G Suite Transition – Adding Gmail to your Mobile Device

It is now easier to access your email and calendar on mobile with your staff Gmail account! You can add your email address to the mail app your device has, or download the Gmail app on Android or iOS (iPhone).

If you have a personal Gmail account or have used Gmail before, accessing your GRCC Google Account will be the same process.

Add your staff Gmail account on your mobile device using its mail application:

1. Navigate to the settings of your device.
2. Locate the accounts section.
3. Add a new account.
4. When prompted, choose Google for the account type, and sign in.

For specific information for your device, see Google Support’s articles for signing in on Android and iOS (iPhone).

It is important to keep in mind that since your email is a college account, your device will be subject to a few mobile device management permissions.

If you have any questions about the transition to Gmail, please contact our Google Guides at googleguides@grcc.edu.

Sign up by next Friday for ‘Take Your Child To Work Day’ at GRCC

Have you ever wanted to show your child(ren) the ins-and-outs of your work and the fun we have at GRCC? Consider joining your colleagues and their child(ren) for a fun Take Your Child to Work event to experience all that GRCC has to offer! Activities will include a campus exploration experience, office time, lunch, and games!

• Date: Thursday, May 16, 2019
• Time: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Location: Main Campus
• Sign-up deadline: Friday, May 3, 2019

How to register:

• Request supervisor approval for participation in event.
• Register online (Note: You must be logged into your GRCC Google account to complete the form.)
• Place a hold on your calendar as an appointment will not be sent.

Guidelines:

• Child must be at least 10 years old.
• Child cannot perform actual work nor operate any machinery.
• Employee (who is the parent/guardian) should be with the child(ren) at all times during the visit to GRCC.
• Employee must request supervisor approval for participation in event prior to enrolling.
• Time Sheet – While the Take Your Child to Work event can be counted toward your normal work schedule, any additional time needed (i.e. to drop your children off, take additional time off, etc.) should be recorded accordingly. It is expected you will work this out with your supervisor prior to enrolling.

Brought to you by Human Resources. Questions? Please contact angelasalinas@grcc.edu

Earn professional development hours through community outreach with InteGReat CC

Grand Rapids Community College supports the United Way through many different activities. As a College, we “donate” hours of support through the Loaned Executive Program and through participation on various agency boards. As individuals, we financially support agencies through our payroll deduction giving. The 2018 Leadership Institute cohort has chosen to extend its support and provide an opportunity for College employees to participate in a volunteer event called Operation United.

When?

Volunteer teams will work on-site at the home of a veteran or current service member within Kent County. Opportunities available on Friday, May 17, 2019, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

What takes place?

GRCC employees volunteer to “work” a half day shift (4 hours) on this community service activity.

How do I get involved?

College-wide, we will provide opportunities for the first 50 full-time employees to register for this half-day event.

Do I need my supervisor’s approval?

Yes, employees who would like to volunteer must ask their supervisor for approval. To obtain approval, you are required to complete a Leave of Absence form which can be found on the Human Resources page.

Can I earn Professional Development for volunteering?

Yes, employees who would like to receive up to four hours of professional development credit for this community service simply need to request this in the “Tracking Professional Development Hours for Staff” section of the Leave of Absence Application, and indicate they type of leave being “Conference.”

Pay and Benefits?

Yes, you will work at your regular GRCC job for a half day and work at the United Way activity for a half day (and be paid your regular daily hours).The additional “benefits” you receive are knowing how much you can make a difference in our community and through the United Way organization!

How do I volunteer?

Review information about the service activity, and register online by the May 3, 2019, deadline.

Thanks for caring!

G Suite Transition – New GRCC Post-IT Board

No need to worry, the Post-It Board is coming with us in the transition to Google!

Instead of being located in your GroupWise Cabinet, the Post-It board has been created as a Community in Google Plus.

Post-It Board is an important place for sharing items and messages with the campus community, and we want to make sure that all faculty and staff members can find the Post-It Board group.

