This is a general knowledge base article meant to help orient new employees and current employees by providing you with a broad overview of all major Information Technology systems in use at the College.


For information on your first time login or password reset, please read our step-by-step instructions.


Software and systems that are more frequently used by full time and adjunct faculty are highlighted in a larger font in the list below.


Major IT Systems and Software for Faculty and Staff:

  • Adobe Creative Suite
    • The full suite of Adobe software including PhotoShop is available in specific classrooms for student use. Currently TEDC 106 and HEND 124
    • All employee computers should have Adobe Acrobat DC Reader software already installed. This allows you to view PDF files.
    • A purchase is required to be able to edit Adobe PDF files. If an employee needs to edit PDF files, please contact your supervisor / budget manager to supply funding to purchase the software.
  • Apple Mac Computers
    • The College maintains one dedicated computer lab that uses Apple Macintosh computers. This computer lab is primarily used by Film and Video students.
    • Although we support Apple computers, the preferred computer platform for employees is PC / Microsoft Windows

  • Aviso / Watermark Student Success Platform (Website) 

    • [Multi-factor authentication required]

    • This is an online platform that is used for early academic alerting to advisors and student services. It is also used to assist with advising.
    • This platform is also used to establish and schedule faculty office hours
    • All faculty are expected to use this platform to maintain their office hour schedule

  • Aviso / Watermark App (smartphone app) 

    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This app is optional and can be used by students to connect to the Student Success Platform from their Apple or Android smartphone
  • Blue Ridge Alert (RAVE Mobile Safety)
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This is the College's text message platform.
    • This platform is used for emergency or other urgent communications such as threats on campus or unplanned school closings
    • It is the responsibility of each employee and student to ensure they are signed up to receive Blue Ridge Alerts
  • Blue Ridge View
    • This is the name of the digital signage system that displays information on TV screens in public spaces at each campus location

  • Collaborate (aka BlackBoard Collaborate)

    • Collaborate is a full featured online video platform. This platform is tightly integrated with our MyCourses LMS and it is currently the primary online video platform used for online classes
    • This platform supports recording online class sessions as well as additional features such as interactive content
    • This platform does not currently support real time, automated closed captioning for the hearing impaired
    • Zoom is an alternative platform
  • Colleague UI (Colleague User Interface) [formerly referred to as Datatel]
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This is the College's primary student information system. It handles all official academic records and financial accounting for the college.
    • This system is primarily used by staff although some full time faculty access it as well
  • Confluence - https://policies.blueridge.edu
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This is an online collaboration system that hosts our Policies and Procedures manual
    • This system is publicly accessible over the Internet
    • Select staff and faculty have the ability to propose policy changes through a formal process run through the College's President's Council
  • DeepFreeze - Classroom Computer Security Software
    • All computers in classrooms and other public spaces use the DeepFreeze software to ensure these computers adhere to the software configuration template(s) applied by the IT department
    • *Any files saved to or other changes made to any student or instructor computer in any classrooms will be automatically removed when the computer is restarted* 
  • Distance Learning Classrooms - (aka ITV - Integrated Televideo Classrooms)
    • The College operates several classrooms that have technology that 'connects' classrooms using full video conferencing platform
    • These Distance Learning Classrooms are often heavily used and therefore must be scheduled and reserved in advanced
    • These rooms allow instructors to 'join' classrooms from across our campus locations - for example an instructor can host a class in a room at HCC and broadcast that to a room at TCC or HSC
    • In addition, students can also use Zoom to join these distance learning (aka ITV) class sessions from their home or other location
    • Distance Learning Classrooms:
      • Sink 117
      • TEDC 205
      • TEDC 202
      • HSCB 3003
      • HSCB 2003
      • TRCS 110
      • TRCS 142
      • TRCT 211
  • Adobe Sign (aka Adobe EchoSign)
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This is the College's electronic digital signature platform. 
    • This system is used to digitally sign documents that would otherwise require a handwritten signature on a printed page

  • Email - Gmail - Employees are assigned an @blueridge.edu email address, students are assigned an @webmail.blueridge.edu address

    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • The College currently uses the Google Workspace for Education platform as our email, calendar and online drive platform
    • Most supervisors expect employees keep their Google calendar up-to-date to facilitate scheduling meetings and events
  • eProcurement - NC eProcurement
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • The College is required to use the North Carolina eProcurement system to process all purchase requisitions and purchase orders
    • This system is primarily used by employees with purchasing authority, budget managers and our accounting department
    • In general, purchases over $250 are required to be processed through the NC eProcurement system
  • Examplify
    • This is online exam / proctoring software used by the Nursing Program
  • Fire Engine Red (Transitioning to Element451)
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This is a new customer relationship management platform that is used by Student Services to organize and maintain contact with current, former, and prospective students
  • FreshService - IT Help Desk Platform
    • The IT department uses the FreshService online IT support platform to organize and track all IT support requests
    • This system has an extensive Knowledge Base providing How To information for nearly all Technologies in use at the College
    • All employees should submit IT requests through the FreshService system or by sending an email to helpdesk@blueridge.edu
  • Inceptia Verification Gateway
    • This is a specific online platform that is used to assist with processing of student financial aid applications

