Return to Campus Technology Readiness Checklist

Many University employees who have been working remotely are planning to return to their offices in the coming months. To ensure a smooth return to work on-campus, we suggest each returning employee set aside some time to check that their technology is ready to use.

Note: Going through these steps in advance may help avoid longer wait times due to high demand when all University employees return to work on-campus.

If you have been connecting to your on-campus computer remotely using the direct-to-desktop remote method then your computer should continue to work the same once you use it in person again. 

The following checklist can be used as a guide to confirm your technology is ready for use:

If you plan to use an on-campus computer that has not been used for a while, start by turning the computer on and trying to sign in. Common issues you may experience include:

  • “Disabled” computers: Computers that are not used for an extended period may have been disabled for added security. If your computer was disabled, you will not be able to sign in until an IT professional re-enables your computer.
  • Computers disconnected and/or moved: If your office location was moved, re-arranged or remodeled, your computer hardware and cables may need to be set up again.
  • User login accounts could be disabled due to not logging into the campus network (domain) for over a year. Accounts could expire and an IT professional will need to re-enable them.

If you brought computing equipment home there may be a few considerations now that the equipment is returning to campus. Computers that have been disconnected from campus networks for an extended period of time may need to be reactivated on the central domain or have their system settings changed if these were modified for working from home. 

When returning equipment from home:

  1. Be sure to bring back all equipment and peripherals (keyboards, mice, printers, power bars, etc) including any cabling needed to reconnect everything.
  2. Reconnect your workstation and verify your computer powers up and all the associated peripherals are working (monitors, keyboard, mouse). Peripherals such as a bluetooth keyboard/mouse may need to be reconnected or recharged.
  3. Log into the computer using your usual login credentials.

If you run into any issues with any of the above contact IST for assistance. When contacting us, please add as much information as possible.

If a computer has been shut down for an extended time, it will need to install updates to the operating system and to installed applications.

You can expedite the process by manually checking for updates. Follow the instructions below based on the operating system you have installed:

Please take the following into consideration when installing updates:

  • Depending on your situation, installing updates may take several hours to complete.
  • Your computer will likely run more slowly than normal while installing updates; plan accordingly by setting aside time to let updates run.
  • Your computer may need to restart one or more times during the update process.

Verify the applications you need are still installed and working as intended. Make a list of the applications you use regularly and test them one at a time.

Visit each device where you regularly print, scan, or copy. You can try a test print/scan job to verify the device is working with your computer.

  • Network printers (Xerox) and copiers may have been replaced or even removed for cost savings.
  • If you have a shared network printer that is not printing, try turning the printer off and on again. If this does not solve the problem, contact IST with the name of the printer if possible.

Verify that you can access files stored on network file servers (these are also often referred to as "file shares" or "network drives"). If you need help with accessing these files, contact IST with as much information as possible (eg: the path/drive letter if known).

Reach out to your Telephone Expense Management System (TEMS) contact to request the numbers be un-parked and reassigned to telephone sets as required.

  • If you have forgotten or changed your password and are unable to login, please contact IST to reset your password. To ensure you can reset your password on your own in the future, we recommend enrolling in Self Service Password Resets.