Here’s how to find it in the live environment:

1. Use this direct link (Be sure that you are logged in with your @grcc.edu account versus your old pilot account).

OR

1. From within any G Suite App or Google.com, click the App Menu (waffle).
2. Select Google+ (NOTE: If you haven’t already, make sure you’re signed into your GRCC account).
3. You should see some posts show up right off the bat from the post-it board in your “discover” and “home” pages of Google+
4. Click the green text that says GRCC Post-It Board.
5. Click Join.

 

To create a post:

1. Click the Pencil in the lower right, or start typing in the “what do you want to share?” box.
2. Type your post. (Use the icons at the bottom to add photos, files, links, and more.)
3. Click Post.
4. Select the appropriate category.

Don’t forget to sign up for ‘Take Your Child To Work Day’ at GRCC

Have you ever wanted to show your child(ren) the ins-and-outs of your work and the fun we have at GRCC? Consider joining your colleagues and their child(ren) for a fun Take Your Child to Work event to experience all that GRCC has to offer! Activities will include a campus exploration experience, office time, lunch, and games!

• Date: Thursday, May 16, 2019
• Time: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Location: Main Campus
• Sign-up deadline: Friday, May 3, 2019

How to register:

• Request supervisor approval for participation in event.
• Register online (Note: You must be logged into your GRCC Google account to complete the form.)
• Place a hold on your calendar as an appointment will not be sent.

Guidelines:

• Child must be at least 10 years old.
• Child cannot perform actual work nor operate any machinery.
• Employee (who is the parent/guardian) should be with the child(ren) at all times during the visit to GRCC.
• Employee must request supervisor approval for participation in event prior to enrolling.
• Time Sheet – While the Take Your Child to Work event can be counted toward your normal work schedule, any additional time needed (i.e. to drop your children off, take additional time off, etc.) should be recorded accordingly. It is expected you will work this out with your supervisor prior to enrolling.

Brought to you by Human Resources. Questions? Please contact angelasalinas@grcc.edu

G Suite Transition – GroupWise Cleanup

Spring is finally here, and that means it is time to clean! We cannot forget about organizing our cluttered GroupWise inboxes before the transition to Gmail on May 6!

Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

• Create a folder for (messages that still need your prompt attention in your inbox) that share a common subject or task. When Gmail goes live, you will recreate these as labels.

• If you have subscribed to newsletters or feeds that are no longer relevant, unsubscribe from them before Gmail goes live.

• If you save emails in your inbox as a reminder or to-do list, get familiar with Google Calendar and become even more efficient after the move!

As a reminder, your new Gmail inbox will be a fresh clean start. You will be happier and more efficient if it only holds only what you need. Take the time now to keep what is important and get rid of the rest. Believe what you heart tells you when you ask, “Does this spark joy?”

7-week Spanish classes offered this summer

Do you or any students you know need to complete the fourth semester of Spanish?  Do it in 7 weeks this summer!

SP 232 – Intermediate Spanish II (SP 232 8797) runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, June 25 through August 13, from 10 a.m.-noon.

G Suite Transition – Sharing files with Gmail and Google Drive

Ever run into that pesky 20MB limit when sending an email with a large attachment in GroupWise? You can now attach files in Gmail with less restriction than GroupWise.

Google has a better solution to make sure your attachment reaches your recipient. Gmail has a 25MB attachment size. 5MB may not sound like much of a difference, but it is equivalent to 5,242,800 characters!

But wait, there’s more – you can share files over 25MB by utilizing Google Drive.

With Google Drive, there is NO LIMIT to what file size you can share with others.

While using Google Drive, please remember:

• Do not include PII (Personally Identifiable Information, e.g. Student ID Numbers), credit card / financial data, etc.
• Unless necessary, do not share Drive documents outside of the GRCC domain

G Suite Transition – Early Access to Gmail and Calendar begins today

As our campus prepares for the upcoming switch to G Suite, we understand the importance of being able to configure your inbox and populate your calendar prior to May 6.

