From: Jinlan (Iris) Du
Date: December 5, 2025
Subject: ITS December 2025 Newsletter - Wrapping Up the Year with Tech Cheer!



TWU campuses

December News from IT Solutions – Wrapping Up the Year with Tech Cheer!

This month’s newsletter introduces new Dallas and Houston ticket forms for faster, campus-specific service requests. Stay in the know by tracking your technology tickets online and boost your Wi-Fi experience with simple device tweaks. Planning holiday time off? We’ve got tips for setting out-of-office messages and delegating tasks so you can truly relax. Plus, keep your season merry and bright with cybersecurity reminders - avoid phishing scams, enable MFA, update your devices, and lock in strong passwords before the break. And don’t forget to complete your annual Information Security Training to start 2026 secure and stress-free. Wishing you a joyful, tech-savvy holiday season!


NEW! DALLAS and HOUSTON Ticket Form
new ticket form

We’re excited to announce that the Technology Service Center homepage now features DALLAS Support and HOUSTON Support buttons! These new options provide quick, campus-specific access to services, making it easier than ever to submit requests tailored to your location.

Select your campus to view the available service options and submit your request. Examples of requests include:

Dallas:

  • Digital signage
  • Poster printing
  • Presentation technology support
  • TWU event inquiry
  • Technology moves
  • Technology quotes

Houston:

  • Classroom support
  • Computer moves
  • Digital signage
  • Event A/V requests
  • Poster printing
  • Technology quotes
  • Technology support

For all other assistance, please continue to use the Submit a Ticket button on the Service Center page.


Check the Status of Your Technology Tickets

ticket status page

Need to know the status of your technology ticket request? The Technology Service Center makes it easy!

Benefits:

  • Stay updated on your requests
  • Track the progress of multiple tickets in one place
  • Quickly find tickets by category, status, or date

Here’s how:

  1. Visit the portal: Technology Service Center
  2. Click My Tickets to see all your ticket requests.
  3. Use the search and filter options to view tickets by:
    • Class
    • Status (New, In Process, On Hold, Closed)
    • Date Created
    • Due Date

Need a status update? Just add a comment to your existing ticket - there’s no need to submit a new one for the same issue. This helps us keep things organized and respond faster.


How to Improve Your Experience with Campus Wi-Fi

Some phones, tablets, and laptops use a Private (Random) MAC Address for each Wi-Fi network. While this feature can enhance privacy, it may also cause connection and registration issues on secure campus networks like “twunet”.

To ensure a more reliable connection, turn off the Private/Random MAC setting specifically for TWU networks on your device:

Apple Devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch)

  1. Open Settings (or System Settings on Mac).
  2. Go to Wi-Fi.
  3. Tap/click the info/details button next to the TWU network.
  4. Find Private Address or Private Wi-Fi Address and switch it Off for that network.

Android Devices

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Network & Internet or Connections
  3. Tap Wi-Fi.
  4. Select the TWU network.
  5. Go to Advanced → Privacy (or similar).
  6. Select Use device MAC or Phone MAC

Windows Laptops

  1. Open Settings from the Start menu.
  2. Go to Network & Internet → Wi-Fi.
  3. Click Manage known networks.
  4. Select the TWU network and open Properties.
  5. Turn “Use random hardware addresses for this network” Off.

Once updated, your device should connect to “twunet” more consistently and without errors.


It’s That Time of Year! Plan Ahead for Holiday Time Off!

Oakley jumping for holidays

It’s that time of the year again - holiday time off is coming! Several TWU systems offer options to help you prepare for time out of the office.

 

DELEGATE OR REASSIGN IN ORACLE CLOUD

Oracle Cloud allows an employee to either Delegate or Reassign tasks during an absence. Follow the steps below to delegate or reassign all tasks assigned to an individual.

  1. Open Oracle Cloud
  2. Open Notifications
  3. Select Show All
  4. Select Worklist (opens Worklist in a new window)
  5. Select your Username > Preferences
  6. Click Enable Vacation Period
  7. Choose Start Date & End Date
  8. Choose Delegate or Reassign
  9. Click Save

Delegate or Reassign in Oracle Cloud (Vacation Rules / Out-of-Office)

EMAIL
Both Outlook and Gmail feature Out of Office response options.

