Technology Roadmap for Students – Getting Started

We are so excited that you have decided to join the Mariner family! As you prepare to begin your time with the College of Coastal Georgia, you will undoubtedly have lots of questions. At the same time, you will have tons of information passed along while you try to acclimate to college life. In an effort to give you a resource that you can come back to without having to remember every detail, the Technology Services Department has put together a step-by-step guide to help you be successful. As technology and situations change, this roadmap will be updated appropriately.

Things you can do before you arrive:

Access the Portal

The portal is the main gateway to most applications and resources for students, faculty, and staff. At the College of Coastal Georgia, your student ID is the username you use to log in to most applications, including the portal.

As a new student, your default password is CCGammddyy, (the “mmddyy” represents the numbers of your 6-digit birthday).

In addition to your password, you will need to set up multi-factor authentication. Passwords are increasingly easy to compromise. They can often be stolen, guessed, or hacked. You might not even know someone is accessing your account. Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security to your online accounts. Verifying your identity using a second factor (like your phone or one-time password token) prevents anyone but you from logging in, even if they know your password.

To Do:
Email

At Coastal, your student email is the official means of communication. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you have access to it and that you review it daily.

Learn more about your email at Coastal.

To Do:
  • Log in to your email via the portal.
  • Suggestion/Optional: Add your Coastal email to your phone.
The Mariner Mobile App

The College of Coastal Georgia mobile app is a great tool to stay connected. Download the app and see campus wall, students nearby, campus maps, social scheduling, courses, campus events, and more.

To Do:

Download the mobile app by searching “CCGA” in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store and following your device’s instructions for installation.

COAST/Banner Applications

COAST is a web service that gives you direct access to your student records. It not only provides you with information; it also allows you to perform actions such as registering for classes or making a payment on your account. COAST is one of the applications accessible from the portal.

More information about COAST.

To Do:

Visit COAST by going to the portal and clicking on the COAST application.

Helpdesk

The Helpdesk is the place to go if you are having issues or if you have questions related to technology. Contact the Technology Services Helpdesk at support@ccga.edu, or by phone at 912-279-5760. You can also visit the office on the second floor of the Andrews Building, located on the Brunswick campus.

Things you should do after you enroll in courses:

Commit2Coastal

In order to help the College prepare for your arrival, you are required to complete the Commit2Coastal Enrollment Confirmation process each term you plan to enroll. The process is easy and only takes a few minutes.

To Do:

Complete the Commit2Coastal enrollment confirmation process.

This is a very important part of your enrollment process here at the College. Failure to complete this process by the due date will result in the cancellation of your scheduled classes and housing reservation, and will impact the awarding of your scholarships and financial aid.

For questions, please contact the Coastal Georgia Call Center at 912.279.5700.

Learn more about the Commit2Coastal process.

Student Forms

At Coastal Georgia, you will be able to request a change of major, submit your graduation application, and submit other important requests in areas like registration, financial aid, and others, through electronic forms. To see all available forms, go to the portal and click on the “Student Forms” tab.

DegreeWorks

DegreeWorks is a web tool that provides real-time advice for students and their advisors to monitor the student’s progress towards graduation.

The program includes the degree requirements, such as core courses and program courses that are needed for your major by areas. Your worksheet will automatically default to your official major, but you can change the worksheet by selecting “what-if.” Class and major information is updated every 24 hours, so it will take a day to see how newly-scheduled classes appear in your worksheet.

To Do:

Visit DegreeWorks by going to the portal and clicking on the “DegreeWorks” app.

Coastal 2 Career

How does your major align with your future goals? Do you know what skills you will need to build in college to succeed in your future dream job?

These questions (and more!) can be answered through your free access to the COASTAL 2 CAREER platform, your career exploration tool. As you start your college journey, build a realistic game plan to support and target your educational and career goals.

To Do:

Visit Coastal 2 Career by going to the portal and clicking on the “Coastal 2 Career” app. Click the “College of Coastal Georgia Sign On” button. Update your profile, interests, and career/educational goals, and start exploring.

