Technology Updates

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Met Senate Counterparts twice
2) Updates to website: Elections, Senate, Appropriations etc.
3) Weekly Backups of website, forums and book trading website.
4) Cosmetic changes to book trading website and forums.
5) forums have a new address:

Http://forums.vcusga.com/

6) Evaluated new site for student surveys.

7) Updtes and software installation on SGA computers

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
Student Government Association
Sgatech@vcu.edu

Posted from my mobile device.

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Surveyed fellow SGA members and VCU students to better understand technology needs.
2) Met with Senate Chair and Senate Student Life Committee to better understand their requirements for this semester.
3) Major Changes to the SGA forums (CNAME directory changes, setup and configuration changes)
4) Working on privacy policy for the book trading website. Also solicited suggestions on the disclaimer policy
5) Backups for our website, forums, twitter, facebook, youtube accounts.
6) Encouraged SGA members for content publishing for the website, blogs, forums and other SGA modes of communication
7) Major updates to Election, Officer and Senate pages.
Updates to SGA Office Computers and Laptop

Two presentations to the Senate have been planned for this semester as of now:

1) Presentation on Information Security Measures
2) Presentation on mobile apps for students, faculty, staff and alumni.

Still working on identifying the dates for these presentation. Tentatively one for February and the other for March.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Updates to slideshows, executive and legislative pages.
2) Met with counterpart Student Life Chair to better understand further changes that could be made to website.
3) Still working on the Twitter auto refresh issue on VCU wireless and LAN networks. Identifying whether issue is restricted to VCU network only.
4) Major changes to the elections/constitution pages on the website. Working on redesigning the respective pages.
5) Contacted members to see if they would be willing to use social media for our website.
6) Hoping to schedule the Senate Information Security Presentation this Monday after Chair's election.
7) Periodic Updates to website.
Regular backups of website/forums/book trading website.
9) Also attended the food advisory meeting on Thursday.

Let's beat ODU today!

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Welcome back everyone. It is great to see VCU back in action!

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Facebook/ Twitter/ Youtube accounts synched with the website. Solicited feedback on the changes.
2) Met my counterparts after the Monday's Senate meeting. Planning on going to a committee meeting next week.
3) Slideshow changes to website
4) Identified issues to work on for this semester. Following areas need critical attention:
- Information Security
- Improving VCU Network bandwidth/connection speeds
- Identify successful apps and implement them

5) Mobile app project is going through. Requested a report from TS on that. Possibility of passing a SGA resolution this semester. Final decision by end of Feb.

6) Software/Hardware updates to SGA computer. Requested money for securing office hardware.
7) Backups of website, forums, and book trading website.
Met several members to work on critical areas.

I hope everyone has a great week.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Attended Presidential Roundtable & Midnight Breakfast. Interacted with fellow students and gain lots of feedback.
2) Met with student and representatives in the Business School. Problems with printer driver. Plan on working with them to have printer drivers made available for 64 bit OS and Macs.
3) Tested email forwarding software for student email.
4) Contacted Chief Information Security Officer. Presentation to Senate next semester.
5) Backups and Updates to Website.
6) Website update project underway.
7) Met my counterparts twice.

Good Luck for Finals!
Kanwar Bir S. Anand
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

Review of new library website. Solicited opinion from SGA members. Provided detailed feedback.

Selection of new website serve provider. Contract to be ready next week.

Solicited feedback from students of Sga sponsored hardware recycling drop off boxes.

Looked at google wave. More details coming soon. Could work with technology services on merging it with student email in future.

Perodic updates to sga website.

Perodic backups for the website, our blogs and forums.

Have a great break. Hope to see everyone in town by Sunday. Enjoy!

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology 
VCU Student Government Association
Sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished
1) Further review of the mobile app
2) Met students for inclusion in the email migration test group
3) Alternate for the safenet wireless utility software expected next semester
4) Book reader project underway
5) regular updates and backups
6) Review of vendors for the new website domain provider

Attended the Student kick off: year of environment and watched Rams beat #17 Sooners Oklahoma,". Go Rams Go

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Mobile Development App progress. Reviewed proposals to merge it with forthcoming Blackboard app.
2) Meeting with Faculty and Staff Members regarding blackboard and how to enhance its use.
3) Reviewed VCU's and State's policies on information handling.
4) Phishing incident impacted majority of students. Please read CT article here:

http://media.www.commonwealthtimes.com/media/storage/paper634/news/2009/11/12/News/Phishing.Problem.Resolved.Several.Students.Scammed-3831007.shtml

http://tinyurl.com/ylemccq

I am still investigating how the internal email was received by CT. Although, the email did not have privileged information, it still prudent to check how the CT received it. Being a student, my emails are protected from disclosure unless I decide otherwise. Plan on contacting CT/SGA regarding this.

