This Is IT!
Volume 3, Issue 3, May 2007
Message from the
CIO/Vice President
The
Best
Place
to
Start
The College’s future requires a technology vision that
adapts to future challenges, with a proactive rather than a
reactive approach. Whether it is providing extended service
desk hours for our students to access quick and reliable
information or starting a new records management system that will eventually lead us
to a “paperless” institution, we are continuously searching for the best ways to deliver
on our vision of providing the support, information, infrastructure and tools to achieve
the highest level of technological literacy for our students, faculty and staff.
While technology may seem complicated, it should provide simply understood
enhanced services and ease of use for everyone. In today’s society, technology is a
given. Therefore, it is our constant goal to ensure EPCC has cutting-edge technology
that improves the lives of our students and work environment for our faculty and staff.
We have developed a “Managing Change” report that will guide us over the next
three years toward maximizing innovation by improving the technology and processes
used in delivering education and administrative operations. Some of the challenges mean
everyone in the Division must improve existing skills and learn new skills, sometimes
sponsored and sometimes developed on their own.
One of our main priorities for the next few months will be to focus on extensive
web development through a Web Development Team. With services and information
becoming web-based, it is essential that we be prepared to provide administrative units
with seamless access to shared data, along with the ability to produce
This is IT!
accurate, streamlined web pages.
Message from the CIO/VP . . . . . . . 1
As always, I welcome your input and suggestions on meeting the
Banner Financial Aid Web Tailoring . . . 2
College’s technological needs or anything else you would like to discuss.
Digital El Paso Becoming A Reality . . . 2
STS Helps Ft. Bliss Stay Connected. . . 3
In the meantime, have a safe and enjoyable summer!
People on the Move . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Welcome Newcomers . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Records Management Coming Your Way!
Results of the SAS SV Assessment . . . .
Voice Technology Getting a Facelift . . .
Distance Ed News. . . . . . . . . . . .
Promotions . . . . . . . . . . .
Emergencies! . . . . . . . . . . .
TRC Tutorials . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Service Desk Announcement . . . . .
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4
5
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6
6
7
7
8
Fabiola Rubio
CIO/Vice President
El Paso County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin,
religion, gender, age or disability.
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Banner Financial Aid
Web Tailoring
Gary Chacon
Banner, the El Paso Community College administrative software application, provides
Web modules that can be customized and currently requires IT programming staff involvement.
This type of customization was given to the Financial Aid Web Tailoring project which required
Hyper-link and PRO-C script modifications.
The Financial Aid Web Tailoring project involved Debbie Sweet, IT Programmer Analyst
and Ines Lopez, Coordinator for Financial Aid Systems and Reporting. It also involved some
senior level assistance from Fred Ornelas, Luis Bocanegra, and Edmundo Vasquez. It was a
great team effort and all of the participants did a great job. This request was initiated in order to
improve web services for students that qualify for financial aid.
A student can log onto the EPCC website via the registration menu option with a valid ID
and a pin number. Given a menu of options, a student can now select the Student and Financial
Aid option and review their financial aid eligibility, account summary, review awards by aid year
and several other options pertaining to their financial aid account. Because this capability can
be accessed from any computer that has Internet access, it provides a convenient and efficient
means to qualifying students.
Digital El Paso
Becoming A
Reality
Fabiola Rubio
El Paso Community College is currently
partnering with the City of El Paso, the County of El
Paso, the Housing Authority, UTEP, EPISD, and La Fe
Clinic in supporting the Downtown Wireless Initiative.
This partnership will provide free Internet service in
the El Paso downtown area.
EPCC has committed to providing help desk
support which will allow the users to call the College
during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday
thru Friday, for assistance on basic wireless issues.
EPCC will be coordinating with the City and County
for infrastructure support and other wireless issues Photo by Fernie Garcia
that cannot be remotely resolved.
The College will also provide basic computer operations workshops for end users on how
to use wireless technology. This will be done at the downtown area utilizing community centers
and other designated areas that will be easily accessible for users.
The future of Digital El Paso will be tremendous and of great benefit for our community,
particularly to students residing in the downtown area who may not otherwise have the means
to obtain Internet services.
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STS Helps Fort Bliss
Soldiers Stay Connected
Debra Stoppiro
Currently Student Technology Services (STS) is working
with the USO (United Service Organizations) and the United
Through Reading Program. It is a quality of life program
that helps active duty personnel, and their children, stay
connected during deployment through the medium of
reading aloud on DVD. Thus far into the Program, we have
mailed 55 recordings to 45 deployed soldiers. Every week
the number has grown, and will continue to grow because
Fort Bliss will have deployments throughout the year.
