As we approach the end of the semester and Spring is in full swing, I am watching the Technology Services team gear up to close this academic year and prepare for a new one. We continue to progress on a multitude of projects and initiatives, and I’d like to highlight some of those as well as provide a couple of important reminders:
Data Center Construction Project Update:
The Pocahontas data center upgrade is in full swing, Fireproof masonry work for the battery rooms and the fuel tank room in the basement has been completed. Work continues on the the core drills through the reinforced concrete decking between floors for the electrical/cooling/fuel/venting piping in the south riser closets. The project continues on schedule, with one notable exception. The steel beams for the roof where the heavy equipment will be placed are going to take 3-4 weeks to be fabricated and delivered. However, although this set of tasks will be 4 weeks later, this will not impact the overall project schedule. We have also learned that this project will close Main St. between 9th & 10th for an entire day while a 200 ton crane lifts the steel beams and other items needed for the roof of the Pocahontas building.
Basketball Practice Facility
Technology Services is playing an active role in supporting Rams basketball. The new practice facility will be connected directly to the VCU fiber backbone. The fiber pathway is complete from Siegel Center to the new practice facility. The general contractor is currently working on the main data closet and once complete fiber will then be installed. The inside cabling plant is still being finalized but should be completed in the next couple of weeks at which point it will go out for bid.
The AV scope continues to be refined. The AV will consist of numerous multimedia systems throughout the building. The systems include live camera capture and playback through Viewing Theaters of practice, while Offices, Conference rooms, Lounges, Lockers, Strength and Conditioning, and Hydrotherapy rooms all will have audiovisual systems. The Lobby will feature a video wall and interactive monitors. Construction is expected to complete by October 1.
9 West Cary
This facility, future home to VCU’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education (1st floor) and Technology Services’ Telecommunications Services team (2nd floor) will be connected directly to the VCU fiber backbone. The fiber pathway is built from Snead Hall to the 9 W Cary property line where the general contractor will pick it up and take it into the building to the main data closet. Once the pathway is complete fiber can then be installed. The wiring scope is completed for the inside cabling and is currently at Purchasing with the expectation that the solicitation to our cabling vendors will be going out this week. Bids are due back on May 6. Floor plans and furniture are being finalized now, and construction is slated begin in July.
ADA Section 508 Website Compliance
Technology Services is working with the Office of Institutional Equity to ensure VCU’s web sites are accessible to all. Accessibility standards for university websites are mandated by the federal government within Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Building an accessible website means making sure the site works and the images, stylesheets, and scripts load properly. It means making sure text is readable in a variety of lighting conditions, for a variety of users who may or may not have vision impairment. Accessibility is one of many keys to providing a better user experience. Fortunately it’s not too difficult to achieve a fairly accessible site. For helpful tools and resources, visit the website accessibility guidelines.
September Bike Race
September is just around the corner, and teams from VCU and the City of Richmond are working to make sure we’re all prepared for hosting a large international event. I urge you to monitor the VCU UCI 2015 site for the latest information. I also urge you to take some time now to learn how your team can co ntinue to collaborate while telecommuting using Google Hangouts. Hangouts is a fast, easy way to stay connected, whether you’re in the same building or different cities, states or even countries. Please review these easy steps to Hangout anytime. Contact Doctor Gee (drgee@vcu.edu) for further assistance.
SPAM SPAM SPAM
No, not the stuff that comes in a can, but the ubiquitous and inescapable junk email telling you that “you’ve won 10 million dollars – just provide your full id and password”. VCU is now blocking more than 5 million pieces of spam e-mail per day but still too much gets through. We know that and we’re on it. Technology Services teams are working on installing new cloud-based appliances, enabling new tools from Google, and have launched a new clean-up effort of the old domain systems that have become a magnet for “phishing” style Spam. We plan to have these new features in place by June. Please continue to help us in our efforts by reporting suspect emails to helpit@vcu.edu and by tagging them as spam in your Google inbox.
As always, I’d like to thank the Technology Services team as well as our IT colleagues across our campuses who work so diligently to support VCU’s students, staff and faculty. The work we are doing shows the critical role technology can play in advancing higher education.
Thanks,
Alex
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