Vice President for Information Technology Status and Activity Report for September 2026 Prepared by Ilir Hasko, Interim Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT)
Key Items for Faculty and Staff Meetings New Chief Institutional Research and Data Officer Appointed: Kelly Slaton has been appointed Chief Institutional Research and Data Officer after serving in the position on an interim basis since December 2025. Slaton brings more than 14 years of experience in higher education analytics, compliance reporting, strategic planning, and organizational leadership. She previously served as Assistant Director for Institutional Reporting and Institutional Research Analyst in UGA’s Office of Institutional Research. In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership for institutional reporting, analytics, data strategy, and executive decision support. Her recent work includes leading the migration of institutional reporting from Tableau to Power BI, transitioning on-premises data resources to Microsoft Fabric, redesigning the Office of Institutional Research website, and overseeing UGA’s inaugural IPEDS ACTS reporting process. Slaton holds a doctorate in higher education and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from UGA, as well as a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University. Preparing for TouchNet MFA: Beginning October 2026, TouchNet, the online payment system used by the University of Georgia for services such as tuition and fee payments, will introduce its own multi-factor authentication (MFA) process for users logging in to the TouchNet application. This new security step will be required in addition to the existing Duo verification that students complete through UGA's single sign-on system. To help ensure uninterrupted access, students should be prepared to enroll in TouchNet MFA when prompted and are encouraged to use an authenticator app or a personal (non-UGA) email address as their preferred verification method. Additional communications, including step-by-step instructions and key deadlines, will be shared before the October implementation date. For more information, contact Kristi Wall. SSO Updates for Accessibility: Beginning September 11, 2026, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will introduce an updated design for the University of Georgia (UGA) Single Sign-On (SSO) login page. The updated login page has been redesigned to improve accessibility and usability while maintaining the same secure sign-in process familiar to users. There are no changes to how users sign in with their UGA MyID and password or complete UGA ArchPass (Duo) authentication. To learn more about the VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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update and view screenshots of the login page before and after the change, visit the EITS website. If you have questions or experience issues signing in, please contact the EITS Help Desk at helpdesk@uga.edu or 706-542-3106. For more information, contact Kristi Wall. Biannual UGA SSO Upgrade and SSO Updates for Accessibility on September 11, 2026: UGA’s single sign-on service (UGA SSO), will undergo scheduled maintenance on September 11, 2026. This upgrade will introduce a more accessible and user-friendly UGA Single Sign-On (SSO) login page while keeping the sign-in process the same; to learn more, visit the EITS website. EITS will not deploy any new applications to production UGA SSO on September 11, 2026, to facilitate a smooth upgrade. UGA SSO upgrades are conducted twice a year, in the Spring and Fall, to ensure reliability and security. To learn more about the update and view screenshots of the login page before and after the change, visit the EITS website. For more information, contact Wes Merrill. Faculty, Staff and Students Must Update Duo Login Options by September 17: On September 17, 2026, SMS text message passcodes and phone call authentication will no longer be available as Duo login options for UGA faculty, staff and students. To avoid interruptions when signing in to UGA systems, users should confirm they have another Duo verification method set up before the deadline. Recommended options include Duo Verified Push, which asks users to enter a four-digit code after approving a login, or devicebased methods such as Touch ID or Face ID on Apple devices, Windows Hello on Windows computers, fingerprint or face recognition on Android devices, approved security keys, and the Duo Desktop application. Users may add or manage their Duo devices during the UGA single sign-on login process. Phone calls will remain available only for logging in to update Duo devices, not as an authentication method. These changes are part of EITS’ ongoing effort to strengthen account security and provide more secure, accessible login options. SMS text message passcodes and phone call authentication will no longer be available for Departmental MyIDs beginning November 5, 2026. For more information, contact Lance Peiper.