In response to this need, as of today, April 22, you are now able to access Gmail and Google Calendar using your @grcc.edu credentials. During this time, Gmail and Calendar will not be fully functional, all of your email messages will still be sent and received by GroupWise.

On May 6, your Gmail inbox and Calendar will become fully functional and ready to use.

What does this mean for you?

You can now log into Gmail and Google Calendar with your @grcc.edu campus network credentials. You will not be able to send or receive email in Gmail or add external guests to events until May 6. However, if you share documents or folders within Google Drive, you may see these messages appear in your Gmail inbox instead of GroupWise.

In Gmail, you may begin setting up your labels, filters, signature(s), proxy and send as rights, and configuring your account to work best for you!

In Google Calendar, you can start migrating your GroupWise calendar appointments and setting up shared department or team calendars.

If you need assistance with configuring your new account, reach out to one of our Google Guides, attend a Professional Development offering, or request an individual or team consultation!

G Suite Tip – Working Hours

Have you ever gotten an event or appointment sent to you when you’re not even scheduled to be on campus? Google’s got a solution for you: Working Hours.

Google’s ‘Working Hours’ feature will warn your colleagues when they schedule a meeting for a time when you are not scheduled to be on campus. It is a great way to protect your personal time, and for making sure that appointments are made during times that work for everyone.

How to set working hours:

1. On your computer, open Google Calendar.
2. In the top right, click the Settings icon, and choose Settings.
3. On the left, under “General,” click Working Hours.
4. In the “Working hours” section, click Enable working hours.
5. Select the days you work and set the times you’re available.

In conjunction with working hours, adding an “out of office” event will help your coworkers know when things fall outside of your normal working hours, like vacation, sick leave, or anything in between. Setting yourself as out of the office will automatically decline events sent to you during that time. Here’s how you do it:

1. On your computer, open Google Calendar.
2. Begin creating an appointment for when you’ll be out.
3. Under the event title, click Out of office.
4. Update the dates or time range for when you’ll be out. (You can also update the message people will receive when inviting you during this time.)
5. Click Save.

Community outreach: United Way’s ‘Operation United’

Grand Rapids Community College supports the United Way through many different activities. As a College, we “donate” hours of support through the Loaned Executive Program and through participation on various agency boards. As individuals, we financially support agencies through our payroll deduction giving. The 2018 Leadership Institute cohort has chosen to extend its support and provide an opportunity for College employees to participate in a volunteer event called Operation United.

When?

Volunteer teams will work on-site at the home of a veteran or current service member within Kent County. Opportunities available on Friday, May 17, 2019, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

What takes place?

GRCC employees volunteer to “work” a half day shift (4 hours) on this community service activity.

How do I get involved?

College-wide, we will provide opportunities for the first 50 full-time employees to register for this half-day event.

Do I need my supervisor’s approval?

Yes, employees who would like to volunteer must ask their supervisor for approval. To obtain approval, you are required to complete a Leave of Absence form which can be found on the Human Resources page.

Can I earn Professional Development for volunteering?

Yes, employees who would like to receive up to four hours of professional development credit for this community service simply need to request this in the “Tracking Professional Development Hours for Staff” section of the Leave of Absence Application, and indicate they type of leave being “Conference.”

Pay and Benefits?

Yes, you will work at your regular GRCC job for a half day and work at the United Way activity for a half day (and be paid your regular daily hours).The additional “benefits” you receive are knowing how much you can make a difference in our community and through the United Way organization!

How do I volunteer?

Review information about the service activity, and register online by the May 3, 2019, deadline.

Thanks for caring!

G Suite Transition – Early Access to Gmail and Calendar

As our campus prepares for the upcoming switch to G Suite, we understand the importance of being able to configure your inbox and populate your calendar prior to May 6.

In response to this need, during the period from April 22-May 3, you will be able to access Gmail and Google Calendar using your @grcc.edu credentials. During this time, Gmail and Calendar will not be fully functional. All of your email messages will still be sent and received by GroupWise.

