Dear campus community,

In recent weeks, a service called Read AI—aka Read Assistant or simply Read—has come into use among Microsoft Teams users at the UofM. The service joins Teams meetings, records all content and emails summaries to the participants. In order to access the full notes, users must create their own Read AI account. Read AI then attempts to join all Teams meetings of the new user. Through this method, Read AI is able to quickly propagate throughout an organization.

Read AI’s terms of service violate IT6005 – Data Security Policy and IT6010 – Data Privacy Policy. As such, Read AI will not be allowed on University accounts, devices or services. On Nov. 1, ITS will implement measures to prevent the expansion of Read AI among UofM users.

If Read AI requests to join your Teams meeting or to interact with another service, please deny the request. Delete any Read Assistant meeting summary emails or other messages prompting you to create a Read AI account.

ITS is currently evaluating services that could provide similar tools as Read AI while complying with University requirements. The availability of any such approved service will be communicated to UofM users through normal channels.

If you have further concerns about Read AI or other technology needs, please contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Jeff Delaney
Chief Information Officer

Campus Community,

As you may be aware, Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of October 2025, affecting many computers across campus. Due to significant security concerns, the University does not allow any unsupported computers on the campus network.

To prepare for this change, the UofM Information Technology Services (ITS) team has conducted an inventory of University computers that cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 and must be replaced prior to the Windows 10 support expiration date. This includes an estimated 2,500 computers. The affected departments have been notified, and we encourage everyone to work with their Local Support Providers (LSP) to determine if these items need to be replaced or decommissioned.

While ITS is prepared for these changes, it is also essential that departments across campus take the appropriate action over the next 15 months to update the necessary equipment ahead of the deadline to avoid disruption for employees.

Please contact your LSP with any questions. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

To ensure prompt installation of software updates in compliance with University policy, all University-owned devices must be restarted/rebooted at least monthly. System updates often include critical security patches. ITS staff will follow up with individuals to assist with securing their devices when necessary.

ITS recommends weekly manual restarts to ensure the best security. Browsers and Microsoft Office/365 updates should be applied when available. Please visit our Updating Your Devices webpage for information on how to apply updates to University software and systems.

ITS is monitoring compliance in the application of updates and patches and may administratively force system restarts if necessary.

Thank you for understanding and for your support in our efforts to protect the University infrastructure.

For more information about rebooting your device and other best practices, visit the IT Security Policies and Guidelines webpage. If you need assistance with this or any other technology needs, contact the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Dear Campus Community,

Information Technology Services (ITS) is excited to announce that the University of Memphis will be transitioning to a new myMemphis portal on May 10, 2024. The new portal will provide a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for accessing campus resources, services, and information while ensuring a consistent experience across devices and platforms. Users will have access to identical information whether they are using the University mobile app or accessing the portal through a web browser.

The new myMemphis portal will offer a modern design, improved navigation, and enhanced functionality, including the ability to customize layouts and easily search for and find resources. To help familiarize users with the new portal, a user guide has been created that outlines features and provides instructions on how to navigate the new system. You can access the user guide at the following link: Portal User Guide.

Please note that the current myMemphis portal will be decommissioned on May 10, 2024, and all users will be automatically redirected to the new portal. We encourage you to review the user guide in advance to prepare for the switch.

Note: The new portal is available today and can be accessed at portal.memphis.edu.

By Aug. 12, the UofM will have completed the transition to Microsoft Teams as our primary conferencing service. You can read more about that change, including answers to common questions, on our Zoom to Teams Transition webpage.

As part of this transition, you will be assigned a conference phone number and secure PIN. This number will enable any meeting participant to attend a Teams meeting via phone call.

On Wednesday, April 10, you will receive an email from Microsoft Audio Conferencing <maccount@microsoft.com> with the subject, “You now have Audio Conferencing for Microsoft Teams – Here is your dial-in information and PIN”. No action will be required from this email; its purpose is informational only.

The email will also contain detailed information about joining meetings via phone. This is an additional service that is only necessary if any meeting participants choose to attend via phone call. Your unique and confidential PIN is only needed if you are the first to join the meeting and are doing so via phone call. All other aspects of Teams meetings (e.g., connecting via computer or mobile device) will remain unchanged.

If you would like to attend training for Teams, visit the UM3D Teams Training page. For all other questions about Teams, please contact your Local Service Provider or the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Over the weekend, AT&T reported a major data breach of both former and existing AT&T customers. Millions of AT&T’s customer records — including personal information such as name, address, phone number, DOB, SSN, etc. — have been published on the Dark Web.

You may have already been alerted by AT&T, a credit bureau, your bank, or a credit card company. If you are a current or former customer of AT&T, ITS recommends the following action if you have not done so already:

• Change your AT&T password immediately | It is not recommended that you use the same password for multiple sites, but if you did, you should change the password on those sites as well.
• Setup alerts on your bank account, credit cards, and the three major credit bureaus | Banks and credit card companies all have different ways in which to set up alerts. Please consult with your financial institutions on the best way to accomplish this.
• Freeze your credit | Freezing your credit greatly reduces the chances that someone will open a new account or credit card in your name if they have stolen your personal information.

To freeze accounts and set up fraud alerts with the major credit reporting companies, please contact each one of the credit reporting companies below.

