Voicemail

Logging Into Voicemail (3 options)

By default, voicemail messages are automatically sent to users email inbox as an audio file attachment. Voicemail messages are not saved on our 8×8 VOIP system. However, users can change this and other voicemail settings using the instructions below. 

  1. Dialing into Voicemail using the Calls area in Teams
    Begin by reviewing the Dialing into Voicemail User Guide on our IT Training Hub. You will find a default PIN information, and steps to create a new PIN, along with the Quick Reference Guide as shown below which includes steps to manage voicemail messages, greetings and preferences.

    Click any image to enlarge it.

  2. Logging into the 8×8 Work Website
    When accessing voicemail via the web, you will need an 8×8 Password; this is separate from your Goucher password. If you don’t know your password, use the Forgot Password link to reset your password. Note: Changing the voicemail password for a ring group, the password changes for everyone in the ring group.

    • Go to Work.8×8.com and enter your username@goucher.edu, hit Continue and enter your password. 
  3. Using the 8×8 Work Desktop Software
    • PC – Install the 8×8 Work for Desktop app from Company Portal
    • Mac – Install the 8×8 Work for Desktop app from Self-Service

Managing Voicemail Greetings and Settings via 8×8 Website or Desktop

Using the 8×8 Work website (Work.8×8.com) or desktop software you can, record voicemail greetings and manage voicemail settings. Simply open 8×8 Work, then click the Settings icon > Voicemail

  • Voicemail Greetings – Click Add new greeting under the External or Internal greeting area to record a greeting

  • Voicemail Settings (Notifications and PIN reset) – Click Go to main voicemail settings > Voicemail to access additional voicemail settings

From the Voicemail settings menu you can change the default notification setting that only sends voicemail messages to your email inbox. You can choose disable notification, attachment only or notification only.

You can also reset your voicemail access PIN

Related content: Phone calls and Department Group Faxing

Contact the Help Desk with any questions or for additional assistance.

Department Group Faxing

Departmental group faxing can be done and managed using our 8X8 Work Voice Over IP (VOIP) service provider’s browser application. Only staff included in a department fax group may fax using the 8×8 Work website application.

Send a fax

Log in to Work.8X8.com using the department fax group username and password.

  • From the left navigation, click the Fax icon
  • Complete the fax coversheet, then drag and drop files onto the fax coversheet or browse to attach files

Passwords have been created for each department fax group. If you don’t know the password check with a colleague. If appropriate, someone in the group can use the Forgot Password link to reset the password. Note: Changing the password for the department fax group, changes the password for everyone in the department fax group.

Related content: Phone Calls and Voicemail

Contact the Help Desk with any questions or for additional assistance.

 

 

 

Canvas Portfolio (New in 2026)

Canvas has launched a new and improved Portfolio tool. This tool supports both Evaluation Portfolios and Showcase Portfolios.

Watch the Portfolio Overview Video to get a quick introduction.

Important Change Coming

Canvas will retire Portfolium (Folio) and ePortfolio on June 30, 2026.
After this date, the new Portfolio tool will be the only option available in Canvas. To prepare, faculty and students should begin using the new Portfolio tool and plan their transition well before the retirement date.

Highlights

Evaluation Portfolios – Benefits

    • Works directly with Canvas courses and SpeedGrader.
    • Supports flexible portfolio assignments.
    • Helps with course and program assessment.
    • Allows evidence to be tagged to skills and competencies.

Showcase Portfolios – Benefits

    • A place to collect work and reflect on learning.
    • Helps users tell their academic and personal story.
    • Combines coursework, activities, and personal projects.
    • Can be shared securely or exported for future use.

How To Access Canvas Portfolio

    1. Log in to Canvas
    2. Click Account
    3. Select Portfolio

Your Portfolio will open inside Canvas.

Learn More

For Students

For Instructors

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I move content from my existing Portfolium account to the new Canvas Portfolio?
Not at this time. Canvas has shared that they are working on a migration tool planned for the first quarter of 2026. Updates about this option will be shared when it becomes available.

Can I access my Canvas Portfolio after I graduate?
After you lose access to Canvas, you will no longer be able to edit your Portfolio. However, any public links you shared will continue to work.

