tireless dedication to keep our campus up to date.

At any given time, CIMS is working on over 150 unique projects, which can range from installing a single cable, to aiding in the construction of an entirely new building. Their largest recent projects include complete upgrades of Beckman Institute, the Campus Instructional Facility, Seibel Design Center, Ubben Practice Facility, and Vet Med Oncology, as well as the new construction of Wymer Hall.

Recent renovations

CIMS recently had the opportunity to improve and expand their office space, as the organization they shared a space with moved out. The team has been in the same building since 1996, so expansion was both due and welcome. The office space was expanded from 1200 square feet to 3000 square feet, allowing each team member to now have their own private, climate-controlled workspace.

The renovation was a large, but worthwhile effort. Associate Director of Enterprise Managed Systems & Service, Heidi Gharst, generously donated furniture to the project, which, along with new paint and a new floor, improved the quality of the office. As CIMS manager Scot Pruitt shared, “Although it took a while and there were many inconveniences that happened during the remodel, the end result is actually more than we expected.”

Thank you, CIMS!

Next time you connect to campus Wi-Fi, or see an emergency phone, remember CIMS and all the hard work they do to keep our campus plugged in. The CIMS team wants to emphasize that they are here for the students, faculty, and staff of the university. Thank you, CIMS, for keeping our community connected.

Cybersecurity outreach: Teaching cyber safety skills across campus

Technology Services staff Cindy McKendall and Sandy Delaney are charged with providing cybersecurity training to University of Illinois staff and faculty on a quarterly basis, so that individuals can understand how their actions can help keep university data and systems safe from cyber threats. In the past two years, they also have engaged with several university-affiliated groups to provide more individualized training.

This spring, these staff members taught a course through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Members urged OLLI director Kathryn Williams to invite them to submit a proposal to reprise the cybersecurity essentials course they offered the previous year. They were happy to share cybersecurity and privacy tips and strategies with nearly 20 OLLI participants.

The OLLI course covered a range of topics from cybersecurity basics like using longer and unique passwords to phishing and multifactor authentication.

McKendall noted that this year’s class was especially interested in privacy topics.

“We talked about cookies, what cookies are, and how they can impact your browsing experiences. I showed examples of cookie banners and how to turn off non-essential cookie banners,’’ she said.

Delaney said that the students were a very eager and engaged audience. “I feel like I have to be on the top of my game for this group. They have great questions and I want to anticipate and stay ahead of them.”

To cap off the series during the final class, small groups worked together on a cybersecurity escape room – a paper-based exercise where they were challenged to use what they learned in the course along with logic and puzzle-solving skills to “save the barnyard.” With a series of clues, they worked to discover who had used stolen digital credentials, who was digitally impersonating real individuals and more.

McKendall enjoys offering the escape room exercise to groups ranging from high school students to staff and now this audience. “It is a different way to reinforce the learning,” she said.

Participant Larry Orndoff, whose career also included training and teaching adults, praised the series of classes.

“This team is right up there with the best, most professional, and patient adult trainers I have been around.”

Technology Services’ online cybersecurity training is provided to all staff at Illinois and UIS, and optional self-directed cybersecurity courses are also available to students.

To learn more about cybersecurity training and how to reach out for special group training, visit the Technology Services website.

Internet safety month: Seeing through scams

Author: Lucy Roller
Lucy is a student employee with Technology Services.

June is Internet Safety Month. Congress created Internet Safety Month in 2005 as a direct response to the increasing percentage of young people with access to the web. With the world’s growing reliance on technology, it is crucially important to make sure that you are responsible and safe online.

One persistent danger of the internet is the threat of scams. According to security.org, as of 2020, Illinois was ranked #19 in the nation for cybercrime. Here are some common scams and how you can avoid them.

Phishing

Phishing is when someone impersonates someone else to try and trick people out of money or personal information. This may take the form of offers that seem to be good to be true, promising money in exchange for bank information, and impersonating family or friends in desperate situations. Internet scams such as phishing often employ a technique known as social engineering. The National Institute of Standards and Technology defines social engineering as “The act of deceiving an individual into revealing sensitive information, obtaining unauthorized access, or committing fraud by associating with the individual to gain confidence and trust.”

To avoid social engineering, be extremely cautious with who you believe on the internet. Do not give out personal information to people online, especially financial information. Review any suspicious links carefully before clicking on them. If you think someone is trying to scam you, report them, to prevent them from tricking others.

Artificial Intelligence

Another tool that scammers often use is generative artificial intelligence. AI now can be used to impersonate the voice or image of familiar people to aid in scams, or create false, harmful images that can be used for blackmail.

AI engines can hallucinate and output information that ranges from slightly inaccurate to blatantly false. When trying to find information, review your sources carefully before believing them. If something seems odd or suspicious, such as a message from a family member, try to verify it in another way. Double check your information across multiple sources.

