IT Strategic Planning Work
Group
Input to the Middle States
Report and Recommendations
Input from Work Group Member #1:
My suggestions of priorities would be:
1. Increase resources for Teaching Technology – although much improvement has been made, and CETL helps as well.
2. Offering training on IT for staff and administration as well as faculty.
3. Improvements in help desk – which I think you’ve just reassigned staff to do. – Students still need lots of help in the computer labs.
4. Better
communication to the University Community regarding IT issues and policies –
and seek feedback beyond
5. Maintain currency in PC’s and software throughout campus.
6. What happened to course software replacement? Do we want to reconsider another vendor?
Input from Work Group Member #2:
From reviewing all the documents presented and based on the
progress made by the
1. Increase
the allocation of resources to teaching technologies, such as digital
projection facilities.
(This increase of allocation would be to upgrade existing digital daises. With
the Title III grant, new digital daises will be put into place.)
2. Develop
a strategy for better supporting student use of University computer labs.
(The
3. Develop a policy regarding standards of ergonomic quality for University offices.
Input from Work Group Member #3:
1.
ITWG
Recommendation 1. Increase the allocation of resources to teaching
technologies…
Classrooms equipped with:
- Quality
Projectors
- Stationary
dias
- Wireless
remotes
- Wireless
microphone
2. ITWG Recommendation 2. …increase the support for faculty/staff in the application of IT
- How can we engage individuals to utilize support that is available? Can individualized or group training be tied into yearly evaluations and merit performance review raises or an incentive “bonus” through a “venture capital fund”?
3. ITWG Recommendation 4. …better supporting student use of university computer labs…
- Increase the number and skill level of support staff at peak use times, especially at the beginning of each semester
4.
Overall
(IT) Recommendations p184 Students: availability & quality of printers
- Printers
available on each dorm floor (since students work late into the night to
complete deadlines and the labs aren’t open)
Input from Work Group Member #4:
I've reviewed and reflected on the Middle States documents related to Title III. The need for projectors, software, training, and lab support seem most important because of their direct impact on the teaching and learning experience. I'd put lab support and software as top issues followed by training and projectors.
1. Lab support – Because it is part of the learning experience so I'd probably give this top priority. It is also important from the perspective that if we can't support the labs in the current environment, how will we be able to support additional software? If we are going to offer labs, we should support them. However, some consideration should be give to the volume of traffic the labs get. If most students are bringing PC to campus, we will continue to operate our labs in the same manner. Maybe that's a better way to approach this issues. Could/should the labs function differently if only 5% of our students use them?
2. Software - I'm not sure I understand the dissatisfaction with software. If it's specialty software, I don't even know where to begin. Who's responsible to specialty software IT or specific department? If it's specific departments, developing guidelines and working with the Deans when plans for new software move forward. This would ensure that departments were fully aware of what cost and manpower were needed to implement and support the software. Software may impact the quality and/or completeness of the learning experience so it's important to understand what the issue is.
3. Training - may just be a communication or scheduling issue. With the Continuing Ed/Computer Training office, we do have access to training. The availability of their courses may need to be publicized. The courses are also usually designed for full-day or half-day session. Maybe we need to negotiate with the CECT to offer the session at different time. I suppose the cost could also be an issue. Since that office is in-house, maybe we could work out an arrangement to offer free in-house sessions during the times of the year when their external business is light.
4. Projectors - I think we need to get a handle on the need and request funding to meet that need. Of course, the notion of projector life and replacement should be included in that request. If Title III is helping out with this, are there other grant funds available?
The other three items that seem worthy of consideration are office ergonomics, printers and web issues (formatting, accuracy).
1. Office ergonomics - are probably a symptom of a bigger problem. I don't know that there is a budget for furnishing new office or for replacing "old" office furniture. I frequently hear of individuals scrounging for furniture because it's not in there budget. I'm not even sure if the Deans buy new furniture for new faculty members. If there were operating process for upgrading and initially furnishing office, guideline for purchasing ergonomic items could be instituted. This could help on several levels; satisfaction, morale, time off, appearance to visitors, stable environment for equipment, possible vendor contract or better prices.
2. Printers
- I know a replacement cycle for printers has been on the
3. Web
Issues - Regarding the web, we need accuracy and consistency. Lack of
accuracy and consistency could easily create liability issues.....if we
act on one statement and a student reads another statement. I
know a decision was made by President's Staff to have individual offices do
their own updating. Maybe