Information Technology Services (ITS) continues its project to upgrade all Windows 10 devices of faculty and staff to Windows 11.  Microsoft announced the end of life for Windows 10 and as a result, all Windows 10 systems must upgrade to Windows 11 by October 14, 2025.

Classrooms and labs were upgraded to Windows 11 during December 2023.

Scheduled Upgrade Process for Faculty and Staff Devices

ITS will continue to deploy new replacement devices for faculty and staff, and schedule upgrades for all devices on Windows 10. For consistency purposes, we plan to upgrade devices of faculty and staff by building and department.

Faculty:  During the months of April, May and June, ITS will create a ticket for faculty receiving a new replacement device, and those users who need to have their device upgraded.  Faculty should plan to be present during the scheduled deployment of the new device or the upgrade to ensure that devices are configured correctly.  ITS will plan to connect with departmental administrative assistants to keep them updated on the planned replacement schedule.

Staff: During the months of June, July and August, ITS will create a ticket for staff receiving a new replacement device. and those users who need to have their device upgraded.  Staff should plan to be present during the scheduled deployment of the new device or the upgrade to ensure that devices are configured correctly.  ITS will plan to connect with department supervisors and administrative assistants to keep them updated on the planned replacement schedule for staff.

About Windows 11

Upgrading to Windows 11 introduces a more feature rich operating system.

Most functionality between Windows 10 and Windows 11 is similar but you will see a redesigned user interface, with a new logon screen, start menu, task bar, and snap layouts.

You should also see a smoother transition from monitor to laptop, as Windows will now remember how your apps were positioned when you unplug from a monitor.

Windows 11 is a significant upgrade with demanding hardware requirements but improved security to protect systems from the emergence of new malware, ransomware, and other vulnerabilities.

A few highlights on Windows 11 include:

• With Start, we’ve put you and your content at the center. Start utilizes the power of the cloud and Microsoft 365 to show you your recent files no matter what device you were viewing them on.
• Snap Layouts, Snap Groups and Desktops provide an even more powerful way to multitask and optimize your screen real estate.
• Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar provides a faster way to connect to the people you care about.
• Windows 11 is the most inclusively designed version of Windows with new accessibility improvements that were built for and by people with disabilities.

Additional information about the campus deployment of Windows 11 is here.