SMC Tech Pulse Fall 2025

Formation of Institutional AI Workgroup at Santa Monica College

Santa Monica College has established an Institutional AI Workgroup under the Technology Planning Committee (TPC) to guide the development of college-wide policies and practices related to artificial intelligence. This initiative underscores the COllege's commitment to responsible innovation, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic alignment with statewide and district-wide guidance.

The AI Workgroup is charged with the following objectives:

• Promote AI literacy across all areas of the institution
• Develop guidance for the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies
• Create a comprehensive roadmap for AI adoption and policy development
• Report on progress and recommendations to the Technology Planning Committee

While there may be areas of overlap with the Academic Senate's Instructional Technology & AI Committee, the AI Workgroup will collaborate closely to ensure alignment and consistency across institutional initiatives.

In accordance with direction from Superintendent and President Dr. Kathryn Jeffery, the Workgroup will be partnering with the Community College League of California to assist in the development of Board Policy (BP) 3775, followed by Administrative Regulation (AR) 3775. These governance documents will support the early stages of institutional discussion and provide a framework for future implementation.

Santa Monica College appreciates the dedication of all participants contributing to this important governance initiative. Please be on the lookout for additional updates and opportunities to engage soon.

Exploring California Virtual College Integration

SMC is considering full integration into the California Virtual College - Online Education Initiative (CVC-OEI), building on its current role as a Home College and exploring Teaching College status. This move would align SMC with over 80 California Community Colleges, expanding student access and supporting institutional growth.

The initiative includes developing a customer Course Finder and platform to support participation, with phased planning and collaboration across departments. Early projections suggest strong enrollment growth and a positive return on investment within three years.

Key discussions with Information Technology, CVC Exchange, Enrollment Management, Business Services, and Academic Affairs are underway to ensure readiness.

Remote Access: Transition from Citrix to Azure Windows App

SMC has been using Citrix to provide students and employees with remote access to various college technology services for several years. During the pandemic, the demand for remote access increased significantly, leading to a substantial expansion of Citrix. As the needs quickly evolved, SMC introduced an additional remote access solution through Microsoft's Azure cloud services to complement Citrix. The Azure product has continued to develop. their Windows App service is proving to be a cost-effective and resilient alternative to Citrix due to its cloud-based origins. SMC plans to fully transition from Citrix to Azure for remote access by the end of this school year, allowing students and employees to full benefit from the latest remote access technology.

Windows 11 Upgrade Progress Update

In anticipation of Microsoft's scheduled end of support from Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, the Information Technology department has proactively upgraded or replaced over 2,000 SMC computers and laptops. At present, fewer than 60 computers remain on Windows 10. Targeted efforts are underway to either upgrade these systems or implement interim protective measures to maintain operational security.

A subset of these remaining computers requires additional remediation, such as internal battery replacement and firmware update - to ensure compatibility with Windows 11. Fewer than 50 computers necessitate full replacement, and we are prioritizing the reallocation existing assets to minimize new capital expenditures.

We appreciate the continued support of our SMC colleagues as we work to facilitate a seamless and secure transition to Windows 11 across SMC. 

UPS Replacement and Maintenance: Keeping SMC Connected

The SMC IT infrastructure team works year-round to keep the college's communications network reliable and secure. One of their top priorities is maintaining equipment in the many data closets that support buildings across our district.

Power outages are a leading cause of network disruptions. To protect our systems, each data closets relies on an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) a battery backup that keeps critical network equipment running during network equipment running during short power outages.

This past summer, the team completed its annual UPS equipment refresh, replacing approximately 60 aging batteries. With each battery weighing about 25 pounds, the team handled approximately 3000 pounds of new and old batteries in the effort. All work was done during off-hours to avoid interrupting faculty, staff, and students. These behind-the-scenes efforts are just one way the IT Department helps keep SMC online and running smoothly.

Fire Alarm Panel Upgrades

This past summer, the SMC IT Infrastructure Team, in partnership with the Maintenance and Operations Department, completed a significant upgrade to the College's fire alarm network. The project involved adding secondary network connections to each of the 34-campus building fire alarm panels.

By implementing these new connections and deploying an additional server, the team has enhanced the redundancy and reliability of the fire alarm communication system. These improvements ensure that alerts and notifications from this critical life-safety system are transmitted quickly and consistently, even in the event of a network disruption.

This collaborative effort between IT and Maintenance and Operations represents another step toward strengthening SMC's emergency preparedness infrastructure and maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty, and staff.

Behind the Scenes: How IT Keeps Instructional Technology Ready for Every Semester

Each semester, the IT Support Team takes on one of its largest projects: updating and installing more than 150 software packages across nearly 2,000 computers and laptops at all SMC campuses. These systems include classroom podiums, computer labs, and loaner laptops, with many applications also accessible remotely through the SMC Virtual Computer Lab. From Computer Science and Design Technology to GIS and Photography, dozens of programs, hundreds of faculty, and thousands of students depend on specialized software for hands-on learning. 

