Dear York College Community,
As the fall semester moves into full swing, York College Information Technology continues to advance our shared mission of supporting teaching, learning, research, and service across the campus community. October has been a month of steady progress, collaboration, and innovation.
From expanding digital infrastructure to strengthening cybersecurity and enhancing classroom technology, IT remains focused on delivering reliable and transformative services that empower students, faculty, and staff alike. We are proud of the collective efforts taking place across all areas of technology—from new system rollouts to process improvements—and we look forward to building on this momentum as we move toward the close of the semester.
Together, we’re shaping a more connected, secure, and innovative York College experience.
October 2025 IT Activities
Computer Refresh and Capital Equipment Update
The final milestone in our capital acquisition for much-needed computers was approved in October, marking another major step forward in York College’s ongoing technology refresh program. This phase focuses on replacing out-of-warranty systems, prioritizing the most critical faculty and staff workstations. More than 490 new computers are expected in this wave.
In parallel, we are collaborating with CUNY Central Office on a separate capital project aimed at completing remaining system needs in student areas. In the meantime, we continue to benefit from steady annual refreshes as an additional 100 systems are in final stages of procurement and expected on campus by December.
The success of this large-scale deployment relies on close coordination among IT, departmental partners, and campus leadership to ensure installation schedules minimize disruption to daily operations. A detailed deployment schedule will be published soon on a new IT Projects webpage, currently in development—more updates to follow in November.
Windows 11 Migration Update
The migration to Windows 11 is now substantially complete, with all but 39 systems successfully upgraded. These remaining machines cannot support the new operating system and are covered under temporary license extensions until their replacements arrive.
Since 2024, IT has upgraded more than 2,800 computers across campus as part of this multi-phase modernization effort.
Cybersecurity Importance
Migrating to Windows 11 is a critical step in strengthening campus cybersecurity. With Windows 10 reaching end-of-life on October 14, unsupported systems no longer receive security updates, increasing exposure to potential vulnerabilities. Completing this migration ensures that York College maintains a secure, compliant, and modern computing environment for all users.
Laptop Loaner Pilot Program
As of November 3rd, York College successfully launched its Laptop Loaner Pilot Program, providing short-term laptop access to students and promoting greater equity and flexibility in learning. The program supports students who may lack consistent access to reliable technology or who require temporary access for special projects and assignments, ensuring they have the tools necessary to stay engaged both on and off campus. We will continue our efforts to promote this pilot program to booster initial interest and campus-wide awareness of the new service. Students can go to Laptop Loaner Pilot for information on device availability and reserving. Because the number of systems is limited, laptops are distributed through a reservation-based system to ensure fair and efficient access. This pilot marks an important step in expanding technology accessibility at York College. IT in collaboration with partners in Student Development, Student Activities and Enrollment Management will continue to monitor usage, gather feedback, and refine the program to best support student success.
Wireless Network Upgrades and Performance Improvements
Wireless network upgrades and the resolution of long-standing WiFi issues took a positive turn in October. Building on lessons learned from past troubleshooting efforts, IT developed a new, collaborative approach that included direct input from students experiencing connectivity challenges. This partnership helped identify a potential root cause affecting certain devices, and corrective actions are now underway to improve overall performance and reliability.
In addition, IT created a Quick Form for reporting “in-the-moment” WiFi issues, allowing our team to capture real-time data and respond more effectively to connectivity concerns. IT will post certified QR codes for quick reporting around key locations on campus. With feedback from student volunteers, we also produced a WiFi Best Practices Guide, helping users better configure their personal devices for optimal performance on the York WiFi network. Hardware upgrades began in Spring 2025, with rollouts already underway from October 2025 through Spring 2026. Once completed, this initiative will deliver stronger, faster, and more reliable wireless coverage across campus—enhancing the digital learning environment for students, faculty, and staff alike. We will continue to work with our students on continued monitoring and improvements.
Xerox Copier Replacement Project
The campus-wide copier replacement project, launched in June 2025, is progressing and is expected to be completed by June 2026. While this initiative primarily benefits faculty and staff, several units located in student-accessible areas will also received the much needed upgrades.
Updated floor plans, developed from a comprehensive site survey, now guide copier placement across all buildings once the new units start arriving. Beginning in November, IT will initiate departmental visits to introduce the new systems, review proposed placements, and plan for training sessions that will ensure a smooth transition to the upgraded devices.
The new Xerox copiers deliver enhanced reliability, productivity, and advanced reporting capabilities, streamlining print services and improving efficiency across campus. Xerox is currently preparing units for shipment, with initial deliveries expected late November and December 2025.
Classroom Technology Upgrades
One of IT’s key goals this year is to continue modernizing classroom technology by replacing legacy projectors with large interactive touch displays. These new displays serve as both digital whiteboards and touch-enabled presentation screens, significantly enhancing the teaching and learning experience and reducing moving parts in the room.
In addition, older classroom computers are being replaced with new models optimized for audio-visual performance, ensuring seamless integration with updated display technologies and improving reliability for faculty and students alike.
As of this report, 15 classrooms have been upgraded, with an additional 10 planned for the next phase. This modernization effort supports York College’s ongoing commitment to creating technology-rich learning environments that promote engagement and collaboration.