• Experian: experian.com/freeze/center.html
• Equifax: equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
• TransUnion: transunion.com/credit-freeze

By Aug. 12, the UofM will have completed the transition to Microsoft Teams as our primary conferencing service. You can read more about that change, including answers to common questions, on our Zoom to Teams Transition webpage.

As part of this transition, you will soon be assigned a conference phone number and secure PIN. This number will enable any meeting participant to attend a Teams meeting via phone call.

When your local number and PIN have been assigned, you will receive an email from Microsoft Audio Conferencing <maccount@microsoft.com> with the subject, “You now have Audio Conferencing for Microsoft Teams – Here is your dial-in information and PIN”. No action will be required from this email; its purpose is informational only.

The email will also contain detailed information about joining meetings via phone. This is an additional service that is only necessary if any meeting participants choose to attend via phone call. Your unique and confidential PIN is only needed if you are the first to join the meeting and are doing so via phone call. All other aspects of Teams meetings (e.g., connecting via computer or mobile device) will remain unchanged.

If you would like to attend training for Teams, visit the UM3D Teams Training page. For all other questions about Teams, please contact your Local Service Provider or the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Carolyn Sue Hull-Toye, Ed.D.
Assistant Chief Information Officer

Students, Faculty, and Staff,

In March 2020, ITS promptly implemented and introduced the widely recognized collaboration software Zoom to address the urgent need for a virtual meeting platform for academics and administration. Over time, Microsoft has made substantial investments in advancing its online collaboration platform, Microsoft Teams. Following a thorough examination of budgets and feature comparisons between the two platforms, we will capitalize on our longstanding partnership with Microsoft and adopt the collaboration tool integrated into our software agreement, Microsoft Teams. Effective August 12, 2024, we will discontinue the use of Zoom. We are confident that Microsoft Teams has reached a sufficient level of evolution to serve as our primary collaboration and virtual meeting platform.

Key Details:

1. Transition Timeframe | All virtual meetings and collaborative efforts will be conducted through Microsoft Teams effective August 12, 2024.
2. Training | To ensure a seamless transition, we will be offering training sessions on effective Microsoft Teams usage. Session details are available on the UM3D training site, where you can also schedule your training.
3. Support Resources | Documentation and resources to help you become familiar with Microsoft Teams can be found on the Microsoft Teams website. For questions, you can contact the ITS Service Desk via email at umtech@memphis.edu or call 901.678.8888. You may also ask your local LSP any questions you may have.
4. Feedback | Your feedback is important to us. If you have suggestions or concerns during this transition, please share those with us by submitting them to the ITS Suggestion Box.

We recognize that embracing change can present challenges, yet we are confident that Microsoft Teams will deliver the collaboration features required and enhance our overall communication experience.

Ascending,
Karen Bell
Interim CIO
Information Technology Services

Dear Campus Community,

As the holidays approach, Information Technology Services (ITS) is providing the following reminders to help protect your personal information and University data:

• Lock away any documents or devices with sensitive information before leaving your campus or home workspace for the holidays.
• Vehicle break-ins are more frequent this time of year. Don’t leave phones, computers, or other valuables in your car.
• Be suspicious of promises of easy money: gift cards, lottery winnings, job opportunities, etc. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Scammers use fear and anxiety to trigger impulsive reactions. Stop and think before responding to any email, call, or text.
• Don’t click unexpected links or attachments. Use trusted websites or apps to view account or order information.
• Beware of requests for personal or account information, especially from unknown sources. ITS will never ask for your password.
• If you see a security alert pop-up window in your browser or desktop, do not call the number given or click any link. It’s likely a scam, and your device could be infected with malware. Call the ITS Service Desk immediately at 901.678.8888.
• For more tips on keeping your personal and University data safe, visit our IT Security Phishing and Best Practices web pages.

Forward suspicious emails to abuse@memphis.edu, and report any lost devices or unusual account activity — such as unexpected Duo prompts — to the ITS Service Desk at umtech@memphis.edu or 901.678.8888.

Carolyn Sue Hull-Toye, Ed.D.

Assistant Chief Information Officer

Dear Campus Community,

Information Technology Services (ITS) is providing the following alert to warn against scam attempts targeting UofM email accounts, particularly students.

If you receive an unsolicited employment opportunity at the UofM via email, this is likely a scam. Students can check for student employment and graduate assistant positions at TigerLink: memphis.edu/careerservices/tigerlink.php. Official offers of employment from the University for these positions are only done via e-contract, which will require valid University credentials to access.

University officials will not use publicly available email accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.com) to offer employment or conduct University business. If the sending email address does not end with memphis.edu, it should be treated with caution. Any UofM department sending emails via a third-party vendor should take steps to ensure recipients can verify their legitimacy before responding or clicking links.

 If you receive an unexpected message that appears to be from a University official asking for personal or financial information, follow up with a phone call to the appropriate office to confirm the authenticity of the request before responding. Links that do not direct you to the memphis.edu domain should not be clicked before they have been verified. Never open attachments from unfamiliar senders. 

If you receive any email message that asks you to take a questionable action or has a suspicious attachment, please report the message by forwarding the email to abuse@memphis.edu or calling the ITS Service Desk at 901.678.8888. For more information about avoiding job scams, visit our Current Security Alerts webpage. 

Regards,

Karen Bell
Interim Chief Information Officer