Technology Roadmap for Students - Getting Started
We are so excited that you have decided to join the Mariner family! As you prepare to begin your time with the College of Coastal Georgia, you will undoubtedly have lots of questions. At the same time, you will have tons of information passed along while you try to acclimate to college life. In an effort to give you a resource that you can come back to without having to remember every detail, the Technology Services Department has put together a step-by-step guide to help you be successful. As technology and situations change, this roadmap will be updated appropriately.
Things you can do before you arrive:
Access the Portal
The portal is the main gateway to most applications and resources for students, faculty, and staff. At the College of Coastal Georgia, your student ID is the username you use to log in to most applications, including the portal.
As a new student, your default password is CCGammddyy, (the "mmddyy" represents the numbers of your 6-digit birthday).
To Do:
- Visit the portal here.
- Setup the Password Management tool.
- Sign up for DUO (Multifactor Authentication) by going to the Multi-Factor Auth application inside the portal.
Passwords are increasingly easy to compromise. They can often be stolen, guessed, or hacked. You might not even know someone is accessing your account. Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security to your online accounts. Verifying your identity using a second factor (like your phone or one-time-password token) prevents anyone but you from logging in, even if they know your password.
At Coastal, your student email is the official means of communication. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you have access to it and that you review it daily.
To Do:
- Log in to your email via the portal.
Suggestion/Optional: Add your Coastal email to your phone.
Email is provided to students, graduates, faculty, and staff as part of the Microsoft 365 online suite. Email can be accessed in your web browser through the portal using the Office 365 email link, or through Office.com. Additionally, you may access your email through the Outlook app for your mobile device. See instructions below for more details.
The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the exception of upgrades, maintenance, and scheduled outages. Users will be informed of outages through portal announcements.
New Student, Faculty, or Staff?
After receiving your acceptance or employment notice, please allow up to 48 hours for your account and email to be created. If you do not have access to your email after this period, please contact the Help Desk.
Configuring your Email for Outlook:
Should you wish to add your email to your mobile device using the Outlook app, please use the following instructions:
- Download the Outlook app through your device's app store. For Android, click here. For iPhone and iPad, click here.
- Type in your email address (920******@student.ccga.edu for students; username@ccga.edu for faculty/staff).
- Tap "Add Account."
- Rather than trying to log in there, click on "Not Office 365" in the top right corner. Tap "Change Account Provider."
- Select "Office 365."
- Type in your email address (920******@student.ccga.edu for students; username@ccga.edu for faculty/staff) again. Tap next.
- Now, sign into the portal as you normally would. Tap "Sign In."
- Tap "Maybe Later," and follow the on-screen set-up process.
Additional Information:
Please call the Helpdesk at 912-279-5760, email support@ccga.edu, or submit a ticket (requires 920######/username login) to request additional information about email.
The Mariner Mobile App
The College of Coastal Georgia mobile app is a great tool to stay connected. Download the app and see campus wall, students nearby, campus maps, social scheduling, courses, campus events, and more.
To Do:
Download the mobile app by searching "CCGA" in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and following your device's instructions for installation.
COAST/Banner Applications
COAST is a web service that gives you direct access to your student records. It not only provides you with information; it also allows you to perform actions such as registering for classes or making a payment on your account. COAST is one of the applications accessible from the portal.
To Do:
Visit COAST by going to the portal and clicking on the COAST application. From the "Student Records" menu, click on "Registration." Then, click on "Select Term" and choose the term you are interested in registering for. Review your "Registration Status" to make sure all holds have been removed. If you are eligible and have met with your advisor, select "Add/Drop" and put in the CRN number associated with the selected courses. Then, click on "Submit Changes." An error message will be received if the course cannot be added to your schedule, in which case you would have to make another selection. After all courses have been added, click "Review Schedule."
Helpdesk
The Helpdesk is the place to go if you are having issues or if you have questions related to technology. Contact the Technology Services Helpdesk at support@ccga.edu, or by phone at 912-279-5760. You can also visit the office on the second floor of the Andrews Building, located on the Brunswick campus.
Things you should do after you enroll in courses:
Commit2Coastal
In order to help the College prepare for your arrival, you are required to complete the Commit2Coastal Enrollment Confirmation process each term you plan to enroll. The process is easy and only takes a few minutes.
To Do:
Complete the Commit2Coastal enrollment confirmation process.
- Visit https://portal.ccga.edu/commit.
- Log in using College username and password.
- Follow the prompts to start the appropriate survey for the coming term.
- Complete the survey and slick "Submit."
This is a very important part of your enrollment process here at the College. Failure to complete this process by the due date will result in the cancellation of your scheduled classes and housing reservation, and will impact the awarding of your scholarships and financial aid.
For questions, please contact the Coastal Georgia Call Center at 912.279.5700.
Student Forms
At Coastal Georgia, you will be able to request a change of major, submit your graduation application, and submit other important requests in areas like registration, financial aid, and others, through electronic forms. To see all available forms, go to the portal and click on the "Student Forms" tab.
