You might love Beloit’s campus because of its ancient Indian mounds and historic 19th-century buildings. Luckily, you can enjoy them alongside 21st-century technology. Here’s how to get plugged in at Beloit.

Get in the “tank”…the Terrarium, that is!

Don’t just visit the Terrarium, make it your home(page)! From there, you can access email and the Portal for other personal and academic information, see campus news updates and event listings, sell, or trade items with other Beloiters on the Campus Billboard.

Email and More

Beloit College uses Google Apps for Education (GAE) for email. It also includes a calendar tool and a document management system. If you have a personal Gmail account, you already know how it works. To access your Beloit College email account, go to the Terrarium and link in through the “Email” button (you can also sign in at http://mail.beloit.edu or http://mail.google.com).

Make a habit of checking your Beloit account. Most communications you’ll receive before you arrive on campus will come via email, including your housing and roommate assignment, mailbox number, and financial aid information. Your Beloit email account will also be an essential tool for communicating with professors, staff, and students at Beloit College.

Username and Password

You received your Beloit College username and a temporary password by mail. Be sure to change your password immediately:

1. Log in using your temporary password.
2. In the upper right corner of your inbox, select Settings/Accounts/Google Accounts Settings/Security/Change password

This username and password will be used not only for email, but also for registering computers on the college network, and accessing Moodle (which some professors use to create online communities for classes), and the Portal.

The Portal

The Portal is an online application that gives students access to personal academic information: things like class schedules, grades and grade point averages, and transcripts. You’ll check semester grades here, register for courses, and update personal information. Also, several required forms are available via the Portal.  Log in at the Terrarium with the same as you use for email.

Technology Policies

To get square on the rules and regulations of Beloit computing, and the services the ISR (Information Services and Resources) division offers, read:

Ethical Use of Computing and Information Resources

Personally Owned Technology Policy

Computers Connected to the Beloit College Network Policy

Antivirus Software

All computers hooked up to Beloit’s network must have current antivirus software. You can bring your own or use what the college provides (for free) on move-in day.

Hooking Up to the Network

On move-in day, your Resident Assistant or other Beloiters can show you how to register your computer, tablet, phone or other mobile device with the college network.

Each student gets a wired port in her/his residence hall room. You’ll need an Ethernet cable to connect, either 14’ long (most rooms) or 25’ (some special cases). You can buy a cable from ISR’s Information Technology (IT) department, located on the second floor of Mayer Hall, for $5.

Wireless

Most academic and administrative buildings have wireless capabilities, as does the Pearsons Quad. On the residential side of campus, the Maurer Link and Chapin Quad have coverage. Residence hall rooms aren’t wireless yet, but there is limited coverage in some areas.

You’re welcome to bring your own wireless router/access point as long as you abide by the Private Wireless Router Configuration and Policy.

What kind of computer should I bring?

It’s up to you. Most students have laptops, either PC or Macintosh, and some bring tablets. Others have desktops and some students simply use the college’s many labs. See recommended hardware standards and  information on student computer discount opportunities.