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In a bid to fortify its digital defenses, the University of Windsor has mandated cybersecurity training for all employees as outlined in the Cybersecurity Action Plan. This move comes in response to the escalating and persistent threats in the cyber landscape and aligns with best practices at other institutions.

“Cybersecurity is not just an IT issue, but a risk that affects every individual and department in our institution,” says Marcin Pulcer, associate vice-president, Information Technology Services. “This training is a critical step in ensuring that we are all equipped with the knowledge to protect ourselves and the University from cyber threats.”

The training is a valuable opportunity to learn how to safeguard oneself and share in the responsibility of protecting the University from cyberattacks. With cybercrime now the third-largest economy globally, the threat is imminent. In 2022, the global cost of cybercrime was a staggering $8.44 trillion US, and it’s anticipated to skyrocket to over $23 trillion by 2027.

The web-based cybersecurity training consists of two sections: training modules and a quiz that tests the knowledge and understanding of fundamental cybersecurity practices. IT Services will soon email each employee to provide more information and access to the training.

The cybersecurity training needs to be completed by faculty members, post-doctoral fellows, professor adjuncts, sessional instructors, staff, and student employees.

The University remains committed to protecting its technology and data, and this initiative is a testament to that commitment, says Pulcer: “Our collective effort to take cybersecurity precautions will significantly contribute to the University’s resilience against cyber threats.”

T4 slips

Scheduled maintenance will take the MyUWinfo employee portal, which holds employee T4 slips, offline from 9:30 p.m. tonight until 1 p.m. Saturday, March 9.

The downtime is necessary to move UWindsor applications to a new server, enhancing security. The maintenance is scheduled for the weekend to minimize disruption. Other applications such as VIP – all modules, My Attendance, Required Training Site, and Flexible Work Arrangement Request Application will be offline during maintenance.

Brightspace, UWinsite Student, eCV, and eGAS will remain online, but the data integration for those applications will be restored on Monday.

Employees are advised to plan accordingly due to the unavailability of T4s during this period. More information about the maintenance can be found on the IT Services website.

Kevin Macnaughton and Michelle Fitzgerald

Her husband is living proof that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, says Michelle Fitzgerald (BA 1999).

Exchange program administrator in the International Student Centre, this spring she will celebrate 29 years together with Kevin Macnaughton (BSc 1998), team leader for security in Information Technology Services.

The two met in their first year of study at the University of Windsor, living in adjacent suites in Tecumseh Hall, which provided apartment-style residences on Mill Street west of Huron Church Road.

Macnaughton says what first drew them together was simple: “She likes to cook; I like to eat.”

In fact, Fitzgerald would cook with the door open so the delicious aromas would travel down the hallway.

“Kevin showed up one day and asked me to make a lasagna, but I didn’t have the right pan to make one,” says Fitzgerald. “A week later, he came by and presented me with a pan.”

The two had a few courses together, including an 8:30 a.m. class Macnaughton would prefer to sleep through. “She would literally come into my room and wake me up to walk to class,” he recalls.

They transitioned from friends to couple toward the end of their first year and have pretty much been on campus ever since, considering themselves fortunate to work for the institution where they first found love.

“Both of us have good jobs in fields that we love,” Macnaughton says. “Part of what makes our life so good is that it revolves around the University. We can see the results of our work in the students and graduates.”

Fitzgerald interjects: “What more can you ask for than a purposeful life?”

She offers this advice for those exploring new relationships on St. Valentine’s Day: “You need to be open to trying new things. Sometimes your new thing can become your partner’s new thing, but their new thing doesn’t have to be your new thing every time.”

man working at computer

If you work at the University and want to enhance your web skills or acquire new ones, you should join the Drupal training session. Drupal is a content management system that allows web editors to create and update the web pages.

At the session, you will learn how to build pages, add images, create menus and content blocks. You will also learn how to follow web standards and best practices for accessibility, usability, and functionality.

The session will be led by Rob Aitkens, the web development team leader, who will teach the basics and answer your questions.

The Drupal session is open to all University employees, including students, who work on UWindsor’s official website. Reserve your spot for the live online Drupal training offered on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Web governance training is also being offered by the University’s partner vendor Monsido on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 11 a.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m. Sign-up is required for the web governance sessions.

The UWindsor eCV app will have a refreshed interface deployed Monday, January 29, 2024. The data will remain the same, so stored information will not change. You will still be able to log in at uwindsor.ca/ecv 

Enhancements include: 

  • Visually appealing interface for navigation ease 
  • Responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and mobile devices 
  • Accessibility compliant 
  • Easier data entry that will assist in decreasing errors and duplications 
  • Enhanced reliability

Transitioning to the latest version is necessary to reduce the risk of losing essential services. It is part of the Server Modernization project to revitalize critical parts of our server infrastructure.  

More enhancements to eCV will be rolled out in the coming months that are focused on the Graduate Faculty Membership status function under the General tab and the Publication Summary webpage. Faculty members can still access a list of their publication summary by downloading the PDF in the latest version.  

Within the new interface, the old eCV interface will continue to be available for use until May 1, 2024, after which it will be discontinued. We encourage you to get familiar with the latest version when it becomes available.  

Resources will be made available to assist with the transition.