Truman State University 

Updates

University Information Technologies Update, Friday, April 28

ITS has restored email capabilities. For the rest of the semester, ITS is utilizing Google Mail for all current students and employees beginning Friday, April 28. This means student service will resume as usual. Employees who may have questions about using Google Mail can visit the ITS-created website at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates/ for more specific details. 

This process allows for the University to immediately resume email service as well as preserve older email before the transition to Office 365 in the coming weeks. Users can go to this site for detailed information on accessing email: https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates. The IT Service Center is available for in-person assistance in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544. Hours of operation for the IT Service Center are 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

Any necessary future updates on this situation will now be sent via email. Anyone not previously signed up for TruAlerts can now do so at https://trualert.truman.edu. 

FAQ (Added Friday, April 28)

When can I get my email?

• ITS restored email service Friday, April 28. Users can send and receive email now. It may take several hours before emails show up in inboxes as it works through the backlog.

Will I be able to get the emails sent to my account while service was down?

• Maybe. Some messages may have been received. During the outage, if an email sent to a Truman account was not accepted the sender would have received a message making them aware their message was not delivered.

Will emails I received before the loss of service still be available to me?

• All users should be able to access messages delivered before the outage on April 21. For students, these messages should be in their inbox. Student email will resume as normal. Employees will need to access their Outlook inboxes to view older messages. While the content should be in the inbox, messages in Outlook will not have the capability to be directly replied to or forwarded. Message text and addresses can be copied and pasted so new email threads can begin, but existing threads will not be actionable. 

Where do I go to login to my email now?

• The login process for students has not changed. Detailed instructions for employees can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates.

I am having problems logging into my email, what should I do?

• ITS has created a page with more detailed technical information and practical troubleshooting tips, which can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates. The IT Service Center is available for in-person assistance in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544. 

I thought we were switching to Office 365. Why is Google Mail being used now?

• This approach is the quickest way to resume service to students and employees. It also allows for the preservation of previous messages before the eventual transition to Office 365. 

What about the Student Government elections that were taking place when the outage occurred?

• When Truman networks were restored, any information saved on the University web-based survey tool after April 7 was lost. This includes all votes cast during the Student Government election. As a result, the election will be re-run in its entirety, May 1-5. This special election includes all of the candidates from the previous election, and no changes have been made to the ballot language of the proposed student fee initiatives. Because no information from the previous attempt was saved, all students are again eligible to vote. Students can go to vote.truman.edu.

University Information Technologies Update, Thursday, April 27

Most Truman network services have been restored, including secure Wi-Fi and devices Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi was restored to most of campus yesterday, with the exception of residence halls, which were brought online this morning. Users may be asked to “Accept the Certificate.” This is a safe and necessary step for individuals to resume their Wi-Fi activity. Anyone experiencing connectivity issues should contact the IT Service Center in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544. Technical difficulties may be unique to a particular device or user and not indicative of the network as a whole. 

Updates on this situation will continue to be posted on this page. ITS has created a page with more detailed technical information and practical troubleshooting tips, which can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates. Anyone not previously signed up for TruAlerts can now do so at https://trualert.truman.edu. 

FAQ (Added Thursday, April 27)

What is safe to use and are there any services I should not be using right now?

• If ITS has resumed a service it is safe to use. ITS has been restoring systems in a priority order and no services will be restored until they have been cleared by ITS. As services come back online, there may be intermittent outages, or difficulties with logging in, but all restored network services are safe. An ITS-created page for troubleshooting common problems can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates.

Is Blackboard safe to use?

• Yes. Specific details on Blackboard can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates.

I am still having difficulty logging in to Blackboard and/or connecting to the Wi-Fi, what can I do?

• ITS has prepared a website with tech tips specific to this event that can be accessed at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates/. Questions can also be directed to the IT Service Center in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544.  

Do I need to change my password and how can I do so?

• ITS recommends everyone change their password. If you have not been prompted to do so already, you can change your password at https://secure.truman.edu/password.

Why did it take longer for Wi-Fi to be restored compared to other services?

• Wi-Fi was one of the more time-consuming elements of the network to restore securely. Because there are alternate ways to access online services, including wired connections, cellular data or off-campus Wi-Fi resources, ITS prioritized restoring access to academic options such as Blackboard and Google Suite. Truman Wi-Fi is now available. Students experiencing connectivity issues should consult the ITS page or contact the IT Service Center in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544.  

What is the difference between intranet, internet and Wi-Fi?

• These are three distinct terms. ITS has more information here: https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates.

What if I have concerns about the academic flexibility mentioned in the April 26 update?

