Information Technology Project Proposal
Project Title: Service Learning System Project
Executive Project Rank, 1 to #, with 1 being the Project with the highest priority.
(Note: there should be only a single #1, #2, etc.)
Rank: #5
Prepared By: Enter the name of the person completing the proposal.
Date: 3/24/2016
Problem/Opportunity:

Service learning is a teaching method that promotes student learning through active participation in meaningful and
planned service experiences in the community that are directly related to course content. Managing these courses
includes working with faculty, students, and community partners, and is necessary for student safety and for risk
management, as well as for a good student experience. As budgets and workforces decline, we need to do this work
more efficiently with less people without lowering service levels. Old systems are no longer usable. Therefore we need
a system which can help streamline the process of collecting course profiles, matching courses to partners, and
students to courses and to provide necessary reporting for faculty and risk management needs. The system also
needs to have the foundation necessary to support future community service and internship programs.
Link to Strategic Planning and Mandates
Related to goal 1 – Enhance student learning and success, and goal 3 – Commit to engaging the community by building
enduring partnerships that strengthen and enrich the region
Project Type

This project a “Grow/Change” project – it allows us to better aid instructors,, students, and community partners
manage the service learning experience, while adding new functionality to better report on the outcomes of the
program.. It will also position us for future growth into internship and community service programs.
Main Goal Statement

The goal is to implement S4, the system supported through the chancellor’s office, in such a way that it can be easily
accessed by Students, faculty and partners, while providing the same level or higher of service, and offering improved
reporting and reliability.
Objective(s)

Faculty will be able to sign in and assign students in to a community partner in under 5 minutes and with minimal
training (one page written directions or a 5-10 minute training video.

Faculty will have the option to assign all students in a class to one site, or individuals to separate sites, or to allow
students the choice of sites.

Students will be able to do all the paperwork in one place (other than timesheets, which may be a later phase), and
submit the paperwork electronically.

The reporting necessary to see which students have completed the necessary training and forms will be available
through the software to appropriate staff and faculty.

The software will provide the required CO reporting.
Project Leadership



Executive Sponsor (VP level): Frederika Harmsen – Project approval and prioritization
Project Sponsor (AVP/Director):
Project Manager/lead: Joanne Smith – determines requirements, brings in appropriate resources (faculty, students,
Service Learning Staff) oversees review, testing, and training.
Project Steps
1) Define requirements for student and faculty use of S4 software – Academic Affairs
2) Review the S4 software to determine gaps in meeting requirements – Academic Affairs and IRT
2) Determine required changes and preferred changes – Academic Affairs and IRT
3) Decision – will S4 meet requirements – Academic Affairs and IRT
4) Changes to S4 made – CO and IRT
5) Historical data moved to S4 - IRT
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Information Technology Project Proposal
5) Test and train with faculty, students, and Service Learning Staff – Service Learning team
6) Rollout – Service Learning team and IRT
Functional Team and other resources

We will need the Academic Affairs lead, Jill Regan, for 40 hours of review, test, and training.

We will need 3 faculty to help test and give feedback on the software – 8 hours each

We will need 2 student assistants to help test and give feedback.

We plan to use the S4 software, which is hosted by the CO, and do not anticipate other resource needs.
Dependencies and Risks:

The success of this project is based on the S4 software having the basic functionality of our existing system. If this
basic functionality is not available or cannot be added, we will need to stop and look for another solution.
Please feel free to add any other information or attach documents which will be helpful in understanding the project.
For questions or help filling out the form, please contact Lucinda Parker at lparker@csus.edu or by phone at 278-7727.
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