Information Technology Services
West Liberty University IT provides secure, reliable, and accessible technology services for students, faculty, and staff, helping you connect, collaborate, and succeed.
Welcome to
Information Technology Services
Our mission is to provide superior technology services and thought leadership across the University. From WiFi access to device security, single sign-on, and Microsoft Teams support, IT Services ensures you have the tools to thrive academically and professionally.
Information Technology
Help Desk
Your first stop for technical support at West Liberty University.
The IT Help Desk supports students, faculty, and staff with technology-related issues. Whether you need help with hardware, software, or campus technology, our team is here to assist. Support is available for Windows and Mac computers, along with common software such as the Microsoft Office Suite. Assistance is offered through online support tickets, phone support, or in person.
Location
Main Hall, B39 (East Wing)
208 University Drive
West Liberty, WV 26074
Contact Options
- Submit a support ticket online
- Call 304-336-8886
- Visit us in person during business hours
Technology
Guides
Step-by-step guides to help you use campus technology. Includes network instructions, device encryption, and more.
Campus Wireless Network
West Liberty University provides wireless connectivity across campus and in many outdoor areas to staff, faculty, students, and guests. The wireless network SSID for staff, faculty, and students is WLU-WiFi. This network is encrypted and password protected. Please note that your username is your email address without the @westliberty.edu. Your password will be emailed to your westliberty.edu email address before the start of each semester. WLU-Guest is an open network for visitor’s, contractor’s, and vendor’s and does not require a password.
Smart Devices
Faculty and staff may register smart devices such as Apple TVs, smart TVs, Airtames, etc for use on the wireless network. Please create a support ticket at https://westliberty.edu/helpdesk with the following information.
- Locate the wireless MAC (Media Access Control) address for your device
- Once IT Services has registered the device, join the WLU-Guest network
Connecting to Wireless
Most devices connect by choosing WLU-WiFi or WLU-Guest. However, if you are unable to connect, please see instructions below. If after following the instructions below you are still unable to connect, please stop by IT Services with your device for assistance.
This web page guide will inform you on the process of setting up BitLocker encryption on your removable USB storage. University policy now requires all staff and faculty to utilize BitLocker to ensure our campus’ data security. An errant USB drive being left on or off campus unattended can mean vital data could be lost or stolen. With BitLocker on Windows 11 devices, utilizing encrypted drives is a fairly seamless task.
Note: If you have a device larger than 50GB, it may take a considerable amount of time to encrypt. Contact IT if you have this scenario.
Steps To Encrypt
- To Begin, plug in the USB device you would like to use.
- Once plugged in, a window will appear asking to encrypt the new device. Select Encrypt.
- BitLocker will then ask you for a password for the device. Password security is important, but there is no complexity requirement here. We recommend at least 8 characters.
- Once you have created a password, you will need to Save your Recovery Key. The Recovery Key is a vital part of encrypting your drive. Should something ever go wrong, or you forget your password, the Recovery Key is the only way to get back into your device.
With BitLocker on a University provided machine, you are not allowed to simply save the Key to a file. The next few steps will assist in saving this key for Safekeeping.
- The way we must save our Recovery Key requires printing it. But we do not want to create a paper copy that can easily be lost. In the print pop up menu that appears after clicking “Print the recovery key” We want to find and select the “Adobe PDF” selection.
- After selecting “Adobe PDF” the window will change to a File Explorer window. Select a location to save the recovery key file to and give it a name.
If saved correctly, the file should look something like this:
- Once you have saved the Recovery Key we can move on in the process.
We now need to select an encryption type. Select “Compatible Mode”
Once Selected you can tell BitLocker to start encrypting.
- Once the device has begun encryption do not remove the device, do not shut down your computer. The progress bar may freeze at around 99.9% completion. If this happens, click pause, wait a moment, then click resume. The encryption should only take a few minutes depending on the device.
Note: If you have a device larger than 1TB, it may take a considerable amount of time to encrypt. Contact IT if you have this scenario.
- Once the drive is encrypted it is ready for use! It will appear in your File Explorer with a lock icon, ready to have files dropped on it.
Upon removing and reattaching the encrypted device to your machine, it will throw up an error message saying it is not accessible. This is the encryption at work! To access the drive, you must enter the password into the BitLocker input box that appears in the upper right hand corner of your screen.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact IT for assistance.
We can be reached via email at: helpdesk@westliberty.edu or by our ticket system located at: IT Helpdesk
Hi there, this guide will show you:
- Where to find the HelloID portal
- How to Sign in
- How to enroll in Multifactor Authentication
- How to use the HelloID portal to its full potential.
To begin, navigate to the top of westliberty.edu and find the top gray bar. Go through the list of links until you find the GO WLU link. Here is a direct link to GO WLU: https://westliberty.edu/go-wlu/
Once on the GO WLU page you’ll see the large box and link to HelloID, our SingleSignOn portal. Clicking this link and proceeding will take you to a landing page. For this guide click on the button labeled “AD – campus.westliberty.edu”. After doing so you will be greeted by a login page.