Phone Calls

Goucher’s phone system uses a Voice Over IP (VOIP) call plan that works inside of Microsoft Teams. Below are written guides and short videos related to managing voicemails and using the Calls area of Teams for making and managing phone calls.

Getting Started: For information on installing Teams on your computer or mobile device, please visit our Using Microsoft Teams article.

Phone Calls

Make Calls

Manage Calls

Note: Goucher does not use the voicemail settings in Teams. Use the instructions above instead. 

Short Video Guides

Related content: Voicemail and Department Group Faxing

Eight New Windows 11 Essential Features

Switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11 brings a refreshed interface and new tools designed to boost productivity. Below, we highlight eight standout features – plus step-by-step guides for two key functions to help you get started quickly.

Want to know more about Windows 11 features? Read the full article on What’s New in Windows 11.

Feature Windows 10 Windows 11
Start Menu & Taskbar Left-aligned, traditional design Centered, for a cleaner look with pinned apps and recent files.
Snipping Tool Basic screenshot modes with limited editing and no recording capabilities Now supports screen recording with audio, copy or redact text from screenshots, add shapes and emojis, and use Bing Visual Search to explore content from your captures.
Accessibility Tools Basic essential features like narration, speech recognition and color Modernized, easier-to-use design, with improved performance, and new capabilities such as voice commands and automatic live captions for any audio.
Performance Standard startup times, memory management, battery life Optimized speed and efficiency; faster startup, improved memory management, and better battery life.
Windows Updates Larger, slower updates Smaller, more efficient updates.
Security Standard protections Stronger security (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot) for added protection against modern threats.
Multitasking Basic window snapping Snap Layouts & Groups for advanced side-by-side multitasking.
Virtual Desktops Limited customization Customizable desktops for different needs; one for work, school, and gaming.

 

Snap Layouts for Multitasking

Organize multiple windows into predefined layouts for efficient multitasking.

  1. Hover over the maximize button on any window.
  2. Choose a layout (e.g., side-by-side, grid).
  3. Click the desired position for the current window.
  4. Select other windows to fill the remaining slots in the grouping.

Tip: Use the snapped layouts to switch between grouped windows easily.

Virtual Desktops

Create and manage separate desktops to organize workspaces for different tasks such as work related, research, social media and more.

  1. Click the Task View icon (two overlapping rectangles) on the taskbar.
  2. Click New Desktop to create a new workspace.
  3. Open apps and browser sites.
  4. Hover over the maximize button on any window.
  5. Choose a layout (e.g., side-by-side, grid).
  6. Click the desired position for the current window.
  7. Select other windows to fill the remaining slots.
  8. Use the Task View icon to switch between virtual desktops.

Tip: You can assign custom names to each desktop by right-clicking them in Task View.

FAQs: Goucher Gmail Accounts to Microsoft Outlook

As part of our ongoing efforts to standardize software across Goucher College, we will be migrating student email accounts currently on Google Gmail to Microsoft Outlook. This transition will create a unified email experience for all faculty, staff, and students.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

What is happening and why?

Users who currently use a Google Gmail account ending with @mail.goucher.edu will be migrated to a new Outlook account with an @goucher.edu email address. This change ensures consistency across the college’s email system and enhances security, collaboration, and support.

Who is impacted?

This transition affects anyone with a Goucher Gmail account ending in @mail.goucher.edu. Faculty, staff, and students already using a Microsoft address ending in @goucher.edu (without “mail”) will not be affected.

What if I have both types of Goucher email accounts?

Those who already have a Microsoft Outlook account under the same username as their Goucher Gmail account will not be included in the data migration process and will need to transfer their data on their own. Instructions can be found here.

When will this change take effect?

The migration will take 13 weeks to complete and is scheduled to take place soon. More details on the exact timeline will be provided in follow-up communications.

Will my email address change?

Yes, your new email address will end in @goucher.edu (without “mail”). However, your current email address (e.g., John.Doe@mail.goucher.edu) will remain as an alias. This means:

  • Emails sent to your old address will still be delivered to your new Microsoft inbox.
  • Any memberships or subscriptions linked to your old email will not be affected.

Will my emails and other data be moved for me?

