Computing at UW-MadisonDivision of Information Technology
Students Faculty/Staff Services Services A through D Services E through L Services M through R Services S through Z Help Desk Tech Store About DoIT   

Computing Essentials for Faculty and Staff

Cover image of the hard copy of the guide.This guide is an overview of Division of Information Technology (DoIT) services that are available to UW-Madison employees and departments, many at little or no cost. The guide is divided into seven sections (e.g., Productivity Tools, Research Resources) listed on the menu at left. A companion guide, Computing Essentials for Departments, is also available. To receive a hard copy of either guide, email Laura Grady, DoIT Communications.

Note: Some campus departments have their own IT administrators who manage computing resources for departmental employees. You should always check with your administrator (if applicable) before installing software or reconfiguring your work computer.

First Things First

Information Technology Policies
Before you begin using the campus network, you should understand the policies that governs its use. The Appropriate Use, Electronic Devices and Password are the three policies most likely to affect your day-to-day work

NetID and Password
Your NetID is your key to accessing dozens of important online campus resources, including My UW-Madison, WiscMail and many department applications. You should use a strong password in conjunction with your NetID, and change it regularly.

Safe Computing Best Practices
As a UW employee, you are expected to do your part to keep our campus computing environment secure. If you access UW resources from a home computer, you will need to implement these best practices yourself. If you are part of a department with its own IT resources, check with your IT administrator before installing software on work computers.

  1. Install the free campus Security Starter Software, which includes anti-virus software, and use it regularly to scan files.
  2. Keep your operating system patches up to date.
  3. Make sure your firewall is enabled.
  4. Choose strong passwords and keep them private.
  5. Don't open email or attachments from unknown sources.
  6. Never give out personal information or account numbers (e.g., SSNs) in response to unsolicited email “phishing” requests.
  7. Adjust your WiscMail spam filters to ward off unwanted email spam.
  8. Back up your important data on separate media (e.g., Bucky Backup, MyWebSpace, flash drive, etc.).
  9. Use Virtual Private Network software to connect to the campus network from a remote location.
  10. Log out of applications fully, especially on public machines (i.e., campus kiosks), and disconnect from the Internet when it's not in use.