Typically soldiers deploy in the middle of the month, so on
average the STS students have about a month to record
and develop as many DVDs as possible. We work directly
with the battalion to schedule blocks of recordings twice a
week. We also help to repair and troubleshoot the server,
and keep the computers updated through preventive
maintenance.
STS students enjoy participating in different events
promoting Fort Bliss and the soldiers. Recently, we showcased an EPCC/STS booth at a Children’s
International Festival. Our booth was a big hit with the children because of our “prize wheel” and
the games we invited them to play.
The USO directors, Melissa Gikas and Yolanda Castillo, are great to work with. As proud
students of a “Learning College,” we are grateful for the unique opportunity we were given to serve
our soldiers and our community, while utilizing our computer knowledge and technical abilities.
People on the Move
Alfred Reliford
Student Technology Services lost a valuable student this Spring. Former STS Manager,
Samantha Aleman, relocated to California for family reasons. In her short time as Manager,
Samantha was a great lead writer and editor while assigned to the El Conquistador student
newspaper. She also spearheaded projects such as IT Service Excellence, and oversaw the STS
budget. On behalf of the STS students and staff, we wish Samantha and her family all the best
and much success.
Welcome Newcomers
IT welcomes the following new employees to our team:
Bonnie Prieto . . . . . . . . . . . .Director of Records Management
Monique Ochoa. . . . Administrative Assistant, Information Tech. (PT)
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Records Management
Coming Your Way!
Bonnie Prieto
As your new Director of Records Management, I am pleased
to be on board, and I am excited about the future of EPCC when
it comes to records management. The Records Management
Department will provide continual guidance and recommendations,
while examining current records throughout the District. We are here
to assist the user(s) towards digitizing records, and complying with
regulatory laws and statues in the retention of records generated
by the District. Our ultimate mission is not only to provide records
retention services, but also work towards a paperless institution.
A Records Committee, currently consisting of Martha RicoBriones and myself, has been formed and we have visited five EPCC locations conducting interviews to have a better feel for the
type of records utilized/stored in different areas. Control schedules
have already been designed for some of these departments.
Additional forms are also under development such as a transmittals,
control schedules, and destruction notices. Security policies and
procedures for the warehouse are being developed for the security
and protection of all District records.
The future archives warehouse, which will consist of 14,000
sq. ft., will be located in the Administrative Services Center Building
A. It will be a two-tier facility with state-of-the-art equipment to
store, document, and provide security for all District records. The mezzanine format is designed
to afford us economical means to obtain the full benefit of the 21 foot high ceilings. A Pallet
Master Mezzanine lift will transport the boxes to the upper level. The warehouse configuration
will be made up of openstorage racks storing up to
80 bankers’ boxes per unit.
A Disaster Recovery
Committee will be formed,
and a Disaster Recovery
Plan is under development.
We will work together, with
the Information Security
area, to define disasters and
emergencies that identify
and protect vital records.
Also, we will conduct a risk
assessment and create a
plan to resume to normal
business soon after a
disaster.
If you have any
“records” questions, or I can be of any assistance, I would be happy to hear from you. I can
be reached at 831-6321 or through my Administrative Assistant, Martha Rico-Briones at 8316512.
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Results of the SAS
Strategic Value
Assessment (SVA)
Ralph Silva
Do you know any of the answers to the questions below?
•
•
•
•
•
What is the vision and strategy of our College?
What are the critical business processes?
How will Business Intelligence, Analytics, Performance Management, Enrollment Management, Financial Management, etc. impact department, division, and college-wide operations?
How will our College differentiate itself as an Intelligent Business?
How can “best practices” be applied in Institutional Intelligence, Analytics, Performance Management, and Enrollment Management?
Before we can answer any of the above questions, both strategically and intelligently,
let’s take a look at how a SAS Corporation’s Strategic Value Assessment (SVA) assisted our
College to form our answers.
The SAS Strategic Value Assessment was a structured engagement that took place on
the week of March 27 through March 29, 2007, whereby seasoned SAS consultants (Andrew
Sudar, Eric Donohue and Cameron Chen) worked with the College’s leadership to assess potential
areas of application for Business Intelligence, Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and Performance
Management. Through focused discussions centered on our strategic objectives, priorities, and
key functional and operational initiatives, we explored possibilities and strategic options.
What is our next step?
A summary of specific deliverables from the SAS Consultants, who are to visit and
report back their findings and recommendations, will be presented at a meeting with the EPCC
Administrative Leaders by June 2007. These deliverables typically include the following:
•
A document that reflects the College’s specific needs, and our recommendations that match solutions and services to your priority issues.
•
Clear mapping of opportunities that exist, what challenges stand in the way, SAS
enablers that are available to overcome challenges, and identification of potential value for the
College that highlights your potential return on investment with SAS.
