Technology is creating new opportunities for collaboration and connection on campus, enabling MSU to excel in research, education and outreach.
MSU IT delivers technology solutions that offer the university community more ways to connect. MSU faculty, staff and students can now use EduRoam to provide an instant and secure Wi-Fi connection at all participating institutions worldwide. EduRoam also allows visitors from other institutions easy access to Wi-Fi on MSU’s campus, which offers greater mobility for traveling faculty and researchers.
Locally, students living on campus have Wi-Fi available throughout their residence halls and no longer have to install their own routers to benefit from convenient and fast Wi-Fi connectivity.
A series of network upgrades doubled campus internet capacity overall and quadrupled building-to-building (internal) capacity in some areas. The increased bandwidth benefits the entire on-campus community, especially researchers and those who process considerable amounts of data.
Employees and students on the move can use the MSUApp for mobile access to MSUToday news, upcoming events, residence hall dining options and a map of campus. The app was envisioned by students in the Computer Science and Engineering Capstone course and was developed by MSU IT in partnership with Residential and Hospitality Services, Communications and Brand Strategy and Associated Students of Michigan State University. Download the app by searching for “Michigan State University” in the Apple Store or Google Play.
Another significant collaboration breakthrough for faculty, staff and students is Spartan 365. This software suite provides secure, no-cost access to a wide range of familiar Microsoft products such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
Spartan 365 also features the productivity and enhancing collaboration platforms Teams and Planner, in addition to OneDrive, a file share and storage solution.
Rob McCurdy, chief information officer, said these advancements are breaking down digital barriers.
“One of the biggest digital moves of the year was to Spartan 365, which gave students, faculty and staff the opportunity to interact on the same platform, using some of the most powerful and comprehensive communication tools available,” he said.
Finally, MSU’s financial aid system was migrated to a more stable and secure environment, another step forward in reducing dependence on outdated technology, while providing reliable, contemporary service for the 60 percent of MSU students who receive some form of financial aid.