VPIT Status and Activity Report for August 2026

Vice President for Information Technology Status and Activity Report for August 2026 Prepared by Ilir Hasko, Interim Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT)

Key Items for Faculty and Staff Meetings Dr. Ilir Hasko Named Interim Vice President for Information Technology: Effective August 1, 2026, Ilir Hasko, EdD, has been named Interim Vice President for Information Technology at the University of Georgia. Dr. Hasko brings more than 20 years of enterprise IT leadership experience, including 17 years at UGA, where he has led enterprise student information systems, enterprise infrastructure, system and network engineering, web and mobile technologies, and identity and access management within Enterprise Information Technology Services (EITS). His leadership has advanced initiatives to enhance the student digital experience, modernize enterprise systems, strengthen UGA's data management strategy through improved tools, practices, and governance, and expand the university's strategic use of artificial intelligence. Dr. Hasko recently earned his Doctor of Education from UGA, where his research focused on adaptive leadership for navigating complexity in information technology organizations.

Computer Equipment, Software, and Services (CESS) Moving to TeamDynamix August: Later this month, EITS will move the Computer Equipment, Software, and Services (CESS) request process from UGAMart to TeamDynamix, the platform currently used by the EITS Help Desk and other IT support teams across campus. This change will update the look and feel of the CESS process while helping streamline requests. The CESS request form will remain accessible through UGAMart; when the new process launches, users will be directed to TeamDynamix to complete their request. For more information, contact Heather Stoltz.

Biannual UGA SSO Upgrade and Look and Feel Change Planned for September 11, 2026: UGA’s single sign-on service (UGA SSO), will undergo scheduled maintenance on September 11, 2026. This upgrade will include a look and feel change of the SSO log in page to align with digital accessibility efforts. EITS will not deploy any new applications to production UGA SSO on September 11, 2026, to facilitate a smooth upgrade. UGA SSO upgrades are conducted twice a year, in March and September, to ensure reliability and security. For more information, contact Wes Merrill.

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Services for Teaching Faculty: Digital Accessibility Efforts Continue for the 2026-2027 Academic Year: The University of Georgia continues its campus-wide effort to improve digital accessibility in response to federal accessibility requirements. Digital accessibility helps ensure that all students and members of the university community can access digital content and services, regardless of ability or circumstance. Note that the federal deadline to meet digital accessibility requirements has been extended to April 26, 2027. These requirements apply to digital course materials, including content shared through eLC and other online platforms. Instructors should continue incorporating accessibility best practices, consistent with the UGA Digital Accessibility Policy and following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines when creating or updating course content, including documents, presentations, videos, and web-based materials. EITS supports these efforts through its Digital Accessibility Services (DASH) subunit, which provides technology, training, consultation, and other resources to help instructors create accessible digital content.

Instructors who have questions or would like individualized guidance are encouraged to attend Digital Accessibility Services Office Hours, held virtually on Fridays from 10:0011:00 a.m. Registration is available through the DASH Events page. Additional resources, guidance, and training opportunities are available on the Digital Accessibility Services (DASH) website.

Services for Students: Zoom student account reset planned for August 6, 2026: To ensure that Zoom licenses can be provided to all active students in the fall, EITS will perform a reset on student Zoom accounts in August. During the reset, accounts belonging to students will be temporarily removed from UGA’s main Zoom account. Students who wish to keep their UGA Zoom account during the fall 2026 semester will need to log in to Zoom again after the reset occurs on August 6, 2026. Upon logging in with their MyID and password, their licenses will be re-provisioned. During the reset, students may lose access to meetings they are scheduled to host, and custom user settings, including their profile and background photos. Students will be asked to note any meetings they are scheduled to host and save any profile or background photos they wish to keep before August 6, 2026. The reset will not affect any meetings or classes hosted by UGA faculty and staff, including those scheduled with students. Zoom sub-accounts will not be affected by the reset. However, EITS strongly encourages Zoom sub-account owners to use this as an opportunity to conduct a full review of their accounts and remove any faculty, staff or students who have left the university or no longer require access. For more information, contact Mamtha Ramaraja.

