A migration of the University’s enterprise database and related IT systems to a new hardware/operating system platform is scheduled from 4 p.m. July 28, 2011, through 8:30 a.m. Aug. 2, 2011. This migration will affect the availability of my.scranton.edu, as well as all Banner-related systems, departmental applications found on the Employee Applications tab and many other systems accessed via the my.Scranton portal, including Royal Drive. For a complete list of systems that will, and will not, be available, go to http://www.scranton.edu/myscranton.

Departments should have contingency plans ready in case the restart of the enterprise IT systems is delayed. Notice(s) of system availability will be provided via the Personal Announcements channel on my.scranton.edu, beginning on Aug. 2.

Please do not attempt to use any part of my.scranton.edu prior to Aug. 2.

Following the migration, problems should be reported to the Technology Support Center at 941-4357 or techsupport@scranton.edu. This will assist us in prioritizing and focusing on the problems of highest importance. Please do not contact individual IT departments’ staff directly with problems.

The next IT Forum, scheduled Monday, July 25, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Brennan Hall 509, will highlight the use of FootPrints from the view of the University community. FootPrints is a ticket tracking system utilized by The University of Scranton Planning and Information Resources (PIR) Division, for information technology (IT) requests. It tracks IT service tickets and provides communication among PIR departments and our customers. Students, staff and faculty can submit a ticket to request assistance with an IT-related problem or check on the status of a ticket. They can also search through knowledge base articles that have been submitted by IT support staff on a variety of issues. Faculty and Staff can also use Footprints to submit Change Management requests (modification to existing applications, new applications, or report /query requests) and to request special IT Services (such as PC Setups, VOIP, Port Changes, RoyalDrive, etc).


The presenters are Jason Wimmer of IT development and applications and Jim Franceschelli, director of IT services. All members of our community are encouraged to attend. Lunch will be served, however registration is required. Registration is now on the portal, under University Links-Events/Facilities, select IT Services Training and Event Registration.

As of July 14, the Office of Equity and Diversity and the Employee Wellness Program now reside on the first floor of the Molecular Biology Institute building (MBI). The building is attached to Alumni Memorial Hall. The departments will co-host an open house event in the fall to introduce the new office space. The department phone extensions remain the same.

Pictured, from left, are Cathy Mascelli, Employee Wellness Program coordinator; Rosette Adera, director; and Jennifer Pennington,
secretary, Office of Equity and Diversity.

The Graduate and Continuing Education Student Organization (GCESO) recently donated $50 to The Edward R. Leahy Jr. Center Clinic for the Uninsured. Members of the organization raised the money during the spring 2011 term by hosting an evening of locally produced short films in association with The Community Film Project of Northeast Pennsylvania.

The purpose of the GCESO is to serve the needs of the adult learner (both undergraduate and graduate) and to represent these needs to The University of Scranton by:

• Providing a forum for expression of student views and interests;
• Representing the adult student body in the affairs of the University of Scranton;
• Providing and encouraging academic freedom, academic responsibility, and student leadership;
• Enhancing student moral, spiritual, cultural, social and physical welfare;
• Promoting better educational standards, facilities and teaching techniques;
• Promoting national and international understanding and fellowship at the student level;
• Fostering the recognition of the rights and responsibilities of students to the school, the community, and humanity.

Pictured (from left) are Michael R. Buck, president of the GCESO, Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies, and W. Jeffrey Welsh, Ph.D., dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Education.

It’s good to go green! Members of the University’s Green Team partnered with fellow nature enthusiasts to clean up a section of the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail Saturday. To read The Times-Tribune story, click on this link, http://bit.ly/p9yNSC.

Don't forget to follow The University of Scranton's Center for Student Engagement on Facebook. The center, which recently joined the social network site, is responsible for the University's orientation, campus programming and leadership development.