5) Action taken by collaborating with TS and other offices. Expecting an official report soon.
6) Regular updates to the website.
7) Solicited responses from colleagues on the new prototype for the website.
Met my counterparts three times this week.
9) Attended Cabell Library Forum. Heard grievances from students regarding information systems in place at the library. Plan on working them in future.

I was looking forward to meeting faculty Senate members but in vain. I am definitely hoping that a similar event could be re-scheduled before the semester ends.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished

1) Website Prototype to be presented tomorrow during the cabinet meeting.
2) Regular Updates to the Website.
3) Periodic Blog/Website Backup and Maintenance.
4) Official Report submission for Mobile Development App.
5) Considered Future Changes for the Book Trading Website.
6) Met with my counterparts twice.
7) Safenet Wireless Utility app for older laptops to be made available shortly.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Presidential Roundtable Presentation was a great success. Got lots of feedback on the recent developments and our future projects such as book trading website, open courseware etc.

2) Will further work on the website project. Still waiting for payment to go through.

3) Met with representatives from Technology Services to get their feedback on how to move forward. Expect reports to come in the future on the proposal and how it will be accomplished.

4) Regular updates to our website.

5) Undertook cary street gym tour with Senate counterparts. video up on the website.

6) Working on redesigning www.vcu.edu/sga

7) Solicited ideas from my counterparts for the new website. Met them twice this week.

Backups of website, forums and book trading website.

9) Further reviews on the VCU mobile app forthcoming.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks/ Accomplishment

1) Routine Backs of website/forums and blogs
2) Updates to External Affairs, Elections and Appointments, Senate, Judicial and Executive Pages
3) Looked at twitter applications to use. Hootsuite: Potentially giving access to more SGA members to use it to provide their updates. Planning on using it for frequent updates. Replicate its blog based platform success.
4) Researched into VCU mobile app. Plans on having it out by next year. Cost would be less than $ 20,000 a year. Will provide access on multiple platforms. Studied the app implemented at Duke, Stanford and other universities. Waiting to hear back on how the platform will be used with different divisions, schools and departments within VCU. Special attention to the course registration feature of the app. Concerns regarding the data security and encryption of the app. To support Blackberry, Palm Pre, iPhone/IPod Touch and Nokia smartphones/PDA's
5) Basic plan of the new website ready. To be presented during Cabinet on Sunday.
6) Working with TS on sending notifications/messages to students on IMAP access.
7) Safenet Wireless project still in progress.
Final Touches to Presidential Roundtable Presentation which will be presented on Monday.
9) Updates to SGA calendar. Work in progress on synching it with google calendar.
10) Met with my counterparts from Senate four times this week.

Attended Ram Spirit Fest on Friday:) Did Salsa and ate lots of free food:)

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Updates to External Affairs, Green Affairs, Homepage and Senate page.
2) Solved MCV Campus SGA homepage problem, working on redesigning www.vcu.edu/sga
3) Tried and tested mobile development app. Waiting to hear back from TS on submitted questions.
4) Solicited opinions on Safenet Wireless. Planning on meeting TS help desk support staff next week.
5) Scheduled meeting for next week with TS staff on the book website project.
6) Met my counterparts twice.
7) Updated sideshows up for the next two weeks.
Working on a new facebook sga question app. Thanks for Carolyn for the idea!
9) Still waiting to hear back from Dir. of Communications on recording cabinet meetings.
10) IMAP access available on student email! Tried the use on blackberry, iPhone and Palm Pre. Works great. Relayed the information to students through different sources.

Trying to enjoy my reading break but swamped with SGA related work.

Hope to see everyone back next week.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Tasks Accomplished:

1) Safenet Wireless Survey available on website: http://www.vcusga.com/page.php?form_id=2799
About 35 students have completed the survey. Hoping to get more responses by next week. Plan on analyzing the data and submit official recommendation to TS by end of next week.

2) Updates to executive, senate, green affairs, external affairs pages

3) All public meeting information made available on SGA calendar: http://vcusga.com/event_calendar.php?page_id=114077
Hoping to integrate with additional widgets that will allow members to individually submit meetings for this calendar.

3) Updated slide show to reflect student survey, election month, SGA speakout etc.

4) Met with my counterparts three time this week.

5) Complete access to Youtube channel. Credentials shared with SGA President, Vice-President, Student Life Committee Chair, ComTech Committee Chair and Director of Communications.
-- Planning on meeting with Director of Communications to video record meetings.