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Services for Researchers: GACRC Teaching Cluster for Fall Semester: A small high-performance computing cluster devoted exclusively to teaching duties is available for use during the Fall 2026 semester.

This cluster includes high-memory nodes and GPU-enabled nodes. The cluster, which is supported by the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC), was also in use during the spring. Faculty members interested in discussing the capabilities of the teaching cluster and how it might integrate with their coursework should contact the GACRC. For more information, contact Dr. Guy Cormier.

Updated GACRC Policy for the Use of Shared AI Computing Resources: The Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC) has shared updated guidance to help ensure fair and responsible use of shared computing systems as the use of artificial intelligence continues to grow. The guidance explains that the most powerful graphics processing units known as GPUs, are mainly intended for scheduled jobs that run for a set amount of time, while interactive use should be limited to brief testing or troubleshooting.

Activities that run continuously, such as hosting AI services, leaving notebooks open for long periods, or using automated AI tools, are not allowed on shared systems. Login nodes should be used only for simple, short tasks. Principal Investigators are responsible for making sure their research groups follow these expectations by scheduling work properly, avoiding unused but reserved GPU time, and using approved software. The GACRC will continue to monitor system use and may apply stricter limits if need while encouraging researchers to work with GACRC staff to support AI-related research needs in a way that is sustainable and fair for everyone. The full policy is available on the GACRC Wiki under AI Workflows and GPU Usage Expectations.

GACRC User Account Verification: Beginning this summer, and continuing annually, the Georgia Advanced Computing Resource Center (GACRC) will begin a user account verification process to keep account information accurate and current. Principal Investigators (PIs) will be asked to review the user accounts connected to their GACRC accounts, confirm which users are still active, and identify any users that can be deleted.

To support this review, PIs will receive a list of current GACRC users affiliated with their group along with a list of recent grants and publications exported from the Elements system. An easy mechanism for PIs to indicate which users are active and which grants and publications were supported by the GACRC will be provided. For more information, contact Jessica Kissinger or Guy Cormier.

GACRC Helpdesk Access and Support Services: Help with accessing and using GACRC resources is available through the GACRC Helpdesk. The GACRC Service Catalog directs users to the appropriate TeamDynamix page. There, users can submit requests for services VPIT Status and Activity Report for August 2026

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such as lab group and user accounts, class accounts, software installations, and general support. Tickets may be submitted at any time and are addressed promptly by the GACRC Support Team. For more information, contact Guy Cormier.

Other General Services: Annual MyID and UGAMail Account Cleanup Scheduled for Fall 2026: This fall, EITS will conduct its annual review and cleanup of MyID and UGAMail accounts for students, employees, and affiliates who are no longer affiliated with the university but still have active accounts. Individuals whose accounts are identified for removal will receive two email notifications at their UGAMail address in September explaining that their account access is scheduled to be disabled and permanently removed in November. Accounts belonging to students currently enrolled in a UGA degree program will not be affected, and retired employees remain eligible to keep their UGAMail addresses. For more information, contact Kristi Wall.

Financial Management System Maintenance Scheduled for August 21–24, 2026: The University of Georgia Financial Management System (FMS) will be unavailable from 5 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026, through 7 a.m. on Monday, August 24, 2026, while the EITS AIS team performs scheduled maintenance and installs important system updates. To help ensure all transactions are processed before the system goes offline, users should submit FMS business transactions by 1 p.m. on Friday, August 21, allowing sufficient time for longer processing tasks to finish before the 5 p.m. shutdown. After maintenance is completed, users are encouraged to clear their web browser cache before signing back in to the system. For more information, contact Kenneth Little.

New Centralized Process for Microsoft Add-On License Requests Launching in August: To improve management and visibility of Microsoft software licenses across the university, UGA is implementing a centralized process for purchasing Microsoft add-on licenses.