Minimum Recommended Equipment

PC

  • Windows 10
  • Processor: 2.0 GHz or faster; at least 2-core
  • Memory: Minimum 4GB RAM, 8GB RAM recommended
  • Hard Drive: 128GB HDD, but SSD is best
  • Browsers: Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Firefox (we recommend Chrome).

MAC

  • macOS Catalina or greater
  • Processor: 2.0 GHz or faster; at least 2-core
  • Memory: Minimum 4GB RAM, 8GB RAM recommended
  • Hard Drive: 128GB HDD, but SSD is best
  • Browsers: Latest version of Safari, Google Chrome, or Firefox (we recommend Chrome).

We HIGHLY discourage the purchase of Chromebooks, stream books, and netbooks due to the inability to download programs required for most classes.

If you do not have a personal device that meets these specifications, you can borrow one from Technology Services. Laptops are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To borrow a laptop from Technology Services, please submit a request from the portal under Student Forms, Technology Forms.

USG Technology Store

The USG Technology store offers the University System of Georgia’s faculty, staff, and students affordable, brand-name software and services for their work or personal computers. Visit the store.

Things you can do after classes start:

One Drive

Microsoft OneDrive is a storage solution to easily save and share your files. OneDrive is available for all currently enrolled students, and it is accessible anywhere, on any device that has internet access. There are three ways you can access it:

  1. Through your portal. Just click on the OneDrive app.
  2. Through Office.com. Sign in with your student email.
  3. Download the OneDrive App: Go to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to download the OneDrive app on any of your personal devices.
Microsoft Office

As a College of Coastal Georgia student, you have access to download Microsoft Office on up to five devices.

RECOMMENDATION: Follow the directions to download Microsoft Office on your personal device.

Office 365

Office 365 is the web-based version of the Microsoft Office suite accessed through a web browser. To access Office 365 applications such as Word, Excel, etc., go to your Office 365 email from the portal, and click on the top left corner. You will see a list of available applications.

Brightspace (D2L)

Brightspace (D2L) is the learning management system for all courses at the College. Your courses will open automatically on the first day of classes.

To Do:

Once you get into your course, you should visit Brightspace by going to the portal and clicking on the D2L app.

  • Read the syllabus. Pay attention to the instructor’s name and contact information, textbooks, grades, and major assignments.
  • Take a look at the course calendar and mark any important dates in your phone or your personal calendar. You can access from either the course homepage or by clicking on “Content.”
  • Look for additional instructions from your instructor in the form of either an email, discussion posting, or item in the content area, and get started.

For help with D2L, email elearning@ccga.edu. Be sure to include your 9200 number and the CRN of the class in question. You can also call 912-279-4543, M-F from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Leave a message and someone will return your call. You can chat with a D2L Helpdesk employee. Live chat assistance is a new service and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Collaboration

Video Conferencing solutions, such as Collaborate Ultra and Microsoft Teams, are used across campus.

Collaborate Ultra is used in many online courses for synchronous class sessions, as well as the ATTIC, Supplemental Instructors, and the Writing Center for online tutoring support.

Microsoft Teams is used by some faculty for office hours, and some student life events. It is a cloud-based team collaboration software that is part of the Office 365 suite of applications. The core capabilities in Microsoft Teams include business messaging, calling, video meetings, and file sharing.

To Do:

Visit the Teams page for more information.

Tutoring and Academic Support

Be proactive and take advantage of the available academic support! Stop by the Library to visit the ATTIC and the Writing Center, or visit Find a Tutor or the Writing Center online for instructions on how to connect with a tutor or a writing coach.

If you need help after hours, please visit D2L.

Things you can do once you are on campus:

WAVE – Wireless Network Access

To access the internet on campus from your personal device(s), you will connect to the Wi-Fi network, “WAVE.”

To Do:
  1. On your device, select the WAVE network for the Wi-Fi network.
  2. Enter your 920# number and password for the credentials when prompted.
  3. You may be prompted to trust a certificate when connecting for the first time.

Device specific instructions

Mariner Card (MAC)

The Mariner Access Card (MAC) is the official College of Coastal Georgia identification card, and the key to the campus. With it, you can access services, attend events, and make purchases on campus without the hassle of carrying cash. Learn more about the MAC.