DegreeWorks
DegreeWorks is a web tool that provides real-time advice for students and their advisors to monitor the student's progress towards graduation.
The program includes the degree requirements, such as core courses and program courses that are needed for your major by areas. Your worksheet will automatically default to your official major, but you can change the worksheet by selecting "what-if." Class and major information is updated every 24 hours, so it will take a day to see how newly-scheduled classes appear in your worksheet.
To Do:
Visit DegreeWorks by going to the portal and clicking on the "DegreeWorks" app.
Minimum Recommended Equipment
PC
- Windows 10
- Processor: 2.0 GHz or faster; at least 2-core
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- Hard Drive: 128GB HDD, but SSD is best
- Browsers: Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Firefox (we recommend Chrome).
MAC
- One of the three most recent versions (macOS High Sierra, macOS Sierra, or OSX El Capitan as of July 2020).
- Processor: 2.0 GHz or faster; at least 2-core
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- Hard Drive: 128GB HDD, but SSD is best
- Browsers: Latest version of Safari, Google Chrome, or Firefox (we recommend Chrome).
We HIGHLY discourage the purchase of Chromebooks, stream books, and netbooks due to the inability to download programs required for most classes.
If you do not have a personal device that meets these specifications, you can borrow one from Technology Services. Laptops are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
USG Technology Store
The USG Technology store offers the University System of Georgia's faculty, staff, and students affordable, brand-name software and services for their work or personal computers. Click here to visit the store.
Things you can do after classes start:
One Drive
Microsoft OneDrive is a storage solution to easily save and share your files. OneDrive is available for all currently enrolled students, and it is accessible anywhere, on any device that has internet access. There are three ways you can access it:
- Through your portal. Just click on the OneDrive app.
- Through Office.com. Sign in with your student email.
- Download the OneDrive App: Go to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to download the OneDrive app on any of your personal devices.
Microsoft Office
As a College of Coastal Georgia student, you have access to download Microsoft Office on up to five devices.
Device-specific instructions for Windows:
- Sign into Office 365 with your Coastal Georgia account.
- Once you log in, click on the "Office 365" link in the upper left corner.
- Click on the "Install Office 365" link in the top right corner of the page.
- Follow the steps to install.
Device-specific instructions for MAC:
- Sign into Office 365 with your Coastal Georgia account.
- Once you log in, click on the "Office 365" link in the upper left corner.
- Click on the "Install Office 365" link in the top right corner of the page.
- Follow the steps to install.
Device-specific instructions for Chromebook:
In order to access the Microsoft Office suite, you must use Office 365 through the Chrome web browser.
Device-specific instructions for Android Tablets/Mobile Devices:
In order to access the Microsoft Office suite, you must download each app, sign into Microsoft products with your Coastal Georgia email and password.
Device-specific instructions for iPhone/iPad:
In order to access the Microsoft Office suite, you must download each app, then sign into Microsoft products with your Coastal Georgia email and password.
This will take some time, so be sure your laptop is plugged in and that you will remain connected to Wi-Fi during the entire installation. When you first open a Microsoft Office program, it will ask you to log in. Use your student email and password to verify your license.
Please contact the Technology Services Helpdesk to request additional information about Microsoft Office/Office 365.
Students who have officially graduated, as well as retirees of the College, may keep their Coastal Georgia email address, and therefore, their access to the Microsoft Office suite. Former students and faculty/staff who no longer attend or work at the College will lose access to Microsoft Office/Office 365.
Office 365
Office 365 is the web-based version of the Microsoft Office suite accessed through a web browser. To access Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, etc., go to your Office 365 email from the portal, and click on the top left corner. You will see a list of available applications.
Brightspace (D2L)
Brightspace (D2L) is the learning management system for all courses at the College. Your courses will open automatically on the first day of classes.
To Do:
Once you get into your course, you should visit Brightspace by going to the portal and clicking on the D2L app.
- Read the syllabus. Pay attention to the instructor's name and contact information, textbooks, grades, and major assignments.
- Take a look at the course calendar and mark any important dates in your phone or your personal calendar. You can access from either the course homepage or by clicking on "Content."
- Look for additional instructions from your instructor in the form of either an email, discussion posting, or item in the content area, and get started.
For help with D2L, email elearning@ccga.edu. Be sure to include your 9200 number and the CRN of the class in question. You can also call 912-279-4543, M-F from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Leave a message and someone will return your call. You can chat with a D2L Helpdesk employee by clicking here. Live chat assistance is a new service and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Collaboration
Video Conferencing solutions, such as Collaborate Ultra and Microsoft Teams, are used across campus.
Collaborate Ultra is used in many online courses for synchronous class sessions, as well as the ATTIC, Supplemental Instructors, and the Writing Center for online tutoring support.
Microsoft Teams is used by some faculty for office hours, and some student life events. It is a cloud-based team collaboration software that is part of the Office 365 suite of applications. The core capabilities in Microsoft Teams include business messaging, calling, video meetings, and file sharing.