• Faculty members will not be assessing penalties for late assignments, missed tests or other deadlines for any work due between Friday, April 21 and the end of the semester. They have also been advised they may need to reduce or eliminate assignments and other graded work through the end of the semester. Students who feel an instructor is not adhering to these guidelines can direct their concerns to the department chair, then, if necessary, the dean of the Truman school that oversees the course in question. Students who feel the matter is still not resolved can contact the Provost’s Office.

Is there a public option for students in need of computer access?

• The School of Business is opening the computer lab in Violette Hall 1420 from 6-10 p.m. Thursday, April 27. This lab has 32 stand-alone computers available to any Truman student on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Have final exams been cancelled?

• No. All face-to-face and online courses should be meeting as scheduled. All final exams should occur at the date, time and location previously scheduled.

Was any personally identifiable information compromised?

• At this time, it is not believed any of Truman’s enterprise systems with personally identifiable information (Banner, Blackboard, DegreeWorks, TruView, etc.) were involved. The University is still assessing what specific information, if any, was affected.

University Information Technologies Update, Wednesday, April 26

ITS has restored several network capabilities, including internet access, Blackboard, Google Suite, the Truman website and TruView. Technology in classrooms has been largely restored. Specialized software is now available on instructor consoles. However, specialized software is not yet reinstalled on student machines in computer classrooms. Students can now print in Violette Hall 2001, Pickler Memorial Library and all residence halls with the exception of Campbell Apartments. 

Email services are still in the process of being restored. Currently, employee email remains offline and students can send but not receive messages. To resume services, ITS is moving up the previously scheduled campus-wide transition to Office 365 email. Originally planned for later this summer, this transition will not alter any campus email addresses. Because this transition is being done on an accelerated timeline, not all features will be immediately available, but it will allow email service to resume. Multi-factor authentication is included with Office 365 email.    

In terms of academic flexibility, rules and penalties for late assignments, missed tests and other deadlines do not apply for any work that was due between Friday, April 21, and the end of the semester. Faculty will likely need to reduce or eliminate assignments and other graded work in order to meet published end-of-semester grade-submission deadlines. This action will also provide students and faculty ample time to prepare and grade final exams.

Updates on this situation will continue to be found on this page. ITS has created a page with more detailed technical information and practical troubleshooting tips, which can be found at https://wp-internal.truman.edu/its/updates.

FAQ (Added Wednesday, April 26)

Will the Student Research Conference go on as scheduled?

• The SRC is proceeding as optional for students who are scheduled to present. Students who do not feel prepared are not required to present. Classroom AV technology – including projectors, document cameras, sound and recording – is expected to be functional. Students giving oral presentations should bring their presentation on a flash drive. Those who are presenting posters are not required to have posters printed. The SRC schedule can be accessed at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c6ffaGOEoAJEAWLLjvnanOSA6zIovCpf/view.

I am an hourly employee, or I supervise an hourly employee. What do I need to do?

• Access has been restored to TimeClock. Hourly employees should resume clocking in and out each day. In order to address the network outage, TimeClock was updated to report employees worked their normal shifts between April 16-26. Supervisors must manually make corrections during that period to reflect employee use of leave time or to report overtime. Questions may be referred to the Payroll Office at 660.785.4286.

University Information Technologies Update, Tuesday, April 25

Significant progress has been made in restoring University IT Services. On Tuesday, April 25, ITS was able to start bringing network servers back online. ITS is continuing to install the necessary security software on all Truman-issued Windows-based devices. Once ITS staff members have serviced a device, an employee may login. Truman-issued Windows-based devices should remain powered off until an ITS staff member has installed the update. Over the next several days, users will be prompted to change their password. 

The Truman intranet is now back online, which is a key step to restoring many network capabilities. The internet should be available by 9 a.m. Wednesday, April 26. Blackboard and Google Suite services should be available by noon. Students should also regain the ability to print. 

ITS will be closely monitoring services as they resume and intermittent outages may occur. As the network comes back online, anyone who attempts to access a resource or use a service two or three times without success after 12 p.m. Wednesday should contact the IT Service Center in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544.

Employee emails are expected to be available later in the week. 

Network drives used for file storage should now be available. To ensure no virus was included in the network restoration, ITS used backup files through April 7. Files created or saved on the network drive since that date – such as the W, Y and V drives – are no longer available. 

Students in online classes can access their course materials as soon as Blackboard services are restored. Synchronous online classes will resume Thursday, April 27.

Updates will continue to be posted to this page daily. 

FAQ (Added Tuesday, April 25)

What classroom technology can I use?

• Classroom console computers, projectors, document cameras, sound, recording and Zoom are all available. Some specialized software should not be expected to be available. Student computer classrooms are not yet functional.

Will the Student Research Conference go on as scheduled?

