Administrative Annual Program Review Update
*Be sure to include information from all three campuses.
Program:
ITS/TSS
Name:
Steve Stratton
Phone:
707 476-4193
Email:
stevestratton@redwoods.edu
Date:
4/21/2011
1. State your program’s mission and it’s relation to the mission of the college.
Mission Statement from the 2010-2012 Technology Plan. “Technology Services
supports the constantly changing high technology environment of the Redwoods
Community College District by providing comprehensive technology services to
advance instruction, college services, and business processes for students, faculty,
and staff.”
In order to accomplish its mission, the Technology Services (TS) staff works
together with the District community by assisting with technology initiatives,
planning, securing resources, exploring new technology applications, and
implementing and maintaining technology projects. Technology Services strives to
meet the needs of its stakeholders by staying current with industry changes and
receiving input from an external technology advisory board and an internal
technology cross-functional team.
Technology Services provides numerous supporting actions in support of district
mission. All aspects of student, academic, and business services rely on
technology to accomplish their tasks. The Three Year Technology Plan 2010-2012
defines strategic and operational direction, goals, and objectives for district-wide
technology infrastructure, applications, and services. It provides a common vision
for the future deployment of technology within the district, which is focused on
enriching the learning experience for students and improving the college’s business
processes. This deployment includes hardware, software, personnel, consultants,
and third party outsourced services. The plan also outlines an outcomes
assessment process that monitors key business processes and services against
industry benchmarks and best practices. The plan is updated annually.
2. Program Changes
Have there been any changes in your program or area since your last Program Review?
Yes
If Yes, describe the changes below:
The Technology Services department is involved in many areas of District operations, from direct contact
with students and the public to recommendation and implementation of new systems. The department
is involved in the ever evolving educational environment, and continually responds and adapts to
provide quality service results.
Staff related actions:
An Operator II position was vacated in 2010. The permanent position has not been funded to date. The
Web Specialist position was transferred from Printing Services to Technology Services. Two Manager
positions were consolidated to a single position, with ITS and TSS staff groups merged. The renamed
Technical Services Department reports to Dean of Information Technology and Distance Education
instead of the VP of Administrative Services.
The District added an Educational Site in McKinleyville and a second site in Arcata. These supplement
previous locations at Eureka Downtown, Arcata (Food Works), and Klamath-Trinity/Hoopa. Each site
requires technical support.
Student related actions:
Technical services staff, acting as a Helpdesk, is handling an increased number of direct Student contacts
as the District has mandated use of WebAdvisor for 95% of all on-line registration and enrollment
modifications. Increased use of MyCR and Distance Education offerings has resulted in additional
support calls from Students and Faculty. The calls range in duration and complexity, and require
customer contact skills. Helpdesk hours have been reduced to M-F 8:00 AM-4:00 PM due to decreased
staffing.
The course management system was changed from Blackboard to Sakai. The system is presented as
MyCR. A student email system was implemented and is hosted by Gmail. Bulk email notifications have
been implemented for most student communication.
The CR AccessCard from HigherOne accommodates most student disbursements as ACH transfer
(electronic transfer). This has greatly reduced check printing, paper processing and mailing expenses,
while providing much quicker access to funds by Students.
Classroom computers have been upgraded as budget allows. The network infrastructure in some
buildings has been upgraded to improve network bandwidth. Instruction can now provide a much richer
multimedia experience.
Wireless internet access has been expanded from the Residence Halls. It is now available at the
Learning Resource Center, Cafeteria, Bookstore, and the Forum. This is provided directly with a local
internet service provider to avoid security concerns within the CR network. Wireless is available in most
areas of the Del Norte and Mendocino sites and uses a similar ISP connection to provide bandwidth and
security.
TS is supporting an increasing number of Apple computers. Two Apple laptop carts are used in Eureka
Campus classrooms. An Apple server is being configured to provide terminal service for sharing of
graphics applications in Creative Arts.
The District web site has been updated in order to improve website navigation. A survey of students
and staff identified usage and concerns, with planning and evaluation work done by the Web Standards
Committees. Use of Adobe Contribute software allows each department and designated employees to
make page updates, while templates control the overall site format for consistent presentation.
