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Standard Issue Norwich IT Hardware
07-JUN-2024
Depending on your role at Norwich University, you may be issued the hardware necessary to complete your job. Your Norwich workstation, and phone, are crucial to completing the tasks associated with your employment. There are also some pieces of hardware Norwich suggests you provide yourself to complete your daily work.
As a Norwich University employee, what hardware will I need to supply?
Norwich University uses multi-factor authentication for Faculty, Staff, and Students alike, to reach Norwich resources. To complete MFA, you will need a device using an authentication application, such as Microsoft Authenticator, or get an MFA token from IT.
Workstations-
The computer hardware that may be issued to you depends on your role within the University. In some cases, employees will not be issued a personalized workstation but a space where they can complete authentication to thin-client, or a specific app, such as ADP eTime, to complete their time cards and other data entry.
Most full-time employees with a fixed office location are provided with a computer to complete their work. The standard-issue workstation for most Norwich University employees is a Dell Latitude laptop, portable charger, and computer bag. You or your department may also request additional external displays, display stands, keyboard and mouse, headset, and docking station with your laptop. The additional peripherals are provided to your department at cost. Norwich IT User Support is responsible for your Dell hardware warranty service and assists in setting up and configuring hardware and peripherals as needed. These machines are replaced on average every four years. For CGCS employees, please get in touch with Jessie Drown regarding hardware rotation.
We understand that some tasks and work styles are better suited for hardware other than the Latitude line of Dell portables. In those cases, IT can purchase upgraded Windows hardware, Apple laptops, or other hardware for the employee in question. There is a charge associated with these hardware upgrades. Information Technology charges the difference between the cost of the current Dell standard unit and the upgraded machine. With the upgraded Windows, where applicable, the user again gets a bag and portable AC adapter; For the Mac users, we issue the current M-based Apple Macbook Pro with a 14" screen and a USB-C adapter solution.
Standard productivity software across all workstations includes but is not limited to the following;
- Windows 10 Enterprise or Apple Mac OS X
- Microsoft Office 365, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote.
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft One Drive
- Foxit PDF Editor
- Cisco Anyconnect Secure Mobility Client
- The web browsers are Microsoft Edge and Apple's Safari browser.
- Mersive Solstice (wireless video streaming application used across campus)
- Zoom
Optional software titles in our library may include but are not limited to the following;
- Adobe Creative Cloud
- Autodesk Suite, including Autocad
- Mathworks
- Matlab
- SPSS
- Wolfram Mathmatica
- Mozilla Firefox browser
- Google Chrome browser
Adjuncts, part-time employees, volunteers, and some members of Athletics do not get current model hardware. These positions have their computer needs filled with units that have retired from their primary rotation. These units continue to be managed by Norwich. The adjunct use machines have all the same software and management as mentioned above.
Telephony-
As a member of the University's Faculty or Staff, you are issued a phone number. Norwich has transitioned to Zoom Phones as a VoIP service. You will be assigned a number that may or may not have been used by the person whose role you are filling. At this time, it is at the discretion of IT and what is associated with the line (Call queues, auto-attendants, etc...). The Zoom app and web interface will allow you to reset your PIN and listen to your voicemail on your computer. IT User Support maintains a Knowledge Base that includes several articles about Zoom capabilities. You can review the Telephony Knowledgebase documents here.
Employees who request headsets will need their department to provide a budget number for their purchase. Headsets are not standard-issue hardware.
Zoom also offers a mobile app that can be installed on your mobile device. The Zoom Cloud Meeting app is scoped to all Norwich-managed iPads for members of the group "Faculty and Staff (AD)."
iPads-
iPads are not standard equipment provided to all staff. The Norwich Digital Citizen program is an academic program designed to provide Faculty and Students the iPad to assist in collaborative learning, communication, and a common platform. Faculty, including Adjunct and ROTC teaching roles, should have a request sent to the iPad management team for them to be issued a device when on-boarded.
Staff seeking iPads may receive them as loaner equipment for discreet use. If a Staff member needs an iPad as part of their everyday work, their department must purchase it separately.1
As issued to all users, the iPad program provides the iPad, iPad 12-watt power brick and cable, an Apple Pencil, and a device-appropriate case.
The iPads are managed by Norwich University IT. A base set of applications pushed to the iPads like portable computers. These applications best mimic the software installed on your workstation, including the Office Suite and OneDrive. The Microsoft Office Suite, in combination with OneDrive, makes for excellent document portability; Documents created on either device and saved to OneDrive are available on the other device.
You can use your own Apple ID to add applications to an iPad you are issued. Norwich IT is not responsible for any applications you install.
In the case of Faculty, applications for distribution to entire classes must be submitted as work orders with a budget number and a list of students to whom the application will need to be assigned.
1. In June of 2024, IT updated iPad usage and deployment rules. The corresponding article is here.