Currently enrolled students, graduates, faculty, and staff have access to Microsoft Teams through their Student ID (username for faculty and staff) at no additional cost.
For additional information, please call the Helpdesk at 912-279-5760, or email support@ccga.edu.
Tutoring and Academic Support
Be proactive and take advantage of the available academic support! Stop by the Library to visit the ATTIC and the Writing Center, or visit Find a Tutor or the Writing Center online for instructions on how to connect with a tutor or a writing coach.
If you need help after hours, please remember that you also have 24/7 access to Tutor.com by clicking the Tutor.com link at the top of the D2L homepage.
Things you can do once you are on campus:
WAVE - Wireless Network Access
To access the internet on campus from your personal device(s), you will connect to the Wi-Fi network, "WAVE."
To Do:
- On your device, select the WAVE network for the Wi-Fi network.
- Enter your 920# number and password for the credentials when prompted.
- You may be prompted to trust a certificate when connecting for the first time.
Mariner Card (MAC)
The Mariner Access Card (MAC) is the official College of Coastal Georgia identification card, and the key to the campus. With it, you can access services, attend events, and make purchases on campus without the hassle of carrying cash. Click here to learn more about the MAC.
Computer Labs
The College of Coastal Georgia has computer labs located on the Brunswick Campus and the Camden Center as follows:
Brunswick Campus |
Camden Center |
Correll Center for Teaching and Learning, Room 109 | Camden Center, Room 101 |
Nunnally Health & Science, Room 103 | Camden Center, Room 102 |
Library | Camden Center Library |
All computer labs have printing capabilities (black and white only). The Library labs also have scanners available for students who may need them.
If you experience technical difficulties while in one of our labs, please see the lab assistant on duty, or call the Technology Services Helpdesk at 912-279-5760.
PaperCut
PaperCut is a print management software that allows you to print from computer labs as well as from your own personal device.
Visit the PaperCut site here.
Eduroam
Eduroam is a free wireless service available at the College. It allows all Coastal students, faculty, and staff to get wireless service when visiting participating Eduroam institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
Many higher education institutions in the U.S. are Eduroam participants. Eduroam is also available at educational institutions and research facilities in more than 85 countries. It is a wireless network option available throughout most of the College with the exception of the residence halls. All Coastal students, faculty, and staff have access to Eduroam while on campus with their wireless devices.
To access Eduroam, students, faculty, and staff must use the same credentials they log in to the portal with. When your password for the portal is changed, your password to access Eduroam is also updated.
For example, a Coastal faculty member visiting the University of Georgia, which is also an Eduroam participant, could use their Coastal credentials (login@ccga.edu) to log in to UGA's wireless network on campus. Likewise, a UGA faculty member could do the same with their credentials when they visit the Coastal campus.
Eduroam provides a list of current U.S. participants and international participants.
Glossary
Portal Apps
In addition to the apps already mentioned, you will have access to the following important applications through your portal:
- Coastal Careerlink: Coastal Careerlink is Coastal Georgia's one-stop-shop for all things career related. Students can browse through and apply for hundreds of full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities, research employer profiles, create resumes and cover letters using the Resume Builder, practice interview skills with the interactive online Mock Interview Module, and create an online portfolio showcasing their educational and professional talents - all in one powerful tool.
- Course Evaluations: Every semester, students have the opportunity to evaluate their courses via SmartEvals. This system provides an anonymous evaluation survey which will provide feedback to faculty about their courses. Prior to final exams, students will be notified by email and encouraged to complete their course evaluations. Students may complete the evaluations by following the links in the notification emails or by accessing the Course Evaluation application in the portal.
- Everfi: New Coastal students are required to complete AlcoholEdu, Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates (SAPU), and/or Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduates (SAPG) by Ever-Fi. These interactive web courses are designed to empower students to make healthier decisions related to alcohol and other drugs, and prepares students to recognize and respond to sexual assault.
- Focus2: Focus2 guides students through reliable assessments including work interests, personality, skills, values, and leisure activities, and matches results with Coastal majors and future career options including salary, growth projections, and working conditions to help students make a purposeful choice in their majors and careers.
- Health Center: The Student Health Center portal allows students to schedule medical appointments and upload immunization records.
- Qualtrics: Qualtrics is a powerful cloud-based survey tool for building and distributing surveys and analyzing responses. Student use is limited to coursework/research under the supervision of a faculty member, or student activities under the supervision of the Student Life staff.
- Scholarship Applications: More than 85 percent of the students who attend Coastal Georgia receive some type of financial aid. This aid is funded through federal, state, outside scholarships, and institutional scholarship funds. This app allows students to complete one online application per academic year. After the application is submitted, students are automatically matched with scholarships for which they qualify.
- Student Housing: The Student Housing Portal is the central location for students to apply to live in the residence halls. In addition, current students living in the residence halls can submit maintenance requests through this portal.
- Transcript Plus: This application is used to order copies of your official transcript to be sent to other schools or agencies. Electronic transcripts will be processed normally within 30 minutes of your completed order. 24/7.
Visit the portal to learn more.