Before you get to campus…
Setup your Louisiana Tech user ID
Your user ID is the key you will use to access information services at Louisiana Tech. Your first step should be setting your user ID by setting a new password. To do this, you will need your campus-wide ID (CWID) and BOSS PIN. These should have been mailed to you as part of your admission information.
Setup your Louisiana Tech e-mail
Student e-mail is provided for all newly admitted students through Google G-Suite, and can be accessed at any time from https://gmail.latech.edu.
Your Louisiana Tech e-mail account is the university’s official method of contact with students. Due to FERPA regulations, there may be some information that can only be sent to your Louisiana Tech account. As a result, it is important that you ensure that your e-mail is working as soon as possible.
Recommendations for personal devices
We do not make firm recommendations regarding the brands or vendors students should use for personal purchases. Any new Windows or Mac computer with a webcam and microphone that is capable of running Microsoft Office should be sufficient for most coursework at Louisiana Tech. We do caution against purchasing Chromebooks for online coursework due to compatibility issues with Respondus Lockdown Browser, for the time being.
Please note that some academic colleges and programs have their own minimum computer requirements. Notable examples with available guidance are:
- College of Business – All Programs
- College of Engineering and Science – All Programs
- School of Design – Architecture
- School of Design – Communication Design
If you are unsure of what computer to purchase, we strongly suggest checking with your college for specifications.
When you arrive on campus…
Pick up your Tech Express card
If you haven’t already received it during orientation, make sure you pick up your Tech Express card as soon as possible when coming to campus. Your card can be required by university officials for identification for certain transactions, making it important during registration processes. It also serves as your library card, key to the exterior of residential buildings, and to make meal/declining balance purchases through Tech Express.
Cards can be picked up from the Tech Express office in the Student Center (enter from Centennial Plaza).
Setup campus WiFi
Louisiana Tech provides access to WiFi in all academic buildings with some outdoor availability and with expanding availability in on-campus housing. We provide access to three networks across campus – Eduroam, LaTechWPA2, and LaTech OpenAir. In most cases, we recommend using the Eduroam network because it provides the same security as LaTechWPA2 but allows for WiFi access at other participating institutions in the United States and abroad. We do not recommend using LaTech Open Air unless it is needed for backwards compatibility with a device that does not support WPA2 Enterprise authentication.
Setup residential WiFi
Though Louisiana Tech is working to expand campus WiFi to cover residential buildings, some buildings remain without coverage. If you live in one of these buildings, you will need to bring a wireless router and Ethernet cable to move in. To function, your router will need to be registered on our residential network. You can register your router on your own using instructions in our knowledge base, or you can bring your router to the Help Desk for assistance with registration. At the beginning of Fall quarter, the Help Desk offers dedicated router registration events in the Student Center.
Check out Canvas
Before the quarter starts, you will want to get acquainted with Canvas. Canvas is Louisiana Tech’s learning management system, and it is where instructors will conduct any online portions of their classes. Logging in early will help you get comfortable with the system for the first time, and be better prepared for when classes start. Do not be alarmed if you do not see your classes. Most student enrollments are not processed until at least noon the day before classes start. Keep calm, and your courses should appear by the start of classes. If they do not, contact the Help Desk.
Install Louisiana Tech provided software
As a Louisiana Tech student, you are provided a Microsoft 365 subscription at no cost to you. This includes entitlement to download and install Microsoft Office on up to five personal computers (Windows or Mac) and mobile devices (Android/ iOS/ iPadOS). You do not need to purchase it from a third-party or subscribe on your own. Open and login to the Microsoft 365 portal using your Tech user id and password and the click the “Install Office” link to get started. You may find our knowledge base article on Installing Office 365 Apps helpful, if you encounter trouble.
Check out campus computing resources
Information Services provides access to computer labs in the Student Center as well as access to short term and long term equipment checkout from Prescott Memorial Library. We also provide access to a campus-wide network of print stations, supported by the Student Government Association and Student Technology Fee Board, for student use.