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Personnel Update: Joel Herron

Joel Herron has announced his resignation from the position of Web Technologist with the Computing Environment Group.  Please join us in thanking Joel for the dedication and talent he has shared with us for the past several years.  Joel’s last day in iCIT will be June 30.

During his time in iCIT, Joel made several notable contributions.  A UW-W graduate, he worked as a technologist for our News and Public Affairs department, which evolved into a shared position with  iCIT in 2005, and eventually a full-time position in iCIT.  Since then, his accomplishments include integration of Google technologies into the UW-W Web environment;  implementation of the Events Calendar; standardization of CSS technologies; installation of Collage CMS and, most recently, acquisition of Ingeniux, a new content management system currently being implemented.   

Joel and family — wife Crystal, who served as interim manager of the iCIT Helpdesk, and their new baby Paige — will be relocating north where Joel will take a position at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.  We wish him and his family all the best in their future endeavors.

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iCIT team restores service after McAfee gaff

When a faulty McAfee update released last Wednesday morning caused a network-wide Windows XP crash, many iCIT employees were called on to manage restoration of computer functionality across campus.   

 “I’d like to thank each and every one of you who stepped up, putting in extra effort, time and hard work, to help manage this situation in a smooth and timely fashion, even when there were many ‘unknowns” to deal with,” said Elena Pokot, CIO.

To recap:  The security firm McAfee provides daily updates to its subscribers.   Wednesday’s update (DAT 5958),  misidentified “svchost.exe” file in Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) as malware.  The false positive detection caused “svcholst.exe” to be quarantined or deleted, locking computers with Windows XP SP3 in  re-boot mode, and disconnecting them from the network.

At UW-W, the iCIT response was quick.  Distribution of the update was disabled within 40 minutes.  The fix provided by McAfee, which required machines to restart in order to restore connectivity, was in hand by 11 a.m.   The iCIT team restored computer labs by 11:15 a.m., and most personal workstations were up and running by 3 p.m.  In some cases, the affected file was deleted, and in those situations, the fix requires a technician to visit and restore the PC.   Those computers are being restored on a case-by-case basis as the Technology Service Center is being notified.

The faulty release impacted businesses and institutions across the globe, including Intel, Dish Network, several major hospitals and other institutions.   For more information, attached are links to ZDNet and Computer World:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=2003

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9175928/The_McAfee_update_mess_explained?source=CTWNLE_nlt_pm_2010-04-22

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Personnel Update: Search Underway for TSC Manager

The position for Technology Support Center Manager (formerly Helpdesk Manager) in iCIT has been posted and the search for a manager to fill this role is underway.  External advertising for the position will begin this week.

Since June 2009, the role of Helpdesk Manager has been filled on an interim basis by Crystal Herron, who has done an outstanding job in overseeing the day-to-day Helpdesk operations.  She will continue in this role for the next few weeks.   Crystal  is to be commended for her service.  Please join us as we thank her for her dedication, and wish her and her husband Joel the best as they begin their family.   Thank you, Crystal!

To assure we do not have an interruption of performing responsibilities, Lisa Rowland will provide coverage for the Helpdesk, in addition to her HP SM duties, as needed until the new manager is hired. 

The Technology Support Center Manager will be a key position to the iCIT organization, and campus.  Those who are interested in being a part of the search process should contact Kent Steinike or Elena Pokot.

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Personnel Update: David Delgado

David Delgado has announced his resignation from the position as Instructional Technologist with the Learning Technology Center (LTC).  His last day will be May 31.     

David has played an integral role in the growth and development of the LTC and in the use of technology in delivery of instruction across campus.  Among his accomplishments, he has served as the primary Administrator for the D2L Course Management System for both UW-Whitewater and UWSA, consulted with faculty on the use of technology in the classroom, and provided accessibility consultation, as well as faculty instructional Web site development and interactive flash project management.

David has been recognized for his leadership in the use of emerging technologies for instructional purposes.  Most recently he received the Service Excellence Award for Academic Staff in 2009 for his work in emerging technologies, and his dedication to customer service.  David represented UW-Whitewater on the LTDC Council and its Communication Committee, and lent his expertise to feasibility assessments of technologies proposed for use in LTDC grant applications. 

Throughout his years of service as Academic Staff, David has played a significant role establishing our LTC as a leader throughout the UW System, and in fostering meaningful relationships with faculty.  Please join us in wishing him well in his future endeavors.

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Annette Guye-Kordus accepts the position of Communications Specialist

iCIT welcomes Annette Guye-Kordus as our new Communications Specialist. Starting March 24th, Annette will begin her role facilitating both internal and campus communication efforts on behalf of iCIT.
 
Annette brings to our organization a broad range of skills and expertise in brand management, advertising, public relations, and corporate communications.  Her office will be located in Andersen L2003 and she can be reached at Ext. 7792.
 
Please join us in welcoming her to our team!