Employee related actions:
Live video streaming is now a standard feature of many events. A video archive provides access to some
academic classes, Board Meetings, President’s Hour, Open Forum events, etc.
Windows 7 and Office 2010 are being installed on PCs that have adequate hardware. Some older
machines have been upgraded with additional memory and remain in service. Routine PC replacements
were not funded for the current fiscal year.
Infrastructure related actions:
The purchase of the HP rx3600 server (replacing the end-of-life HP9000 server) allowed the district to
comply with Datatel and UniData requirements. The increased processing capability eased a peak
capacity licensing issue caused by mandatory web-based registration.
Integrated Planning and Committee related actions:
The Technology Planning Committee (TPC) is a formal committee participating in the Integrated
Planning process. The TPC evolved from the Technology Advisory Group (TAG). The new group has
fewer members, and focuses on integrated planning, and technology projects. An informal group
known as Data Owners Group meets to discuss user and data related issues and impacts. Technology
Services staff members serve on numerous committees across the District, including the Facilities
Planning Committee and Web Standards Committee.
3. Program Trends
If applicable, describe how external or internal changes are impacting your program and describe efforts
within your area to address these impacts. Include supporting data from Institutional Research or other
sources in your discussion.
Internal Trends:
Bond funds have been approved for several major technology areas:





ubiquitous expansion of wireless at all locations
upgrade internal network backbones to 1Gb
greater bandwidth to/from outlying locations
upgrades to classroom and desktop technologies
new desktop equipment for the new Administration Building
The District is utilizing more offsite/hosted systems, including:
 PeopleAdmin for Human Resources job applicant processing
 MyCR/Sakai for course management
 AskCR/Parature for support requests
Proposed offsite/hosted solutions include:
 SoftDocs for electronic document imaging and workflow management
 KOHA at the LRC to replace Voyager.
Funding levels continue to decline for Technology Services, directing technology actions toward lower
cost solutions:




EZ-Badge (Student ID card system) software version cannot be migrated to Windows 7.
The Blackboard Transaction server is out of date
The Bookstore database version is out of date
Printing practices will be analyzed
Datatel has mandated upgrades to remain in compliance with PCI (Payment Card Industry) standards for
transaction and data security. This is mandatory for CR to continue accepting credit cards and to
continue with system updates in support of financial operations. Datatel has also mandated conversion
to a web-based user interface for all interactions. This will require purchase, configuration, and
migration of some software onto additional local servers.
External Trends:
A server is being prepared for Basic Skills outreach to utilize a math skills assessment program, named
Math Jam.
The District has opened two additional sites, McKinleyville and Arcata along the “101 Corridor”. A site in
Garberville has been acquired.
4. Budget Resources
List your department’s budget for the following categories in the table below. Restricted funds have a
sponsor/grantor/donor (federal, state, local government, etc). The funds are restricted by the
sponsor/grantor/donor. Everything else (including action plans) is unrestricted.
Category
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Supply and
printing budget
600
0
Equipment
replacement and
repair budget
1600
0
Professional
Development
750
0
Work-study
funding
0
0
Additional
Budget Items
2000
0
Other (i.e.
Collections)
0
0
Is the funding for these areas adequate?
No
If not, describe the impact of unaddressed needs on your program outcomes and ability to serve students and
the community.
FY 2010-2011 discretionary funds budget activity -55610 for Instructional Equipment Repair was reduced by
$10,000 to only $4000 and was fully depleted by February 2011. Numerous PCs, projectors, and specialty
classroom equipment (i.e. digital electronic microscope) are presently unavailable for use. This has a direct
negative impact on Student and Faculty learning outcomes, and consequently of satisfaction ratings for
Technology Services and the District overall. Note that this is a separate account from the $1600 in the
table above, which applies only to Technology Services department expense.
Professional development is needed for all aspects of technology advancement. Technical training is
needed for existing and newly deployed applications. Customer contact skills training may provide more
efficient handling of calls and greater client satisfaction.
The department needs to maintain adequate supplies to perform ongoing maintenance and support. This
includes components for repair of circuit boards, fiber optic patch cables, network transceivers, etc.
