Welcome to this edition of Inside ITS! Inside ITS keeps users informed about technology services available at Weill Cornell.
In this issue:
- Learn how we're improving the Weill Business Gateway
- Have you started learning with lynda.com yet?
- Work together with SharePoint
- Get library assistance for new NIH biosketch guidelines
- How to recycle your electronics at Weill Cornell
- Check out the Cornell Store's upcoming sale!
Learn how we're improving the Weill Business Gateway
WCMC is officially the first higher education institution to implement SAP HANA, a new in-memory database, which will help us improve our services in the Weill Business Gateway. Learn more about how we managed to accomplish this, and what it means for you.
Click on the short video below to learn more about SAP HANA.
Have you started learning with lynda.com yet?
When it comes to new technology, there is always more to learn. Adobe seems to launch new features every couple days, iOS updates are constant, and just when you think you've mastered a few formatting tricks in Microsoft Word, a new version is released.
Lucky for us, staying on top of technology just got easier: the Samuel J. Wood Library officially provided access to lynda.com, a leading learning repository, for all WCMC users. Faculty, staff, and students are already busy brushing up their skills in Excel, Office 365, PowerPoint, the Adobe Creative Suite, and more. There are literally thousands of online video tutorials at your fingertips 24/7. And the best part? It's free! All you need is a valid CWID and password, and you're in. With access also available on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device, you can even learn on the go.
- Logging in is easy! Click here for WCMC log in instructions.
- Getting started. If you need a hand sorting through the myriad course options, ITS has curated a few playlists that complement some of the technology we all use everyday. Check it out here on the ITS website.
Click on the quick video below to learn more about lynda.com at WCMC.
Tell us what you think! We'd love to hear how you're using lynda.com and what you think of the service. Email your thoughts to its-communications@med.cornell.edu.
Work together with SharePoint
How many documents does your department generate in a given year? Hundreds? Thousands? It can be difficult to keep track of all the work generated on a daily basis, let alone a year! If you are looking for an enhanced document management solution, ITS offers Microsoft SharePoint, a great tool for helping you to better manage documents and collaborate with your colleagues.
What is SharePoint?
SharePoint is a website customized to manage your documents in a
centralized and secure place. And when we say "manage," we don't just mean storing, like a file share (although
SharePoint can do that, too!). With SharePoint, any given group of users with access to a particular SharePoint site
can:
- Access your documents from anywhere, any device via a web browser
- Maintain document version history and easily restore to the previous version
- Perform web-based search capabilities to find the information you need
- Easily share documents with other users
- Explore self-service features that give you control over your document site
Whether you have 10 or 10,000 documents, everything is easy to find on your SharePoint site.
Why SharePoint?
Because it's a great resource for working with your colleagues, and ITS can
customize your SharePoint site to meet your department's needs. With shared team calendars, wiki pages, built-in
workflows, and data storage, everyone in your department can stay in-the-know.
Many departments have already started using SharePoint to manage their teams' content, including Office of Faculty Affairs (OFA), Institute of Precision Medicine (IPM), and the Office of the Dean.
ITS also provides the service to build custom SharePoint solutions to help you manage information and automate business processes. The features and workflows of the site can be built based upon your specific requirements. Some of the custom solutions that have already been built include Vendor Database for the Dean's Office, and Faculty Recruitment Database for the Office of the Secretary.
Setting up a SharePoint site
Any department that requests a SharePoint site meets with one of
our SharePoint developers, who determines how to design your site based on your needs. Then, a trainer will teach
you the ins-and-outs of your new site, so you'll be a pro in no time.
Check out the ITS website for more information on SharePoint, or send a request for more information by signing into myhelpdesk.med.cornell.edu and clicking "Create an Incident."
For those who already have a SharePoint site, we recommend visiting our Getting Started with SharePoint playlist on lynda.com. (Click here for lynda.com login instructions.)
Get library assistance for new NIH biosketch guidelines
Beginning May 25, 2015, researchers who apply for or receive NIH funding will be required to have biosketches in a new format.
What's changing?
The new biosketch has up to five pages instead of four, a 'Contribution
to Science' section with narrative supported by specific publications, and an option to include a link to a
researcher's complete bibliography. On or after May 25, NIH submissions with the old biosketch format could be
delayed or not accepted.
