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Don't miss a beat: Maintaining productivity when working remotely

Check back here for occasional updates, and stay informed about campus updates on the Lehigh COVID-19 Information page.

In the event that routine work or academic functions are disrupted due to a prolonged campus closure, you may find it necessary to work from off campus. Library and Technology Services provides a variety of tools and services to connect you with colleagues and students remotely so that work can continue uninterrupted. This guide will help you maintain your productivity, as well as ensure University business continuity. 

    It’s best to know that available tools and resources will work for you before you actually need them. We recommend that you work with your supervisor to arrange a day or two to work off-campus before you have to so that you can get acquainted with working remotely and ensure you are able to access all the tools and resources to perform your job duties.

    Read on to learn how to:

    1. Practice safe computing away from Lehigh.
    2. Choose how you will access Lehigh resources.
    3. The Lehigh VPN.
    4. Prepare to work remotely: Steps to take before you leave campus.
    5. Get software.
    6. Access to Lehigh administrative systems and software (Banner/Argos/Desktop Finance etc.)
    7. Meet virtually with video, voice, and chat tools.

    Related resources:

    Need Help?

    If you need technical support for any part of this guide, contact the LTS Help Desk.

    610-758-4357 (8-HELP)  | Text 610-616-5910 |  helpdesk@lehigh.edu | Chat

    We are offering workshops on many of the tools and services described in this guide. Visit https://lts.lehigh.edu/admin-training-sessions for the schedule and to register.

    Practice safe computing away from Lehigh

    The Lehigh community must take adequate security measures on any device on which they perform University business, including personal computers and mobile devices. Before connecting to Lehigh resources, you must have antivirus software protecting your computers and ensure your operating system is up to date.

    • If you do not have an antivirus program running on your personal computer, there are many available. We recommend CrowdStrike, available for both Windows and Mac.
    • Use safe email practices and report any suspicious email to security@lehigh.edu.
    • Be mindful of phishing attempts, and follow the best practice to avoid phishing scams.
    • Don’t accept untrusted certifications if warned by the browser’s security.
    • Do not download files that contain FERPA, HIPAA or otherwise sensitive data to your personal computer.
    • Send files securely with LU FileSender.

    Choose how you will access Lehigh resources

    Here are the options for ensuring the highest level of security during remote connections:

     

    1. Take your Lehigh-owned laptop (or desktop) home and connect to resources using the Lehigh VPN. 
      • Note: If you plan to take home an infrequently-used university-owned laptop, be sure to turn it on, connect it to the network, and apply any operating system updates if prompted before leaving campus. If not prompted, you can run updates manually for Windows or Mac. 
    2. Use Remote Desktop to connect to your office computer.
      1. Configure Remote Access to your Office (or Lab) computer before you leave campus.
      2. Connect to it remotely from Windows or Mac.

    3. Use LUapps Desktop. LTS has created a virtual desktop that gives staff a remote computing experience similar to their Lehigh University office computer. This includes access to H: drive, J: Drive, I: Drive, Argos, and Banner-related functions.

     

    Home resources to test (or acquire, if necessary):

    1. Internet connection.
       
    2. Conferencing tools:
      • Microphone – Even if your computer is equipped with a built-in microphone and speakers, you may find that a headset with an integrated microphone improves the quality of your audio. We suggest this Logitech headset or one with similar features, or you can choose from among other recommended models. If your computer does not have a microphone and speaker, you can join Zoom meetings using the call-in phone number provided for each session.
      • Webcam – a camera may already be built into your laptop, but you can also use an external USB camera for video conferencing. If you’re looking to purchase a camera, Zoom recommends the Microsoft LifeCam Studio for Business webcam.

    Virtual Private Network (VPN)

    Some resources require the use of Lehigh's Virtual Private Network (VPN), which creates a “tunnel” between your computer and the campus network that identifies you as a member of the Lehigh community when you are not connected directly to the campus network. Using the VPN will allow you to access restricted networked resources. Most Lehigh web-based resources, such as Course Site, G Suite (Google Mail and Drive), and Office 365 do NOT require the use of VPN.

    [Update 8/19/20] Library database access: LTS has created a special Virtual Private Network (VPN)  that will minimize network disruptions for international students while they continue their studies abroad. This alternate VPN should also be used for access to some library databases that cannot be achieved with the standard Lehigh VPN. To use this special VPN, follow the Lehigh VPN instructions, but use the 'Library/International' setting on vpn.lehigh.edu for the 'full-tunnel' option needed for some Library resources and some international access.

    Services that DO require the use of VPN include:

    Need the Lehigh VPN? Follow these instructions to download, install, and configure it. You can also view a video tutorial.

    Prepare to work remotely: Steps to take before you leave campus

    Duo Two Factor Authentication

    These steps should be performed before you leave campus:

    1. Set up Duo Two Factor Authentication on more than one phone in case you don’t have your mobile phone with you or are away from your office phone. Use the Manage Devices feature to add, remove, or change the devices that Duo can use to verify who you are.
    2. Print out backup codes in case your primary factor such as cell phone is unavailable.

     

    Other considerations:

    • You may want to change your voice mail greeting to include an alternate phone number where you can be reached.
    • What files are stored on your office desktop computer that you might need to access from a remote location? Move any files you might need to a location on the cloud, such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Please refer to the Classification of Data table for restrictions on transmission and storage of sensitive university data.
    • Power off all electrical equipment that will not be necessary as you work remotely. DO leave your computer turned on if you will be using Remote Desktop to connect to it while working remotely.

     

    Get software

    There are several options for running Lehigh-licensed software on systems where you may not already have it installed:

    • LUapps provides access to over 60 University-licensed Windows applications in a virtual environment, and can be run any time, anywhere, and from any device. LUapps requires the use of VPN. Consider setting up Kumo so that you can access and save to cloud storage environments (such as Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive).
    • Microsoft Office 365 is available to the Lehigh community for free download on up to five computers or five mobile devices.

    Access to Lehigh administrative systems and software (Banner/Argos/Desktop Finance etc.)

    You can access many Lehigh administrative systems and software from off-campus locations. Visit https://lts.lehigh.edu/admin-access for a list of applications and the instructions for accessing them.

     

    Meet virtually with video, voice, and chat

    In place of in-person conversations and meetings, there are a few options to communicate and collaborate with colleagues. 

     

    Video and Audio Conferencing

    Zoom is a web-based video conferencing tool with a local, desktop client and a mobile app that allows members of the Lehigh community to meet online, with or without video. You can choose to record sessions, collaborate with others, conduct meetings, and share or annotate on one another’s screens. All Lehigh faculty, staff, and students have Zoom pro accounts and can access Zoom at lehigh.zoom.us using your Lehigh username and password at the upper right Sign In link.

    Learn more about Zoom by attending one of the “Communicating/Collaborating while working at home” training sessions in our Admin Training Series.

    Can’t make one of our workshops? Zoom offers live training webinars several times per day. Register here.

    Online Chat and Instant Messaging

    • Use Google Chat (Hangouts) available through G Suite to chat with team members instead of using the phone.
    • Use Google Meet available through G Suite to video chat with team members.

     

    Phone and Voicemail