To:
Members of the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees
Steve Nelson, Chairperson
Bill Griffin
Bill Epperly
Mike Houston
Carolyn Ehlert Fuller
D’Angelo Taylor
From:
Joe Rives, Vice President, Quad Cities, Planning and Technology
Date:
November 20, 2009
Re:
November 2009 Strategic Plan Update
Higher Values in Higher Education 2008-2018 supports achievement of the goals and priorities in the Institutional
Strategic Plan for Technology. One key objective in that plan is to continuously update Western Illinois University
Websites. Therefore, this month’s Strategic Plan Update provides a summary and discusses next steps in the
current effort to update the Western Illinois University-Macomb website. It should be noted that a working
Team will be formed in the Quad Cities to update the campus website as well. A future strategic plan update
will provide a status report on that initiative.
Background
The review and update of the Macomb Campus Website (see Figure 1, attached) started in academic year
2008-2009 by the Internet Technology Advisory Committee (iTAC), chaired by Mr. Richard Chamberlain,
Executive Director of University Technology. Members of iTAC are:
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Eric Campbell, Admissions
Richard Carter, Non-Traditional Programs
Richard Chamberlain, University Technology
Jeff Damhoff, Electronic Student Services
Jeff Dodd, College of Arts and Sciences
Hunt Dunlap, University Libraries
Kristin Dunstan, University Marketing
Joshua Joseph, College of Arts and Sciences
Scott Lawson, Document and Publication Services
Kerry Lemaster, President’s Office
Suzanne Litchfield, University Registrar
Schulyer Meixner, College of Business and Technology
Jeremy Merritt, University Technology
Dana Moon, College of Education and Human Services
Kevin Morgan, University Technology
Cathy Null, College of Fine Arts and Communication
Tere North, University Technology
Brenda Parks, Administrative Information Management Systems
Christopher Pynes, Department of Philosophy
Dan Romano, University Technology
Joe Ryner, Center for the Application of Information Technologies
Darcie Shinberger, University Relations
Kim Sikes, Center for the Application of Information Technologies
TJ Urbanski, University Libraries
November 2009 Strategic Plan Update
November 20, 2009
Page 2
iTAC’s work was centered on four guiding principles:
1.
To base the University’s updated website on best practices for design and functionality. iTAC members
reviewed 32 institutional websites to help achieve this principle. Institutional websites reviewed were from:
Agnes Scott College
Ball State University
Case Western Reserve University
Cornell University
Duke University
Kendall College
Michigan Tech University
North Carolina State University
Oregon Health Science University
University of Chicago
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
2.
Alaska Pacific University
Boston University
Clark College
Dallas Theological Seminary
Humboldt State
Loyola University Chicago
National Lewis University
Northern Illinois University
Rockford College
University of Illinois
Yale University
Azusa Pacific University
Brown University
Columbia University
Dartmouth University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Oakland University
Santa Clara University
University of Virginia
To review the most frequently visited WIU websites and incorporate ease of access into these pages from the
University homepage. Western had over 26.5 million Web hits from its top 200 sites during Fiscal Year 2009.
The 30 most frequently visited sites with the number of page views is displayed below.
1
WIU Libraries
2,828,307
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Web Calendar Account
1,669,605
3
University E-mail Options
1,365,221
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Web mail
1,206,843
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Table of Contents
1,066,275
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Undergraduate Admissions
1,034,014
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Graduate Studies Office
811,050
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Provider Connections
650,243
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University Housing & Dining Services
570,849
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STARS
481,918
11
Zimbra Mail
451,113
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Student Life
451,019
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Alumni Association
423,189
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Undergraduate Catalog
414,043
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Undergraduate Majors & Minors
409,206
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Registrars Office
389,417
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WIU-Quad Cities
375,402
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First Year Experience
338,075
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Academics
336,450
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Employment at WIU
317,506
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Scholarship Programs
299,446
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Student Services
299,007
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About WIU
284,004
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Financial Aid
279,066
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Art
257,138
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Sodexo Campus Services
237,626
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University Union Bookstore
232,176
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Guillaume Apollinaire
220,539
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Distance Learning
208,371
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Business Services
207,994
November 2009 Strategic Plan Update
November 20, 2009
Page 3
3.