Services for Teaching Faculty: Digital Accessibility Training and Resources Available Through DASH: Digital Accessibility Services (DAS) supports UGA content creators, instructors, and staff as they work to make digital materials more accessible for all users. The team offers guidance, training opportunities, office hours, and online resources to help the campus community create and update documents, presentations, videos, websites, course materials, and other digital content in alignment with the UGA Digital Accessibility Policy and Web VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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Content Accessibility Guidelines. Instructors and content creators are encouraged to review the resources available through DAS and the Digital Accessibility Services Hub (DASH) Events page, which includes upcoming training and virtual DAS Office Hours. Faculty and staff can attend office hours on Fridays from 10:00-11:00 a.m. to ask short, targeted accessibility questions or receive guidance on where to start. Additional training, including sessions on using accessibility checkers and applying accessibility best practices in common platforms, are also posted on DASH. Instructors should review these resources regularly and take advantage of available training before developing new course materials or revising existing content. For more information about Digital Accessibility Services, visit the Digital Accessibility Services Hub (DASH).
Services for Students: Adobe Express Available Free to Eligible UGA Students Beginning Fall 2026: Beginning in Fall 2026, eligible University of Georgia (UGA) students will receive free access to Adobe Express through funding provided by the Student Technology Fee. Adobe Express is an easy-to-use online and mobile design tool that helps students create presentations, graphics, videos, social media posts, digital portfolios, design resumes, flyers, posters and other visual content without advanced design experience. The platform also includes ready-made templates, Adobe Stock images, PDF tools, and photo and video editing features. EITS will begin promoting the service to students in September. Eligible students can access Adobe Express at adobe.uga.edu by signing in with their UGA account using their MyID@uga.edu email address and password. Student Premium AI License Pilot Program: Last month, the University of Georgia issued a new call for student participation in the Student Premium AI License Pilot Program, with a limited number of premium AI licenses available for OpenAI’s ChatGPT Edu, Google’s Gemini Pro for Education, and Microsoft 365 Copilot, which now offers multi-model intelligence with Anthropic's Claude and OpenAI's GPT. Participating students will gain access to advanced AI tools that support learning, research, productivity, and career readiness while helping shape the future of AI at UGA. Applications will be open through September 11, 2026. Applicants may indicate a preference for ChatGPT Edu, Gemini Pro for Education, or Microsoft 365 Copilot though final assignments will be balanced across degree levels, schools, colleges, and departments. Students selected through this new call for participation will join the original pilot participants onboarded in March. Licenses for all participating students will remain active through the 2026–2027 academic year, contingent upon active use and completion of brief end-of-semester feedback surveys. This initiative builds in-demand AI fluency and digital skills while allowing students to help shape how UGA evaluates and invests in AI technologies to enhance the academic VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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experience. Because licenses are limited, participation and engagement will inform future expansion decisions. For more information, contact the AI Tools Team. To learn more about AI at UGA, visit the Student Premium AI License Pilot Program page on the AI Hub.
Services for Researchers: GACRC Fall 2026 Webinar: The Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC) provides UGA researchers with access to high-performance computing, artificial intelligence tools, and large-scale storage resources. To help faculty and staff learn more about these services, GACRC will host a virtual informational webinar on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, led by Dr. Guy Cormier and Dr. Jessica Kissinger. The session will give an overview of GACRC’s infrastructure and available computing resources, as well as explain how to request a Sapelo2 user account. Participants will also learn how GACRC supports computational needs across a wide range of research disciplines. The webinar time and registration information will be announced soon. For questions, contact Dr. Jessica Kissinger. GACRC Teaching Cluster for Fall Semester: A small high-performance computing cluster devoted exclusively to teaching duties is available for use during the Fall 2026 semester. This cluster includes high-memory nodes and GPU-enabled nodes. The cluster, which is supported by the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC), was also in use during the spring. Faculty members interested in discussing the capabilities of the teaching cluster and how it might integrate with their coursework should contact the GACRC. For more information, contact Dr. Guy Cormier. GACRC Helpdesk Access and Support Services: Help with accessing and using GACRC resources is available through the GACRC Helpdesk. The GACRC Service Catalog directs users to the appropriate TeamDynamix page. There, users can submit requests for services such as lab group and user accounts, class accounts, software installations, and general support. Tickets may be submitted at any time and are addressed promptly by the GACRC Support Team. For more information, contact Guy Cormier.