IT will migrate your email messages and forwarding rules from Gmail to your new Outlook email account; however, files stored in Google Drive, contacts, and other data will not be automatically moved. Users will need to save/download this information on their own. Please visit our Saving Goucher Gmail Data post for detailed instructions.

How should I prepare?

To help ensure a smooth transition, we ask that you:

  • Review and clean up your Gmail inbox by deleting unnecessary messages.
  • Empty your Trash folder to remove old emails permanently.

Will I log into my new account the same way?

Yes, you will use your existing Goucher credentials to log into your new Microsoft Outlook account. However, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be required, and you will need to reset your password every 180 days for security compliance.

Where do I go to get help?

For all other related questions, contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@goucher.edu.

Saving Goucher Gmail Data

During the 2025 transition from Google @mail.goucher.edu accounts to Microsoft Outlook email, IT will migrate email messages and forwarding rules from the old Gmail account to the new Outlook account; however, files stored in Google Drive, contacts, and other data will not be automatically moved. Users will need to transfer these items on their own using the instructions and resources below.

Instructions below include:

      • Download a single file or folder from Google Drive
      • Download multiple files or folders as a zip file from Google Drive
      • Save/Download Other Google Data (Not Just Google Drive)

Download a single file or folder from Google Drive

  1. Log into your mail.goucher account on your computer and choose DRIVE from the ALL APPS button in the upper right.
  2. Select My Drive from the navigation panel on the left.
  3. Find the file or folder* you want to save and click the More Actions button (3 dots …) next to it and then select Download.
    * Downloading a folder will save a zip file containing the folder and all its contents.
  4. Follow the prompts to choose a location on your computer and hit SAVE.

Download multiple files or folders as a zip file from Google Drive

  1. Log into your mail.goucher account on your computer and choose DRIVE from the ALL APPS button in the upper right.
  2. Select My Drive from the navigation panel on the left.
  3. Select the files/folders to be downloaded
    * To select various files in the list: Click once on any file or folder in the My Drive panel to
    select it and CTRL-click on additional files/folders as needed.
    * To select all the files in the list: Click once on the first item in the My Drive panel to
    select it, then scroll to the bottom of the list and SHIFT-click the last item in the list.
  4. Click the Download icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen.
  5. Follow the prompts to choose a location on your computer and hit SAVE.

Save/Download Other Google Data (Not Just Google Drive)

To save different types of data linked to your Google account, we recommend using Google Takeout. Google Takeout is a free service that lets you download more than just email or files into a downloadable archive file. It includes options like Contacts, Calendar, Photos, Chrome Bookmarks, and more.

  1. Sign into your Google account and go to takeout.google.com.
  2. Under Select data to include choose Deselect All* and then check only the options you want to include in your download. *We recommend selecting only the services most important to you due to potential compatibility issues with larger data download files.
  3. Click NEXT at the bottom of the screen. On Step 2, we recommend the following options:
    * Send download link via email (the other destination options may not work
    due to Goucher’s Google configuration)
    * Frequency = Export Once
    * File type & Size
    > File type = .zip
    > File size – 2 GB (any option can be chosen but this choice is the simplest)
  4. Click Create Export.
  5. You will receive an email when your data file is available. Use the link provided to download and save the zip file to your computer.

Visit the Google Support page for Google Transfer to view more detailed information and FAQs (such as “How to open the downloaded files from Takeout).

 

Emergency Contact Information

Emergencies can happen when you least expect them, and having up-to-date emergency contact information ensures that someone you trust can be reached when it matters most.

You can now enter and update your emergency contact information in MyGoucher. Help keep yourself safe and give your loved ones peace of mind by entering or updating your emergency contact details now. It’s quick, easy, and could make all the difference. Follow the instructions below to enter your information.

How To Update Emergency Contact Information

    1. Log in to myGoucher.

2. Hover over your profile icon, then click “Profile.”

3. From your Profile dashboard, click “Emergency Contact”

4. Click the pencil icon to add or edit emergency contact information. Add additional phone numbers for this contact in the Notes field.