What else can you do?

Avoiding scams is important, but it isn’t everything. Here are some further measures you can take to keep yourself safe on the internet.

Use strong passwords

Make sure that you’re using complex, unique passwords. Don’t use personal information that is easy to discover in your passwords. Use a password manager to store and remember your passwords. Bitwarden is the university approved password manager, but there are many great options out there.

Use multifactor authentication

Multifactor authentication requires you to use multiple devices or accounts to verify your identity when you are trying to log into an account. According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, “The use of multifactor authentication on your accounts makes you 99% less likely to be hacked.” Enabling multifactor authentication is a quick and easy way to improve your digital security.

Update software

Updating your software is another simple way to keep yourself safe online. Make sure that all your software is up to date to ensure that the latest safety technology is in place.

Though June may be Internet Safety Month, being responsible online is important year-round. Tech Services has plenty of resources and guides to help you stay safe. Make sure that you are taking steps to protect yourself on the web.

Technology Services’ new website launched!

Author: Lucy Roller
Lucy is a student employee with Technology Services.

On June 2, the Technology Services website was relaunched. This project was part of a larger effort to improve the Office of the Chief Information Officer’s digital presence by redesigning several of our websites. The goal of this initiative is to streamline information, maintain design consistency, and improve accessibility.

The Tech Services website was redesigned to remove redundant information and be more easily navigable. Tech Services serves a wide range of audiences, and the relaunch will help us not dilute its content.

The Office of the CIO’s brand consistency will also be improved by this relaunch, allowing users to quickly identify sites belonging to the Office of the CIO, and ensuring a similar experience across all of them. Rob Watson, Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing and Chief Communications Officer for the Office of the CIO, spoke with us about this aspect of the relaunch. “It’s about enhancing the user experience by building a cohesive Office of the CIO web ecosystem,” he shared, “We’ve redesigned the (Tech Services) site with university students, faculty, and general staff in mind. We want their feedback if something isn’t easy to locate or they think something is missing.”

The relaunch is also part of an ongoing effort to improve the accessibility of all Office of the CIO websites. Tech Services is committed to providing an accessible experience for all users, adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium. The WCAG uses the POUR system as a guide, providing a framework to ensure that all online content is Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust for all users, regardless of ability. The updated website has a consistent design, accessible colors, clearly labeled buttons and links, and alt text for all images.

As the Office of the CIO’s Communication Coordinator, Lauren Stream, shared with us, “Accessibility has been top of mind when creating nearly every element on the website. We hope it will be easier for users from all walks of life and different skill levels to find the information they need.” Improving accessibility not only helps users with disabilities but often allows the site to be easier to operate for all users. The reorganization of our website will help to ensure that we can provide a quality, accessible experience to all.

What can users expect?

Overall, our website retains much of the user-helpful content and many of the same features. The major changes are focused on design, information architecture, and a single intentional audience. Users can expect an updated, streamlined layout that is easier to navigate. Outdated or redundant information, along with any details that do not serve our audience, have been removed, making the site less cluttered and easier to understand.

Another significant change is that the Cybersecurity website is being merged into the Tech Services site and will be sunset in the near future. All the relevant cybersecurity information for Illinois students and faculty will be located on the Tech Services site while any information meant specifically for technical professionals will be moved to the new IT pro site, which is being launched later this year.

Tech Services is here to assist you with all your technical needs. We hope that the relaunch allows you to better take advantage of the resources we provide. Updates to the Office of the CIO web ecosystem are a gradual process, and content will be moved over time. Some content may be unavailable for brief periods. For the first few months, redirects will be in place with any information that has been moved to ensure that it remains accessible. We’re doing our best to keep URLs the same so that links and bookmarks will still work.

If you have any issues with the website or any feedback, we encourage you to submit a help request to the Communications and Marketing Team.

Dozens of portals to one: my.illinois for all

For more than 20 years, Engineering has hosted dozens of portals, including my.las, my.oar, and my.techservices that supported key university applications. Across all three University of Illinois campuses, this grew to nearly 70 separate portals, each requiring its own maintenance and support.

We are about to enter a new phase, together. The Office of the CIO and Engineering IT are partnering to unify those portals under a single destination: my.illinois.edu.

This consolidation is a concrete example of Illinois’ Boldly IT at work—specifically Strategy 1.2: Develop a formal collaborative structure for IT.

“Unifying these across all units makes the single portal potentially visible to every single user on campus,” said Jim Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer at the Office of the CIO. “Removing the specific unit branding and specific portal-locked applications treats all units as part of one larger ecosystem. There has been a single provider of these apps for many years, but this unifying change visually represents us acting more as one IT unit in a coordinated way.”

