[Students] Provost's fall campus update

[Provost]

Dear Campus Community,

It seems like when it comes to information technology, the only constant is change. I realize that it can be hard to keep up with and adapt to the new systems, policies, and practices that we've been rolling out in rapid succession at UCR. Please know that these changes are not undertaken lightly. Each one is necessary to improve functionality, or to replace outdated software, or to ensure cybersecurity, or to provide critical upgrades to meet the needs of research and teaching, or all of the above. Here are three more to expect in 2024-25.

Planned Launch of Academic Analytics to Facilitate Grant Opportunities
As I shared with the Academic Senate last year, UCR has invested in Academic Analytics, a tool that showcases faculty research activity, assists in faculty collaboration, and facilitates access to grant opportunities. I am pleased to announce that a group of faculty has volunteered to pilot the tool in the coming weeks and provide the feedback needed to help ensure a full launch in Spring 2025. Faculty will be able to access their Academic Analytics profiles for review, customization, or opt-out in early 2025, prior to the launch. A dedicated webpage with information and resources is in development and will be shared soon via Inside UCR.

Campus Response to UC Cybersecurity Mandate 2025
As communicated in a joint letter to campus dated September 18<https://insideucr.ucr.edu/announcements/2024/09/18/ucop-cybersecurity-mandate-2025>, UCR is investing in cybersecurity enhancements in accordance with a new UC-systemwide mandate. This critical effort requires the participation of all UCR employees in three key areas: completing training, securing devices, and verifying one's identity.

I want to thank those of you who have completed the annual UC Cybersecurity Training<https://uc.sumtotal.host/core/pillarRedirect?relyingParty=LM&url=app%2Fmanagement%2FLMS_ActDetails.aspx%3FActivityId%3D349429%26UserMode%3D0>. We are now close to reaching the 100% completion requirement. I urge every employee to prioritize the timely completion of this annual mandatory training, as ongoing diligence will be essential to ensure continued compliance.

We now transition to the next phase of the mandated security plan, which includes expanding the requirement of multi-factor authentication to verify identity and securing devices used to perform university work via UCR-supplied cybersecurity tools. These changes will support new security requirements from funding agencies such as NIH and NSF, better protect us from sensitive data breaches like the recent breach of UCPath, help mitigate exorbitant cybersecurity response costs, and ensure that UCR complies with the UCOP mandate. As we work together to make these changes, you can find information and support resources at its.ucr.edu/cybersecurity-mandate-2025<https://its.ucr.edu/cybersecurity-mandate-2025>.

Uniting Campus on a Single Email and Calendaring Platform
For many years, UCR has been a split campus with most faculty and students using Google for email and calendaring and most staff using Outlook. By Fall 2025, all of us will move to Google. This effort aligns with the campus IT strategic goal of consolidating resources to leverage robust, common platforms in support of our academic and research missions. Over 550 brave UCR staff members have already made the move to Gmail services for email and calendaring. Aligning on one shared platform affords the opportunity to improve communication, collaboration, and productivity across campus through a single calendar and meeting system and shared user experience. The Gmail platform includes the added benefits of improved email security through enhanced data loss prevention tools and platform integration with complex systems like Banner and campus room management. More information about this effort and available support resources can be found at its.ucr.edu/rmail<https://its.ucr.edu/rmail>.

And speaking of email...our dependence on this technology has certainly revolutionized the way we communicate, but it has also enabled patterns of toxic communication that we continue to grapple with as a society. In this season of political polarization, I urge all of us to be especially thoughtful in how we communicate with one another. Here are some helpful tips<https://ombuds.ucr.edu/document/email-conflict-7-temptations> about email communication, provided by the Ombuds Office.

Thank you all for your patience and forbearance as we navigate this ever-changing world of information technology, and best wishes for the new academic year.

Sincerely,

Liz

Elizabeth Watkins, PhD (she / her / hers)
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Professor of History
University of California, Riverside
951.827.1129 | Elizabeth.Watkins at UCR.edu<mailto:Elizabeth.Watkins at UCR.edu>

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