  • The Insider - SharePoint Online

    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • Many employees make "The Insider" (https://insider.blueridge.edu) their home page so they can keep up to date on the President's Corner and other important College news
    • This is our employee intranet site. Important news and announcements such as President's Corner are published to this site
    • The Insider also features a "Useful Links" button along the horizontal navigation menu that brings to you many of our frequently used systems and information pages
    • This also is the home for many common online forms as well as the home pages for internal departments such as Business Office and General Administration
  • IntelliBoard - Built into MyCourses
    • IntelliBoard is a comprehensive statistics and reporting platform that is integrated into our Learning Management System, MyCourses. 
  • JAWS - Screen Reader Software for the Visually Impaired
    • The College maintains a license for the JAWS screen reader software
    • Requests to use the JAWS software for students should be made through the Disability Services department
    • Requests to use the JAWS software for employees should be made through the Human Resources department

  • Maxient - Online Student Conduct Platform

  • Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Education and Microsoft Imagine Academy
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This refers to a set of online resources available to students in our Information Technology programs.
    • Students enrolled in our Information Technology programs have access to a wide variety of Microsoft software and documentation including Windows, SQL Database server, Visual Studio and more
  • Microsoft Home Use Program - Microsoft Office 365 - Microsoft OneDrive
    • All current students and all current employees have access to the Microsoft Office 365 platform. This includes browser-based versions of Microsoft Office software such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint
    • Employees and students are also able to install a full copy of Microsoft Office Professional onto 1 personal device
    • Access to Microsoft Office 365 is removed upon student graduation or employee separation
    • It is the responsibility of the user to ensure documents saved to Microsoft OneDrive are backed up / downloaded prior to separation

  • MyBlueRidge - Student Advising and Registration system

    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This system is used by all students to register and pay for classes. It is also used to plan the students academic progression by planning courses required to complete their degree
    • This system is used by all faculty to record attendance and final course grades.
    • This system is also used by all advisors to help ensure students are taking the correct courses to complete their degree  

  • MyCourses - Our Online Learning Management Platform

  • NeoEd
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • The College uses the NeoEd (aka NeoGov) platform to process employment applications as well as for new employee onboarding
  • Panic Alert (LynxGuide)
    • All BRCC computers have panic alert software installed. This software allows an employee to overtly or covertly send a distress call to campus police if they feel threated or need to report an urgent safety or security issue. This system does NOT replace 9-1-1. Employees should contact 9-1-1 for all emergencies.
  • Papercut - Print Management Software
    • The College uses the Papercut Print Management platform to facilitate and track all printing activity from employees and students. This platform helps the college control costs and reduce our environmental footprint.
    • Students can use the mobility print feature to easily print documents from their personal computer, tablet or smartphone
    • Employee print jobs are charged to their department's printing budget
    • Curriculum students receive a credit that allows them to print up to 100 printed pages per semester for no additional cost.
    • If students go beyond their initial printing allocation, they can pay for additional prints at either the HCC or TCC library or at the print shop located in the Killian building
  • PearsonVUE
    • The College has two dedicated testing centers. One testing center is located in the Sink building on HCC and the other is located in the Straus building at TCC
    • The PearsonVUE testing platform is used to administer specialized exams including the NC High School Equivalency Diploma and others
  • Respondus
    • This is an online exam proctoring platform that can be used by faculty for high stakes testing. 
    • This platform requires students install software onto their computer that monitors their computer activity as well as activity in the room as they are taking an exam. 
    • Students can remove the software once they have completed their exam(s).
    • Faculty can contact our Teaching & Learning group to learn more and request use of the software to proctor an exam

  • SharePoint (2010)

    • This is the older version of our employee Intranet. It no longer contains current news but it does still house several common forms include staff leave requests and timesheets. 
  • SkillSets Online
    • This is an online technology training platform that features high quality training videos on a variety of technology topics including Microsoft Office, and various technologies used by Information Technology professionals.
    • This platform can be used by any employee wishing to improve their skills with common software such as Microsoft Excel
    • This platform is also used by students in the Information Technology program to supplement textbook material 
  • SmartBoard TV's - Interactive TouchScreen TV's in Classrooms
    • The College is in the process of standardizing technology used in many classrooms. As part of this process we are transitioning most classrooms from older projector or TV technology to interactive touch screen TV's.
    • All classrooms in the Patton building use the SmartBoard brand TV's
    • Here is a quick guide to using these TV's in the classroom
  • SoftDocs - Document Management Platform
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • The College uses the SoftDocs platform to digitize a wide variety of paper forms. 
    • This system is primarily used by the Registrar, Financial Aid, and Human Resources departments to maintain electronic copies of records including official transcripts from other schools
  • ThinkingStorm - Online Tutoring Platform
  • TurnItIn - Online plagiarism detecting platform
    • [Multi-factor authentication required]
    • This platform can be used by any faculty member to screen any written assignment submissions by students. The system is tightly integrated into our MyCourses LMS and it is easy to use.
    • You can contact our Teaching and Learning staff or our TCC Faculty Chair, Ben Hardy to learn more about using this platform

  • Zoom - Video Conferencing Software

    • Many faculty and staff members use the Zoom online collaboration platform to host meetings or online class sessions
    • This is an alternative to the BlackBoard Collaborate video platform for online instruction
    • The Zoom platform can provide real time automated closed captioning to assist hearing impaired students
    • Although it is free to use the Zoom platform for video sessions lasting up to 45 minutes, a paid license is required for full capabilities and unlimited video sessions
    • The IT department can allocate a license to an employee upon request. In order to assign a license, the IT department will need to be provided with a budget code to charge the license cost. 
    • The annual cost for a Zoom license is approximately $50 per year
  • ZoomText - Screen Magnification Software
    • The college maintains a limited number of licenses for ZoomText software. This software will magnify any text or images on the computer screen.
    • This software is used by visually impaired persons and can be requested through our Disability Services or HR departments