This Is IT!
Volume 1, Issue 1, Fall 2004
Message from the
Vice President/CTO
Thanks to the efforts of the IT staff and an
This newsletter provides information on
internal taskforce, social security numbers were
initiatives we have implemented and will keep
replaced with non-tax ID numbers to help our
you up-to-date on new developments.
College community protect their identity. The
It’s been a busy year with IT developing a
Integrated Technology Committee helped fund stateMaster Plan, providing training, and making it
of-the-art equipment for our labs and classrooms.
easier for students and faculty to access on-line
In addition, the Bursar Project was implemented
services.
and allows staff to track and reconcile payments of
One of our biggest accomplishments is
library fines or other charges. Lastly, but just as
the Student Technology Services Program
importantly, the Technology Resource Center
(STS). IT has made it possible for students
continues to provide training in many areas including
to enhance their educational experience
Banner Navigation, Campus Pipeline and training for
Fabiola Rubio
through this program. STS is managed and operated
Vice President/CTO
online faculty (incorporating the Seven
by EPCC students who provide
Information Technology
Principles of Good Teaching).
various College departments with
And that’s IT, or rather This is
technology support services. ParticipaIT! We’re proud to serve our College
tion in this program is increasing.
“Welcome to our
community and we’re proud of our
Another of our achievements is
first edition of our achievements that will help us all
the Orion Project. EPCC, UTEP, and
teach, and work more
EPISD have partnered to deliver this
Information Tech- communicate,
effectively. I hope you enjoy our first
high-speed, community network to
nology Newsletter.” issue of This is IT and that you keep
share information and resources. It
reading future issues…….we’ll keep
truly
makes
education
and
information
The Best Place
you updated on new, innovative
accessible to the community as does
to Start
programs and projects in our area that
our Distance Education delivery.
may affect you!
Distance Education, which includes online
courses, videoconferencing and television courses,
continues to grow. This next year
we anticipate additional course
Vice President/CTO
This is IT!
sections and will consider
Information Technology
alternative scheduling options to
Message from the VP/CTO
meet the continued demand.
Information Technology ............. 1
IT is also helping our
Check out what's new at the
students through the Campus
Library .......................................... 2
Pipeline’s free, personal e-mail
A Rose by Any Other Name ......... 2
accounts. Through this system,
New ID Numbers ......................... 2
our students and faculty have been
WebCT .......................................... 2
able to communicate with each
STS Delivers ................................. 3
other and to connect with the
Lights, Camera, Action ................ 3
Banner System. Beginning this
Campus Pipeline .......................... 4
fall, faculty will also be able to
Faculty Gain Groupwise
access their college email anytime,
Web Access ................................... 4
anywhere using the Internet.
Distance Learning Brings Courses
Close to Home .............................. 4
El Paso County Community College District does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national origin, religion, gender, age or disability.
This is IT! Page 1
Check Out
What's New at
the Library...
New ID
Numbers Protect
Your Identity
By Lori Hoefner
By Ralph Silva
The use of tax ID numbers, such as social
Student stress should ease a little with the
security numbers and social insurance numbers, as a
introduction of the Bursar module in the campus
personal identification number has been discontinued
libraries. EPCC’s integrated library system, Innovaat EPCC as of March, 2004. Nearly every higher
tive, now interfaces with the administrative system,
education institution has been using
Banner, to track and reconcile payments,
an automated student and/or
such as library fines, to the appropriate
employee numbering system.
students’ records.
This saves the
Why the change? The main
The speed and accuracy of
students a lot of
reason was the institution’s desire to
communication between the systems
help reduce the risk of identity theft.
will provide greater convenience to
time and
There is also a pending state law that
students. Previously, during registrahelps secure their
would require such a change.
tion, if a student was found to have a
An ID Task Force Committee,
library hold, the student had to leave
information
representing all areas of the College,
registration, go to the library for a
assembled to focus on the coordinarecord of their charge, and then go to
tion, timelines and methods of creative communicathe cashier to get a receipt showing payment before
tion regarding internal and external conversions of
they could continue registering. Automating this
systems that had a social security number as a primary
process allows EPCC staff to look into both systems
identifier.
simultaneously to identify charges and confirm
As a result, the IT Department created an easy
payments. This saves the students a lot of time and
means for students and employees to look up their
“mileage.”
new identification number through the Web.
In addition, students can check the EPCC web to
Students can still register for classes in the Banner
determine if they have outstanding charges before
system using their previous ID’s, but for security
they register. Students will also be notified by mail if
purposes are strongly encouraged to use their new ID
there are charges to their accounts so they can reconcile
starting with an 88 prefix.
their account any time during the semester.
A Rose by Any
Other Name
By Cheryl Bowman
Times change and the Faculty Resource Center
has too! We have expanded our mission and as the
newly-named, Technology Resource Center, we
continue to serve the faculty and staff of the College
in a wide variety of computer-based training and
assistance. Located at Valle Verde Room C420, the
Center is now staffed by three professionals, Cheryl
Bowman, Doroteo Franco, and Kimberly Harrison,
and one lab assistant, Patty Delgado. Along with
providing immediate assistance via phone or inperson at the center, we will deliver computer skills
training in a wide variety of subjects at all campus
sites. Look for training subjects, dates and times via
e-mail messages.
This is IT! Page 2
WebCT Faculty,
Students, We
Have Heard You!
By Cheryl Bowman
The Technology Resource Center is pleased to
announce that the training for WebCT instructors has
changed based on the input of students and faculty
alike. The course is designed around the “Seven
Principles of Good Teaching.” Faculty are given
practical tips and insight into how to use WebCT
more effectively to deliver high-quality, interesting
education. We are excited about the changes and we
look forward to the new year. For more information,
please call Cheryl Bowman at 831-2767.