On Monday, May 6, your Gmail inbox and Calendar will become fully functional and ready to use.

What does this mean for you?

On Monday, April 22, you will be able to log into Gmail and Google Calendar with your @grcc.edu campus network credentials. You will not be able to send or receive email in Gmail or add external guests to events until May 6. However, if you share documents or folders within Google Drive, you may see these messages appear in your Gmail inbox instead of GroupWise.

In Gmail, you may begin setting up your labels, filters, signature(s), proxy and ‘send as’ rights, and configuring your account to work best for you!

In Google Calendar, you can start migrating your GroupWise calendar appointments and setting up shared department or team calendars.

If you need assistance with configuring your new account, reach out to one of our Google Guides, attend a Professional Development offering, or request an individual or team consultation!

G Suite Tip – Attachments in Gmail

You can now attach files in Gmail with less restriction than GroupWise.

Have you ever not been able to send an email with a large attachment in GroupWise? Google has a better solution to make sure your attachment reaches your recipient. Gmail has a 25 MB attachment size, opposed to GroupWise which had an attachment file size limitation of 20 MB. (5 MB may not sound like a lot, but it is equivalent to 5,242,800 characters!)

The way that GRCC IT suggests sharing file sizes over 25 MB is by utilizing Google Drive. With Google Drive, there is NO LIMIT to what file size you can share with others.

While using Google Drive remember:

• Do not include PII (Personally Identifiable Information, e.g. Student ID Numbers), credit card / financial data, etc.
• Unless necessary, do not share Drive documents outside of the GRCC domain

Upcoming professional development sessions

LOTS of Google going on right now – get ready!

The GMail/Google Calendar transition is only three weeks away. Visit the Professional Development page to sign up for GMail/Google Calendar training.

More information about these interesting sessions can be found online, including links to register. Questions? Contact Angela (angelasalinas@grcc.edu).

There are still seats available in the following sessions; you could be there learning, growing, and enjoying!

• Friday, April 19 – Game Play: Staying Active as a Family
  • Noon-1 p.m.
  • 309 Sneden
• Thursday, April 25 – Drupal Basics
  • 10:30-11:30 a.m.
  • 351 Main
• Tuesday, April 30 – Customer Experience and Your Career
  • 9 a.m.-noon
  • 307 Sneden
• Tuesday, May 7 – Performance Evaluation Feedback
  • 1-2:30 p.m.
  • 207 Sneden
• Tuesday, May 14 – Active Shooter Response Training
  • 10-11:30 a.m.
  • 234 Student Center
• Wednesday, May 15 – Non-Verbal Communication
  • 1-3 p.m.
  • 304 Sneden
• Friday, May 17 – Living a Healthy Lifestyle
  • Noon-1 p.m.
  • 309 Sneden
• Wednesday, May 29 – Business Writing Workshop
  • 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

G Suite Tip – Mute email notifications

Sometimes you are just too popular, and those pesky email threads of conversations that no longer apply to you keep reappearing in your inbox. You may want to avoid being distracted by an email thread, but still view the conversation later. You may also want to turn off notifications from a forum. Gmail understands your pain, and added the mute feature just for you.

To mute a conversation, you would open the conversation and click “More” from the drop-down menu. Once you choose “Mute,” the conversation is archived. This will remove the conversation from your inbox and automatically archive any incoming conversation threads as unread. A conversation thread will appear in your inbox if it is sent to only you in the “To” or “Cc” fields.

You can easily find these conversation threads by searching “is:muted” or “from:” with the name of a member of the conversation in the search field.

Ready to unmute? Click the “X” by the “Muted” label from within the conversation thread, or choose “More” from your actions button and then “Unmute” from the drop-down menu. New conversation threads will now appear in your inbox again.

It is important to note that we suggest you choose “Archive” over “Delete” when removing emails from your inbox in Gmail. Archive will remove emails but allow for them to be searched again in the future if you need them. Delete will make emails irretrievable in the future, so use with caution.