Transcript Academic Technology at NSCC Case Study

CFO Meeting November 15, 2002
Value Optimization,
Unexpected Challenges,
Possible System Wide
Collaborations
Pyramid Project (useful
info)
• http://pyramid.northshore.edu
Select the Campus Portal Block
• Content – Entire planning process, integration
strategies, timelines, project documents,
lessons learned, etc.
• Pyramid Project Foundational Values
• Technology, engineering and organization
• Demonstration Project for Commonwealth of
Massachusetts/BHE/ITD
• Course Redesign, Academic Transformation, Portal
• Web site organization
• Massachusetts E-learning Initiative
Agenda
• General Overview of NSCC
• General ROI considerations
• Value Considerations
• Quick Tour
• Unexpected Challenges & Expectations
NSCC Background
• One of 15 public Community Colleges in
Massachusetts
– *Multi-Campus 4 campus locations
• 6200 credit students (3600 FTE)
• 4200 non-credit students
• 100+ programs of study
– Career & Liberal Arts Transfer
– Technical Training
What We Wanted
• Integrated Email and Learning Mgmt. System
• Provide better learning resources, faculty and
student services - and acceptance of Web as
the way we deliver services
• 24 x 7 access to teaching and learning services
• Cure inefficiencies and streamline processes
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Cure the inefficient registration process
Automate processes
Reduce mailing costs
Reduce back-office support
Redefine outdated policies
Advising - remove the barrier & highlight the benefits
Portal Model
People
Infrastructure
Process/Wkflow
Admin Apps
Typical IS
Model
Web
Admin
Apps
Email
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Admin Instruct
Apps
Apps
ROI for NSCC
Indicators and outcomes
“Are you attracting users, interacting with users,
transacting with users, retaining users, and growing
with users” (Camille Farhat – GE company)
• Integration is the key!
• High utilization rates and adoption are
paramount and have led to significant return
• Allowed or sped up process and procedural
changes
• Scalable (50 or 20,000) students can be
supported without additional staff
ROI Tangibles
• Student schedules no longer mailed
• Web Admissions
• Reduced walk-in registrations and paperwork due to
Online Registration (85%+ via web)
• Incorporation of non-credit students into online services
• Faculty generate their own class rosters and enter
grades online as SOP
• Significantly reduced postal mail due to general
communications enhancements through portal, email, &
web services
• Advising - Online Degree Audit available to students
• Dynamic account generations – single sign on
• In-house 24 x 7 services and consolidated helpdesk
• Further integration and systems being developed
Value Generation
Prepared for future (Flexible and Scalable)
• Ease of Use, self-service convenience
• Single Sign-on
• High utilization rates
• Accelerated integration of disparate systems
• Increased utilization by faculty with simple
access to resources and tools
• Additional resources leading to enhancing the
educational process
Available Student Services
Services and Functionality
• Web Services:
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“This technology is the
best thing the college has •
ever done”
Student Trustee 2001
Laurette Mordi
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Online Admissions
Degree Evaluation
Registration & Class Search, Payment, FA
Transcripts, grades, schedules
Email, Calendar & Groups
Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation
Targeted Announcements
Course Resource Areas for Every Class:
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Threaded discussion
Class chat
Class links
Single Sign-On:
• Web Services
• Learning Management System, Email
• CBT tutorials, Personal Web Space (Jan
2003)
Available Faculty Services
Services and Functionality
• Web Services:
• Advising information including Degree
Evaluation and Transcripts
• Online grade entry, schedules, class rosters
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"Current technology,
particularly Campus Pipeline,
makes up-to-date information
about students in our
classes instantly available--as
close as the computer terminal
whether in our office or at
home." •
Professor Lori Azzara
Email & Calendar
Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation
Targeted Announcements
Course Resource Areas for every class:
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Threaded discussion
Class chat
Editable area for class links
Automatic email distribution lists
Single Sign-On:
• Web Services
• Learning Management System, Email
• CBT Tutorials, Intranet, Personal Web Space
(Jan 2003)
Available Employee Services
Services and Functionality
“Portal technology
allowed us to tie
disparate systems
together and provide an
easy to use system that
everyone would utilize”
• Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation
• Targeted Announcements
• Ability for Department Chairs to check
enrollments from any system
• Employee Intranet:
– Secure and role based environment
– Departmental Information
– Online Web tools integrated to main
home page and Banner
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News
Federal Work Study
Bulletin
Room Reservation System
Personal Web Space (Jan 2003)
Usage Rates
Usage Rates
Registration turned on November 13, 2002
Top IT Issues (Educause Rpt.)
Top IT Issues (cont.)
Unexpected Challenges
Security
• Maintenance
• Denial of service attacks, Spam defenses
• Firewalls
• Supporting growth (14 to 40) servers – 10+
servers need to be accessed outside of NSCC
via WEB
• Digital Certificates
• Virtual Private Networks
• Peer to Peer software abuse
• Wireless security issues
Unexpected Challenges
Providing True 24 x 7 services
• Expectations
• Remote monitoring systems
• Alert mechanisms
• Zero down time means system updates are
becoming difficult to perform
• Redundancy and UPS (not 30 minutes)
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Gas generated UPS ensures unlimited uptime for all
servers and communications equipment
Staffing
Unexpected Challenges
HelpDesk
• Managing Expectations
• Many Users (thousands)
• Many Variables – different home system
configurations, etc.
• Staffing Support
• Understanding other services (non IT) that
require online support
– Each department with information accessible on
the Web must plan to communicate promptly via
email, All documents scanned converted into
digital form (Cluster brochures, etc.)
Impact on Culture Change
• Portal Technology and Web applications have
transformed the NSCC culture by:
– Further supporting E-learning
– Increasing Faculty and student services
– Allowing the expectations of students, faculty/staff to be
met
– Raising awareness in student support offices leading to
more creative thinking on redesign process
– More services are wanted and continually being
developed
ROI - Intangibles
• Customer relationship management:
Competitive advantage and customer loyalty due to
excellent services, student-centered learning,
enrollment and advising effectiveness
• Economic Cycle Independence:
Unanticipated return during State Budget
reductions/Early Retirement Program/Restructuring
• Organizational Impact:
Awareness that the Web can work for future savings,
revenue generation, and reallocation of resources
Possible System-Wide
Collaboration
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Imaging
Training (Online services)
24 x 7 support
E-learning
EDI (Electronic Data Interface)
Quick Demo on Following
Slides
Self
Activation of
accounts
Online tutorials
available on
login page and
internally
Email &
Calendar
Access
Targeted
Announce
Area
Access
Course
Resources
Quick
Class
Roster
Tools for
adding
online
content
Course Tools
including
email dist.
lists
Seamlessly access Learning
Management System and
Online Computer Based
Tutorials
Student and
Faculty Web
Services
Class
Search
Class
Schedule
Unofficial
Transcripts
Degree Audit for
students.
Available to all
faculty for all
students.
Role Based Secure
Intranet with
toolboxes for
updating home page
and querying
Banner System
Room
Reservation
system integrated
with Banner
Database