IT Newsletter: Fall 2022

Infographic: Cable Miles

Number of miles of telephone cable and fiber optic cable on CSUMB main campus displayed with driving miles to local points of interest

The miles of telephone cables between buildings on main campus at CSUMB (25 miles) and the miles of fiber optic cables on main campus (20 miles) compared with the driving distance from CSUMB to local points of interest such as Schoonover Park (1.5 miles), Laguna Seca (9.5 miles), Lover's Point in Pacific Grove (11 miles), Salinas (11 miles), Watsonville (21 miles), Santa Cruz (38 miles), Nepenthe in Big Sur (41 miles) and Pinnacles National Park (45 miles). Information provided by Network Services and Google Maps.

Current Project: TeamDynamix User Experience card sort

TeamDynamix is a service software vendor we use at CSUMB. Students, staff, and faculty are able to acquire technology information and submit service requests for any technology related issues. We want to make submitting service tickets easier for our customers in our TeamDynamix Service Catalog, so we will be using a card sort exercise facilitated by our user experience analyst to help us organize the service catalog in a way that makes sense to our CSUMB staff and faculty.

User experience analyst Francine Lontoc smiling.

Francine Lontoc, a User Experience (UX) Analyst within the Division of Information Technology, is going to be hosting a card sorting activity to improve our TeamDynamix Service Catalog. “The card sorting activity is a UX method that we are using to gain a better understanding of users’ mental model of the system so we can close the gap between our mental model and theirs. Closing that gap will result in a catalog that more closely aligns with users’ expectations, thereby improving the experience of acquiring IT support by submitting an IT ticket. In other words, we hope to make it easier for users to find the ticket they are looking for.” 

Francine is very passionate about working with the UX side of IT. “I’ve experienced my fair share of frustrations with technology and I think those experiences have probably contributed to the excitement I feel towards being able to reduce technologically-induced frustration.” 

These card sorting sessions began September 23, 2022 and will run through September 29, 2022. Francine also offers UX assistance to CSUMB departments outside of IT when it relates to IT applications, including the website. Any customers can schedule time with Francine by submitting a Business Analyst IT Ticket within TeamDynamix. 

Get to know: Cecelia Colchico and Nrupaja Vartak

IT promoted two Technology Help Desk student assistants to IT Communications student assistants this summer. Senior student assistants Cecelia Colchico and Nrupaja Vartak were both promoted based on their work with our Communications work group during the spring semester. Both Cecelia and Nrupaja spent their summers working in their new classifications.

Cecelia Colchico (Humanities and Communications)

Picture of student assistant Cecelia Colchico smiling with pine trees in the background

You’re probably already familiar with student assistant Cecelia Colchico. She is the voice of our division’s Technology Tip Tuesdays videos. Cecelia not only develops our tech tip video scripts, recordings and other content, she is currently putting the finishing touches on our Information Technology Communications Plan. Get to know Cecelia: 

1) Where were you before deciding to come to CSUMB?

I came to CSUMB straight out of high school in Fall 2019, which was in Sacramento, my hometown. However, I did not start working for IT until the beginning of Fall semester 2021, which means I am coming up on my one year anniversary working here at the desk!

2) What's your major here?

I am a Humanities & Communication major (HCOM) with a concentration in Journalism & Media Studies. 

3) What's your favorite thing about CSUMB?

My favorite thing about CSUMB is, as often stated here at the university, the location. We are walking distance to the beach, as well as a decent drive to practically any location in the Bay Area. 

4) What's your favorite thing about working at the help desk, especially in regards to your new role as the IT Communications Graphic Design student assistant?

I love working at the help desk! I love being able to assist students, staff, and faculty with any tech related questions, and sometimes that can even develop into a greater conversation about life here on campus. Now, with my newest role, I’m doing more of the behind the scenes work, and I love that my skills and abilities surrounding both IT and MarComm have tremendously grown in the last year. Each of these positions have allowed me to gain such great experiences, and really expand my understanding of what a career in said fields would look like after I graduate. 

5) What do you do for fun or to relax after classes and work? Do you have any hobbies? 

I love to hoop and workout! Lately I have also been making more of an effort to be outside, enjoying the beach and spending that time with my loved ones.

Nrupaja Vartak (Computer Science)

Photo of student assistant Nrupaja smiling with a portion of the golden gate bridge behind her.

Have you noticed that certain “techy feel” to our Information Technology digital signs and social media posts graphics? This is all thanks to the very talented Nrupaja Vatak, who has been promoted to IT Communications graphic design student assistant. But not only does Nru make our graphics for social media and our digital signs, she’s also made our Tech Tip Tuesday intro and outro screens! She is also currently putting the finishing touches on our IT Brand Identity Guide. Get to know Nrupaja: 

1) Where were you before deciding to come to CSUMB?

I was in a transfer program in India majoring in Information Technology, which allowed me to transfer to CSUMB as a Junior. 

2) What's your major here?

I am a computer science major with a minor in business administration and communication design.

3) What's your favorite thing about CSUMB?

I think my favorite thing is the weather and how close it is to the beach. 

4) What's your favorite thing about working at the help desk, especially in regards to your new role as the IT Communications Graphic Design student assistant?

I love meeting new people and like to help everyone I can. I think the new role has been challenging as well as very, very exciting. I am always doing something new and trying things out of my comfort zone. I also love the fact I can do what I love. 

5) What do you do for fun or to relax after classes and work? Do you have any hobbies? 

Photography and digital art are two of my favorite things to do. Aside from design, I'm a big tennis enthusiast and enjoy getting outside and experiencing new places. I also like hiking and going to the beach.

More Personnel News:

Welcome to our new Division staff:

  • Wency Arzadon, Server Administrator
  • Brian Beckman, Lead Telecommunications Engineering Analyst
  • Sandie Fowler, Project Management Office Business Analyst
  • Smit Panchal, SQL/Data Integration Developer
  • Scott Rush, Applications Analyst

Tech Tip: Top 3 Tech Tips from Summer

Here is a countdown of our top three "Tech Tip Tuesday" videos from over the summer:

You can find more of our tech tips on our Tech Tip Tuesday page in TeamDynamix. We welcome your suggestions for topics as well. 

CyberSecurity: Information Security at CSUMB

Learn about Information Security here at CSUMB in our Tech Tip Tuesday Episode 14 video: 

Learn more about IT

Chief Information Officer
Chip Lenno

Publisher
Greg Pool
Director of Digital Transformation

Editor
Amy Marbach
User Services Communications Specialist

Writers
Amy Marbach
Cecelia Colchico
Greg Pool

Graphic design
Nrupaja Vartak

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