Welcome back
bobcats!
Find information here that will help you navigate new and changing services for the start of fall instruction.
a note from Vice chancellor Nick Dugan
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
It is my privilege to welcome you back to campus for the 2025-2026 academic year and we’re looking forward to supporting your teaching and research needs. Over the past year, we have continued adding support resources to our core learning tech systems and services; including a new addition to our Instructional Video Studios to help you kick off the semester with a strong first impression. We are eager to see you make the most out of our full catalog of resources and services this year.
With “AI” deeply ingrained in the way our students complete their coursework and new tools crowding the space seemingly every day, there is an opportunity to refine the way we research, learn, and teach. In the spirit of moving forward and cutting through the noise around AI, OIT has crafted a dedicated space to capture the opportunities these new tools offer and that are available to you safely and responsibly. I look forward to hearing the ways you leverage these emerging technologies in and outside of the classroom.
We continue to build out the OIT Service Hub with information and resources — our hope you find this guide to be a valuable overview of those services. Whether it’s helping to establish a research data security plan, procuring a piece of software, connecting you with local High Performance Computing resources, or utilizing cloud computing providers, OIT is standing by to assist in any way we can. As always, if there is something I can be doing to support your work directly, I would love to hear from you. Nick Dugan Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer
Throughout the summer, OIT continued to make strides in our efforts relating to the ProtectUs: System-wide Cybersecurity Initiative. There have been a lot of changes to the way the campus interacts with technology, including:
- A Single-Sign On (SSO) Interrupt
- A Device Management Program
- Virtual Private Network (VPN) Enhancements
- Network Access Levels
- Device Verification
Read on to see the changes at a glance, and to stay up to date, please keep watch in your UC Merced email inbox and visit our ProtectUs Website.
The ProtectUs Pledge
"As a member of the UC Merced community, I understand that cybersecurity at UC Merced is a shared responsibility. I pledge to use university systems responsibly, complete required trainings, and support the use of security tools that help protect our community.In return, OIT pledges to use data transparently, minimally, and only to protect the safety and security of UC Merced's technology infrastructure.”
SSO Interrupt
The Office of Information Technology, in collaboration with Human Resources, has updated the UC Merced Single-Sign On (SSO) system to include an interrupt for those with an upcoming cybersecurity training due date.
OIT designed the interrupt to remind those with assigned training of their upcoming due date as they log in. Once they pass their due date and become overdue, they will no longer be able to log in to their account except to get into the UC Learning Center to complete their training.
We made this update to meet the system-wide requirement of 100% compliance with the UC cybersecurity training.
Network Access Levels
UC Merced's network has been broken out into three access levels:
- Slate for guests and visitors of UC Merced
- Blue for UC Merced Faculty, Staff, Students, & Affiliates
- Gold for those accessing Privileged Data (P3/P4)
The Office of Information Technology recommends that Faculty connect to our Blue networks, eduroam & CatNet, using your UCMNetID and Password. This network level provides access to everything available on our Slate network, as well as campus services that do not manage privileged or protected data (P3/P4).
If you require access to privileged or protected data (P3/P4), you must connect to our Gold network. To connect to the Gold network, you must use the UC Merced VPN on a device enrolled in the Device Managed Program.
Device Management Program
All UC Campuses are required to deploy and manage Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) software on 100% of university-owned computing devices (laptops & desktops at this time). The Office of Information Technology has developed a Device Management Program (DMP) to support this deployment and management. Enrollment into the DMP is easy and can be done in a number of ways, depending on your device's operating system. As mentioned in the Network Access Levels section, you must enroll your device in the DMP to access privileged data (P3/P4). To learn more about the DMP and how to enroll, visit our ServiceHub.
Device Verification
In our continued efforts to reach 100% compliance, OIT will begin sending validation emails to Staff, Faculty, and Graduate Students who authenticate to the network on devices that are not enrolled in the device management program. We will begin sending these notifications and further updates later in the fall semester.
If you would like to be excluded from receiving these email notifications, please enroll your device before device validation launches. You can achieve this in one of two ways:
VPN Enhancements
The UC Merced VPN, Global Protect, has been enhanced to support the campus's new network access levels. Now, when you log into the VPN, you will receive a connection confirmation that outlines what network level you are connected to and policies enforced while connected to the VPN.
The VPN provides two levels of access to the network: Blue and Gold. Blue provides general access to campus systems, while Gold is required to access systems with P3/P4 data security. The only way to achieve Gold level access is to be enrolled in our Device Management Program (DMP).
Software Ordering
The Office of Information Technology plays a few roles in the purchasing process for software not already available for use by the campus. We assist in reviewing vendor risk, ensuring data security and privacy, and most importantly, accessibility. Due to the need to review those areas, the software ordering timeline can range dramatically. Some orders can take no more than a week, and others months.
In collaboration with Procurement, OIT is working to minimize these timelines and ensure that UC Merced's terms and conditions are being met. Please submit your requests with ample time before renewals or first-time purchases are needed to ensure a successful review process and ensure your purchase is available.
What We Review
Accessibility: So that any bobcat, regardless of disability, can use campus software.
Data Privacy & Security: So all UC Merced data shared with our vendors is protected and secured from being leaked or mishandled.
Vendor Risk: UC Merced works with vendors and partners that will not pose issues to the campus.
Instructor Self Intro Videos
Whether your classroom is in COB1 or hosted entirely through CatCourses. There is no better way to kick off the semester than with a strong first impression.
To help make an impactful introduction, OIT is happy to announce our Instructor Self-Intro Video service. You'll meet with our expert team to discuss your wants and needs to tailor-make an intro that tells your students what they need to know about you and your course/s.
New CatCourses Features
GRadeScope
GradeScope by Turnitin is an online grading platform that helps streamline the grading process for educators. It enables instructors to create and distribute assignments, quizzes, and exams digitally, allowing students to submit their work online directly through Canvas. GradeScope supports various assessment types, including handwritten, typed, and programming assignments. With detailed analytics and insights into student performance, instructors can make data-driven decisions to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. Overall, GradeScope simplifies grading workflows, saves time for educators, and provides valuable feedback to students, all within the familiar Canvas environment.