•
An incremental business release plan that takes into consideration a number of
factors including the level of effort, time, cost, risk, etc. to deliver an implementation that adds
value quickly.
•
An architectural assessment that assures your current and projected infrastructure
are in alignment with business goals related to SAS enabling solutions.
Final Thought for the Day
Technology is neither good nor bad – it is our use of technology tools, within our contexts
and toward specific ends, that can make a difference.
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Voice Technology at EPCC
Getting a Facelift
Griffin Canak and Marco Fernandez
EPCC has begun installing VoIP (Voice Over IP) telephone equipment as part of its
strategy to update the older voice technology currently in place at the College. Traditional voice
systems use expensive hardware called PBX (Private Branch Exchanges), which switch and
route phone calls. These systems are proprietary in nature, so adding third-party equipment
or software can be costly or impossible. These systems also
require a separate cabling/wiring infrastructure to connect each
telephone set.
VoIP is a standards-based technology that uses the
College’s data network to transmit and receive voice telephone
calls. The advantage of this approach is that the infrastructure
that already exists for the College’s data network can be used
to carry voice traffic as well. Because the technology is based
on standards, and because the data network and voice network
are closely tied together, there are many third-party applications
which take advantage of the integration between voice and data.
Maintaining the system is easier because only one cabling/wiring
infrastructure is required, and “Adds, Moves and Changes” on
the telephone network are greatly simplified. The new system will work in conjunction with the
existing telephone system (the Avaya System) and will be phased in at each of the campuses
over the next couple of years.
There are currently two VoIP projects underway. The first project will be to upgrade the
telephone system in use by the Information Technology Service Desk. This project will install Call
Center software which will help the College more effectively manage calls made to the Service
Desk. The second project includes installing a redundant VoIP system at the Administrative
Service Center for use at the new B-Building and will be done in conjunction with the renovations
being made at that facility.
Distance Ed News
Bob Jones
Andrew Lawrence has joined the Distance Education team! He is the new Distance
Education Network Specialist and comes to Distance Education from the IT Networking
Department. Andy is responsible for all local area and Internet Distance Education network
support. His new office is located at Valle Verde in C406 and his phone number is 831-2087. I
hope you will call and welcome Andy to Distance Education.
Promotions
IT congratulates the following promoted employees of our team:
Charles A. Morgan, Support Center Manager. . Effective: February 2, 2007
Luis A.Ojeda, Manager, PC Support. . . . . .Effective: March 26, 2007
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Emergencies!
Richard Buller
Should an incident or disaster occur near or on an EPCC campus or center, would
you know what to do? Have you visited the EPCC Police Department Web page to read the
Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Guide?
Awareness of and confidence in one’s knowledge of procedure always eases the feeling
of panic or insecurity. In the event of an emergency, those who have studied the instructions
should assist those who have not thought this important.
Communications, a very important resource in any
emergency, can answer questions by providing up-to-date
information and instruction on what should be one’s next
action. Communicating with the correct source of information
is critical! Please remember that some communication
means may reach saturation during an event. This can
happen with both landline and cellular telephones. Many
affected persons will be calling for instructions just as others
will be gathering information to be used for their personal
decisions.
Everyone should think ahead and plan where they
will go for information. Count on the EPCC Home Page being updated. The IT Service Desk
will be receiving the latest in incident status and instructions from the EPCC Police Department.
The Police Department is always the best informational source. Their communications ability
may be engaged in handling the emergency and have little time to answer your call, and they
will have provided the latest to those who can handle greater call volume.
Each of us must do our best to prepare for the unexpected.
TRC Tutorials
To access the Technology Resource Center tutorials, go to our EPCC home page
at www.epcc.edu. From the left menu click Technology Resources, then click Technology
Resource Center. In the TRC links menu click TRC-Tutorials. The TRC Tutorials Web Page
contains links to the following topics.
• Banner 7
Viewing Your Pay Stubs Online
Budget Query
Welcome to Banner 7
Microsoft Online Training
Microsoft Help Menu
Outlook 2003
How to Login to the Smart Start Network
Navigating the Smart Start Network
Navigating My Courses
Course/Content Tools
Configuration Tools
Personal Tools
• Microsoft Office 2003
How to find your EPCC Login ID
• Smart Start Network
How to find your EPCC Login ID
The tutorials can be viewed in Flash (free download), Acrobat Reader (free download)
and/or PowerPoint.
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Service Desk
Announcement
831-6440
The CARES line has new expanded hours as we prepare to
fully integrate CARES with the rest of the Service Desk area.
The new hours are:
8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Monday thru Thursday)
8:00 am to 5:00 pm (Friday)
Beginning with the summer semester, all Service Desk
attendants will be handling CARES phone calls. E-mails received
at itservicedesk@epcc.edu are responded to within three work
days.
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