One address, one experience

Faculty, staff, and students will now have one place to go, regardless of which unit they work in or which applications they need. Access is controlled at the user level—you’ll only see what you have rights to, no matter which portal you log into. This will be a unified experience for those using the portals and those managing them.

“When we have updates…we would only have to apply them to one portal, instead of 70,” said Brad Butler, Associate Director of Application Development, Data Analytics, and Project Management Office at Engineering IT. “We are hoping to provide a more consistent user experience and common destination for accessing our applications. We will no longer have to explain ‘go to a specific portal to submit something’ — they can simply go to one place.”

Engineering IT has owned and operated the my.___ portals for over two decades. What began as a framework built by Josh Potts in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department grew as developers from across Engineering joined in, each building applications designed for anyone to use.

“We all have a common goal, to help people do their jobs more efficiently and collaboratively,” said Butler. “We write our applications so that anyone can use them and over time, through word of mouth and personalized service, we grew and evolved to what we are today.”

More than 100 applications are available through the portals, with 43 currently live at my.illinois.edu and more being added over time. Eight are fully funded by the Provost’s office and approved for all units campuswide—TimeTracker, Vacation/Sick Leave, Chart of Accounts, Inventory, Appointments, Gradapps, Gradrecs, and UGradrecs.

The transition

The portal itself will remain the same and is not retiring; the domain is what will change. The portal itself will remain the same and is not retiring; the domain is what will change.

“We won’t move anyone, they can simply choose between the two for now. We will notify all users over time if we decide to shut down an existing portal, but even if we were to do that, we would redirect the old portals to the new my.illinois,” said Butler.

“The idea of consolidating to this one name has been proposed a few times over the years,” said Hurst. “But only now under this new [Boldly IT] strategic plan have both sides embraced that.”

If you have questions or feedback about the move to my.Illinois, you can visit my.illinois.edu/apptrack and chat with the chatbot or send an email to engrit-apps@illinois.edu.

Canvas impacted by nationwide security incident

A nationwide security incident at Instructure, the vendor that operates Canvas, occurred on May 1, 2026. This incident impacted Canvas at thousands of institutions worldwide and was not directed at the University of Illinois specifically. We are continuing to monitor this situation and will provide all updates below.

Canvas is back online

May 9, 2026. 11:56 a.m.

Technology Services staff has evaluated the Canvas application and the CIO and Provost have agreed to restore service. Users are able to log in and access materials in the application.

Please be extra cautious about clicking links or opening/downloading attachments. The University of Illinois will not ask you to provide or verify your personal data related to this incident. Passwords will never be shared or requested via email.

The Canvas application may be slower than normal.

Integrations and applications that interact with Canvas may not function initially. Technology Services staff will continue to work to enable them.

Service restoration in progress

May 8, 2026. 6:46 p.m.

We are in the process of restoring the Canvas service and are committed to making it available as quickly as possible.

Remain vigilant and be cautious about clicking links or opening /downloading attachments via email.

Another status update will be posted by noon on Saturday.

Risk evaluation continues

May 8, 2026. 10:01 a.m.

University cybersecurity professionals and leadership continue to evaluate the risk associated with bringing Canvas at Illinois back online for the Illinois community. Meetings and decisions will continue throughout the day and updates will be provided here.

Do not access Canvas

May 7, 2026. 10:26 p.m.

Users may hear that Canvas is coming back online. Users should not attempt to access the Canvas at Illinois or Canvas Catalog system until official university direction is provided through formal communication methods. This evening campus leadership made the decision to delay reactivation to evaluate risk before restoring access to our Canvas environment.

Ongoing cybersecurity event affecting campus

May 7, 2026. 4:37 p.m.

Canvas is currently offline due to an ongoing cybersecurity incident. We are awaiting information from Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, as to when the service will be available again.

View the Massmail sent to faculty, staff and students.

Nationwide security incident at Instructure

May 7, 2026

What Illinois is doing

Technology Services is actively monitoring the situation and working with the vendor, Instructure, to assess specific impacts to Illinois data.

What happened

On May 1, 2026, Instructure disclosed a cybersecurity incident that is currently under investigation. Instructure stated that the information involved consists of certain user data — including names, email addresses, student ID numbers, and messages among users. The company stated that it has found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were involved. The vendor has taken measures to protect the platform and is working with a third-party forensics firm on further investigation.

Instructure is still investigating and has not shared specific information with us regarding Illinois data included in the breach. However, neither Canvas at Illinois nor Canvas Catalog contains dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information.

Which generative AI app should I use?

Author: Maya Mishra
Maya is a student employee with Technology Services.

With the rapid rise of generative AI, it can feel overwhelming to choose the right tool. There are dozens of platforms available, each designed with specific tasks in mind. But it is important to note that not all tools are approved for university use, and not all are appropriate for every type of data.

This is where the AI apps page can come in to help.