Under the new process, campus IT Directors will submit requests through EITS, which will coordinate directly with the University System of Georgia (USG) to obtain pricing and process orders. Centralizing these purchases will help ensure accurate license tracking, consistent management practices, and better oversight of Microsoft licensing across campus. A new TeamDynamix request workflow has been created to support this process, and detailed instructions will be shared with campus users in early August. For more information, contact Mamtha Ramaraja at itcla@uga.edu.

Cloud-Based File Storage for UGA Departments (Azure Files): Launched by EITS in June, Azure Files is a cloud-based file storage service for UGA departments that operates on a cost-recovery basis, meaning departments pay only for what they use. It provides centrally VPIT Status and Activity Report for August 2026

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managed file storage in Microsoft’s cloud, allowing users to access files with their UGA login without needing to maintain their own servers. The service automatically includes data backups and built-in reliability features to help ensure files remain available, and it offers two storage options designed for frequently used files and those that are accessed less often. For more information, contact Ashley Henry.

New Guidelines for Integrating AI Tools with External Services Published: EITS has released new guidelines, published on June 5, 2026, to help faculty and staff evaluate requests to integrate advanced AI tools, such as ChatGPT Edu, Claude Enterprise for Education, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Gemini Ai for Education, with other systems, outlining clear standards for approval while balancing innovation with safety. The guidelines apply to supported platforms and establish the standards by which integration requests will be approved or denied. Although these integrations can improve workflows and support new ways of working, they may also introduce risks related to data security, privacy, and ownership of university information. Users should be aware that connecting these tools could expose sensitive or protected data and must follow university data governance policies and guidance from Data Stewards. The Integration Request Guidelines for AI Tools are available in the EITS Knowledge Base. For more information, or to request an integration, please contact the AI Tools Team.

Upcoming Changes to Duo Login Options at UGA: Over the next several months, EITS will begin removing the Phone Call and SMS text message options for Duo logins and will introduce newer, more secure, and easier ways to sign in. These new options use security features that many people already have on their devices, such as Touch ID or Face ID on Apple devices, Windows Hello on Windows computers, fingerprint or face recognition on Android devices, approved security keys, and the Duo Desktop application. Existing options such as Duo Verified Push, which asks users to enter a simple four-digit code after approving a login, are still strongly recommended. Phone calls will remain available for logging in and updating devices, and users will be able to add or manage their Duo devices during the UGA single sign on (SSO) login process. SMS text message passcodes and phone call authentication will no longer be available on September 17, 2026, for all UGA faculty, staff, and students. SMS text message passcodes and phone call authentication will no longer be available for Departmental MyIDs beginning November 5, 2026. For more information, contact Lance Peiper.

AI Literacy Initiative and Training Course: The University of Georgia has launched “AI Literacy for All” offered by the Digital Education Council (DEC) a new online course designed to provide students, faculty, and staff with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence. The self-paced online course includes approximately four hours of VPIT Status and Activity Report for August 2026

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interactive learning and is intended to establish a shared baseline of AI knowledge across the university community. This course offering is part of a campus-wide initiative designed to provide students, faculty, and staff with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and the responsible use of generative AI in academic and professional settings. Faculty and staff received access on June 3, 2026, and students will have access on August 10, 2026. While participation is not mandatory, the training is strongly encouraged. Participants who complete the course may download a certificate of completion and add the credential to LinkedIn or other professional portfolios. The course is available through the AI Hub under Resources & Tools: AI Literacy Initiative. For assistance, contact the AI Tools Team.

Unified ERP Update: The USG-wide Unified ERP team recently began monthly system demonstrations and Q&A sessions called Workday Wednesdays. Each Workday Wednesday session will feature a live demonstration of the USG Workday tenant followed by an interactive Q&A. These sessions are open to all faculty and staff and will provide the first live look at the initial Workday prototype for many in the UGA community. Please feel free to share this information with colleagues in your unit who may benefit from attending.

