Vice President for Information Technology Status and Activity Report for February 2025 Prepared by Timothy M. Chester, Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT) 1. Key Items for Faculty and Staff Meetings •
New Enterprise Survey Research Tools Coming Soon: Upon evaluating vendor submissions for an enterprise survey research tool, the interdisciplinary faculty and staff evaluation committee has recommended the University make awards to three vendors: QuestionPro, Qualtrics, and Alchemer. QuestionPro will be the new enterprise survey research tool available to students, faculty, and staff free of charge. QuestionPro will be available March 17, 2025. Qualtrics will transition to a cost-sharing program where the University will cover 50% of the Qualtrics usage costs, while departments, schools, and colleges will be responsible for the remaining 50%, allocated according to their employees' continued use of Qualtrics. All current faculty and staff account holders will continue to have access to Qualtrics through December 2025, but only departments participating in the cost-sharing program will retain access in January 2026. Departments that wish to pay for continued use of Qualtrics will be asked to opt in by May 1, 2025. Alchemer will be available for purchase starting in fiscal year 2026. Details for all of these options will be shared throughout February and March. For more information, contact Sarah Jones at swjones@uga.edu.
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Duo Multi-Factor Authentication for Retirees, Departmental, and Microsoft 365 Cloud ZAccounts: Beginning February 3, 2025, owners of Microsoft 365 cloud z-accounts will need to use Duo MFA when logging into these administrative accounts, replacing the existing Microsoft authentication method. In the coming months, EITS will implement Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for retirees and departmental MyIDs. Retirees will receive notices throughout February and the change will go into effect in March. Changes for departmental MyID will occur in April. After implementation, retiree, departmental MyID, and Microsoft 365 cloud z-account holders may encounter the Duo prompt when logging into Microsoft 365 applications, including UGAMail, from offcampus or untrusted networks. For more information, contact Lance Pieper at lpeiper@uga.edu.
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Gartner Technical Professional Subscription Available: The Office of the Vice President for Information Technology has introduced Gartner for Technical Professionals to IT professionals across the university. This resource offers valuable research, tools, and expert insights to support technology decision-making and strategic planning. It includes in-depth analysis, best practices, and practical advice on various IT topics such as emerging technologies, architecture, and operational efficiency. With Gartner, IT professionals can stay informed about industry trends, validate technology choices, and gain actionable guidance to drive innovation and align IT strategies with organizational goals. UGA IT professionals, including departmental, college, and central IT received access to these resources in January. To learn more about Gartner, visit https://www.gartner.com/en/experts. For more information, contact Ashley Henry at ashenry@uga.edu.
VPIT Status and Activity Report for February 2025
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