Welcome to this edition of Inside ITS! Inside ITS keeps users informed about technology services available at Weill Cornell.
ITS welcomes new students and faculty to Weill Cornell Medicine
ITS would like to offer a warm welcome to all incoming students, faculty and staff! The Information Technologies & Services (ITS) department provides comprehensive IT infrastructure and services to support education, research, and clinical care, and ITS is pleased to provide you with technical support as you begin your education or career at Weill Cornell Medicine.
There’s a plethora of important tools available to help you in your work and studies at WCM, from education platforms to library databases to basic connectivity. For more information on all things ITS, visit our website at its.weill.cornell.edu. On the home page, you’ll find a “Browse services for” section where you can learn more about IT services specific to you, whether you are Faculty, Student, Staff, Researcher and more.
You can also print out one of these handy brochures:
Once you’ve got your CWID and password, you can:
- Get online. Tagged devices can connect to the WCMC network. If you’re at another institution that supports eduroam Wi-Fi, you can use your credentials to log in.
- Log into your email account at O365.med.cornell.edu.
If you have any questions about ITS support at the college, you can get walk-in support any day of the week at the SMARTDesk in the Library Commons at 1300 York Ave. You can also email us at support@med.cornell.edu. Best of luck and welcome aboard!
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Ask the CIO
In this issue, Dr. Curtis Cole answers a question about Duo.
Why can’t we use the same dual factor authentication system for e-prescribing (Symantec VIP) and accessing other ITS applications (Duo)?
We started using the Symantec VIP dual factor authentication system for Epic e-prescribing to meet a regulatory deadline. This system works well and meets the individual user verification mandate written into the regulation. However, it is not as easy to use as Duo and it is much more expensive. Duo is much faster to use and much cheaper, so it will be our go-forward strategy for accessing ITS applications. As soon as Duo is certified to meet the e-prescribing regulation we will consolidate to one vendor.
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Important change to off-campus system access
If you access WCM systems from home or other off-campus locations, ITS now requires dual-factor authentication from our Duo service. Duo provides an extra layer of security when accessing our myApps site so you don’t have to worry about unauthorized users getting into your account.
This sounds like it will take longer for me to log in.
Logging in with Duo does add an extra step to the process, but it’s incredibly quick and efficient, especially if you’re using the mobile phone app:
Plus, these few extra seconds it takes to confirm your identity with Duo adds enormous security to your data, identity, and college assets.
Why is ITS implementing Duo authentication?
Threats to the college’s network have been increasing. Healthcare is a major target for hackers, with WCM getting attacked literally millions of times each month. NYP, Cornell Ithaca, and many of our peer institutions have implemented Duo as it is now considered a best practice.
How to register with Duo
If you haven’t done so, register at duo.weill.cornell.edu. Registration instructions and user guides are available on our Duo page.
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Keep your passwords safe and organized with LastPass
The beginning of a new school year can be a great time to get organized, starting with your online passwords. You probably already have dozens to hundreds of passwords for your online accounts, and if you’re coming on board at WCM, you’re about to create many more. To keep your data safe and protect our WCM systems, it’s crucial that you create strong passwords and avoid re-using passwords that you use for personal sites. But how do you keep track of all these passwords? That’s where LastPass comes in.
WCM is pleased to offer you a complementary account with leading password management tool LastPass. To set up your account head to https://lastpass.weill.cornell.edu and follow the onscreen prompts. For detailed information on the tool and how to get started, click here.
LastPass remembers and autofills your passwords, saving you time. It will also generate strong, unique passwords for all of your accounts - whether they are for WCM or personal. Just create an account with your Weill Cornell credentials, then create a personal account with your personal email info, and link them together for a seamless experience. And don’t worry, ITS can’t see any of your password info. It’s all kept locked up in the LastPass vault, visible only to you.
Learn more about LastPass at Tech Tuesday on October 25 at 12 noon in the Library Collaboration Room. We’ll cover the WCM enrollment process, and demo the tool. You can also learn more about why to use LastPass in their helpful video Why Use LastPass?
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Library offers informationist service to help manage your data
Collecting data for research? Before you do that, make sure you draft a data management plan! Luckily, the Samuel J. Wood Library can assist you with its new Research Informationist service.
Why use a Research Informationist?
Good data management practices can improve the efficiency and accuracy of your research, save time, and help you to avoid bureaucratic nuisances. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun requiring data management plans to be included in some types of grant applications. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) also requires researchers to document details on management of research data.
What does a Research Informationist do?
Our WCM Informationist can help you:
- Plan data collection and management
- Support implementation of inter/intra-institutional research projects
- Use appropriate tools, like REDCap, for secure collaboration around data
- Organize, store, and back up data
- Adhere to project-specific guidelines for data security and research integrity, including those of HIPAA, IRB, and FISMA
- Develop data visualizations and communicate results effectively
- Automate data submission to external agencies, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Deposit data in research repositories to support reuse
Sounds great! How can I get help?
Request a consultation at ctsc.med.cornell.edu/Informationist by filling out our online form. Our informationist will reach out and determine the best ways to meet your needs.
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YAAARRR! First-year students “pillage” library during annual Treasure Hunt
New MD students find clues hidden throughout the library and scan them with their WCM-issued iPads to learn about library services.
After a long week of orientation, the first-year medical students had a little friendly competition during the Samuel J. Wood Library’s annual Treasure Hunt. On Friday, August 19, nine teams of students scoured the library for clues using their newly-issued iPads and QR codes, each clue bringing them closer to the grand prize. The event helps new students learn about our extensive library resources and unwind from a hectic week.
Congratulations to Team #6 for winning our Treasure Hunt and lunch at the Griffis Faculty Club!