File Sharing & Connectivity

Storing and sharing electronic files—from recorded lectures to data—can be challenging in an online environment where both professors and students may have limited connectivity. Below are some resources and suggestions.
 

Google Drive

Google Drive currently provides free, unlimited storage through your HillConnect account. In addition to the Google Drive applications included with all Hamilton email accounts, faculty can request a Google Shared Drive for their courses. This is a particularly good solution for faculty who want to preserve multi-year projects with their students, since files are not tied to individual email accounts and won’t be deleted when students leave the college.

• Google Shared Drives
• Google Drive training and help
   

ESS and VPN

The employee storage server (ESS) provides all Hamilton employees a central location to store files. You can access and download your files from anywhere using My Hamilton. Virtual private networks (VPN) provide secure, encrypted connections that allow an off-campus computer to appear to be connected to the Hamilton College network.

• ESS file manager guide
• Hamilton VPN guides
   

Blackboard

Blackboard provides you with the ability to add many types of files (documents, audio, video, data files, etc.) to any content area. It has a 200MB limit for uploading documents.
 

Zoom Cloud Storage

Zoom videos can be saved locally, to Google Drive or to the cloud (our current recommendation). Saving to the cloud provides your students with a transcription and the ability to either stream or download your lecture.

• Getting started with Zoom
• Recording a Zoom meeting
   

Internet Access

Faculty without reliable or existing internet access should contact their internet service provider (Spectrum, Verizon, etc) to learn what options are currently available to them.

You can also use your mobile phone to set up a hotspot. Follow these links for directions on how to set up a mobile hotspot:

• Apple - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204023
• Android - https://support.google.com/android/answer/9059108?hl=en

If you do not already have hotspot service turned on in your cellular plan and doing so will incur a charge, please contact Human Resources regarding reimbursement up to $40/month.

Faculty who do not have internet access or do not have high speed internet at their off-campus location can fill out the Equipment Request Form or contact the Help Desk at 315-859-4481 or helpdesk@hamilton.edu about borrowing an internet hotspot. 

Consider taking advantage of our drive-up Wi-Fi locations on campus where you can pull up in your car and connect to the campus wireless network for uploading or downloading files. Currently, the best spots for fast, unlimited and secure Wi-Fi:

• Burke Library handicapped parking in the rear
• Sadove pull through off Green Apple Way
• Upper Field House Parking Lot