• The SRC is proceeding as optional for students who are scheduled to present. Students who do not feel prepared are not required to present. Classroom AV technology – including projectors, document cameras, sound and recording – is expected to be functional. Those who are presenting posters are not required to have posters printed. The SRC schedule can be accessed at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1c6ffaGOEoAJEAWLLjvnanOSA6zIovCpf/view.

I have a Mac or Linux device and cannot login to my machine. What do I need to do?

• Mac and Linux devices are safe to use. Employees using these devices may need to change their password if they cannot login. This can be done by using another safe machine or by contacting the IT Service Center in Pickler Memorial Library 203 or by calling 660.785.4544.

Will payroll be affected?

• No. Employee payroll will go out on time. 

When can I expect ITS to service my computer?

• ITS is still in the process of contacting individual users to install the necessary security software. Employees should be physically present in order to have their devices serviced. 

University Information Technologies Update, Monday, April 24

ITS has continued to make progress in the recent cybersecurity virus attack and is hoping to have some Truman network services, including internet, available sometime early afternoon on Tuesday, April 25. On Monday, April 24, ITS preliminarily assessed all primary campus machines at risk for this particular virus. Only Truman-issued Windows-based devices appear to be at risk. Student and employee personal devices are not affected. 

Not all services will be immediately available. Blackboard and employee email are expected to be active later in the week. Servers will be brought back online as ITS clears them.  

Truman employees will be notified when Truman-owned workstations are ready to be powered on.  

Online classes are cancelled Tuesday, April 25.

Updates will continue to be posted to this page daily. 

FAQ (Added Monday, April 24)

What do we know about the attack?

• • The University was subjected to a cybersecurity virus attack, meaning someone released malware across the University network. This is believed to be part of a rash of attacks on colleges and universities, and it is currently affecting some other schools as well. 

Is it safe for student to use Google Drive?

• • Yes, on their personal devices. While this is safe to use, some students may experience login issues. If students are currently able to access their Google Drive they should not log out. 

How long will it take for this to be resolved?

• • There is not a specific timeline. Servers will be brought back online as ITS clears them, and Truman-issued Windows-based devices will be available as ITS staff members provide the appropriate security patch. Services will return sporadically in the coming days. 

What is the University doing to resolve this issue?

• • The University is utilizing multiple resources. Because the incident is not yet fully, resolved more specific details cannot be released at this time. 

Was any data or secure information compromised?

• It is too early to tell what, if any, information may have been compromised. 

University Information Technologies Update, April 23

On Friday, April 21, the Truman network was subjected to a cybersecurity virus attack. Out of an abundance of caution, ITS recommended all Truman-issued computers and workstations be powered down and remain inactive until the event was resolved. Student devices are not at risk. Personal devices are safe to use on campus but will require cellular data.  

As a precautionary measure, Truman ITS took down the University’s network. An investigation into a resolution is underway. At this time, the University is asking for patience until the network and services are brought back online.

Until the University network is restored, updates will be posted regularly at https://sites.google.com/view/truman-faq.

Monday Classes

In-person classes will proceed, although instructors should be aware classroom technologies will not be available. Online classes for Monday, April 24 are cancelled. Faculty members will be accommodating with regard to any assignments or projects due or assigned since April 21.

University Offices

University offices will remain open. Hourly employees should manually keep track of their hours until services are restored.

Sodexo

All Sodexo food services options remain open including all dining halls, C-stores and Mainstreet Market.

Library Services

Pickler Memorial Library remains open to provide study spaces, however the library online databases are unavailable. The library catalog is available and items can still be checked out. 

Student Health Center and UCS

The Student Health Center and University Counseling Services remain open and able to see students for any previously scheduled in-person appointments, and walk-ins are welcome.

Student Recreation Center

The Student Recreation Center is open.

FAQ (Added Sunday April 23)

Is the internet working?

1. • •  Internet access on campus is unavailable at this time.

What can I use, in terms of devices on campus?

1. • • Please do not use university-owned Windows systems until you are told you may do so.  You may use Mac, Linux , or personal devices but there will not be Truman network access .   (Personal cellular data could be used to access the internet.)

My personal computer was on the network and then I took it home and connected to Wi-Fi there. Is my home network at risk?

1. • • No.

Will employee pay be affected?

1. • • No.

Will Student Research Conference be rescheduled?

1. • At this time, we expect SRC to take place as scheduled. Particapating students are not expected to have printed posters. In the event outages continue students should be prepared to present with their personal devices or no technology.

If I find a computer powered on in a classroom what should I do?

1. • Leave it alone. IT is working on these machines and is aware that they may be on.

When will the network be restored?

1. • Unknown.  Check this page for updates.

I have a Mac or Linux operating system at my workstation. Is it safe to use?

1. • Yes, but you will not have network access.

Is it safe to use a Truman owned Windows PC on my home Wi-Fi?

1. • No, not until you are informed that you may safely do so.