Instructional software packages and upgrades can be deployed in a few ways. Some updates can be performed quietly in the background after extensive preparation and testing, while others require a direct push to all machines — a faster but more disruptive method. 

One of the greatest challenges is managing software licenses. Each software package comes with unique licensing and installation requirements. Licensing servers must be configured before installations can proceed, and older versions sometimes conflict with new licenses. Coordinating updates across hundreds of computers — often mid-semester or even during active classes — requires precise planning to minimize downtime and disruption. 

Through this careful, behind-the-scenes work, the IT Support Team ensures that SMC students and faculty always have reliable, up-to-date access to the technology that powers teaching and learning. 

Redesign iApp (International Student Online Application and Management System)

Following the redesign of Corsair Connect and mProfessor, MIS has teamed up with International Education Center (IEC) to completely redesign the International Student Online Application (iApp) and the Application Management System used by IEC staff. The new versions are more user-friendly and provide additional functionalities and features to improve the usability, sustainability and security of our home-grown systems, which in turns helps improve F1 student recruitment and retention.

Employment Offer Letter through mProfessor

Pursuant to the CBA between the Faculty Association and the District, MIS has developed Offers of Employment on mProfessor with noting class schedule for the semester, their rate of pay for Adjunct Faculty members. Pending the approval form the Faculty Association and the District, this will likely be rolled out by the end of this year.

Vision Aligned Reporting (VAR)

MIS has officially submitted the first version of Vision-Aligned Reporting programmatically this fall semester - a new program reporting approach developed by the Chancellor's office designed to transform data collection and strengthen equitable student outcomes systemwide. Counseling services in the initially defined set of special programs are reported. MIS will continue to work on Direct Aids to Students and Student Support Services as additional data is collected.

Rave to replace Blackboard Connect/FinalSite

Rave replaced Blackboard Connect/FinalSite as the district's central emergency notification  system over the summer. To ensure Rave has information matching records in WebISIS, MIS implemented data integration with Rave software. Emergency contact information for students, employees and affiliates is synchronized from WebSIS to Rave. This includes some other relevant information such as the campuses students attend and employees work to allow for more granular notifications when necessary.

Slingshot Online Book System

Working with bookstores and various special programs, MIS has implemented new Online Course Material System Slingshot. It's soft-launched in Summer with a campus-wide rollout in the fall semester. In addition to catalog and enrollment data integration, student's book voucher information is synchronized with Slingshot. This allows eligible students to automatically receive their course materials based on the classes they have enrolled in and ensures that these students are prepared for class day one to improve student success rates.

Fraud Detection Software - N2N LeapLight Implementation

With the Chancellor's Office officially enduring LeapLight software from N2N as fraudulent enrollment mitigation software, MIS quickly implemented phase 1 of the project to assist Admissions and Financial Aid departments in identifying fraudulent applications and false identity of current enrollments. With file-based data integration in place, MIS will continue to work on phase II of this project to utilize IIG and API for real-time data integration.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Stay Alert, Stay Secure

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time when colleges across the country spotlight the importance of digital safety. This year, SMC encourages faculty and staff to cultivate strong security habits - use unique, complex passwords for all accounts, enable multi-factor authentication, and report anything suspicious to avoid campus-wide breaches. Remember, cybersecurity isn't just an IT issue - it's everyone's responsibility, as the risks of cybercrime and data theft continue to grow in higher education. Take this opportunity to learn about best practices, participate in campus security events, and help keep SMC's digital environment safe for all.

Data Protection: Sharing Information Securely in Teams and Zoom

Safeguarding sensitive data is crucial whenever collaborating online. When sharing files in Microsoft Teams or Zoom, always use institution-approved platforms connected to SMC’s Microsoft 365 suite, which provides advanced control over file access and encryption. Set permissions based on the sensitivity of the information—use private channels for sensitive or highly sensitive content and restrict access to only those who need it. Apply sensitivity labels for documents and avoid sending files as email attachments when collaborating externally. For meetings, enable lobby controls, admitonly authenticated users, and avoid sharing sensitive information over open video calls. If you need to work with external partners, use secure guest-sharing via Microsoft Entra for Teams and only invite trusted participants into meetings. Never input or share sensitive information in AI tools, including generative AI, as any data entered could be retained for model training and potentially leaked or exposed in the future. This risk includes personal details, confidential records, or college business information—once submitted, you lose control of where the information may surface. 

Microsoft Entra Secure MFA: SMC's Transition and Security Benefits

Santa Monica College is transitioning from Portalguard Single Sign-On (SSO) to Microsoft Entra as the new authentication provider, bringing improved security to campus accounts. Microsoft Entra incorporates advanced multi-factor authentication (MFA), offering enhanced protection against phishing and unauthorized access. Benefits include easier account management, industry-leading risk detection, and seamless integration with Teams, Office 365, and other campus services. Faculty and staff will also experience consistent login across all SMC platforms and greater control over shared documents and meetings. IT will provide training resources and during the migration process, ensuring