Register or view session recordings here. Visit the monthly recap to learn more about the Unified ERP and to see how the project is unfolding at UGA, including updates on UGA’s implementation, change considerations, and USG’s first Workday Wednesday session. For more information, please contact UGA’s Unified ERP team or sign up for future communications at the bottom of the USG Faculty Staff Hub. Fall Biannual Network Maintenance: The Fall Biannual Network Maintenance is currently being planned for Sunday, October 25, 2026. EITS conducts biannual network maintenance in the fall and spring each year to support the network and provide ample bandwidth and internet capacity to the university. For more information, contact Rayid Tartir.

Next AI License Request Cycle Opens December 1 for Spring 2027 Access: EITS launched the AI License Purchasing Program in fall 2025 to provide a centralized, streamlined way for UGA units to purchase premium versions of generative AI tools for faculty and staff, with the first licenses provisioned in February 2026. Through the program, Copilot users receive access to GPT models, while Microsoft 365 Copilot licensees also receive access to Claude. The program ensures these tools are covered under the university’s data protection and privacy agreements, offering enhanced safeguards not available in individual or consumer versions. It also simplifies procurement by eliminating the need for departmental CESS requests, UGAMart purchase requests, P-card transactions, and reimbursements, reducing administrative burden and improving VPIT Status and Activity Report for August 2026

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efficiency. EITS will contact Chief Business Officers (CBOs) and IT Directors in early fall with information about the next onboarding cycle. The next opportunity to request new licenses will be December 1, 2026, in preparation for the Spring 2027 semester. For more information, please contact the AI Tools Team or visit the EITS Knowledge Base.

Did you know?

2026 ITMF Excellence Impact Award Winners: In June 2026, the ITMF IT Excellence Awards ("The Techie") recognized three outstanding IT professionals whose work exemplifies leadership, innovation, collaboration, and service across the University of Georgia. Michael Wiesenbaker, IT Senior Manager for the Mary Frances Early College of Education, was selected for his outstanding role as a trusted technology leader. Micheal has strengthened IT decision-making across UGA through cross-unit collaboration, committee leadership, and technical expertise while serving as a valued resource for colleagues across the university. Laura Rowan, Web Developer Specialist for the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the UGA IT community. Through her leadership of digital accessibility initiatives, development of training and documentation resources, and support for campus partners, Laura has strengthened accessibility compliance and enhanced the user experience across the university. Ben Whetstone, IT Assistant Director for the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, was honored for his dedication to advancing technology services and supporting institutional success. His leadership in enterprise web services, data systems, accessibility initiatives, and statewide Extension support has strengthened technology operations while demonstrating a commitment to service excellence and continuous improvement. Together, these recipients reflect the award's mission to recognize sustained impact, innovation, collaboration, and excellence in service to the University of Georgia's IT community. Their contributions help strengthen technology services across campus and support the university's teaching, research, and outreach missions. Learn more about the ITMF Awards program.

Fall Help Desk Hours: The EITS Help Desk will return to its normal operating hours on August 2, 2026. The hours are as follows: • • •

Sunday: 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Monday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Note: The Help Desk will close at 5:00 p.m. on Fridays when there is a UGA home football game.)

Saturdays: CLOSED

Additionally, to assist with move-in efforts, the Help Desk will be open on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 1:30 – 6:30 p.m.

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The EITS Help Desk, located at 101 Cedar Street, provides technical support for the UGA community. Assistance is available by phone at 706-542-3106, by email at helpdesk@uga.edu, or through the online chat service at EITS Help Desk Chat. If you need help outside of normal operating hours, visit the EITS Knowledge Base for selfservice technology guides, troubleshooting tips, and other support resources.

University of Georgia students, faculty, and staff, as well as interested others, may subscribe to this monthly report by sending an email to listserv@listserv.uga.edu with the phrase subscribe vpit-news as the body of the message.

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