REMINDER OF UNIVERSITY RECYCLING PROCEDURES FOR ELECTRONICS
With the announcement of the "Free Recycling for Education" program offered by Apple and featured in the May 26 edition of K-Statement, Harvard Townsend, chief information security officer, and Fran Willbrant, university controller, would like to remind campus department employees that university procedures must be followed before utilizing this service.
The procedures may be found at PPM3436 Media Sanitization and Disposal Policy, http://www.k-state.edu/policies/ppm/3436.html and PPM6510.065 Disposition of Property Policy, http://www.k-state.edu/policies/ppm/6510.html#.070
Apple's program will run until Aug. 31. For more information about the program or to register, visit http://www.apple.com/education/recycling/
Another option for electronics recycling is the K-State Recycling Program, which is free and run on campus. Visit the recycling website at http://www.k-state.edu/recycling for more information on campus recycling or to schedule an electronics pickup.
MICROSOFT OFFICE 2010 FOR WINDOWS NOW AVAILABLE AT DISCOUNT
Office 2010 for Windows was released to the public Tuesday by Microsoft.
While local retailers are offering Office 2010 Professional for $499.99, faculty and staff can purchase Office 2010 Professional Plus for $79.95 under the K-State Student Select program. Presenting a current K-State ID at the K-State Student Union Computer Store, located on the first floor of the K-State Student Union.
Office 2010 Professional Plus contains the same programs as the Office 2010 Professional edition, but also includes four additional programs.
The programs within the suite are Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher, One Note, Outlook, Business Contact Manager, Communicator, Infopath and Sharepoint Workspace.
A complete list of Microsoft products, as well as Adobe products that are eligible for the Student Select program, can be found at http://itnews.itac.k-state.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Student-Select-CS5-Win-7-with-logo-and-FAQs.pdf
NEW NSF GK-12 STEM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AT K-STATE
A new National Science Foundation GK-12 Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fellowship Program entitled Infusing System Design and Sensor Technology in Education, or INSIGHT, kicked off this week at K-State.
The Summer Institute runs through June 25.
This project integrates sensor technology with computing and information science in a standards-based science, technology and engineering curricula. Project activities team GK-12 STEM Fellows with science, technology and physical education K-12 teachers. Activities include both summer and academic year training in rural Kansas schools.
In the summer, project staff provides fellows and teachers with training in hands-on, sensor-driven science, engineering and technology development and appropriate pedagogical strategies. During the academic year, fellows support participating teachers in the classroom two times a week with content-specific sensor technology.
The novel aspects of this program include its focus on the technology and engineering aspects of STEM education and on the use of sensors, computing and information technology as the enabling element to facilitate hands-on technology and engineering education in areas related to cyber-physical systems in health and precision agriculture.
Five GK-12 STEM Fellows will participate this year, along with 10 K-12 teachers from rural Kansas. The GK-12 STEM Fellows are Scott Bell from computing and information sciences, Dan Bigham from biological and agricultural engineering, Joe Dvorak from biological and agricultural engineering, Brad Kurtz and Matt Miller from computing and information sciences.
TRANSITION FROM ORACLE CALENDAR TO K-STATE ZIMBRA CALENDAR COMPLETE JUNE 28
K-State will conclude the transition from Oracle Calendar to K-State Zimbra Calendar on Monday, June 28, marking the end of the implementation to the K-State Zimbra Collaboration Suite.
Oracle Calendar users should note the following:
* Access to Oracle Calendar to view past events will still work until that calendar is eventually decommissioned. A tool is available to assist in importing old Oracle data into K-State Zimbra. Instructions on how to use this tool are available at http://www.k-state.edu/its/zimbra/help/oracle_to_zimbra.html Individuals seeking help with exporting and importing Oracle Calendar data, should contact the IT Help Desk at 785-532-7722 or helpdesk@k-state.edu
* To avoid conflicts and confusion, no new events should be added to the Oracle Calendar on June 28.
All events occurring June 28 or later should be entered into the K-State Zimbra Calendar. A list of Zimbra Calendar tips and tricks is available online at http://www.k-state.edu/its/zimbra/help/calendar_tips.html The website also outlines some of the following:
* Setting calendar options, such as default view, automatic reminders and permissions/access control
* Creating multiple calendars for personal events, office events, holidays, etc.
* Sharing your calendar and managing other people's calendars.
* Creating folders and mail filters for your calendar invite messages to be filtered into. Calendar invites are sent as messages and arrive in the K-State e-mail inbox.
* Preventing new events from being added to the Oracle Calendar.
All mobile devices can access the K-State Zimbra Calendar through the mobile-Web interface, https://m.webmail.ksu.edu The iPhone, Palm Pre, iPod Touch, devices running Windows Mobile and most Android devices can access e-mail and calendar data without additional software or server-level changes. To view configuration instructions for setting up a mobile device, visit http://www.k-state.edu/its/zimbra/help
Users with a Blackberry who do not want to use the free mobile-Web interface will have the option to pay for a service that will automatically sync in real-time the Blackberry calendar with the K-State Zimbra Calendar. This optional service costs $120 annually per device. Those interested in this service should contact the IT Help Desk at 785-532-7722 or helpdesk@k-state.edu
For any further questions or assistance in the transition from Oracle Calendar to the K-State Zimbra Calendar, contact the IT Help Desk at 785-532-7722 or helpdesk@k-state.edu
APPLIED AVIATION RESEARCH CENTER AT K-STATE AT SALINA PLAYS SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN CREATING NEW CLASS OF AIRCRAFT
K-State at Salina's Applied Aviation Research Center has spent the last several months working with Heliplane LLC, based in Milford. The result of their efforts is the AirTrailer, which is also known as an unmanned cargo autogyro glider -- a new class of aircraft.
AirTrailer is a registered trademark.
Randy Babbitt, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, has confirmed in a letter to U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., that the AirTrailer does not fit any previous category of flying craft and subsequently will not require normal airframe certification.
Because they are not considered an unmanned aircraft, they can be employed in civil airspace much like a towed banner.
"This new class of flying machine promises to double the range of all helicopters, triple helicopter external load capacity, enable removed electronic interference from manned helicopters' electronic sensor suites and provide disaster relief supplies delivery by low-cost airplanes with helicopter-like precision," said Charles Jarnot, president of Jarnot Aerospace Corporation. "The UCAG promises to be the first commercially viable unmanned flying machine. Its game-changing range extension for helicopters and great increase in external loads could see their widespread use in battle zones like Afghanistan and on the home front with search-and-rescue helicopters."
The AirTrailer is an unpowered autogyro towed by either a helicopter or airplane to transport cargo, carry additional fuel for extended range or lift an electronic suit of transmitters, detection sensors or even a military decoy to distract enemy missiles. Because the trailer acts as its own lifting device, the additional fuel, cargo or sensors do not impact the towing aircraft's normal payload.
The Applied Aviation Research Center advances aerospace technology through application of research in propulsion, airframe, avionics and aviation training. The center is a cooperative venture of K-State at Salina, the Salina Airport Authority and the Salina Chamber of Commerce. Executive director of the center is Kurt Barnhart, professor and head of the department of aviation at K-State at Salina.
IT SECURITY'S 'RISKS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING' POWERPOINT SLIDES NOW AVAILABLE
The PowerPoint slides from the June 4 "Risks of Social Networking" presentation by Harvard Townsend, chief information security officer, are now available.
To download, visit http://www.k-state.edu/its/security/training/roundtables/presentations/SIRT_roundtable-RisksofSocialNetworking-Jun10.ppt