Projector bulbs are very expensive, and the department has attempted to maintain a supply for prompt
repairs. Supplies and diagnostic tools need to be available for analysis and service restoration actions.
5. Staff Resources
Complete the Classified Staff Employment Grid below (please list full- and part-time staff). This
does not include faculty, managers, or administrative positions. If a staff position is shared with
other areas, estimate the fraction of their workload dedicated to your area.
Staff Employed in the Program
Assigned Area
Systems
Operator II
Full-time staff
(classified and
management) (give
number)
1
Part-time
staff (give
number)
0
Gains
over
Prior
Year
-
Losses over Prior Year
(give reason: retirement,
reassignment, health, etc.)
1 vacant position
Senior
Applications
Analyst
1
Applications
Analyst
1
0
-
-
Web Specialist
1
0
-
-
Network
Administrator
1
0
-
-
Electronics
Systems
Specialist II
3
0
-
-
Technology
Specialist II
1
0
-
-
Communications
Technology
Specialist II
1
0
-
-
Do you need more full-time or part-time classified staff?
If yes, explain why.
Yes
The Mendocino and Del Norte campuses Technology Specialist I positions have been
reduced from full-time to 19-hour part-time. Part-time positions cannot adequately
support the technology needs of their campuses. Neither position reports to
Technology Services.
The number of computers in the district has grown; the volume of technological
services has increased; the amount of student/employee support has increased; the
number of events requiring media or technical support has increased; yet, staffing
levels have decreased.
The District has a vacant Systems Operator position, creating problems with limited
support hours. The department’s support hours have been reduced from 11 hours a
day to 9 hours a day with fewer people available to answer the support calls. When
the only operator is on leave or ill, critical District functions are put on hold.
Current proposed changes to core systems may require an increase in permanent
District programming staff.
One Communications Technology Specialist position was lost to the newly created
Distance Education Department. This position provided additional event and media
support that is currently accomplished by the sole remaining Communication
Technology Specialist. The loss of this position is not noted in the table above,
because the loss did not occur within the prior year, but it did occur since the last
program review.
6. Work study Resources
Work study students employed in the program
Assigned
Area
How many?
(give
number)
“Type” of workstudy
(federal, CalWorks,
EOPS)
Gains over
Prior Year
Learning
Resource
Center
1
CalWORKS
1
Do you need more work study student help?
If yes, explain why.
Yes
Losses over
Prior Year
Student workers have been of limited benefit within Technology Services, because of a long learning
curve, requirements of secure passwords required for administrative access to PCs and servers, and
confidential information issues handled within the department.
A work study position can be used to assist with unboxing and system placement for substantial projects
such as a large volume of PC replacements.
7. Program Outcomes and Department Goals
List all expected program-level outcomes, whether you have completed the assessment loop or not. For each outcome, identify the means
of assessment and the criteria for success. Summarize the data that have been collected in the ‘Assessment Results’ column. If no data
have been collected and analyzed for a particular outcome, use the ‘Assessment Results’ column to clarify when these data will be
collected and analyzed. In the fourth column, indicate how the assessment results are being used to improve the program.
Describe assessment tool/
assignments faculty/staff used to
measure the program outcome.
Summarize the overall results of
your department, including
performance data if applicable.
How will your department
address the needs and issues
that were revealed by your
assessment?
List the TOP 3 TO 6
actions/changes that will most
improve department efficiencies
Provide a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities.
Describe assessment tool/
assignments faculty/staff used to
measure the program outcome.
Summarize the overall results of
your department, including
performance data if applicable.
Program Outcome Measured:
Client satisfaction
Summary reports and Feedback from Completed Tickets from AskCR/Parature.
Ticket comments from employees have been generally supportive of the new systems;
ticket comments from students have been mixed. Reports of weekly Ticket volume
demonstrate a clear correlation with beginning and end of a semester peaks.
Expand Knowledge Base coverage.
1. Better vetting of request tickets by management prior to being assigned to a CSR.
2. A more consistent approach to prioritizing tickets.
3. Review ticket routing policies.
12 months
Program Outcome Measured:
Client satisfaction
Surveys of CR Staff asking about use of support systems and satisfaction with support
actions.
