January 24 PM Outage Update

Carson-Newman family,

We wanted to touch base with you regarding the continuing network outage and resulting challenges.

We know there is frustration and we know that is growing. That is the case with all of us as we all find ourselves being forced to find unconventional ways to conduct our business. We understand how accustomed to technology we have become and not having it not only creates alterations to our routines, but it also creates an alteration to our normal. Technology is an incredible blessing when it works. It is a burden when it does not.

We also apologize for not communicating more often this week.

So where are we?

For in-person visits, please call the above number during the hours listed and a time and campus location will be provided.

We continue to explore ways to provide temporary wi-fi access.

We understand the password reboot has worked for some but has not been successful for many others. The deadline was 4 pm today but that has been extended to early next week.

On campus, in-person assistance in changing passwords is being set-up to start as soon as possible. Once the dates are times are set, another communication will be sent.

Students who need to make schedule changes should have received an email from the Registrar’s Office regarding a process to do so.

Students, you are not behind in your work. Faculty and staff are committed to walk through this with you in grace and mercy to complete your assignments.

Because, like Christ, we are motivated to meet you where you are, and we understand if that is a difficult place.

To better assist you with any password changes, staff from the IT Helpdesk will be available this weekend with the following hours:

Saturday: 7 AM to 11 PM EST

Sunday: 7 AM to 8 PM EST

To reach by phone, please call 865-471-3506.

January 21 PM Outage Update

We would like to start off by thanking everyone for their patience and understanding as we navigate through these challenging network issues. The C-N I.T. team has worked diligently to get our systems back up to normal operations.

Due to their efforts, I.T. has successfully gotten Canvas and Microsoft365 in functioning mode. To make this possible, all account passwords had to be reset which will require each user to create a new password.

Please perform the following instructions to create your new password:

1. Go to either: portal.office.com or your Canvas account
2. At login, your temporary password is “Welcome back!(7-digit Student ID#)”
   1. Example – Welcome back!0012345
   2. Please be mindful of the capital W and the space
3. You will then be prompted to create a new password
   1. Where it says “Old Password” please use the Welcome back password here.
   2. Then enter your new password in the next 2 boxes.
      • This password must be at least 16 characters, including Uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and special characters.
4. Once your new password is established, you will be asked to re-login.

We know this is a lot and can be an inconvenience. On campus network and Wi-Fi remain down and these steps will not correct all of the current issues. But changing your password no later than 4 pm January 24 will assist this process tremendously.

If you run into difficulties, please call the IT Helpdesk (865) 471-3506 between 8:00 AM-4:30 PM Monday thru Friday.

Again, thank you for your patience.

January 19 PM Outage Update

Dear Carson-Newman family:

As we previously confirmed, in the early hours of January 14, the University experienced an anomaly with its network. The difficult choice was made to shut down the entire network to assess the scope of the issue and attempt to identify the source, which presently appears to be external. The University team, in conjunction with an outside partner, continues to work around the clock on the investigation of our system.

It has since been reported that some members of our campus community have received suspicious messages.  Unfortunately, this is a common tactic used by malicious actors and we acknowledge that receiving such messages can be unsettling.

What can you do?  

If you receive a communication that you believe may be suspicious do not reply, click on any links, or otherwise engage with the message or the sender. 

As a best practice, we all need to remain vigilant and beware of phishing attacks through email and social media.

We would like to remind you about these important cybersecurity tips to help keep Carson-Newman University systems secure:

• Do not open attachments you are not expecting or appear suspicious to you. 
• Do not click on links in emails that you are not expecting.
• Do not provide your password or login information unless you can verify the request.
• Be on the lookout for messages that look authentic but may not be, including to your LinkedIn, email, social media accounts, etc.

Thank you for your vigilance and patience while we continue our investigation and efforts to

January 17 AM Outage Update

In the early hours of January 14, the University experienced an anomaly with its network.

Our IT team identified the interruption quickly and responded immediately. There are multiple avenues to explore and in the interest of protecting our systems, the difficult choice was made to shut down the entire network. That decision was necessary to assess the scope of the issue and attempt to identify the source, which presently appears to be external.

The University team, in conjunction with an outside partner, have worked around the clock on the investigation of our system.

We know the burden this situation has presented for our students, faculty and staff, especially at the start of the semester. There is not a member of the Carson-Newman community who has not been negatively affected in some way by this situation.

Until the scope of the impact has been determined and we can return to normal operations of the network, unfortunately, this shut down remains necessary. We understand the frustration. We are a society connected by instantaneous technology. We rely on it and maybe even take it for granted. When we lose access, it is a disruptive force.

We desire to find ways to ease the burden of the disruption caused by the network shut down and return to normal operations as quickly as possible.

A class instruction process is being created and will be communicated for both in-person and online classes. We appreciate your patience and prayers as we work through these challenges. Operations updates will be provided at www.carson-newman.com no later than January 20 prior to the return of classes January 21.