Computers remain missing from on-campus labs after system outage
Wilkes University cancelled classes on Jan. 27 due to a “system outage.” Two weeks later, some computers have yet to return to on-campus labs.
The computer lab in Karambelas Media and Communication Center, classroom 137, appears to still be missing seven computers.
- Wayne McCormick was in the classroom when an Information Technology Services (ITS) employee pulled certain computers.
“It would have been the first Tuesday back from the system issues, just before 8 a.m.,” McCormick said. “An IT employee came in and was pulling certain computers out.”
“I haven’t heard anything around campus about what might be causing it,” McCormick added.
Lab computers were not the only computers effected by the outage. Faculty and staff computers were also impacted.
Enrollment Processing Advisor Jennifer Williams said her computer of the few that were compromised.
“Staff was advised not to try to log into the system on Jan. 27, and then we got word that we would be able to access the system,” Williams said. “When I came in, I had a message that my laptop had been one of the few that were compromised and that IT would be over to collect it. IT did take my laptop and replaced it.”
Williams said that although her laptop was replaced, “almost eight years of data was lost and unretrievable.”
Although some computers were impacted during the outage, security risks no longer remain, according to Kerianne Geist, the Associate Vice President of Marketing Communications at Wilkes.
“The campus closure was a proactive and preventative measure taken out of an abundance of caution,” Geist said. “Our staff is working with external information technology experts and has restored services to campus (last Tuesday [Jan. 28]) and ensured the security of our systems.”
In a statement issued on Jan. 28 at 9:45 a.m. to students, faculty and staff, ITS Executive Director Gerald Korea announced that service was restored and that schedules could continue as normal.
Korea also said that organizational accounts would be required to change their passwords to a new 12-character minimum.
In terms of what may have caused the outage, Geist said, “At this point, no additional updates are available.”
Efforts to reach Korea for additional comments were unsuccessful.