Computer Labs

The College of Coastal Georgia has computer labs located on the Brunswick Campus and the Camden Center as follows:

Brunswick Campus
Camden Center
Correll Center for Teaching and Learning, Room 109 Camden Center, Room 101
Nunnally Health & Science, Room 103 Camden Center, Room 102
Library

Camden Center Library

All computer labs have printing capabilities (black and white only). The Library labs also have scanners available for students who may need them.

If you experience technical difficulties while in one of our labs, please see the lab assistant on duty, or call the Technology Services Helpdesk at 912-279-5760.

Eduroam

Eduroam is a free wireless service available at the College. It allows all Coastal students, faculty, and staff to get wireless service when visiting participating Eduroam institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

Many higher education institutions in the U.S. are Eduroam participants. Eduroam is also available at educational institutions and research facilities in more than 85 countries. It is a wireless network option available throughout most of the College with the exception of the residence halls. All Coastal students, faculty, and staff have access to Eduroam while on campus with their wireless devices.

To access Eduroam, students, faculty, and staff must use the same credentials they log in to the portal with. When your password for the portal is changed, your password to access Eduroam is also updated.

For example, a Coastal faculty member visiting the University of Georgia, which is also an Eduroam participant, could use their Coastal credentials (login@ccga.edu) to log in to UGA’s wireless network on campus. Likewise, a UGA faculty member could do the same with their credentials when they visit the Coastal campus.

Eduroam provides a list of current U.S. participants and international participants.

Tutoring and Academic Support

Be proactive and take advantage of the available academic support! Stop by the Library to visit the ATTIC and the Writing Center, or visit Find a Tutor or the Writing Center online for instructions on how to connect with a tutor or a writing coach.

If you need help after hours, please visit D2L.

Glossary

Portal Apps

In addition to the apps already mentioned, you will have access to the following important applications through your portal:

  • Coastal Careerlink: Coastal Careerlink is Coastal Georgia’s one-stop-shop for all things career related. Students can browse through and apply for hundreds of full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities, research employer profiles, create resumes and cover letters using the Resume Builder, practice interview skills with the interactive online Mock Interview Module, and create an online portfolio showcasing their educational and professional talents – all in one powerful tool.
  • Course Evaluations: Every semester, students have the opportunity to evaluate their courses via SmartEvals. This system provides an anonymous evaluation survey which will provide feedback to faculty about their courses. Prior to final exams, students will be notified by email and encouraged to complete their course evaluations. Students may complete the evaluations by following the links in the notification emails or by accessing the Course Evaluation application in the portal.
  • Vector Solutions: New Coastal students are required to complete AlcoholEdu, Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates (SAPU), and/or Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduates (SAPG) by Ever-Fi. These interactive web courses are designed to empower students to make healthier decisions related to alcohol and other drugs, and prepares students to recognize and respond to sexual assault.
  • Health Center: The Student Health Center portal allows students to schedule medical appointments and upload immunization records.
  • Mariner Success Crew: Confused? Need help? Don’t know where to start? Wish you had a HELP button? We are here for you! The Mariner Success Crew is a network of support that is Just One Click Away! To get connected, simply click on one of your crew members from Your Mariner Success Crew section in the portal. Your crew consists of COMPASS Career and Academic Advisor, a Faculty Advisor (after the Freshman year), staff from Academic Support and Tutoring, a Campus Life Advisor, and your Financial Support Advisor.
  • Qualtrics: Qualtrics is a powerful cloud-based survey tool for building and distributing surveys and analyzing responses. Student use is limited to coursework/research under the supervision of a faculty member, or student activities under the supervision of the Student Life staff.
  • Scholarship Applications: More than 85 percent of the students who attend Coastal Georgia receive some type of financial aid. This aid is funded through federal, state, outside scholarships, and institutional scholarship funds. This app allows students to complete one online application per academic year. After the application is submitted, students are automatically matched with scholarships for which they qualify.
  • Student Housing: The Student Housing Portal is the central location for students to apply to live in the residence halls. In addition, current students living in the residence halls can submit maintenance requests through this portal.
  • Transcript Plus: This application is used to order copies of your official transcript to be sent to other schools or agencies. Electronic transcripts will be processed normally within 30 minutes of your completed order. 24/7.

Visit the portal to learn more.