Welcome to the Western [Carolina University] Information Network, or 'WIN'. This new, state-of-the-art information retrieval network is available to all students, faculty, and staff at Western Carolina University. A major consideration in WIN's design is ease-of-use.

As a WIN user, you must identify or authenticate yourself by providing an ID number, a PIN, and a Status (see below). Once authenticated, you simply point to and click on the radio button of your choice. When additional information is required, a text box appears on the screen and you must type in the requested data to proceed. Once choices have been made, you then click on the nearest "Submit" button (sometimes labeled according to the function it will perform, such as "Get Personal Info").

This help screen includes several definitions and instructions to assist you. In case of problems or more advanced help, please contact the Webmaster or call the University's Computer Center Client Services at 7284 or e-mail: HELPME). Any user with suggestions regarding available options, should direct those suggestions to the Webmaster.

The Basics

Security
ID Number	PIN	Status
Access times	Time-out	Coming Soon!

Security - Extensive precautions have been taken to ensure that all user information data is accepted and delivered securely. To be certain of a secure connection, note the key in the bottom left corner of the Netscape browser. If it is solid, the connection is secure. To double-check, select "Document Info" from the browser's "View" menu. The resulting screen should indicate that the connection to Western's Information Network is secure. (This Document Info safeguard feature is particularly useful when accessing sites which request credit card or other private information. It insures not only a secure connection, but also that the connection is to the desired site!

Despite all the precautions taken, security holes may be present. To be certain that nobody else gains unauthorized access to your information, always close the Netscape window by choosing "Close" from the browser's "File" menu, or else exit the browser altogether.

Also, you must guard your individual PIN: never allow others to use your PIN, look over your shoulder as you work, or check personal information for you.

Any user who forgets a PIN, you must come by the University Computer Center's Client Service window, in the basement of Forsyth Building, to have it reset. Be sure to have your WCU Identification Card!

ID Number - For students, this is your student identification number. For faculty and staff, this number is your payroll identification number. Other options will be online soon.

PIN - Initially, your 4-digit PIN (Personal Identification Number) will be set to your birth month and year. For example, if you were born in January 1970, your PIN would be 0170. Similarly, if you were born in December of that year, your PIN would be 1270. The first time you access WIN, you will be required to change your PIN number by entering it twice: first enter your desired new number then enter the same number again, to verify that you made no typographical errors. Afterwards, you may change it at any time by using the 'Change PIN' option on your menu screen. Be sure to select a 4-digit number that your can remember without writing it down. The last four digits of your telephone number is NOT an good PIN.

Status - Select the status that most closely suits you. If you are both a student and a member of the staff or faculty, choose the status corresponding to the information you will be checking or accessing .

Access times - WIN will remain available 24 hours per day, except for those short periods when it is necessary to take one or more systems offline for daily maintenance. For example, SIS, the Student Information System, through which students gain access to their records, is taken offline each evening between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. WIN will be unavailable to students during this time (and sometimes longer, depending on the amount of time needed to perform the maintenance tasks). Similar evening-hour downtimes are scheduled for the Personnel Management System (PMS) database as well as the Financial Records System (FRS). If a user tries to access any of the systems while they are down, a message indicating that "the system is not available at this time (please try again)" will appear.

Time-out - WIN has a number of time-out procedures to ensure secure data access. The opening screen, where you provide your ID, PIN, and Status, is set to time-out after two minutes. After two minutes have passed since the page was loaded, it will be reloaded and any data typed will be cleared. Please proceed quickly to the "Request Access" button. Once you have been authenticated, you will have five minutes to make your information-retrieval requests. After those five minutes have passed, you will be returned to the initial screen (https://cowee.wcu.edu/win) to re-enter your ID, PIN, and Status, for re-authentication.

Coming Soon! - Some options may not be available at the current time. If you see the "Coming Soon!" banner, please be patient. The Computer Center Staff is working as quickly as we can on this project!