With new work arrangements you may find yourself working remotely. Consider the following recommendations if you find yourself in this situation.

Take what you can with you

If your work computer is a laptop or you have specific physical files you will need, bring them with you.

Duplicate where possible

If there are electronic files you will need, consider copying them and sending them to your email or placing them in online-accessible storage spaces such as Google Drive. 

If you have the drive space, you may wish to mirror your Google Drive files on your home computer using the Backup and Sync app. Note that this only works for personal Drives, not Shared (previously Team) Drives.

Check your home network and computer

It may be possible to access many of your regular files and applications remotely (Google Mail, Drive, Calendar, Zoom, Wolverine Access, etc.), provided your home internet connection and home computer can handle the load. If your work requires high-speed computing resources, it may be wise to see if you can upgrade your internet service while you work remotely. If your home computer does not have enough processing power for your work, or your work computer is not mobile, you may want to consider taking a loan computer home with you. 

Ensure that you have the necessary applications on the computer you will be using. In any case, think about setting up U-M’s Virtual Private Network on your machine. You may find there are many U-M sites that are not accessible from off campus unless you are running the VPN.

Set Notifications

To preserve in/outbound telephone lines for critical university business, ITS recommends that individual faculty and staff do not forward their university telephone line to a home or cellular phone. Rather, ITS recommends that faculty and staff update their MCommunity profile to provide temporary home or cellular contact information. This will assist in keeping the University's phone system available for others.

Equipment

If you have been approved to work from home by your department, the building or campus shuts down or if you are a LSA employee you are eligible to loan out equipment and take your U-M issued computer equipment home. 

Loan Equipment

Terms of Agreement

• Loans are made available to current employees 

  • Temporary employees do not have accounts automatically set up in the circulation system.  Supervisors of temporary employees needing a device will need to contact the LSATS Technology Library (LSATSTechnologyLibrary@umich.edu) with the employee’s name, UNIQNAME, department, and appointment end date to request that an account be set up

• Loan duration is 2 weeks.  Patrons needing a device for longer need to contact the LSATS Technology Library, as extended checkout requests are approved on a case-by-case basis and, if approved, only up to the end of the current semester

• Patrons needing a laptop should review the list of installed software.  If they need software not on the list, they need to make that known when they make the initial reservation request

• All laptops and Surface Pro tablets checked out through LSATS Loan need to be logged in by the user while plugged in via Ethernet to the UM network before they can be used on wifi or off campus

• LSA Technology Services is not responsible for the setup or moving of your equipment off-campus.

• LSA Technology Services will make the best effort to try to support the equipment remotely during normal service hours.
  If damage occurs to the loaned computer while in my possession and is deemed "Not Covered" by Risk Management, you may be held accountable for repair and/or replacement costs.

• Loans longer than 14 days may require a VPN connection to ensure the software remains licensed. 

• Patrons checking out equipment from LSATS Loan are required to fill out a Loan Agreement Form, verifying/checking off that all components are present and sign to agreeing to the following terms:

  • The above equipment is loaned "as is" for use as part of or furtherance of the University's educational mission. You are responsible for the above equipment and its safekeeping. All equipment must be returned on time and in the condition received, reasonable wear and tear excepted. Any use for commercial or unlawful purposes violates this use agreement. Any breach of this agreement may also violate the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities. An agreement breach may be reported to or action taken with the Office of Student Conflict Resolution, your supervisor, or applicable academic administrator, as appropriate.

• If you need to alter a reservation or would like to request an extension on a checkout, please call 734-615-0100.

• If you need technical assistance on a laptop you’ve checked out, please call 734-615-0100.

Returning Equipment/Devices

Equipment must be returned to the Loan Center it was checked out from by the agreed upon date and time. Please contact LSATS Loan in person or via phone (734-615-0100) to request a one-time renewal of up to 2 weeks.  If you need the equipment for longer than that or have already renewed the order once but still need the device, please email LSATSTechnologyLibrary@umich.edu at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled return date/time to make a special request (subject to approval).