STS Delivers
Service,
Experience
Lights, Camera,
Action! - that's
CIT
By Carlos Leyva
By Claire Buisson-Rodriguez
The Center for Instructional TelecommunicaSTS is an innovative program that IT has
tions (CIT) has been busy developing new initiatives
implemented to help students get paid work
and upgrading equipment to provide even better
experience with College departments. STS enhances
services to the community and the College.
students’ academic experiences at EPCC and equips
CIT is producing eleven promotional announcethem with skills necessary to embark on a successful
ments for Instructional Television Courses that began
professional career.
airing on EPIC Cable Channel 14 and KCOS in
The program is run and managed by EPCC
August. A new presentation for Fall Faculty Developstudent managers. STS employees undergo training
ment is also in the works. Mark Negrete, media
that covers problem solving, oral communication
producer, said, “It’s the faculty and staff who define
skills and professional/technical skills. After their
the spirit of EPCC. The goal of our video is to
training, STS employees are responsible for delivering
introduce new employees to the contagious positive
quality computer and technology services to students,
attitude they will find here and to have a little fun.”
faculty and staff at EPCC. Services provided may
Marco Lara, CIT Producer, has completed the pilot for
include help desk operations, network operations,
a new program about the activities and programs at
classroom support, web design, programming,
EPCC simply entitled, “The Show.”
microcomputer support units,
EPCC’s own Jenny Girón and Gloria
software training, campus pipeline
Estrada host the show which will begin
training, telecommunications, and
“It's the faculty
airing September 1. They will interview
campus computer lab consulting.
faculty, staff and other guests.
and staff who
With development and maturity,
New equipment is also boosting
STS services will be offered to external
define the spirit of productivity at CIT. A new broadcast
clients such as government agencies,
server enables the department to play
EPCC.”
and businesses in El Paso County.
back video programs during the
The long-term goal is to incorporate
weekend. This was one of the goals of
our surrounding community employthe Cable Collaborative for the City of
ers to become STS Industry Advisors. This would
El Paso, which includes the public school districts,
help their businesses stay competitive by giving them
UTEP and EPCC. Further, one hundred sixty (160)
access to well-trained college students with real-world
new LCD projectors will be installed district-wide to
work experience; employees with effective communiensure for more effective use of technology in the
cation and teamwork skills; and access to a web-based
classroom. Additionally, new camera cables and lights
database containing dozens of STS employee
are being permanently installed in the Board room to
resumes.
speed up the setting up time for Board meetings and
Furthermore, EPCC will join four-year universiprovide better production quality.
ties and public high schools located in the El Paso/
Las Cruces area to examine the viability of creating an
area-wide STS unit as part of a regional center for
information technology education. This center will
employ students from all of the participating entities.
If you would like more information about the
program or the minimum requirements for students
interested in STS, please call x6406 or x6407.
Did You
Know...
Academic
Computing
Services Centers are being
used by students for
classroom
assignments,
Campus
Pipeline,
registration,
online classes
and library
research.
"The Show" airing
September 1
STS, please call:
x6406 or x6407
This is IT! Page 3
Faculty Gain
Groupwise Web
Access
By Cheryl Bowman
This is IT!
Cares Line
x2273
Computer Operations
x6456
Help Desk
x6440
STS
x6406 or x6407
Technology Resource Center:
Patty
x2012
Kimberly
x3362
Cheryl
x2767
Doroteo
x 2143
Campus Pipeline
Helps Communication Flow
Smoothly
EPCC students and faculty have access to free,
secure e-mail services and other course tools like Chat
rooms and message boards through the Campus
Pipeline. Through the Campus Pipeline you can access
course home pages, calendars and school resources
(registration, class schedules, single sign-on to other
Web products, etc.).
To login, you go to EPCC’s homepage at
www.epcc.edu and click on the “My E-Mail” icon on
the top. Enter your user name and password. There
is a “How Do I get a User Name” link you can click to
find your name. Your default password is your birth
date (MMDDYY). It is the same password you use
for WebCT and banner if you are staff or a faculty
member.
You can call the Help Disk at x6440, Cares Line
x2273 or Computer Operations at x6456 for assistance.
This is IT! Page 4
Faculty with Groupwise accounts can now check
their college email from anywhere using Roadrunner,
SBC, or other internet service providers without the
tedious forwarding of mail and/or dialup access that
is thankfully part of the past! Simply use your current
browser to access webmail.epcc.edu and login using
your current Groupwise email ID and password.
While the format will display slightly differently, you
will find you can read your College announcements
and mail easily. If you are still using the default 12345
as a password, please change it immediately to help
keep the system safe for everyone. If you do not have
a Groupwise account, please contact your Instructional Dean’s office. For password help, please contact
the IT HelpDesk at x6440. If you need assistance
with using the interface, please contact the Technology
Resource Center: Patty (x2012), Kimberly (x3362),
Cheryl (x2767) or Doroteo (x2143).
Distance
Learning Brings
Courses Close to
Home
By David Walker
Distance Education (DE) at EPCC is as exciting
and effective as ever. Just ask the students who have
taken some of the courses! New courses, such as
Music Appreciation and TECA Child Development,
are being developed for online delivery, joining World
Literature and Art Appreciation which made their
debut this year. The number of students who have
enrolled in DE courses continues to grow each
semester.
The DE Network met the needs of hundreds of
high school students enrolled in dual credit courses by
offering the courses via distance delivery. Some of the
schools would not have been able to offer the dual
credit option to their students without distance
education. Home school students have also opted for
distance delivery.
New equipment at the ASC and all five EPCC
campus distance learning classrooms will also make
connections faster and clearer. Furthermore, this new
equipment will allow for increased expansion and a
greater range of locations/institutions for videoconferencing.