This page provides a list of university-approved AI tools, helping you to quickly understand which applications are best for specific tasks. It also outlines how to access each tool (including any eligible educational licenses), so that you don’t have to waste any time figuring out what is available to you.

Just as importantly, this page includes a clear and concise guide of approved data that can be used (utilizing Illinois’ data classification guidance), so that you know what information is safe to input in each tool. The GenAI data handling best practices page also provides important information and guidance about data and AI.

Whether you’re writing, researching, coding, or just getting familiar with AI, the page is designed to help you use these technologies with confidence! As interest in AI continues to grow, keep an eye out for future events, trainings, and resources from the Office of the CIO to stay informed and make the most of what AI has to offer at Illinois.

Visit the AI apps page

Micah Reeley Behind the Screens: Keeping campus systems online

Author: Mazen Morrar
Mazen is a student employee with Technology Services.

When you log into a campus system, access shared files or connect to wireless in a classroom, you probably are not thinking about where that technology lives or who makes sure it stays online. Most of us only notice infrastructure when something goes wrong. But behind those everyday digital moments are the university’s data centers. Inside them are critical systems that power learning, research, communication and security across campus. Keeping those systems stable requires constant monitoring, preparation and attention to detail.

Micah Reeley, Data Center Operations Specialist with Technology Services, plays a key role in maintaining that stability. Since joining Tech Services in May 2023, his responsibilities have expanded to supervising data center maintenance and coordinating work that ensures facilities remain fully operational. From overseeing environmental conditions to scheduling installations and infrastructure needs, his work helps safeguard the systems the campus community relies on every day.

We spoke with Micah about his role, the complexity of data center operations and what it takes to keep critical infrastructure running behind the scenes.

When did you join Tech Services, and how has your role developed since you started?

I joined Tech Services in May of 2023. Since I started, my role has expanded to supervising Data Center Maintenance and scheduling work orders for data center or building needs that may arise.

As a Data Center Operations Specialist, what does your day- to- day work typically involve?

My day-to-day work involves checking each data center to make sure they are operating normally and that there are no issues. I also complete any tickets that come in. These requests can range from users asking to have machines installed at ACB or HAB, machines being removed or additional network connections being added for existing machines.

What do you enjoy most about working in data center operations?

I enjoy the variable complexity of the job. Very few tickets are the same or use the same hardware. It is fun to learn how you have to install or remove the various machines that clients use.

Is there a project, challenge, or accomplishment in this role that you are especially proud of?

I assisted the team with a project to connect our generator to the building and get it operational. It was a project several years in the making, and I am proud to have been able to assist in its completion.

What is something people might not realize about what it takes to keep campus systems running behind the scenes?

Our data centers house many critical university components, and it is the job of the Data Center Operations Team to keep them in operation. That includes maintaining the appropriate temperature and ensuring power is always available, with a backup source if necessary. If maintenance needs to be performed on the rooms or any of their support systems, it must be scheduled months in advance to give all clients time to prepare for any outage.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I am a bit of a homebody. I enjoy working on my personal computer, upgrading and maintaining it. I also enjoy cooking and baking.

What kind of music do you usually listen to?

I listen to all types of music, but I primarily listen to pop, country and folk.

What is a fun fact about yourself that most people would not know?

I do not play anymore, but I am a jazz percussionist.

If you could meet anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

If I could meet anyone from any time period, I would like to meet Johnny Cash.

Get walk-in tech support at the renovated Illini Union Help Desk

Author: Maya Mishra
Maya is a student employee with Technology Services.

Just in time for upcoming renovations, the Technology Services Help Desk has officially reopened its newly designed location at the Illini Union.

With the DCL Help Desk location set to close for renovations February 10, the Union location will serve as the primary (and ONLY) walk-in Help Desk support from February 10-mid-April 2026. Online Help Desk support via ticket or email (consult@illinois.edu) will still be available.

The new space at the Illini Union features a modern revamp, becoming more than just a place to seek tech help. Designed with students in mind, the updated space is now a collaborative area with easy-to-access campus resources.

At the heart of the space is the Help Desk, where students can get hands-on support for any issues that may come their way. Whether you’re troubleshooting passwords, setting up new software or simply can’t log into your email, the Help Desk is right there when you need it.

Beyond the Help Desk, the renovated Union location offers a variety of other student-centered features:

Comfortable student study areas with chairs
Convenient access to printers
Wi-Fi
The McKinley Health Center Resource Center, which connects students to health-related information and services.

For group projects or meetings, students can also reserve a conference room located within the space.

Whether you’re stopping by for tech support or just settling in for a study session, the newly renovated Technology Services IT Service Desk is here to help you! Visit us at the Illini Union room 187 M-F 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday noon – 5 p.m. You can also request online Help Desk support via ticket or email consult@illinois.edu.