May 2026 Technology News

May Tech News Edition 26.5 - May 6, 2026

Top News Digital Accessibility Federal Deadline Update: On April 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) extended the compliance deadline for its ADA Title II digital accessibility rule to April 24, 2027; however, this extension applies only to the DOJ rule. The University is also subject to a nearly identical digital accessibility rule issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and that compliance deadline of May 11, 2026, has not been extended. As a result, departments, colleges, and administrative units should continue working toward compliance by May 11, 2026, for all University digital content, regardless of where or how it is distributed. The additional time before the HHS deadline may provide limited flexibility during final exams and the end of the semester. The University encourages continued progress building on the work that has already begun. For more information, visit the Digital Accessibility Services Hub or contact the Digital Accessibility Services team.

Annual Review of Mission-Critical Systems Required by June 8, 2026: The University System of Georgia (USG) requires an annual review of mission critical systems to ensure systems that support daily operations or contain confidential or sensitive information are accurately identified and protected.

Departmental Network Liaisons (DNLs) at UGA are responsible for reviewing their department’s systems in the IP Management System (Proteus at proteus.uga.edu), confirming classifications are correct, and updating records for any systems added, retired, or changed during the past year. All reviews and updates must be completed in Proteus by June 8, 2026. For questions or assistance, contact Ben Myers.

Standardized Course Evaluations Introduced Across Campus: The University of Georgia has launched a new centralized system for end‑of‑term course evaluations this spring. The evaluation period runs from April 14 through April 28, 2026, and results will be available to faculty on May 12, 2026, which is the day after final grades are due. Students can complete their evaluations in several easy ways, including through a direct link sent by email, by logging into Athena (UGA’s student information system), or by visiting the course evaluation website. To help ensure participation, the system automatically sends reminder messages every two days until an evaluation is completed. The new platform also creates a more consistent experience across campus by using a shared set of standard course questions adopted by the university. Faculty and staff who have questions or need assistance can contact the course evaluation support team.

SUMMER HELP DESK HOURS

Sunday, May 17 - Sunday, August 2, 2026 Sunday: 1:30 - 5:30 p.m. | Mon-Fri: 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Saturday: Closed

UPCOMING

DATES

May 6: Graduating Student MyID Notices Sent May 7-8: Commencement May 11: Grades Due and HHS Digital Accessibility Deadline May 12: Course Evaluation Results Available, Summer Classes Begin May 12-18: Drop/Add for Maymester and Extended Terms May 14: SendFiles Log in Page Change May 17: EITS Help Desk Summer Hours Begin May 21: Maymester Midterms May 25: Memorial Day Holiday - UGA Closed May 26: Maymester Ends SendFiles Login Page Refresh Coming May 14, 2026: Beginning May 14, 2026, University of Georgia (UGA) faculty, staff, and student workers will see a refreshed SendFiles login page with a new look and layout, but no change to how the system works or how users access their accounts. The updated screen will clearly show two login options: one button for UGA single sign-on (the standard UGA login used across many campus services) and a second button for username-and-password login for external, non-UGA users. Clear instructions and support resources will be shared before the change to help everyone transition smoothly. For questions or assistance, contact Lance Peiper.

IT SERVICES IN ACTION MyID Access Changes After Graduation: To protect the security of the University of Georgia’s computer systems, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) disables accounts for students who are no longer enrolled. A student’s MyID account, which provides access to many UGA online services, is typically disabled about one year after the student’s last enrollment. Once disabled, students will lose access to services such as UGAMail and other UGA technology resources. EITS will notify students eligible to graduate in the spring and summer 2026 semesters, with the first notice sent on May 6, 2026. Additional reminders will be shared through social media and other channels. Please help by reminding graduating students that they should set up a personal, non‑UGA email account for job applications and graduate or professional school applications before their MyID access ends. More information is available on the EITS New story “Prepare for MyID Changes After Graduation”.

GACRC Helpdesk Support for Research Computing Services: Help with accessing and using Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC) systems is available through the GACRC Helpdesk. Users can visit the GACRC Service Catalog, which guides them to the correct TeamDynamix request page to ask for assistance with items such as user and lab group accounts, class accounts, software installations, and general technical support. Requests can be submitted at any time and are handled promptly by the GACRC Support Team. For more information or assistance, contact Guy Cormier.