This login page is tied to our SingleSignOn service, your login credentials for this site are tied to various other web services we have at West Liberty. One notable service is WINS9, which uses the same credentials.
If you ever have trouble logging in, feel free to get in touch with IT by leaving us a ticket, emailing, or calling us. We’ll get back to you as quick as we can.
After logging in for the first time, HelloID will ask you to change your password to something new and secure. Our minimum password requirements are:
- The password must be at least 12 characters
- Include in the password:
- One uppercase letter
- One lowercase letter
- One number
- and one symbol.
- Must not include your name or your birthday
Once you change your password you will be asked to enroll in Multifactor Authentication.
Multifactor Authentication Setup
WLU is now requiring users enroll in Multifactor Authentication This section of the guide will walk you through the steps of enrolling in MFA for the HelloID SSO Portal.
WLU IT has released a walkthrough video showcasing the steps for enrolling in MFA for the SSO Portal:
- Once MFA is required you will be
prompted with a notification requiring you to enroll in MFA before proceeding. - You have two options to choose from
to enroll in MFA: using phone-app based authentication, or authenticating via
your WLU email address.
MFA with Email
To enroll in email MFA, provide the portal with your WLU email address.
After providing your email address, HelloID will send an email with a code to your inbox. Enter the code within the email to authenticate.
Once you enroll in either email authentication or phone based authentication, you can take the time to also enroll in another form of MFA.
MFA with Authentication App
To enroll in Multifactor Authentication with your phone, you will first need to install an authentication app. This authentication can be handled by the HelloID SSO app, but other Authentication Apps such as Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator work as well.
Once you do so, scan the QR code on the page to add HelloID to your list of Multifactor enabled applications.
After adding the HelloID portal to your list of apps, Enter a label for your connected device (EG. My iPhone, My Android) and enter the current code for HelloID.
Multifactor Settings
If you ever need to change your MFA settings or would like to enroll in HelloID Multifactor authentication ahead of time, you can go to your security settings for your account.
Once signed into HelloID SSO, click on your profile icon in the upper right of your screen. From there you can navigate to security.
On this page you will see the current MFA methods you are currently enrolled in. If necessary, you can also remove MFA methods via this page. Note: removing all your MFA methods will require you to re-enroll upon your next login.
Signing in with MFA
After getting enrolled in MFA you will be prompted to authenticate with one of your enrolled methods. Enter the relevant code from your authenticator app or your email and you will be signed into HelloID SSO.
Single Sign On Home Page & Microsoft Password Reset
Once past enrolling in MFA, you’ll be greeted by a whole host of icons and links to follow through. Each of these links lead to a service that is a part of West Liberty.
Before navigating with these links, we have 2 more pieces of setup. At the top of the page is a link labeled “Password Reset”. This link will take you to the Microsoft Online Password Reset portal. As a first time user of HelloID, we want to click on the link to Microsoft OneDrive. After logging into Microsoft Office, we will be prompted to enroll in Microsoft MFA. Once we’ve done this we will have the ability to change our password if we’ve forgotten it, or just wish to change it.
To begin enrolling in Microsoft MFA, sign in with your full WLU Email address and password that you used to sign into HelloID with. Once you do you’ll be asked to enroll in Microsoft MFA. After going through this process, you’ll have completed enrollment. You don’t need to sign into HelloID to access the Microsoft Password reset portal, so if you ever need a password reset, you can navigate to the portal.
After signing into your MS Office account you’ll be asked to enroll in Mircrosoft MFA.
First you’ll need to install the Microsoft Authenticator app on your Mobile device. Once doing so you’ll want to go through the steps to scan the QR code to add your WLU Microsoft account to the authenticator.
After adding the WLU account, click next to be prompted to enter a code on the authenticator app. After doing so you’ll be all set!
Alternatively, you can enroll in Microsoft MFA using your Phone number. You can receive a code for MFA via text with this method. Simply provide your number and the portal will send a code.
Now that we have that configured, it’s the end of the tutorial. When you need to reset your password you can goto the Microsoft Online Password Reset Portal.
If you have any further questions about signing into HelloID or about how to use the Microsoft Password Reset portal, feel free to send us a ticket at westliberty.edu/helpdesk or email us at helpdesk@westliberty.edu.
To help protect your personal information and our institutional data, West Liberty University requires users to follow the password requirements outlined below. These standards are designed to enhance security and align with industry best practices.
Password Requirements
When creating or updating your password, it must meet the following criteria:
- Minimum of 12 characters
- Include at least one uppercase letter (A–Z)
- Include at least one lowercase letter (a–z)
- Include at least one number (0–9)
- Include at least one special character, such as: ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + – =
- Must not match any of your previous passwords
- Must not include any part of your name
Best Practices
We also recommend the following tips to keep your account secure:
- Avoid using common or easily guessed information like:
- Names (yours or family members’)
- Birthdays or anniversaries
- Dictionary words or repeated patterns (e.g., “password123” or “abcABC123!”)