6) Work on new website started. Solicited student opinion. Waiting to hear back. Received some responses. Planning on giving a presentation to the Senate to get their opinions on it.

7) Looked into MCV students email issue. Trying to work with TS on their email concerns.

Looked at Itunes U, plan on submitting a proposal to TS soon on expanding VCU Itunes U

9) Studied the Ebook usage at other universities. Looking into the prospects of working with TS, Faculty Senate to increase usage of Ebooks.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Here is what we accomplished this week:

1) Met with Senate counterpart (Gonzalo Aida) to discuss potential tech changes that we could make at VCU.
2) Also had discussions with President, Vice-President and counterpart (Gonzalo Aida) to discuss website changes
3) Prepared Tech. presentation for Presidential Roundtable.
4) Worked with Tech. Services on VCU SGA listserve issue. Issues resolved. No more spam emails!!
5) Worked with Tech. Services on Safenet Wireless. Here are the products that have been identified for usage:

http://www.tp-link.com.au/products/product_des.asp?id=140
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WN821N-Wireless-Adapter-WPA2-PSK/dp/B002D5EIT4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1254499973&sr=8-1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833704032&Tpk=TL-WN821N

Still looking in to the possibility of avoiding these hardware.

6) Restored SGA forums
7) More progress on SGA Website and Book Trading 2.0
Looking at widgets to use for the website in addition to facebook/twitter. Checked out Delicious, Digg It etc.
9) Worked on a flash object for the website. To be up soon.

These are couple of things that I can think of right now. If I recall something else then I will update this list.

Hope everyone has a good week.

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

This week's accomplishments:

1) Gmail: Everyone who is taking classes at VCU should now have access to VCU myMail. I have been contacted by some students who were RA's/CA's and Volunteers on the MCV campus. They are yet to get access to VCU myMail. I have contacted respective departments. Looking forward having their grievances rectified soon.

2) VCU Wireless: VCU safenet meeting next week arranged. Looking forward working with TS and suggest some proposals on how we could increase the number of students who use the WPA2 encrypted VCU Safenet. Recent numbers that I got are as follows:

a) over 3000 students use VCU Wireless everyday
b) over 500 students use VCU Safenet everyday

Therefore, we need to find a common ground to increase usuage of VCU safe net among students.

3) VCU Wireless and LAN connectivity speed: Met with SGA members and others outside the organization to gain their input on what they think about connectivity speeds. This is going to be a major issue that we will be working on.

4) Routine maintenance, updates and backups performed.

5) Met with my counterparts at least once this week.

6) Did some more research on SGA book trading website and the new platform to support it. Expect blueprint soon.

7) SGA computers updated with recent patches and software versions.

Prepared presentation that will be presented during Presidential Roundtable on September 29

9) Took my first LSAT:)

Kanwar Singh Anand
sgatech@vcu.edu

I hope everyone is having a good semester so far. Here is what we accomplished this week:

The biggest accomplishment: All VCU students have access to VCU gmail. The exception includes full time employees who are also taking classes at VCU. Still awaiting legal clarification on this matter.

1) Presentation to the Student Senate on Website
2) Met with my Senate counterparts, John Burton and Gonzalo Aida
3) Discussed and solicited proposals for the new book trading website
4) Article in the CT published. It is available here:

http://media.www.commonwealthtimes.com/media/storage/paper634/news/2009/09/14/Opinion/Sga-Accelerating.The.Online.Experience-3770883.shtml

5) Updates to the green affairs, external affairs, legislation and election pages.
6) Website maintenance conducted in the wee hours of morning today.
7) Working on an online calendar proposal for the SGA
Met with fellow students regarding VCU myMail.

Kanwar Singh Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

Hello Everyone,

Tasks accomplished:

1) VCU myMail migration for current student happened this. Concerns regarding students who are also university employees. Worked with Technology Services to have this rectified as soon as possible. Hopefully, some changes will have before end of next week.
2) Internal changes in our websites, forums and blogs.
3) Looked at the Safenet wireless and the different platforms that it supports. Worked with Technology Services to keep students informed on how we could better inform students on driver updates. Encouraging more students to migrate over to VCU Safenet Wireless for secured browsing.
4) Wrote an article for CT. To be published very soon.
5) Met representatives from several student organizations who expressed their concern regarding VCU's transition from club manager to My VCU Orgs
6) Waiting to hear back from VCU libraries regarding blackboard presentation to the Senate.

Looks like there are exciting days ahead.

I hope everyone is having a safe and a productive semester,

Kanwar Bir S. Anand
Director of Technology
VCU Student Government Association
sgatech@vcu.edu

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