Parents
Information you need to know as the parent of a new student at St. Mary's College
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Connecting to ResNet
Each student living on campus is provided with Internet access through our Residential Network. The services that are offered as part of ResNet include the Internet and access to academic resources. Access to SMCM email through Webmail, POP3, and IMAP is also provided. All standard operating systems are supported, including Windows, Macintosh, Unix, and Linux. Students can also access their private storage space on the network server (G: Drive). In order to connect to ResNet, students will need:
- 10/100 Base Ethernet Network Card (NIC)
- Ethernet Cable (Standard RJ45/CAT6)
- Power strip with surge protection
These items may be purchased at any store selling computer items, or at the SMCM Campus Store located in the Campus Center. Students and staff will be available to assist in the setup of these items as well.
Technology Support
Campus Technology Support Services is responsible for supporting technology integration on campus. This includes software support, server maintenance, network operations, telecommunications, and various other services. The Student Support Desk is a resource for students that is maintained and supported by the students. The Student Support Desk staff provides computing assistance with troubleshooting, via telephone support, as well as email and scheduled walk-in consultations, during regular operating hours. For after hours support, the Student Support Desk provides voicemail and email support, responding within the next business day. Documentation of all reported problems, questions, and resolutions are maintained and used to provide future direction for training, staffing, and communications.
Portal
The Portal is a special collection of customized information services that are provided to current students and faculty. Students can access the Portal by going to https://seahawks.smcm.edu/ics and logging in using their campus network username and password. Through The Portal they have access to tools like academic records, course registration, financial statements, housing information, and the student directory.
Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Computer
Should your student bring a laptop or desktop? Desktop computers cost less, have larger displays, and often have much more room for expansion. Laptop computers cost more, have displays of limited size, but they take up much less space in a dorm room and are portable. With the increasing availability of wireless connectivity on campus, the versatility of laptop computers makes them a good choice. We recommend you and your student consider several options if you purchase a computer:
- More RAM almost always improves the computer’s performance, as does a faster processor.
- Larger hard drives are typically better, as you can store more data on them.
- USB flash or jump drives are inexpensive, are easy to use, and will have a long useful life. 2GB and larger are recommended.
- For those with larger files (i.e. pictures, music, videos), an external hard drive is an excellent option. Affordable now more than they've ever been, one can easily back up an entire computer hard drive multiple times on one external hard drive.
- Headphones are inexpensive, provide privacy and are unobtrusive.
- Netbooks (mini laptops) are small, affordable, super portable, and useful for productivity. However, they do not come with an internal optical drive (CD drive).
Consider the potential benefits of a service agreement or extended warranty:
- If something goes wrong with your student’s computer, how long will they be without it while it’s being fixed?
- Will they have to ship it somewhere? If so, how much will that cost?
- Will the parts be shipped to them to install? If so, can they do this?
- Is the cost of a warranty/service agreement less important than the inconvenience of being without a computer while it is being repaired?
Most hardware vendors offer educational discounts. Customer service will be able to tell you which machines are discounted for students.
Software Available to Students
Students at St. Mary’s have the ability to purchase several popular software titles with an academic discount. Students may purchase their own personal copy of Microsoft Office 2008 for Macintosh or Microsoft Office 2007 Professional for Windows for a $20.00 media charge each. Students may take the latest versions of these software programs with them when they graduate from the College. Students can also purchase various software titles from the SMCM Campus Store at a reduced price.
Safe and Secure Computing
We have several recommendations that can help you keep your student’s data and computer safe and secure.
- Anti-Spyware: If you have a Windows based operating system, we highly recommend that you keep anti-spyware and anti-adware software on your computer and up-to-date at all times. This can ensure that your computer will keep running smoothly and also acts to help prevent future problems. Adware and Spyware are programs that install themselves on your computer without your knowledge and either steal valuable data or cause pop-ups and other annoying occurrences. Three programs that we recommend for finding and deleting spyware and adware on your computer are Ad-Aware SE, Malware Bytes, and Spybot Search & Destroy, though there are numerous other programs available. All three are free downloads, and you can find links to both programs on this page.
- Critical Updates: From time to time, critical updates and patches are also released for your system. We require that you keep your computer up to date with the latest patches and updates, to ensure that your computer is more secure and continues to function correctly. For instructions, please go to the Student Help Desk Web site.
- Anti-Virus: As part of the St. Mary's network, students must have up-to-date anti-virus protection software installed and enabled on your computer. This keeps you and your data safe, as well as helping to keep our network, and your Internet connection, in good condition. If you do not have current anti-virus software on your computer, you can install any one of several free anti-virus programs, such as AVG or Avast Anti-Virus. Instructions for obtaining, registering and setting up the software can be found at the Student Help Desk Web site. If you have a Macintosh computer, please contact the Student Support Desk for further information.
Computer Service and Repair
Due to college and state policies, the Student Support Desk cannot offer assistance with unsupported personal software or hardware support of student-owned computers and peripherals. However, we can assist with troubleshooting various problems and provide instruction on usage of SMCM academic resources, as are outlined in this pamphlet, as well as general computer troubleshooting and usage assistance. The Student Help Desk also has contact information for various hardware vendors as well as local businesses for serious problems. Each student is responsible for maintaining his or her own personal computer.
OneCard
Issued to students upon arrival, OneCards are used throughout a student's enrollment at SMCM. The OneCard is used to access residence halls, pay for meals at the dining hall, and check out books from the library, among many other uses. Replacement for lost or damaged cards is $25 and charged to the student's account, which is viewable through the Portal.