To engage the campus community in developing the new campus website. Draft was shared in May 2009, and
all members of the campus community were invited to participate in a survey addressing the quality and
functionality of the redesigned protoype. A total of 455 students, 155 faculty, and 312 staff participated in the
survey. The table below summarizes results when respondents were asked to rate the quality of the new and old
designs on a five-point scale. Additional survey results are available upon request from Mr. Richard
Chamberlain.
Students
Faculty
Staff
4.
Old
Design
3.37
3.13
3.25
New
Design
4.29
3.75
4.13
Percent Rating
as a Four or Five
91%
70%
82%
To support accessibility and work of the Web Accessibility Committee (WAC). Members of the WAC are
displayed below.
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Tim Adams, Administrative Information Management Systems
Richard Chamberlain, University Technology
Jeff Damhoff, Electronic Student Services
Chad Dennis, Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research
Bradley Dilger, Department of English and Journalism
Jeff Dodd, College of Arts and Sciences
Amber Dodds, Equal Opportunity and Access
Hunt Dunlap, University Libraries
Jason Eveland, College of Education and Human Services
Andrea Henderson, Equal Opportunity and Access
Joshua Joseph, College of Arts and Sciences
JoHyun Kim, Planning, Budget and Institutional Research
Teresa Koltzenburg, University Relations
Scott Lawson, Document and Publication Services
Suzanne Litchfield, University Registrar
Janell McGruder, Equal Opportunity and Access
Schulyer Meixner, College of Business and Technology
Jeremy Merritt, University Technology
Tara Miller, Disability Support Services
Vicki Nicholson, Office of the Provost
Zachary Pratt, University Technology
Khaing Saw, College of Fine Arts and Communication
Fred Seaton, University Technology
Amanda Shoemaker, Alumni Association
Current Status
Figure 2 (attached) displays the revised University homepage based on campus feedback received through the May 2009
survey (described above) and from consistituent feedback given by iTAC members. On Figure 2, there are two levels of
headers. The top horizontal line starting with academics and the bottom horitzontal line starting with campus safety
stays constant on all webpages, as a “level one” header. The verticle line starting with future students is displayed on the
homepage, and then becomes a top row on subsequent pages as a “level two” header and shown in Figure 3.
Next Steps
Given that the summer and fall were spent modifying the website based on feedback received, the Internet Technology
Advisory Committee (iTAC) will host open campus sessions for a final review of the updated website. These sessions
will also give the campus the opportunity to discuss other web-related, University Technology projects; namely, status of
the portal (future campus intranet) and knowledge-based help system. These sessions will be:
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Session 1: December 3, 2009 at 9:00 AM, Union Capitol Room
Session 2: December 3, 2009 at 10:00 AM, Union Capitol Room
November 2009 Strategic Plan Update
November 20, 2009
Page 4
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Session 3: December 4, 2009 at 1:30 PM, Union Capitol Room
Session 4: December 4, 2009 at 2:30 PM, Union Capitol Room
All members of the campus community are invited to attend these identifical forums. Once final feeback is incorporated,
the goal is to launch the new Website March 22, 2009 (one week after spring break). In February, members of iTAC and
staff from University Technology will also begin working with the campus community on deployment of a content
management system that provides templates for websites, thus simplifying and streamlining the process for academic
departments and administrative units. The choice of OmniUpdate was based on a state request for purchase process and
was unanimously supported at the October 2009 iTAC meeting.
After March 22, iTAC will also begin discussions on startegies to evaluate and enhance the University’s web presence
and functionality. A review of the new Macomb website is anticipated within six months of implementation and then a
formal review at least annually is expected. Future strategic plan updates will provide status reports on this initiative.
Please contact me if you have any questions about the data presented in this Strategic Plan Update, and/or if you have
additional feedback for the continued successful implementation of Higher Values in Higher Education.
cc:
President Goldfarb
Provost Thomas
Vice President Johnson
Vice President Thompson
CSEC President Lavin
COAP President Meixner
Faculty Council Chair Rowson
Faculty Senate Chair Devolder
Macomb SGA Chair Heard
Quad Cities SGA Garrison
Alumni Council Chair Clawson
Associate Provosts Dallinger and Hawkinson
Assistant Vice President Williams
Planning, Budget, and IR Staff
President’s Office Support Staff
Figure 1
Existing Western Illinois University-Macomb Home Page
Figure 2
Draft of Revised Western Illinois University-Macomb Home Page
Figure 3
Draft of Level Two Western Illinois University-Macomb Web Page