Staff was not informed of the results of the survey.
How will your department
address the needs and issues
that were revealed by your
assessment?
List the TOP 3 TO 6
actions/changes that will most
improve department efficiencies
Provide a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities.
Describe assessment tool/
assignments faculty/staff used to
measure the program outcome.
Summarize the overall results of
your department, including
performance data if applicable.
Program Outcome Measured:
Client satisfaction
Survey regarding technology at college
Staff was not informed of the survey or the results.
How will your department
address the needs and issues
that were revealed by your
assessment?
List the TOP 3 TO 6
actions/changes that will most
improve department efficiencies
Provide a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities.
Program Outcome Measured:
Describe assessment tool/
assignments faculty/staff used to
measure the program outcome.
Summarize the overall results of
your department, including
performance data if applicable.
How will your department
address the needs and issues
that were revealed by your
assessment?
List the TOP 3 TO 6
actions/changes that will most
improve department efficiencies
Provide a timeline for
implementation of your top
priorities.
7.1 Department Goals
List goals the department will attempt to accomplish in the next three years. Each year, you will be
asked to update the Goals Report to make adjustments to the goals the program enters this year.
College Strategic Plan Goal
Goal 1: Enable student
attainment of educational
goals
Goal 2: Develop and manage
human, physical and financial
resources to effectively
support the learning
environment
Goal 3: Build a culture of
assessment
Division Goal
The first fifteen Goals are listed
from the Three Year Technology
Plan 2010-2012. These are not
in priority order as listed below.
The Technology Plan appears
to still be in draft form, and
according to the TPC notes, has
not yet been approved and
adopted.
Department Goals FY2011-12
Board of Trustees on 4/4/11
approved Measure Q Bond for,
identity management/portal,
ubiquitous wireless, upgraded
backbone and infrastructure to
1gb, content management and
web based scheduling, document
imaging system, classroom
technology, and technology
hardware.
Goal 5: Ensure student access
Technology Goal: Improve the
College’s Technology
Infrastructure, Applications and
Computing Resources to
Achieve Secure, Reliable and
Flexible Systems that
Support Learning, Student
Services and Business Processes
1. Deploy offsite backup
systems
Off-site vendors have not provided
a feasible solution.
A more reasonable goal would be
to investigate alternative local
backup solutions.
2. Deploy an enterprise-wide
imaging system Bond funded.
Work in progress; SoftDocs.
Production use by Student
Services, Financial Aid by
September 2011; expand use to
Human Resources, Business Office
use by January 2012.
3. Deploy an identity
Evaluate solutions - July-
management solution Bond
funded
September 2011
4. Upgrade server environment
to deploy virtualization of
servers with data center
Evaluate solutions - July-ongoing
2011
5. Upgrade of Backbone and
Data Transport Infrastructure
to 1GB standards. Bond
funded. Work in progress.
Design work completed by
September 2011.
6. Student wireless network
(separate ISP) at all campuses
and instructional sites. Bond
funded.
April 2011-June 2012
7. Deploy a content
management system for the
web presence of all campuses
and instructional sites. Bond
funded
Evaluation - January 2011-June
2011
8. Deploy a web-based
Scheduling system Bond
funded. Work in progress.
Full production use by August
2011.
9. Video over IP System
Expansion.
April-December 2011
10. Deploy a portal
environment. Bond funded
Needs more inclusive discussion.
11. Deploy a new telecom
infrastructure that
incorporates Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP).
(coordinated with new
buildings)
FY2011-2012
12. Create a computer
replacement standard with
cycle appropriate to classroom,
lab, faculty and staff. Bond-
Done, but not funded.
RFP in process by consultant
funded. Work in progress.
13. Institute regular TS staff
development benchmarks
FY2011-2012, but not funded and
needs to be negotiated.
14. Institute annual security
check system for both internal
and external security problem
solving.
FY2011-2012
15. Evaluate Datatel Colleague
as an ERP system and
determine if a change needs to
be made.
FY2011-2012
16. Reduce operational
expenses. Review annual
licensing costs, implement new
methods to reduce all ongoing
costs.
Summary of annual licensing
8/1/11
17.
8. Communication
Are the current lines of administrative, faculty, and staff communication adequate to meet the
needs of this department/program?
Well…..
Describe representative examples of effective or ineffective communication.
With the adoption of Parature/AskCR communication between Technical Services and
District clients has improved, along with transparency and efficiency.
Technical Services staff meets twice per month to discuss current project status,
upcoming projects, and details regarding client relations and concerns. The meeting
includes technical staff from DSPS& and Information Sciences when available.
The Dean of Technology Services and Distance Education meets with department
directors every two weeks for reporting on current and upcoming projects and issues.
Technology Services department has regular meetings and involvement on numerous
committees to provide communication, interaction, and dialog with staff and clients,
and in support of the integrated planning processes.
The informal Data Owners Group meets bi-weekly to discuss current projects and
upcoming issues. The group is composed of a wide variety of key staff positions. The
Director of Technology Service Operations serves as chairperson, and the group
includes the Senior Applications Analyst and Applications Analyst.
The Director of Technical Service Operations serves on the Board of Directors for two
community organizations, the Redwood Technology Consortium (RTC) and Access
Humboldt (provides Ch8 on Suddenlink cable system). This commitment on behalf of
the District includes participation on sub-committees of the outside organizations.
Surveys regarding technical aspects should have been completed, and additional
focused surveys will be helpful for feedback and process improvement.
The March 11 tsunami event highlights the need for an integrated comprehensive
emergency communication plan. The department should participate in preparation and
coordination of the District Emergency Operations Plan.
The department staff and management will benefit from additional contact with the
various Academic committees, and a quarterly presence at other internal Department
meetings.
The Technology Services department has typically reported to the VP Administrative
Services, rather than through the VP Instruction in the Academic and Transfer division.
The current reporting structure presents challenges for decision makers to hear technical
input and concerns regarding proposed changes or projects. Positioning within
Administration division provides a more global perspective for Technology Services
responsibilities.
A more inclusive, transparent process for making decisions would more fully leverage
the strengths and expertise of current Technical Services staff. Department priorities,
goals, and objectives seem to be created in the absence of any collaborative process.
The District would benefit by engaging Technology Services staff earlier in the
discussions of bond, grant, and new construction projects.
9. Action Plans
List any action plans submitted since your last annual update. Describe the status of the plans.
If they were approved, describe how they have improved your department/program.
Two previous Actions Plans:
1) Replace obsolete Track-It application used for positive attendance.
The District is now using SARS-Trak for positive attendance tracking in Labs, and a central
database in conjunction with SARS-Grid (used for Student appointments). Benefits include
centralized data updates and reporting, and reduced cost. The new system has experienced
issues with bandwidth to remote Campus locations and Sites, which will soon be addressed
through Bond funded projects.
2) LRC-107 permanent installation of computer, projector, screen, and conference phone
system.
All materials have been purchased. System is awaiting installation of electrical supply for
celling mount of the projector. On full implementation this will avoid consumption of staff time
for repeated set up and removal of systems in the popular meeting room.
10. Quality Improvement Plan (QIP)
The QIP is intended to assist the program in thinking and planning for a minimum of the next three
years. Many factors that influence the implementation of the department/program’s plans can and do
change over time. Each year, you will be asked to update the QIP to make adjustments to the plans the
program enters this year.
Because this document will be used to inform planning processes, it is very important that all the
requested information be provided. The form has been designed to elicit the information needed for
this process. Each “block” on the form is for a single recommendation; thus, the department/program
should complete all the fields for each of the recommendations.
Quality Improvement Plan
Category
Descriptions
Department Goal the Action is Connected
Recommendation Number and Title
1 Increase client satisfaction
Planned Implementation Date
Jul-11
Estimated Completion Date
Dec-11
Action/Tasks
perform survey, summarize, analyze
Measure of Success/Desired Outcome
clients satisfied at 80% positive
Estimated Cost(s)
200
Who is responsible?
Director of Technical Service Operations
Consequence if not funded
non-increased client satisfaction
External Accreditation Recommendations
(if applicable)
Category
Descriptions
Department Goal the Action is Connected
Recommendation Number and Title
2 Increase client satisfaction with web site editing
Planned Implementation Date
Sep-11
Estimated Completion Date
Dec-11
Action/Tasks
Provide testing and decision
Measure of Success/Desired Outcome
Easier, faster, distributed editing of web pages
Estimated Cost(s)
3000
Who is responsible?
Web Specialist / Director of Technical Service Operations
Consequence if not funded
non increased satisfaction, failure of appropriate Bond expenditures
External Accreditation Recommendations
(if applicable)
Category
Descriptions
Department Goal the Action is Connected
Recommendation Number and Title
Update enterprise resource program to maintain current standards
Planned Implementation Date
Jul-11
Estimated Completion Date
Dec-12
Action/Tasks
provide servers, install software
Measure of Success/Desired Outcome
system remains in PCI compliance
Estimated Cost(s)
10,000
Who is responsible?
Senior Applications Analyst, Director of Technical Service Operations
Consequence if not funded
no online credit card processing will be possible
External Accreditation Recommendations
(if applicable)
Category
Department Goal the Action is Connected
Recommendation Number and Title
Planned Implementation Date
Estimated Completion Date
Action/Tasks
Measure of Success/Desired Outcome
Estimated Cost(s)
Who is responsible?
Consequence if not funded
External Accreditation Recommendations
(if applicable)
Descriptions
Category
Department Goal the Action is Connected
Recommendation Number and Title
Planned Implementation Date
Estimated Completion Date
Action/Tasks
Measure of Success/Desired Outcome
Estimated Cost(s)
Who is responsible?
Consequence if not funded
External Accreditation Recommendations
(if applicable)
Descriptions
Program / Department:
Needs Addendum
Indicate new needs that have arisen since the last program review and provide an update on the
status of
needs addressed in the last program review.
Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Some items may not have a cost per se, but reflect the need to spend current staff time differently.
Please indicate the level of importance for your request and highlight how each request relates to the following:
- Student Learning Outcomes
- The CR Strategic Plan
List and Update Additional Requests for Academic Year :
Request
#
Importance
Request Type
Equipment
1
Reason:
Outcome:
2
Technology
Reason:
Outcome:
3
Annual TCO*
Reason:
Request
Status
Description and Details
Replace two very old full size vans.
Current vehicles are unsafe and unreliable, and
require substantial Maintenance support to keep
operational.
Avoidance of accidents caused by bad brakes, failed
power steering, doors that fly open, and clouded
windows. Staff can travel by vehicle to service
support calls and perform work duties.
Update staff computers
Current machines are all several years old, cannot
run Windows 7 or modern video applications.
Will use Windows 7, Office 10, and to provide
programming for Datatel.
Apple computer for development testing and support
Clients have them and expect staff to understand use
Cost
per
item
Number
Requested
Total
Cost of
Request
High
New
$
Request 5,000
2
10000
High
New
Request
11
10,000
High
New
$
Request 1,200
2
2400
$
900
PR
App
Outcome:
4
5
Reason:
Outcome:
Reason:
Outcome:
6
Reason:
Outcome:
7
Reason:
Outcome:
8
Reason:
Outcome:
9
Reason:
Outcome:
10
Reason:
Outcome:
11
Reason:
Outcome:
12
Reason:
Outcome:
13
Reason:
Better software, more efficient support actions
Replace radios with current technology
Old radios failing, incompatible, expensive
Better, faster, easier, more efficient communications
video production tools
frequently needed for District support, many
broadcasts
Improved quality, faster completion
Network testing and diagnostic equipment
substantial network upgrades underway, old wires
network remains functional
High
New
Request
High
High
$
500
7
3500
New
$
Request 3,000
1
3000
New
$
Request 3,000
1
3000
Outcome:
14
Reason:
Outcome:
15
Reason:
Outcome:
16
Reason:
Outcome:
17
Reason:
Outcome:
18
Reason:
Outcome:
19
Reason:
Outcome:
20
Reason:
Outcome:
Programmatic or Departmental needs- kilns, brakes analyzers, welders, microscopes, DIEM,
etc.
Computers, A/V, Networking, Fax/Copiers, etc.
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A
#N/A