5. Repeat steps above for Secondary Contact.

6. When finished, check for correctness, then click “SAVE” to update.

7. Log out of myGoucher.

Canvas: New Features

New Feature Highlights (Jan 2026)

Introducing New Canvas Portfolios

Canvas offers two types of portfolios to support both learner-driven and instructor-guided use cases: Showcase Portfolios and Evaluation Portfolios. These tools support storytelling, assessment, and the validation of competencies.

Showcase Portfolios help learners tell their own stories and highlight growth beyond the classroom. Evaluation Portfolios allow instructors to support structured assessment and track learner progress over time.

 

New Feature Highlights (May 2024)

New Quizzes: Build Upon Prior Attempt

The Build on last attempt setting makes it possible for students to take additional attempts on a quiz, only re-attempting those questions they answered incorrectly. This feature can help to improve student outcomes and performance.

A video of this feature can be found here. For more details, see this guide.

 

New Quizzes: Zero Point Quizzes

(This is the strategy for surveys.) Instructors can now create zero point quizzes in Canvas and select an option to not display a column in the gradebook or student’s grades view. This allows instructors to remove unwanted content in the gradebook and prevent confusion for students related to zero-point practice quizzes. For more details, see this guide.

 

Publish Modules in Bulk

Instructors can now publish or unpublish modules in bulk.  Instructors have the option to publish all modules and items, publish all modules only, or unpublish all modules and items. Additionally, the publish icon on individual modules is updated to include a Module status menu. This menu includes the options to publish module and all items, publish module only or unpublish module and all items for individual modules.

 

Scheduled Page Publication

Teachers can schedule publication for an unpublished page. Teachers can use the Publish At box in any unpublished page in their courses. Click here to read full release notes for Saturday, October, 15, 2022.

 

Submit on Behalf of Students

Teachers and TAs with the ability to edit grades can find a Submit for Student link by opening the Gradebook, clicking a cell, and clicking the grade detail tray icon to open details for the submission represented by the cell. When someone submits files on behalf of students, Canvas displays the name of that person and the time they submitted it. Read more in the March 18, 2023 Canvas release notes.

 

Discovering New Features

Did you know you can find new feature announcements in the Canvas Help menu?

Canvas New Discussions/Announcements on July 20, 2024

Canvas is rolling out a new design for Discussions and Announcements on July 20th, 2024.

All existing Discussions and Announcements will be updated to the new design on this date. No current discussion options will be discontinued, but Discussions will have an updated user interface and new features. This update will also have an impact on the Announcements interface. The new design is already available for Teachers to turn on in their courses earlier than July 20th if desired (see below for more details).

Included in this notice:

  • What’s New
    • Interface Modifications
    • New Features
  • Learn More
  • Switching to New Discussions/Announcements Early

WHAT’S NEW

Interface Modifications

For individual discussion and announcement topics, the following modifications have been made:

  • The toolbar appears at the top of the discussion and announcement thread.
  • Newest replies display at the top of the first page instead of the bottom of the last page.
  • Users can sort replies from newest to oldest, or oldest to newest.
  • Users can also quickly move to the top of the discussion or announcement at any time.
[Screenshot of current discussion thread compared to new discussion thread]

Current/Previous Discussion Screenshot

New Features

  • Anonymous discussions.*
  • Labels for posts created by the “Author” or  “Teacher” for easy identification. Posts from TAs will also be labeled as “Teacher”.
  • A streamlined view of multiple replies to the same post that can be displayed either “inline” (click to expand) or in a “split view” (in a side panel).
  • Supports mentions with the @ symbol. Typing “@” will bring up a list of all users in the course.
  • Quote other replies when responding.
  • Allow participants to report replies that are inappropriate or offensive.*

* This feature is off by default and must be enabled to use.

LEARN MORE

SWITCHING TO NEW DISCUSSIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS EARLY

Teachers who wish to switch to the new Discussions and Announcements interface prior to the July 20th mandatory update can do so from their Course Settings. Enabling this new feature will update all Discussions and Announcements in the course. Teachers can switch back to the classic design again up until the July 20th deadline.

  1. From the Course page, go to Settings > Feature Options [tab]
  2. Find “Discussions/Announcement Redesign” and click the X icon next to it on the right.
  3. Click “Enabled” to initiate the update.

To go back to the classic design, follow these steps again and choose “Disabled” in step 3. You will not be able to choose the classic design after July 20th.