If you need help navigating this new format, the Samuel J. Wood Library has
developed a guide linked to its homepage to
help you update your biosketch. The guide has tutorials and lays out two strategies for updating your biosketch:
- Using the recommended SciENcv tool, or;
- Using the biosketch template
Make sure you review the new biosketch format and tools as soon as possible so you don't miss the May 25
implementation date. The Wood Library is happy to support you by presenting to your department or assisting you
online at NIHSUPPORT@med.cornell.edu.
About the SciENcv Tool
SciENcv enables quick and seamless generation of
biosketches. It can link to your NIH eRA Commons account, ORCID identifier, and your personal bibliography stored in
NIH's MyNCBI.
Additionally, any information previously entered into existing SciENcv biosketches can be repurposed for future
projects. Click here to learn more about
using SciENcv.
About the Biosketch Template
Although NIH recommends using the SciENcv tool, you may also
manually update your biosketch using templates: "General" for
key personnel, and "Fellowship" for pre- and post-docs among others.
How to recycle your electronics at Weill Cornell
Your trusty computer just bit the dust, and a new laptop is calling your name. Before you can truly enjoy the perks
of your new hardware, what should you do with your old computer?
QUIZ:
a. Toss that clunker in the
trash.
b. Stash it in your bottom desk drawer next to your Pringles and forget about it.
c. Recycle it,
obviously. This is 2015, people.
If you answered C, YOU'RE CORRECT. You know that one person's trash is another person's treasure, especially when it comes to obsolete electronics. Your old gadgets are valuable sources for secondary raw materials, like iron, lead, gold and a variety of plastics. If they're not disposed of properly, however, these precious resources can become toxic waste. All too frequently, computers and other electronics with circuit boards are dumped in landfills or incinerated, which releases toxins and carcinogens into the soil, groundwater, and atmosphere.
Here at Weill Cornell, our Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department will help you make sure your old equipment is recycled properly. They even have your security in mind, and include a data wipe of personal information as part of the recycle service. Here's a quick rundown of the details:
What types of electronic equipment do I need to recycle?
If it has a circuit board, or any other
component with toxic heavy metals, you need to recycle it. This includes: Central Processing Units (CPUs),
keyboards, mice, monitors, smartphones, printers, photocopiers, fax machines, scanners, servers, external hard
drives, TVs, DVD players, radios, and digital cameras. These are referred to as "surplus electronics."
How to recycle your gadgets:
- Disassemble. No need to take everything apart, but make sure you remove things like batteries and toner cartridges and dispose of them properly. Full toner cartridges can usually be sent back to the manufacturer. If that's not possible, give them to EHS, along with any batteries.
- Decontaminate. If you use your electronics in the lab and they've been in contact with biological, chemical or radiological materials, make sure you decontaminate them.
- Label. Tape a label to your electronics. Be sure to include: Date, Name, Phone #, Department, and any special notes. Hint: open this form in Adobe Acrobat, fill in the required fields, and print!
- Store. Keep your labeled electronics in a secure location until they are picked up. Make sure not to leave them in a corridor or any other unsecured location.
- Request collection. This part of the process differs depending on which WCMC building you work in, so make sure you read page 2 of the guide carefully. In short, you'll complete a work request with Facilities Management and Campus Operations to collect the electronics in most college spaces around the 1300 York campus, or you'll contact EHS for off-site collections.
What about my personal information? Will EHS wipe the hard drive?
Yes. Disposing of electronics
securely is very important. The vendor that EHS contracts to recycle electronics provides a data wipe as part of its
service, which meets ITS security requirements.
Does this cost money?
WCMC covers the recycling cost, but you are responsible for paying the
E&M work order charge to move the equipment to a central storage facility. The work order charge is $45-$90, and
is covered by your department if you are recycling WCMC-issued hardware.
Want to learn more? EHS has a great list of FAQs on its website, and can be reached at 646-962-7233 or ehs@med.cornell.edu. For more information on recycling your personal tech devices, the Environmental Protection Agency website has you covered.
Check out the Cornell Store's upcoming sale!
Have you visited the Cornell Store at Weill Cornell lately? There are many available products and services for faculty, staff and students, located at 1300 York Avenue inside the Samuel J. Wood Library, and online at weillcornellstore.com. From April 30 to May 1, almost everything will be 20% off!
If you're in need of technology supplies, apparel, and professional gift items, or if you'd like to special order items needed for instruction, offices, or special events, be sure to visit during this time. Aside from scooping up a great deal, you can also meet manager Mary Jane Solino and her assistant Gary Raskin. They can also be reached by phone at 646-962-6736 or by email at weillstore@cornell.edu.