Welcome to Fairfield University!

The following list of resources has been curated by ITS to assist you in getting started at Fairfield University. We recommend exploring my.fairfield and the ITS Knowledge Base to learn more about other supported systems.

Getting Started

NetID Claim Instructions
Duo 2FA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
- Duo enables secure authentication to University systems when accessed off campus. ITS recommends installing Duo 2FA on your mobile device(s).
Wireless Network Registration
- When working on campus, connect your device(s) to the FacStaff WiFi network.
Get Support
- Contact the ITS Help Desk
- Schedule an Appointment with the ITS Help Desk
- Explore the Information Technology Services Knowledge Base
- Discover Academic Computing Resources (curated resources for teaching and learning)

Applications and Tools for Success

Please note that this list is not all-inclusive and additional tools may be used by your specific department. We recommend exploring my.fairfield, this ITS Knowledge Base, and working with your colleagues to familiarize yourself with the full suite of tools available to you at Fairfield University.

Application/Tool	Purpose
University Email (Exchange)	All faculty and staff are set up with an Exchange email. You can access your email through OWA or through a mail application. OWA: Log into my.fairfield.edu and choose Email/Exchange to access your email from any web browser. Mail Application: Set up your email on your laptop or mobile device(s). Detailed instructions on setting up Exchange Mailbox Applications are currently being revised and updated.
University Email (Gmail)	All students are set up a Gmail email account. Faculty and staff can request a free student gmail account by submitting a ticket to the ITS Help Desk. In your request, please state your intended purpose for using Gmail (for example, "I am requesting a student gmail account to use the GSuite for Education tool Jamboard." Please keep in mind that most GSuite applications have university supported alternatives and we encourage you to investigate these tools before requesting a student gmail account. Once a Gmail Account has been established, your student email will appear when students search your name through their own Gmail accounts. To avoid any missed communication, we encourage to set up email forwarding from Gmail. To learn more, see Manage Your Student Gmail.
Learning Management System (LMS)	Blackboard is Fairfield University's Learning Management System (LMS). Since Summer 2024, all courses and most organizations are utilizing the Ultra Course View, providing faculty and students with a modern, responsive interface that foster community and learning. To learn more about how to use Blackboard, visit our Blackboard Ultra for Faculty and Organization Leaders guides.
File Storage	It’s best practice to save all work to a Cloud Storage instead of a local hard drive or Augustus. When working remotely, if a file is saved to Augustus, you’ll need to connect to the VPN to access it. If a file is saved to a local hard drive on a computer in your office (while you’re at home), you’ll need to use RDP to connect to that machine and the machine must be turned on. Dropbox is available on all University computers as well as on most mobile devices via the mobile app. Dropbox is available without connecting to the VPN Files saved to Dropbox are available across multiple devices and can easily be shared with colleagues. Learn more about Dropbox for Education @ Fairfield University Microsoft OneDrive is also available to all Fairfield University employees and students and can be accessed online or via the mobile app. Sign in using your Fairfield University and learn more about Microsoft OneDrive.
Phone and Voicemail	Learn more about the University phone system and how to customize the settings, including forwarding calls when working remotely: Avaya Phone Training
Printing	Setup Network Printers Secure/Wireless Print @ Fairfield University Print to PDF (digitally store files) Windows Choose File > Print Select a PDF printer from your printer list (Example: Adobe PDF, Microsoft Print to PDF) MacOS Choose File > Save As Select Save as Adobe PDF
Chat/Collaboration Tools	While there are a variety of software tools used to collaborate across campus between faculty, staff, and students, ITS recommends Microsoft Teams as the preferred tool for chat and file sharing. Learn more about Microsoft Teams.
Video Conferencing	Zoom is the preferred tool for most video conferencing. Best practices for successful Zoom meetings: Connect to Zoom meeting audio, conference calls, etc. using a phone, rather than the computer audio. Computer connections are very sensitive to connection speeds and call quality can suffer. Additionally, the microphone on a phone is far better than the microphone on your computer. If you must connect via computer (for example, you have poor cell reception at home), please use a headset. Do not use speakerphone. A speakerphone picks up lots of background noise that can make it difficult for others on the call to hear. When not speaking, keep your line on mute. We’re often unaware of the background noise in our own environment, but others on the call will be all too aware of it! Try to join meetings 5 minutes early to take care of any technical issues before the call starts. Learn more about Zoom.
VPN	A VPN connection is not needed for all work. For example, you do not need to use the VPN for email, Workday, Dropbox, or to access my.fairfield. A VPN connection is required to access Banner, EMS, Augustus and DocFinity. When you’re done using the system that requires the VPN, please disconnect. Make sure you have set up and configured DUO first. /wiki/spaces/ITSKB/pages/30344711

General Computer Tips

Bookmarks - Please consider saving your bookmarks from your browser (Chrome, Firefox, IE, Edge, Safari) so that you'll have them available when working from a home computer. How to save bookmarks
Contacts/Outlook Autocomplete - If you rely upon Outlook Autocomplete to populate email addresses to non-University recipients, consider saving critical contacts to your Outlook Contacts. Alternatively, you can often search your "sent" items folder to find contacts you've corresponded with in the past.
Stored Passwords - Do you often save passwords in your browser? If you plan to work from a home computer, these passwords may not be available to you on another device. Consider using a password keeper or another secure method to help you remember passwords.
Data Security - Please refrain from emailing files with confidential data when collaborating remotely with colleagues. Use shared Dropbox folders to keep data secure.
Mailbox limits - Working remotely could lead to an increase in email usage. If your mailbox is close to the limit, it's likely a good time to do some email archiving. How to cleanup your mailbox
My.Fairfield – The University portal, my.fairfield.edu is a good starting point for links to many University resources. If you can’t find a URL or can’t remember how to access a system, search my.fairfield.edu first.

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