Wayne State University

AIM HIGHER

What technology is available for students, faculty and staff?

WSU Pipeline

WSU Pipeline is an Internet gateway/portal that provides Wayne State students, faculty and staff
with targeted University announcements and secure access to:

  • online self-services (Web registration, financial aid status, tuition payment, final grades, time sheets, pay stubs, benefits, self-registration for training programs and orientations, etc.)
  • computing systems (Wayne Connect e-mail and calendars, Blackboard, OneCard, etc.)

Wayne Connect

  • WSU’s official communication and collaboration system, Wayne Connect, integrates e-mail with calendars, address books, tasks, and documents, all of which can be easily shared with other Wayne Connect users, and features industry-leading protection from spam and viruses.
  • Every student, faculty and staff member has 10 GB of cloud-based storage in Wayne Connect for e-mail and files, and can access the system using popular mobile devices and Web browsers.

WSU Broadcast Messaging

  • This versatile service delivers emergency alerts and official announcements to students, faculty and staff, who can conveniently choose to receive announcements via cell, instant message and/or e-mail.
  • Faculty also can send messages to students in Blackboard courses using the WSU Broadcast Messaging service, which has won national awards for technology innovation.

High-speed Internet access

  • In addition to Internet/data connections in all Wayne State classrooms and offices, WSU students, faculty, staff and sponsored guests have access to a secure, high-speed wireless network in most buildings on main campus and at extension centers, using more than 1,300 access points with the latest 802.11n wireless technology.
  • All WSU residence halls and apartments have free high-speed wired and wireless connections to the University’s network and Internet via ResNet, the University’s residential computer network. ResNet uses an industry-leading solution to prevent the spread of viruses and other malicious software.
  • For secure off-campus access to WSU’s systems and services, students, faculty and staff can use the Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Computers on campus

  • The University Libraries provide both open and restricted-access computing areas for the entire campus community — with more than 800 computers and a variety of applications in support of student learning.
  • The David Adamany Undergraduate Library includes the Extended Study Center, a mostly 24-hour study area with computers, printers, copiers, study tables and helpdesk support.
  • Many WSU schools, colleges and departments provide special-purpose computers and software for their students and faculty.

Blackboard

  • Blackboard is a Web-based course management system that Wayne State uses to deliver all or part of many regularly scheduled University courses and to enhance teaching
  • and learning.
  • Students and faculty can use Blackboard as a secure online location for course materials, e-Portfolios, storing and managing files and to increase overall communication and collaboration in WSU courses.
  • Blackboard also provides faculty with course tools to create online tests, store and manage grades, and detect plagiarism.

Technology Resource Center

  • In the convenient and friendly offices of WSU’s Technology Resource Center (TRC), faculty and instructors can consult with expert staff and use other services and resources to design and develop instructional experiences for their classrooms and online teaching environments.
  • The TRC was named an Exemplary Model of Teaching and Learning with Technology by HASTAC, the international Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory.

Computer support and repair

  • Friendly, knowledgeable computer support and reasonably priced diagnostic and repair services (for personally owned computers) are available on WSU’s main campus at universe IT, a walk-up facility Computing & Information Technology (C&IT) operates in the Student Center.
  • In addition to providing computer support during regular business hours, the C&IT Help Desk also assists students, faculty and staff by phone and e-mail in evenings and on weekends.

Software

  • Free software — for antivirus protection and bibliography management — is available for download by enrolled students, faculty and staff at Wayne State.
  • Discounted commercial software — for course work or office use — also may be purchased by students and employees on a secure website.

High performance computing and networking

  • Wayne State researchers with projects requiring high-performance computing can use the University’s scalable, grid-enabled computing system for distributed computing implementations, such as: scientific simulations that require intensive calculations, large medical-image storage and processing, and projects with huge data management and storage needs.
  • Wayne State’s membership in the Internet2 advanced networking consortium offers researchers countless opportunities for participation and collaboration. The Internet2 Network addresses researchers’ bandwidth-intensive requirements, such as collaborative applications, distributed research experiments, and grid-based data analysis.
  • The Michigan LambdaRail (MiLR) is a very high speed, special-purpose data network in research and higher education. Created by Wayne State University, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan, MiLR gives researchers access to 10 Gbps Ethernet connections among the three universities, as well as national and international research and education networks.

Researcher’s Dashboard

  • This award-winning software application, developed at Wayne State, seamlessly and intuitively integrates multiple administrative systems to aid researchers and grant administrators in managing the grant proposal process and funded grants.
  • Researchers have access to their individual proposals and awards in the WSU Researcher’s Dashboard. Chairs and administrators have access to proposals and awards in their entire department.