Month: February 2017

IT Services Update – Desktop Patching

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The CFAES computer patch management program will use a different tool to install Microsoft security patches starting this month (February).  If the security patch requires a reboot, you will see the prompt (further down in this message).  It is important you take a few minutes to reboot your computer so the patch can complete the installation process.  Otherwise, your computer remains vulnerable.

As a reminder, CFAES IT releases Microsoft security patches either the first week of every month or the 5th week of the month (depending on the month).

Here’s our monthly patching timeline:

  • Second Tuesday of every month: Microsoft releases its new security patches
  • Second Tuesday through the third week of every month: IT tests the patches on 10 to 15 IT testing devices
  • Fourth week of every month: IT as a whole receives the patches for further testing
  • Either the first week of every month or the 5th week of the month (depending on the month): CFAES (the entire college) receives the patches

The above schedule is subject to acceleration should a zero-day, ultra-critical vulnerability surface requiring the deployment of a security patch (rarely happens).

Following the installation of the patch, if the security update requires a reboot and you have not yet done so within 3 days (your machine is still vulnerable), you’ll see a prompt asking you to save your work and reboot your computer.  You will have the option to delay for one additional day then the reboot will happen automatically.

As a reference, Ohio State’s Information Security Control Requirements (section IT10.4.1) requires all colleges to employ a desktop patch management program.

If you have any questions, please contact Rob Clifford at 614-292-9802 or Clifford.158@osu.edu.

Form 1095-C Available Online

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The tax form 1095-C will be available securely through Employee Self Service for those who consented to receive it electronically. Additionally, Equifax will send an email when the electronic form is available if consent to receive it electronically was provided.

For those who did not provide consent, a form will be mailed to the home address on file in the HR system. Employees who have not provided consent can still access the 1095-C online by following the steps at go.osu.edu/1095c.

Year-End Reminder for FSA Balances

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Faculty and staff with funds available in a 2016 Flexible Spending Account (FSA) have been notified of their remaining balances. While their contributions were made in 2016, Ohio State’s FSA offers a grace period until March 15, 2017, to incur eligible claims. They have until March 31, 2017, to file claims for reimbursement or use their Health Care Debit Card, or they will forfeit any remaining balance per IRS guidelines.

FSA balances can be viewed and claims can be submitted through Employee Self Service in “My FSA/HRA” under Benefits.

CFAES Staffing Update

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Anne Johnson joins CFAES as the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Agricultural Administration and Dean, effective Monday, Feb. 6. She will fill the position Joan Lieb vacated when she moved to the Provost’s office. As Executive Assistant, Anne will be responsible for providing administrative support for the dean including the dean’s calendar, travel, responding to inquiries, correspondence, logistics, preparing materials for meetings, activities, and presentations.

Anne also will play a critical role in onboarding the new dean. She will work with the leadership team coordinating onboarding efforts ensuring the dean has a smooth transition to CFAES.

Anne joins CFAES from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where she has served in a variety of administrative roles since 2012. Most recently, she served as Executive Assistant to the Executive Director of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. Anne also brings over 20 years’ experience in the private sector both in Columbus and Memphis, Tennessee before coming to Ohio State.

CFAES IT Service Desk Changes

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To better service our CFAES customers statewide, the Information Technology Services group has adopted a new system for phone support at the ITS Service Desk. You may still use the same phone numbers to request IT service: 330-263-3772 for Wooster and 614-292-9110 for Columbus, for the IT Service Desk. We also have added 844-614-4848 for County Offices and Outlying Research Stations.

In the near future, we will be moving to a “single number” calling scheme statewide.  With the adoption of the new phone system, callers will be provided a welcome greeting and options to expedite their IT issues. Additionally, the system hosts an on hold, “in queue” feature, allowing you to leave a callback number or provide a detailed voice mail message for our agents to create a Service Desk ticket on your behalf.

ITS is also moving to a unified ticketing option to manage your support requests.  The e-mail ticketing system (cfaes-ithelp@osu.edu) used by the Columbus campus customers will continue to work, and we are adopting a new web portal https://ithelpdesk.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/helpdesk/ for customers to enter their IT support requests. We are urging you to start using the web portal today, and you can easily log into the CFAES web service desk portal with your OSU login credentials to enter your information.

With both of these changes in service, our goal is to better assist our customers in a timely fashion, provide some metrics on our performance, and resolve IT related issues for our faculty and staff, statewide.

If you are experiencing any issues with the new call tree service or the web service desk portal, please contact Chris Dicus, CFAES ITS Customer Service Relations Manager, at dicus.1@osu.edu or 330-263-3784. Any feedback is appreciated as we streamline our CFAES ITS customer service experience.