Other General Services: Duo Multifactor Authentication to Be Required for All UGA Single Sign-On Applications: To meet updated University System of Georgia security requirements, UGA will begin requiring Duo multifactor authentication (MFA), an extra step used to verify a user's identity, for all applications that use UGA Single Sign-On (SSO). While many applications already require Duo, some currently do not. This change will be introduced in the development (Dev) environment on October 9, 2026, the testing (Stage) environment VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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on December 1, 2026, and the production (Prod) environment on February 5, 2027. Application owners should test their applications in the lower environments and inform their users about the upcoming change prior to the February 5 change. If an exception to this requirement is needed, application owners should submit an exception request to Information Security by October 7, 2026. No action is required from end users, and many people may not notice a difference because Duo is already required for other UGA services. Expanding MFA to all UGA SSO applications will improve security and provide a consistent authentication experience across university systems. For more information, contact Lance Peiper. PowerBI Migration Deadline Set for November 2, 2026: In late 2024, the Office of Institutional Research (OIR) announced that UGA would transition from Tableau to Power BI as the university's primary enterprise reporting tool. This change supports UGA’s broader use of Microsoft Office 365, which includes Power BI. Over the past year, OIR has worked to move reporting into Power BI, beginning with census reporting. Student reporting was completed this summer, and OIR is now working on the final phase of the project with HR and Finance reporting. Units that use the EITS-managed Tableau servers to develop and publish Tableau reports for their areas must migrate those reports to Power BI by November 2, 2026. OIR will provide guidance to these units as needed. For more information, contact Kelly Slaton. Submit Proposals for FY27 Student Technology Fee One-Time Funding: Requests for proposals for the FY27 Student Technology Fee (STF) one-time funding process were distributed to deans and unit heads on September 1, 2026. Units that receive base STF allocations are eligible to submit proposals for additional funding to support instructional technology projects that enhance teaching and learning. This one-time funding is separate from a college or unit’s regular STF allocation. To be considered during the current funding cycle, proposals must be submitted through the appropriate vice president, dean, or associate provost by October 9, 2026. Questions should be directed to Dr. Toby Graham, chair of the Student Technology Fee Advisory Committee, at tgraham@uga.edu or 706-542-0621. QuestionPro Training Sessions Begin October 2026: Beginning in October 2026, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will offer regular training sessions for QuestionPro, the University of Georgia's enterprise survey platform used to create, distribute, and analyze surveys for research, assessment, and feedback collection. The first training session will be held on October 13, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. A registration link will be provided at a later date. For more information, contact Jamie Davis. VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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Quarterly TeamDynamix Technician Training Begins in October: Beginning in October 2026, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will offer quarterly TeamDynamix technician training to support staff onboarding and professional development. TeamDynamix is UGA’s service management platform, used by the EITS Help Desk and IT support teams across campus to manage technology requests, tickets, and related workflows. The training has been developed by the EITS Collaborative Tools team, the Tier 1 course provides foundational instruction on ticket management, TeamDynamix features, customer and technician processes, and University of Georgia (UGA) standard operating procedures. Tier 1 training will be offered in person on October 20, 2026, and online on October 22, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tier 2 builds on these fundamentals by introducing reporting tools, dashboards, and workflow management concepts and will be offered in person on October 27, 2026, and online on October 29, 2026, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Both courses include demonstrations and practical examples designed to improve service management knowledge, strengthen operational effectiveness, and help technicians provide consistent, effective support. Additional details about these trainings will be shared soon with IT professionals and TeamDynamix technicians. For more information, contact Cody Skipper. Computer Equipment, Software, and Services (CESS) Moving to TeamDynamix: This fall, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will move the Computer Equipment, Software, and Services (CESS) request process from UGAMart to TeamDynamix, the platform currently used by the EITS Help Desk and other IT support teams across campus. This change will update the look and feel of the CESS process while helping streamline requests. The CESS request form will remain accessible through UGAMart. When the new process launches, users will be directed to TeamDynamix to complete their request. For more information, contact Heather Stoltz. Biannual MyID and UGAMail Account Cleanup Scheduled for Fall 2026: This fall, EITS will conduct its annual review and cleanup of MyID and UGAMail accounts for students, employees, and affiliates who are no longer affiliated with the university but still have active accounts. Individuals whose accounts are identified for removal will receive two email notifications at their UGAMail address