CourseDog Events Implementation
The CourseDog Events system was recently implemented under the guidance of the Events Committee, established by President Claudia Schrader to evaluate campus event management needs and identify solutions that align with the College’s mission to enhance event scheduling and space utilization. With support from the Central Office and Information Technology, CourseDog Events has been fully configured in this initial phase for use by our new Events Coordinator, Sandra Velez, who has introduced the system and new procedures to College leadership. Future phases will expand access to departments, enabling self-service booking and significantly improving how campus spaces are scheduled and managed for events. For more information on this go to the Special Events Office web page QLess Virtual Queuing Upgrade
QLess, one of York College’s key front-door virtual queuing systems used across student service areas—including the Welcome Center—is preparing for a major upgrade. The project experienced a brief delay while campus resources were focused on the implementation of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for CUNYfirst over the summer and Fall, Slate deployment, Events management system evaluations and setup, , but work has now resumed with the goal of launching the upgraded system for the Winter 2025 session.
The upgrade introduces custom service pages designed specifically for students, improving accessibility, navigation, and overall user experience. Departments will also receive enhanced kiosk options to streamline queue management, providing a more efficient service environment.
Staff training is being planned as we develop the schedules for various departments followed by a phased rollout beginning in January 2026, to ensure a smooth transition and adoption. Once completed, the upgrade will further enhance communication between students, departments, and IT support, creating a more connected and responsive service experience.
Recently Completed
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, IT released five campus-wide announcements throughout October covering key security topics and best practices. By participating, each member of our community helps protect York’s digital environment and strengthen our shared commitment to a secure foundation for teaching, learning, and research.
York Web Site Refresh - improvements in the user interface with a more modern dynamic look and navigation that is more intentional and less busy. This is the first things many of our prospective students and families see and is an important part of telling our story. Big thank you to our Institutional Advancement team in cooperation with our Web Business Intelligence team for getting this done.
Student Technology Fee Web Page Update
The Student Technology Fee (Tech Fee) web page was recently updated and restructured to enhance transparency, participation, and ease of access. The site now features clearly organized sections for Committee Members, Financial Reports, Meeting Minutes, and Meeting Schedules, ensuring consistent and open communication with the campus community. Access is available through York College credentials, and the page includes detailed information on eligible proposal types along with step-by-step submission instructions. The first Tech Fee Committee meeting is scheduled for November 12th, marking the start of the new cycle of project reviews and planning. The Student Government Lab officially reopened in October, providing students with a dedicated, technology-enabled space to support engagement and success. The lab will operate on regular hours throughout the academic year, ensuring consistent and reliable access for all students.
A full team of support staff is available to assist with technology needs, onboarding processes, and general student support, helping to create a welcoming and resource-rich environment. This reopening represents an important step in enhancing student accessibility and engagement, reaffirming York College’s commitment to supporting student life through modern, well-equipped facilities.
In Progress
Launched on October 28th, V-READY is a new virtual registration initiative introduced by our new VP of Enrollment Management, designed to streamline the student enrollment and advisement experience. Using Zoom, Power BI Dashboard data, and EAB Navigate, the program communicates and supports students during targeted registration periods such as Transfer Tuesdays and Freshman Fridays. Through V-READY, students are guided step-by-step to ensure they meet all registration requirements. This initiative represents a major step toward virtualizing the registration process, improving accessibility, and ensuring that students receive timely, coordinated support across multiple service areas.
Beginning November 2025, IT will launch bi-monthly live workshops via Microsoft Teams, featuring practical “how-to” sessions, technology tips, and topics identified through community feedback—many with a focus on AI and emerging technologies. We recently held a leadership workshop on the use and importance of Co-Pilot. While the focus was for demonstrating use cases and hands on demonstration of Co-Pilot AI, these types of "how-to" workshops will expand and continue based on current themes for all faculty, staff, and students, fostering continuous learning and knowledge sharing across the campus community. A big thank you to Claudia Schrader our President for guiding the first one for campus leadership. More to come on this.
Proximity Communication Pilot
IT is testing a live pilot of proximity-based communication in the new cafeteria, allowing opt-in users to receive real-time alerts and information on their mobile devices as they move through campus. Early feedback will guide expansion toward a fully connected, location-aware campus experience. More to come on this...
Looking Ahead
York College's high-performance AI computing environment to support machine learning research and educational innovation is now being stabilized for production, two key applications that were developed: YorkGPT, an AI-powered assistant for the College website, and York AInalytics, a data-driven platform that delivers intelligent insights for decision-making, trend analysis, and planning are expected to make their way to deployment and use in early 2026.
As part of York College’s digital transformation roadmap, IT is developing the York Admin Connect — a centralized Microsoft Teams workspace designed for key departmental contacts ("Admins") who support daily operations in their departments. While IT resources and updates remain available to the entire York community, the York Admin Connect gives designated staff early access to targeted communications affecting their areas, dashboards, and training materials including workshops so they can better assist their departments and share timely information with colleagues on technology matters, schedules, deployments and updates. By introducing AI-driven workflows, shared tools, and collaborative spaces, the York Admin Connect will strengthen coordination, enhance transparency, and help ensure that every office benefits from a more connected, responsive, and informed technology environment. More to come on this in the coming weeks...
Transitioning the current static request forms for Graphics, Photography, and “Share Your Story” into a dynamic queuing and tracking system to enhance workflow management, improve response times, and streamline service delivery across all marketing requests. Launch anticipated in late November 2025.
As we look ahead, the Office of Information Technology remains dedicated to building a smarter, more connected York College. Each improvement—large or small—brings us closer to a campus where technology empowers every student, faculty, and staff member to achieve their best. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Staying Connected
If you need support, we encourage you to use:
Welcome Center (Academic Core 2nd Floor, Guy R. Brewer main entrance, sign in to Qless Kiosk)
Main Support Line: 718-262-5311
Smart Class Room Hotline: 718-262-5303 (for Faculty in active sessions having difficulties with technology in the room)
IT New Main Number: 718-262-2911 - use for administrative contact to IT
Interim AVP/CIO
York College Information Technology
718-262-5231
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