- Consider using a passphrase—a longer, memorable combination of unrelated words (e.g., P@$$wOrd1sStR0ng!)
Need Help?
If you have any questions or run into any issues when creating or updating your password, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
? Submit a help desk ticket at: westliberty.edu/helpdesk
We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our systems secure!
This guide will walk you through the step to sign into WINS 9.
- To start, navigate to the West Liberty GO WLU page. From the main webpage it can be found at the top of the page in the gray bar. GO WLU can also be accessed by going directly to
https://westliberty.edu/go-wlu/
- Once on the GO WLU page, navigate to the link to the WLU SingleSignOn portal. To login to WINS9 you’ll need to sign in through the SSO portal.
If you are having difficulty with signing in please check our HelloID SSO guide: https://westliberty.edu/it/helloid-sso-guide/
Once inside the SSO portal you’ll want to navigate to the WINS link located among the list of apps. The link should look like the following image.
- Now that you’re on the WINS 9 login page, you’ll need to use your SSO credentials. Your SSO credentials are as follows: Your username for SSO services is the beginning part of your email address.
3a. Example: A student with the email: examplestudent@westliberty.edu would have a username of “examplestudent”.
3b. Your password for your WINS login is the same as your SSO password.
- Once you enter those credentials you will be inside WINS 9.
A few tips and tricks to help you attempt to sign in for the first time:
- If you have repeated difficulty signing into WINS, try signing into Hello ID SSO to confirm that your credentials are working.
- Close out all your browser tabs and try logging in from the beginning of SSO.
- Clear your cache and cookies with the selection of “All of Time.”
- Try another browser or an incognito Window.
- Try another device like a laptop.
If you have trouble signing into WINS9, feel free to send us a ticket at westliberty.edu/helpdesk or email us at helpdesk@westliberty.edu. Please make sure to include your student ID number when reaching out.
Collaboration &
Communication Tools
Access the platforms that support communication, collaboration, and productivity at West Liberty University.
Welcome to the West Liberty University Microsoft Teams Help Center.
This page is designed to support students, faculty, and staff in navigating Microsoft Teams. Whether you’re new to Teams or looking to expand your knowledge, you’ll find answers to frequently asked questions and step-by-step guides on how to use key features, schedule meetings, collaborate on files, and more. Our goal is to help you make the most of Teams for communication, learning, and collaboration.
Getting Started with Microsoft Teams
Specific Guides for MS Teams:
- How to Access Microsoft Teams for Students
- How to Access Microsoft Teams for Employees
- How to Schedule a Microsoft Teams Meeting Using Google Calendar
- Zoom vs Microsoft Teams Comparison
Video Guides on MS Teams:
FAQs
Q: Why is West Liberty University making Microsoft Teams our primary platform for meetings and teamwork?
A: To streamline communication, enhance collaboration, and take advantage of its integration with Microsoft 365 tools as well as improved security.
A: You can access Teams through the web at https://teams.microsoft.com, or by accessing the Teams app on your desktop or mobile app. Sign in using your West Liberty University email and password.
FOR STUDENTS:
Q: How do I join a Teams meeting for class?
A: Meeting links may be shared by your instructor via email, Canvas, or calendar invites. Click the link and choose to open the meeting in your browser or the Teams app. See guide above.
Q: Do I need to install anything to use Teams?
A: No, Teams can be used in a web browser. However, we recommend installing the app for the best experience.
Q: Where can I find chat messages or files shared during class?
A: All chats, files, and recordings are stored within the Teams app under the appropriate Team or Chat tab.
FOR FACULTY AND STAFF:
Q: How do I schedule a meeting in Microsoft Teams?
A: You can schedule your meeting through the Google Calendar add-on. See guide above.
Q: Can I record Teams meetings like I did in Zoom?
A: Yes. You can start a recording during any Teams meeting. The recording will be saved in OneDrive and can be shared with students afterward.
Q: Can I use breakout rooms in Teams?
A: Yes. Teams supports breakout rooms, allowing you to split your class into smaller groups during a meeting.
Q: How do I create a Team for my class or department?
A: Submit a request through the IT Help Desk at https://westliberty.edu/helpdesk and we will assist you in setting it up.
Technology
Governance
Policies and practices that guide how information and technology are used across the university.
IT
Staff
Meet the team ready to support your technology needs.
- Becky McCullough – IT Director | becky.mccullough@westliberty.edu | Main Hall B39-A
- Phil Kent – Manager Technology | pkent@westliberty.edu | Main Hall B39
- Izzy Bennett – IT Consultant | Izzy.Bennett@westliberty.edu | Main Hall B39
- Matt Delfine – IT Consultant | matt.delfine@westliberty.edu | Main Hall B39
- Bob Wise – IT Systems Administrator | Wisers@westliberty.edu |
Become A
Hilltopper
West Liberty University is a place where you can pursue your dreams and prepare for the future. With more than 60 programs, a vibrant campus life, small classes, and an affordable cost, the quality education you’ll get at West Liberty is like no other.