in September explaining that their account access is scheduled to be disabled and permanently removed in November. Accounts belonging to students currently enrolled in a UGA degree program will not be affected, and retired employees remain eligible to keep their UGAMail addresses. For more information, contact Kristi Wall. September 2026 Unified ERP Update: Visit the monthly recap to learn more about the Unified ERP and to see how the project is progressing, including updates on the VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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implementation, change considerations, and USG’s Workday Wednesday series. Each Workday Wednesday session features a live demonstration of the USG Workday tenant followed by an interactive Q&A, led by the USG-wide Unified ERP team. These sessions are open to all faculty and staff and are providing the first live look at the initial Workday prototype for many in the UGA community. Please feel free to share this information with colleagues in your unit who may benefit from attending. Register or view session recordings here. For more information, please contact UGA’s Unified ERP team at ugaunified-erp@uga.edu or sign up for future communications at the bottom of the USG Faculty and Staff Hub. Fall Biannual Network Maintenance: The Fall Biannual Network Maintenance is currently being planned for Sunday, October 25, 2026. EITS conducts biannual network maintenance in the fall and spring each year to support the network and provide ample bandwidth and internet capacity to the university. For more information, contact Rayid Tartir. AI Literacy Initiative and Training Course Now Available For Students: The University of Georgia has launched “AI Literacy for All” offered by the Digital Education Council (DEC) a new online course designed to provide students, faculty, and staff with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence. The self-paced online course includes approximately four hours of interactive learning and is intended to establish a shared baseline of AI knowledge across the university community. This course offering is part of a campus-wide initiative designed to provide students, faculty, and staff with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and the responsible use of generative AI in academic and professional settings. Faculty and staff received access on June 3, 2026, and students received access on August 10, 2026. While participation is not mandatory, the training is strongly encouraged. Participants who complete the course may download a certificate of completion and add the credential to LinkedIn or other professional portfolios. The course is available through the AI Hub under Resources & Tools: AI Literacy Initiative. For assistance, contact the AI Tools Team. Next AI License Request Cycle Opens November 1 for Spring 2027 Access: EITS launched the AI License Purchasing Program in fall 2025 to provide a centralized, streamlined way for UGA units to purchase premium versions of generative AI tools for faculty and staff, with the first licenses provisioned in February 2026. The program ensures these tools are covered under the university’s data protection and privacy agreements, offering enhanced safeguards not available in individual or consumer versions. It also simplifies procurement by eliminating the need for departmental CESS requests, UGAMart VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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purchase requests, P-card transactions, and reimbursements, reducing administrative burden and improving efficiency. EITS will contact campus unit Chief Business Officers (CBOs) and IT Directors in early fall with information about the next onboarding cycle. The next opportunity to request new licenses will be Nov. 1, 2026, with a deadline of Dec. 1, 2026, in preparation for the Spring 2027 semester. This enrollment will include the M365 Copilot license, which offers native integration with UGA’s email, calendar and SharePoint, as well as access to Claude models in addition to the OpenAI models available in Copilot for all MyID account holders. For more information, please contact the AI Tools Team or visit the EITS Knowledge Base.
Did you know? Turnitin Draft Coach Helps Students Improve Writing and Academic Integrity: Turnitin Draft Coach helps students improve their writing before submitting assignments by providing real-time feedback in Microsoft Word online and Google Docs. The tool includes a grammar checker that identifies writing issues and offers suggestions for improvement, as well as a citation assistant that helps students correctly cite sources. Students can also review a Similarity Report, which highlights text that may match existing sources and supports academic integrity. Instructors can encourage effective use of Draft Coach by introducing it early in a course, incorporating it into draft assignments, and helping students understand and apply the feedback provided. For more information about accessing and using Turnitin Draft Coach, visit the Center for Teaching and Learning’s website. 2026-2027 Faculty and Staff Technology Guide Available Online and in Print: The 20262027 Faculty and Staff Technology Guide is now available and provides information about technology services, resources, and tools available to University of Georgia employees. Faculty and staff received an email to their UGAMail on August 23, 2026, with a link to the guide, which can also be viewed online through the 2026-2027 EITS Faculty Staff Technology Guide. Printed copies are also available and can be mailed upon request. To request a guide, contact Emily Enelow. University of Georgia students, faculty, and staff, as well as interested others, may subscribe to this monthly report by sending an email to listserv@listserv.uga.edu with the phrase subscribe vpit-news as the body of the message.
VPIT Status and Activity Report for September 2026
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