Improving Course Accessibility with Ally for eLC: In October 2025, EITS introduced Ally in eLC to help instructors make course materials more accessible for all users. Ally automatically reviews uploaded course files, highlights accessibility issues using clear visual indicators, and offers step-by-step guidance for improvement in plain language. As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ruling deadline approaches, instructors are encouraged to continue improving the accessibility of their course and website content in support of the University of Georgia’s ongoing commitment to inclusive access.

Students also benefit from Ally’s alternative file formats, which allow them to engage with course materials in ways that best meet their individual needs. To support this ongoing work, the Digital Accessibility Services (DAS) team offers weekly office hours every Friday at 10 a.m., with registration on the DASH website Events page, recordings on the Training page, and additional support materials on the DASH Website. For more information, contact the EITS Digital Accessibility Services team.

Unified ERP Project – April Highlights and Next Steps: Visit the monthly summary to learn more about the Unified ERP project and view a snapshot of the project at the UGA level, including details on the University System of Georgia (USG) Program Launch and the UGA Town Hall held in April. For more information, contact UGA’s Unified ERP team.

GACRC Helpdesk Support for Research Computing Services: Help with accessing and using Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC) systems is available through the GACRC Helpdesk. Users can visit the GACRC Service Catalog, which guides them to the correct TeamDynamix request page to ask for assistance with items such as user and lab group accounts, class accounts, software installations, and general technical support. Requests can be submitted at any time and are handled promptly by the GACRC Support Team. For more information or assistance, contact Guy Cormier.

CHANGES & MAINTENANCES UGA Retiree Account Activity and Access Review: University of Georgia retirees may keep their MyID (their UGA account username) and UGAMail (their UGA email) to access some university services after retirement. To reduce security risks, accounts that have not been used for one year or longer will be turned off. Beginning May 14, 2026, retirees with inactive accounts will receive advance notices and reminders before any action is taken. To keep an account active, retirees must sign in to their UGAMail account by July 17, 2026. Accounts that remain inactive after that date will be deactivated on July 31, 2026. Additional details are available in the EITS Knowledge Base article, "Why is my MyID account being disabled?" Retirees with questions or who need assistance should contact Kristi Wall.

EITS Summer System Cleanups to Improve Security and Access: This summer, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will perform several system clean-ups to strengthen security and remove accounts for users who are no longer associated with the university. The LinkedIn Learning cleanup will remove inactive users from LinkedIn Learning, and the annual Zoom student account reset will help ensure Zoom licenses are available for all active students in the fall. Additional details about these activities will be shared in June.

Employee and Affiliate Account Cleanup Under Way: An automated clean-up of employee and affiliate MyIDs is beginning this month to remove accounts that are no longer needed. Employees and affiliates who have left the university but still have active MyIDs or UGAMail mailboxes will have their accounts marked for disablement and deletion, and affected account holders will receive two automated email notices to their UGAMail address in May. Accounts included in this process will be disabled in early June.

This clean-up does not affect retirees or individuals who are currently attending UGA as part of a degree program. For questions or assistance, contact Kristi Wall.

CAMPUS IT Fall Network Maintenance Scheduled for October 25, 2026: Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will conduct its fall biannual network maintenance on Sunday, October 25, 2026. This routine maintenance takes place each fall and spring to keep the university’s network reliable and to ensure sufficient internet speed and capacity for campus activities. Some network services may be temporarily unavailable during this time. For more information or questions, contact Rayid Tartir.

TECH TIPS EITS Participates in Summer Orientation Student Resources Fair: This summer, Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS) will take part in the Student Resources Fair during UGA orientation sessions for incoming first-year and transfer students. EITS staff will be available to answer questions and share information about campus technology, including how students can get started with essential tools and services. Students and their guests will also have access to helpful resources such as the 2026–2027 Student Technology Guide, informational signage and cards, and instructions on connecting to UGA Visitor Wi-Fi. Additional information about technology services for new students is available through the EITS Knowledge Base “new student” articles.

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