Illinois Tech is undertaking a major revision to how Blackboard is hosted and managed. We expect that starting with the spring 2017 semester, you should see improved performance. In addition, this initiative will allow us in the future to take greater advantage of new features as they become available.

This revision is a major undertaking, and completing the final steps in this work involve making Blackboard temporarily unavailable to users. The Blackboard system will be down from January 2 through Sunday, January 8.

Blackboard will be available before the start of classes on Monday, January 9, and we will try to make it available earlier if possible.

During the blackout window of January 2-8, you will not be able to interact with any content/data in Blackboard, nor will the Support Desk, other parts of the Office of Technology Services, IIT Online, etc. be available.

However, until the system is taken down:

• Faculty can work on spring 2017 courses and all work will be migrated over to the new system.
• Students, as always, have access approximately three weeks before the start of the semester to the courses in which they are enrolled. If instructors have made content available, students will be able to view those materials before the blackout window.

If you have questions, please contact the Illinois Tech Support Desk at 312.567.3375. Please keep in mind that university offices, including IIT Online and the Support Desk, will be closed from Monday, December 26 through Monday, January 2.

We apologize for the inconvenience and fully understand that any disruption is undesirable. We sincerely believe that the decision to complete the migration at this time is the best of all available options.

Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.