Ban of DeepSeek on McGill devices / Interdiction d'utilisation de DeepSeek sur les appareils de McGill
This message is published on behalf of Paul Chamberland, Chief Information Officer & Associate Vice-Principal IT Services. / Ce message publié au nom de Paul Chamberland, Dirigeant Principal de l’Information & Vice-recteur associé, Service des TI.
Le français suit.
Dear members of the McGill community,
Changes to Signals Notebook and ChemDraw
Revvity, the vendor of Signals Notebook and ChemDraw, is changing the portal used to access this software package. See below for specifics regarding the changes to each software.
Have you spotted these clues in your McGill email?
Attackers, scammers, marketers: these days they’re all taking advantage of AI to generate polished, typo-free content. Figuring out if an email is legitimate has definitely become more challenging. But when you access your McGill email through Microsoft Outlook, you benefit from several extra features that help protect you from phishing.
Keep an eye out for: phishing safety tips
Learn how to use Copilot AI module now on myCourses
Microsoft Copilot is a generative AI tool that can help you write texts, generate images, translate texts into other languages, and much more. Learn how to access this powerful tool and use its main features with our self-paced introductory online module on myCourses. Through hands-on exercises and real-world scenarios, as well as a discussion of ethical AI practices, you’ll be well-equipped to use Copilot productively and responsibly.
Microsoft 365 license deactivation warnings
IT Services recently migrated many Webex softphone users to Teams Phone.
As a result, users may have received a message from Microsoft stating their license will be deactivated soon. (See screenshot above.) It is a legitimate message from Microsoft.
Do not use Read.AI for McGill purposes
La version française suit.
We have received reports of a Read.AI bot attending or attempting to attend online meetings organized by McGill faculty and staff. The bot uses generative AI to create a text summarizing a meeting’s discussions and decisions; it then shares a link to that document with all participants.
The McGill Classroom A/V Instructions application is getting a makeover and a new home!
The Classroom A/V Instructions application is moving to the Browse Classrooms widget on the McGill IT Support website on December 13th, 2024.
Staff Directory decommissioned – Staff to update/review Workday information
As of January 31, 2025, McGill IT Services has decommissioned the McGill Staff Directory. This initiative aims to streamline processes, improve security against phishing attacks, and replace outdated technology.
Updates to MyCreds™: Enhanced eTranscript and document Sharing for students!
We’re excited to share new features to MyCredsTM, the platform accessed through the ES Services (Enrolment Services eStore & MyCredsTM) in Minerva, that allows students to securely share documents such as electronic transcripts, custom letters, documents, and forms.
Teams Phone replacing Webex softphone
We are transitioning Webex softphone users to Teams Phone throughout December. Our IT team will contact individual users to provide specific timelines.
The benefits of switching to Teams Phone include:
Reduced costs
Same calling functionality as Webex (internal and external calling)
Keeping existing phone numbers
RESOLVED: Mercury online course evaluation system is currently down.
Update - Monday, December 2, 2024 - Afternoon:
Mercury online course evaluation system is back online.
Original announcement - Monday, December 2, 2024 - Morning:
We regret to inform you that the Mercury online course evaluation system is currently down due to unforeseen technical issues. IT Services is working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.
Boost engagement in your PowerPoint presentations with Microsoft Forms!
Exciting news for Office 365 users! Microsoft Forms is now seamlessly integrated with PowerPoint, allowing you to incorporate live polls, quizzes or surveys directly into your slides. This powerful, easy-to-use feature is free and perfect for gathering real-time feedback and boosting engagement in any setting, from lectures to group projects!
Microsoft Teams update: Private Teams only for enhanced security!
Important update for Microsoft Teams users! Starting November 27, 2024, all newly created Microsoft Teams groups were set to Private by default. If you attempt to create a new team, the Public option will be unavailable (greyed out), as shown below:
Winner announced! Beats Headphones - IT Services Virtual Scavenger Hunt contest!
Congratulations to Emma Hogarth (Biomedical Sciences), for winning the 2024 IT Services Virtual Scavenger Hunt Contest.
Emma scored 100% on our IT Quiz and won a pair of wireless Beats headphones in the prize draw!
Thank you to all who entered and answered skill-testing questions about the IT services available to McGill students.
We had 1513 entries! Within those entries:
