Technology Policy Advisory Committee
TO:
Technology Policy Advisory Committee
[Jen Boettger, Mike Cerveny, Jean Donham (Chair), RJ Holmes, Mike Kragenbrink, Lyle
Lichty, Paul Miller, Dee Ann Rexroat, Ellen Whale, Todd White
FR:
Jim Brown, Past Chair
RE:
Minutes of Meeting of 9 October, 2007
Present: Jen Boettger, Jim Brown, Mike Cerveny, Jean Donham, Dee Ann Rexroat, Ellen Whale,
Todd White.
1. Web Redesign Task Force – Dee Ann
a. Report on launch. The new site is up and running and has received high praise in the early
going. Some elements of mounting the site were not as straight-forward as we had been led
to believe, but IT and OCC will work on these as the transitional period proceeds.
b. New url naming conventions. Url naming conventions under the CMS will use a dash where
we have used underlines in the past. It is easier to type, easier to see, is the more normal
convention, and is the default in our CMS. We weren’t expecting to make this change, but
this is the logical time to do it.
c. The year ahead – migrating the rest of the site. OCC has a tentative calendar for migrating the
majority of the official college pages over the next year. Jeff Walberg, Dee Ann Rexroat, and
Jim Brown are refining the calendar and identifying the bottlenecks in transition processes,
with an eye towards increasing efficiency. Revised and updated web priorities for the year
and the tentative schedule for departmental and program conversion are appended to these
minutes.
d. CMS training, including image use and storage. Mike reported that Web Manager Mike Plagge
is designing the training program, based on working with individuals and small groups.
There is an initial backlog of users who are responsible for the pages on the initial release of
the site or who are ready to move pages onto the site, and Mike will proceed with dispatch.
Other users will be scheduled as their pages get ready to go up. Image use protocols
continue to be fine tuned and will be included in training sessions.
Image storage has a long way to go. We do not yet have a final decision on image
management software for web images, and our substantial collection of images remains
unlabeled and uncataloged. Dee Ann will work with her colleagues to develop a plan for
this.
2. Today at Cornell – Dee Ann
a. Dee Ann reported that OCC will be changing the way most information is submitted for
inclusion in Today at Cornell -- using our new calendar software. This will mean that all
Today events will also be on the master calendar. A few calendar bugs need to be worked
out and the new procedures explained to the community.
b. Announcements will still be in Today, and Dee Ann asked for suggestions about how to
manage this feature, including how long and how many times announcement should appear
before an event. She will pursue a number of suggestions made by members.
3. Report from Instructional Technology Subcommittee. Ellen reported that the subcommittee had
not yet met in 07-08 but will in the near future. Prioritizing classrooms and other college rooms
for installation of instructional technology, considering appropriate levels of technology,
investigating new possibilities for teaching technology, and promoting awareness of available
technology are all on the subcommittee’s agenda for the year.
4. Mass email policy. Jim reported that the mass email policy recommended by TPAC in April was
accepted by the president, with some modifications in the offices having access to various
distribution lists. We are ready to proceed with implementation of the policy.
a. Jim agreed to assemble the names/positions of those who will have authorization to use
email distribution lists: committee members should provide Jim with the names of those
proposed from their divisions, and he will verify suitability with division heads.
b. Dee Ann, Mike Cerveny, and Jim Brown will get together afterwards to figure out the details
and to prepare a communications plan.
5. IT priorities for 2007-08. Mike reported on IT division priorities for the 07-08 year to help TPAC
members better understand the context for IT work on various matters of TPAC policy interest.
a. Continue Web Site Redesign
b. Continue ERP upgrade process
c. Investigate and price out changes that need to be made to move to Windows Vista
d. Continue to investigate moving student email off campus using a service such as Google
Apps or MS Live. Possibly begin migration.
e. Continue to enhance network security
The frequently-updated, more general list of IT projects can be found at
http://www.cornellcollege.edu/information_technology/projects/index.shtml
6. Updates
a. Administrative access to assignments folders. Mike reported that Academic Media Studio
Director Holly Martin Huffman and Web Manager Mike Plagge have administrative
privileges.
b. Electronic space for sharing work and work assignments with student workers. Mike
reported that he has hatched a scheme to provide this service and will provide a description
and instructions soon.
c. Allocations for email and web storage: standard amounts and variations. Mike had already sent
to campus users the new, expanded limits for email and web server storage. IT staff work
individually with any college user who has difficulty with default storage limits. It should be
noted that more storage space is allocated than exists because most users do not store to
their limits.
d. Communication with Academic Affairs during upgrade request period. Jim reported
conversations with Mark Zinkula, Mike Cerveny, Jean Donham, and Ann Opatz on this
matter.
o A better system will be in place for this fall’s request cycle, including cross-division
prioritizing of capital needs and operational funding adjustment for acquisitions which
are too small to be considered capital purchases.
o The current capital funding year [Jan 1 – Dec 31] will be shifted to be congruent with the
rest of the college’s budget year [July 1 – June 31] soon. There are a number of request
and purchase timing issues to be worked out.
e. Faculty awareness of available teaching technology. Jean reported that there are a number of
efforts afoot.
o November CAT session
o New Faculty Orientation sessions
o a series of faculty workshop is in the development stage
Post-launch Web priorities
IT
1. Campaign site launch Oct. 15
2. Training
a. Library, English Dept, Theatre Dept., Academic Affairs (Nancy), Alumni (Jackie,
Lisa), Giving (Jen B.), Admission (ask Sharon about who), OCC (Glenda, Dee
Ann)
b. Ongoing as sites migrate
3. Fix html for “Resources For” in grey box under the nav bar items (this appears on the
academic template design). Athletics has a similar approach for breaking out teams, and
sites like Financial Aid would like it as well.
4. Fix html for “Related Links” capability under nav items as shown on initial design (and
requested by Fellows, Dimensions, etc.)
5. Customize and launch new calendar
6. Activate CMS feeds as needed (see #1 below), i.e. calendar, news releases, spiffs.
7. Define (with OCC) and enable styles in CMS; and resolve other CMS-related issues such
as captions, copy overflow, spacing, allowing multiple photos in right column.
8. Develop standard design for photo galleries. Theatre, Fellows, Athletics, Lyric Theatre,
OC, and others all need photo gallery capability, and there are currently many different
implementations on our site. Include ability to include captions.
9. Develop a photo database to store photos for the Web.
10. Library
11. Athletics
12. Migrate admission and giving forms as needed.
13. Add video clips: admission, campaign, Dimensions
Content (OCC)
1. With IT, define what CMS feeds need to be activated (calendar, news releases, spiffs,
etc.)
2. Virtual Orange Carpet –work with Info Desk to take it over
3. Ongoing – photo database, including determining naming conventions, naming all
current web photos and adding others for popular use
4. Ongoing – academic depts – see separate 07-08 schedule
5. Ongoing – administrative offices – see separate 07-08 schedule
Academic Departments
Date
Meet
June 2007
30-May
June 2007
11-Jun
Jun-Aug
2007
25-Jun
Jun-Aug
2007
18-Jun
Jun-Aug
2007
11-Jul
Jun-Aug
2007
26-Jun
Aug 2007
30-Jul
Block 1
Block 1
Block 1
Block 3
Block 4
Block 4
Block 4
Block 4
Block 5
Block 5
Block 6
Block 6
Block 7
Block 7
Block 8
Block 8
Block 9
Block 9
June 2008
Department
English
Theatre
Contact
Mouton
Hunter/Olinger
Math
Bean
Thull/M.
Hearne
Music
Art
Education
Politics
Chemistry & BMB
French
Econ and Business
Religion
Classical & Medieval
Studies
History & Int'l Relations
Biology
Environmental Studies,
CWT
Computer Science
Soc/Anthro, Civic
Engagement
Geology
Physics
Women's Studies
German
Ethnic Studies
Philosophy
Kinesiology
June 2008
June 2008
June 2008
Spanish & L.A. Studies,
Languages
Russian, ESL
Psychology
Administrative Offices
Date
Meet
Oct 2007
Oct 2007
Nov 2007
Office
Financial Assistance
Berry Center
Cornell Fellows, Pre-law
Nov
Nov
Dec
Dec
Dimensions
News Center
Academic Affairs
Off-Campus Study*
2007
2007
2007
2007
McOmber
Harrington/
Faculty?
Sutherland
Cardon
Crowder/Baty
Knoop
Molleur
Gruber-Miller
Givens
Black
Denniston
Tabak
Davis
Greenstein
Beauchamp
Thomas
Connell
Stewart
Migley
Whale
Lacy-Salazar/
OchoaShivapour
Ikach
Enns?
Contact
Cindy Reints
Monica Davis
RJ Holmes
Bobbi BucknerBentz
Dee Ann
Nancy Rawson
Amanda Ross
Dec 2007
Jan 2008
Residence Life
Info Desk, Student
Activities
Jan 2008
Campus Recreation
Jan
Jan
Jan
Jan
Chaplain
Civic Engagement
Greek Life
Intercultural Life*
2008
2008
2008
2008
Jan 2008
Feb 2008
Feb 2008
Mar 2008
Mar 2008
Apr 2008
Counseling
Student Engagement
Student Affairs*
Institutional Research
Human Resources,
Brackett House,
Business Office
Alumni
Apr 2008
Communications
May 2008
June 2008
Student Health
Career Services
Chautauqua, Student
Symposium
June 2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Summer
2008
Board of Trustees?
Advising*
IT
Registrar
Chris Wiltgen
Carol Stock,
Megan Comer
Sara
Williamson
Catherine
Quehl-Engel
Namita Arora
Diane Timm
Crystal Clark
Brenda
Lovstuen
RJ Holmes
Karla Carney
Becki Elkins
Karen
Kleinsmith
Lisa White
Dee Ann
Rexroat
Jill
DeLaubenfels
Jayne Swanson
Carol DeNeve
Susan Minger,
John GruberMiller
Mike Cerveny
Jeanette
Gordon
Student Health*
Mail and Service Center
Mike
Williamson
Mike
Williamson
Purchasing*
?
Bookstore
Jody Clark
Facility Management*
About Cornell: Virtual
Tour etc
Chris Gullion?
Campus Safety
Dee Ann
Brinda
Caldwell, Jim
Brown