OIT will run winter 2006 Blackboard courses on an alternate server (http://bbss.umbc.edu) so that we can upgrade and prepare the regular Blackboard server (http://blackboard.umbc.edu) for the spring 2006 semester. The winter semester is the most convenient time to do this upgrade since there are fewer courses using Blackboard. OIT will still enroll students in your winter Bb course, and we will post an announcement in a mirror version of your winter Bb course on the regular server, that links students to the actual course on the alternate Bb server (please alert them of this change during your first winter class as well).
If you wish to use Blackboard for the winter semester, simply submit a request for a course shell by using the New Course Request Form on the Blackboard Help tab available before and after logging in to Blackboard. These courses will stay on this server throughout the winter semester and then be moved to the regular Blackboard server (http://blackboard.umbc.edu) during the Spring semester. If you have a course that is already being developed on the current server, please send an email to blackboard @umbc.edu and we will move it for you. Please include your course name and course id number in your request.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact John Fritz (fritz@umbc.edu or 5-6596) or Bob Armstrong (rarmstro@umbc.edu or 5-3885), or send email to blackboard@umbc.edu.