  • Please see the instructions on the Microsoft site for the version of Outlook.​
  • lease see the instructions on the Google support site for the device.

RINGCENTRAL
RingCentral features custom rules for out of office that can play a specific greeting and or reroute calls or messages for a period of time. See RingCentral Setting Custom Rules for Out of Office

TEAMS
An out-of-office message can be scheduled using Microsoft Teams. Please see Schedule an out of office status in Microsoft Teams


‘Tis The Season to Be Secure!

As the semester winds down and the holiday excitement ramps up, cybercriminals also see this as their most wonderful time of the year. With increased travel, online shopping, and end-of-year deadlines, it’s easy for our guard to slip, and attackers realize it.

Here are some cheerful (and practical!) reminders to help you stay secure all season long.

Beware of Holiday “Phishing” Surprises

This is the busiest phishing season of the year. Scammers send fake package-tracking updates, gift-card offers, donation requests, or urgent messages pretending to be from TWU. Stay secure by remembering:

  • Check the sender’s address carefully. Small misspellings are big red flags.
  • Don’t open attachments you weren’t expecting.
  • Report suspicious emails to the TWU Service Desk

If it looks phishy, it probably is!

Keep Your Accounts Merry With MFA

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is like adding an extra lock on your digital door. Even if someone gets your password, they still can’t get in without your second factor.

Enable MFA on all of your accounts, including email, banking, social media, and shopping accounts. MFA only takes a moment to set up.

Update Before You Hibernate

Before you settle in for the break, take a moment to ensure your devices are up to date.

Updating now protects your devices from the latest threats while you enjoy the holiday downtime.

Stuff Your Stockings with Strong Passwords

Your passwords shouldn’t be as predictable as holiday sweaters. Use a unique password for every account and a password manager to keep your credentials secure and organized.

Travel Smart, Travel Secure

Heading out of town? Avoid using public Wi-Fi without the university or personal VPN.

  • Don’t leave devices unattended
  • Back up important data before you leave

A little preparation goes a long way toward keeping your holidays peaceful.

Spread Cyber Cheer

Cybersecurity is a team effort! Encourage students, colleagues, and friends to stay safe this season. Together, we help protect our campus community and keep our data secure.

We wish you a safe, joyful, and cyber-secure holiday season!


Stay Secure, Stay Informed
Don’t Forget Your Required Information Security Training!

oakley cybersecurity

As we continue working together to protect the university’s systems, data, and community, now is the perfect time for a friendly reminder: don’t forget to complete your annual Information Security Training!

This training plays an essential role in keeping TWU secure throughout the year and ensuring we remain in compliance with state and university requirements.

Why This Training Matters

Cyber threats evolve every day, and staying informed is one of the strongest defenses we have. The required training helps reinforce important skills, such as:

  • Recognizing phishing attempts
  • Protecting confidential and sensitive data
  • Identifying and reporting suspicious activity
  • Supporting compliance. Annual Information Security Training is required by Texas Government Code 2054.5191 and TWU URP 04.725 Information Security and Privacy Awareness and Training

Have Overdue Training? Please Complete It as Soon as Possible

If you currently have overdue training, please make it a priority to complete it right away. Staying up to date minimizes risk and ensures the university remains compliant. If you’ve already completed your training, thank you!

Let’s All Do Our Part

IT Solutions works year-round to safeguard TWU’s systems, but cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Completing your training is one of the most impactful things you can do to support a secure and resilient university environment.

As we approach the end of the year, now is the perfect time to complete your overdue training. Finishing it before the new year gives you a clean start and helps keep TWU’s security posture strong going into 2026.

Need Help?

If you have questions or need assistance accessing the training, please contact the Service Desk at 940-898-3971, servicedesk@twu.edu, or submit a request through the Technology Service Center. We’re always here to help.

Thank you for your help in keeping TWU secure, today and every day!