Transcript Ellingsburg University Portal proposal University of South Florida Michael Crump, Jennifer Gallagher, and Nicholas Rau.

Ellingsburg University
Portal proposal
University of South Florida
Michael Crump, Jennifer Gallagher, and Nicholas Rau
Our Vision
To create the best portal design for
Ellingsburg University. Our unrivalled
approach to university portal design
comes from our unique understanding of
students and student development. By
synthesizing our knowledge of portals and
students, we can offer unprecedented
control and choice of user service.
OUR Concept
Our design begins with a secure,
password protected login. From that login,
users will be directed to their own
personalized portal based on their status
as students, parents, staff, faculty, or
alumni. Our multi-tiered design allows
each user the ability to access
individualized, highly relevant information.
We have eliminated the information
overload to provide users the content they
want on demand.
the Portal will…
 Increase user performance
 Raise quality of customer service
 Lower information technology costs
 Provide unified look for easier use
 Help consolidate information
Webmasters have as much influence, if not more,
over prospective millennial student decisions
than the admissions director (Wallace, 2000).
Our portal will…
 Be available to all members of the
university community
 Be personalized with user name and
password
 Have multiple customizable channels
 Serve as the communication hub for the
university community
your portal Will…
 Access student information system
 Feature a customizable main page with
links, announcements, and campus news
 Access an interactive personalized
calendar
 Link to discussion boards
 Access university email
Theory in practice
 Person-environment congruence (Strange, 1996)
– In order to have an educationally purposeful experience
and guarantee satisfaction, individuals need to feel
comfortable in their environment.
– By creating a customized portal, the individual will create
able to create a comfortable environment ensuring a
positive working condition.
 “Interactive capacities of computer-mediated
communication lead to the formation of
characteristic social aggregations.” (Strange &
Banning, 2001)
Development Team
The following were identified as
stakeholders who serve as end users or
content providers, or both:
 Students
 Faculty
 Student Activities/Residence Life
 University Relations
 Enrollment Management
Development Process
 End user focus groups
– Reliability of service
– Ease of navigation
– Accuracy and timeliness of content
 Online/email questionnaire
– Satisfaction assessment
– Solicitation of user input
 Consultation of contributors
– Ease of information access
System SUPPORT NETWORKS
 User access and authentication
 Enrollment management databases
 Campus newspaper
 Calendar database
 Search engine
 Bookstore interface
 Human resources
 Alumni information
Organization of the
portal
 All user options will include:
– Personalized greetings
– Interactive calendar
– University-wide announcements and news
– Weather updates
– Links to libraries, colleges, and academic
support
Organization of the
portal
 Students
– Enrollment management database
– Organization Announcements
– Residence Life
Work orders, RHA, room lotteries, tech support
– Bookstore (online ordering)
– Campus food service
– Blackboard/WebCT
– Single login for all functions
Organization of the
portal
 Prospective Students
– Virtual admission counseling
– Online applications
– Orientation information and updates
– Financial aid applications & FAFSA
– Housing information and online applications
– Virtual tours
– Adult and transfer student resources
Organization of the
portal
 Faculty/Staff
– Access to grades and class rosters
– Professional development opportunities
– Promotion & tenure information
– Research support and databases
– Academic technology links
– Budgets, accreditation, and master planning
– Human resources
Organization of the
portal
 Parents/Alumni
– Homecoming & Commencement
– Academic/Event calendars
– Parents Association
– Alumni Association
– Campus safety reports and resources
– Fundraising/Giving back
– Parents Weekend
– Overview of FERPA
With parents of Millennials being increasingly involved
in the education of their students, higher education
institutions must involve parents in the aspects of the
university experience (Sells, 2002).
Design best practices
 Content edited for accuracy
 Easy to read fonts and spacing
 Simple, consistent color theme
 Fast-loading graphics
 Accessible to individuals with disabilities
 Uniform writing style and terminology
 Technical assistance readily available
 Active links regularly updated
Selected examples
 University of California – Los Angeles
 Xavier University
 Evergreen State College
 University of Minnesota
 Pennsylvania State University
Our portal reflects many key traits of these
institutions’ portals.
References
Strange, C.C. (1996). Student services: A handbook for the
profession. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Strange, C.C. (2001) Educating by design: Creating
campus learning environments that work. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Wallace, H. (2000, Fall). Campus ecology theory and
websites: One example of applying traditional student
affairs theory to technology. Student Affairs.com EJournal. Retrieved September 28, 2004, from http://
www.studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Fall_2000/wallace.htm