Apply for University Engagement Recognition Awards

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The Offices of Outreach and Engagement, International Affairs, Service-Learning, Student Life and Undergraduate Education have joined together to recognize faculty, staff, students and community partners with the University Engagement Recognition Awards program.

Awards will be given in the community engagement, international engagement, service-learning, staff, student, student group and community partner categories. A total of $16,000 will be awarded. Applications are due Feb. 28.

Click here to submit an application.

USAC New Member Applications

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The University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) seeks motivated staff to serve as members during the 2017–2020 term. The University Staff Advisory Committee is currently a team of up to 30 dedicated Ohio State staff members who are working to help advocate for staff at the university. The application process opened Feb. 1 with a deadline of Wednesday, March 1, 2017.

The University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) is offering in-person informational sessions for potential applicants for the 2017-2020 term. The next session is Thursday, Feb. 9 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Sphinx Centennial Leadership Suite at the Ohio Union.

Learn more about USAC, how to become a member, and what materials to submit by attending an info session below. For additional info sessions, visit usac.osu.edu.

SERC Seed Grant Solicitation

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The Ohio State University Subsurface Energy Resource Center (SERC) was established to advance and disseminate our understanding of energy from underground sources and the intertwined environmental and socioeconomic issues. The current pace and scope of subsurface energy development require an integrated research approach to encourage the safe and economic harvesting and usage of subsurface resources.

To promote and facilitate cross-disciplinary research and collaboration at OSU, SERC is seeking applications from OSU faculty and research staff for seed grant funding. The total expected budget is $25,000, from which we will fund 3-5 subsurface-relevant proposals that are expected to leverage the SERC Seed Grants into a high return to the university.

Some example metrics for this return include the development of campus-based or online courses, workshops, publication of review papers that establish avenues for future fundable research, submission of proposals for competitive funding sources, and funding obtained from proposals that were generated in part from seed funds (e.g., proof-of-principle experiment or new model leading to a viable proposal). We will also entertain proposals to support modest travel costs to attend subsurface-related workshops, proposal and project planning meetings. Conference travel will not be considered. Proposals that demonstrate cross-campus integration and have a diversity of departmental and institutional affiliations will be evaluated highly. Cost share is not required, but it will be considered in the applications. The purpose of these funds is to not support individual research projects unless they identify proof-of-principle concepts that leads to a follow-on proposal.

Proposals should be submitted to Mike Kositzke (kositzke.2@osu.edu) by Feb. 17, 2017. The SERC Management Team will review proposals and make their decision by March 17, 2017.

The body of the proposal should be no longer than four pages including the narrative, figures, references and a budget. The proposal should include a title, team members and their affiliations, project summary, background, proposed work, expected outcomes and two page CVs of the PIs. For proposals to receive serious consideration, they must demonstrate a clear relevance to subsurface energy in areas such as technological advances, environmental impacts and/or socio-economic issues.

The funding is for one year and requires a mid-term and final report. The final report should detail the success of the project and outline the next steps to be taken that leverage the SERC funds for any follow-on effort. Questions pertaining to this solicitation should be directed to Prof. David Cole, Interim Director, SERC (cole.618@osu.edu).

FFH-FIC Seed Grant Competition

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The Foods for Health (FFH) Discovery Theme & Food Innovation Center (FIC) Seed Grant Competition is a university-wide initiative with a primary goal of advancing the use of metabolomics-based technology in food and nutrition research for the improvement of global health. Successful proposals will focus on food and nutritional metabolomics, are innovative, collaborative, create value, result in professional presentations and peer review publications, and stimulate the submission of competitive extramural grants.

Dates:

  • RFP announced: February 3, 2017
  • Proposal deadline: April 14, 2017
  • Award notice: May 12, 2017
  • Earliest start: May 22, 2017
  • Midterm report due: 6 months after Official Start Date
  • Final report: 11 months after Official Start Date

Budget:
Up to $25,000 in direct costs for 11 months per award. A total pool of $125,000 is available for distribution. No faculty salaries, fringe, or capital equipment (>$2,500 purchase price) are allowed. Travel essential for research is permitted while conference travel is not. Funds may be expended, starting at the earliest on May 22, 2017 and lasts 11 months past the start date. Funds will be incrementally transferred to the PI’s unit on award and again on receipt of a midterm report (50% to begin and 50% upon receipt of report). If awardee desires extension for use of funds, a maximum of 6 months will be allowed.

Eligibility:
Must have one faculty member as principal investigator (PI) per application along with one or more collaborating Co-PI(s). At least one co-PI must be from a different department than the PI.
No PI recipient of the 2016 FFH-FIC Seed Grant Award may apply as PI for the 2017 competition. However, there is no restriction on the number of awards for which one may serve as co-PI.  Co-PIs may be OSU faculty, research scientists or post-doctoral researchers.

Click here for additional details on how to apply.