Information Technology Services Report
The 2009-2010 academic year marked the achievement of three major milestones
outlined in the Information Technology Strategic Plan.
1. Colleague Advancement Conversion
In collaboration with the Office of Advancement and representatives from Academic
Affairs, Finance, Human Resources, Student Affairs, and our non-traditional
undergraduate and graduate programs we successfully completed the year-long Colleague
Advancement Conversion over the July 4th weekend. As a result, the College now has a
single Enterprise Resource Planning system that will enable on-going improvements in
business and services processes across the institution.
2. Technology Refresh program
The completion of the first cycle of our 5-year technology refresh program consisting of
the installation of standardized hardware, software and multi-media equipment in our
data center, and the classrooms and laboratories on Doane’s three campuses. Next year
will mark the completion of the refresh program for faculty and staff offices which are
presently 80% complete.
3. Ad hoc Committee for Academic Technology
The formation of the Ad hoc Committee on Technology and Learning academic cochaired by members of the Board of Trustees Academic and Technology Committee will
begin to “explore the best uses of technology to enhance student learning and effectively
deliver the distinctive Doane academic experience at both the graduate and undergraduate
levels”1.
The committee will investigate strategic directions on the use of technology to enhance
student learning or to create additional on-line programs and recommend priorities for
•
the development of teaching and learning enriched by the effective use of
educational technology
•
addition of new academic programs or the shifting of parts of existing
programs to an electronic environment (on-line)
•
creating the human, physical, and technological resources needed to
achieve appropriate goals.
4. Administrative Technology and Infrastructure Planning
We have completed the majority of the Administrative Technology and Infrastructure
initiatives relating to core service delivery outlined in the 2010-2012 Technology
Strategic plan. As a result, we will use this fall to begin the planning process to identify
and prioritize initiatives that support our academic and administrative computing needs.
To facilitate the Administrative Technology planning process, we have asked Datatel, our
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Information Technology Services Report
enterprise resource-planning vendor, to assist us in the development of a three-year plan.
We are in the process of setting up focus groups and have scheduled Datatel’s
representatives to be on-site in late October to assist with the data collection process.
We will also be working with our infrastructure vendors this fall to update our long-range
plan for our network infrastructure.
Over the summer, we have completed several projects and made significant progress
towards several of the supporting goals and initiatives outlined in the Information
Technology Strategic Plan.
Some of the highlights include:
1. Datatel Retention Alert
In support of Academic and Student Affairs we completed the implementation of a
web-based application to help faculty and staff identify, monitor and manage student
retention issues. Retention Alert securely tracks and monitors actions and events that
impact the student academic and student life experiences – such as grades, attendance
and family issues. Alerts can be triggered based on retention trends, thresholds, or
logged manually by an instructor, advisor, or appropriate staff member. Our goal is
to identify problems earlier in the process to help students be more successful in
reaching their academic goals.
2. Datatel Orchestrator
The first phase implementation of our data-warehousing strategy is now underway
with the installation and population our Operational Data Store, Datatel Orchestrator.
In Mid October we will begin to migrate our high-frequency Advancement reports to
this new high performance operational and ad hoc reporting environment.
3. Campus Fiber-optic Ring and Bandwidth Upgrades
The first two of three segments of the high-speed fiber-optic ring were installed on
the Crete campus over the summer. The ring has the capacity of providing 10Gbs
throughput to campus buildings. The third and final segment is planned for
completion next summer.
Internet bandwidth was upgraded on both the Crete and Lincoln campuses over the
summer. The Crete campus was upgraded from 40Mbs to 80Mbs and the Lincoln
campus was upgraded from 5Mbs to 20Mbs. The Wide Area Network connection
between the Crete and Lincoln campuses was upgraded as well.
4. Lincoln Campus Managed Wireless
The installation of a managed wireless network was completed in the Fred D. Brown
Center on the Lincoln Campus. The system is an extension of Doane College’s
centralized wireless system and is managed by the Network Administration team on
the Crete campus.
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Information Technology Services Report
Below is a selection of key initiatives and outcomes from the Information Technology
Strategic Plan that have either been completed since our last report, are planned to be
completed, or initiated prior to the Board’s May board meeting in 2011.
1. Teaching and Learning
a. Learning Spaces and Distance Learning Environments
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Continue Classroom,
Lab, Library and
Faculty Technology
Refresh Plan
Crete Campus: Refresh Biology,
Geology, Math and Physics lab
equipment.
Completed Summer 2010.
Crete Campus: Upgraded
remaining 10 classrooms.
Completed Summer 2010.
Crete Campus: Install multi-media
cart, projector and screen in Lied
113 and Gaylord 326
Scheduled for completion
by October 22, 2010 (Fall
Break)
Lincoln Campus: Refresh 5 LCD
Projectors and PC’s in Classrooms
Completed Summer 2010.
Grand Island Campus: Install
multi-media cart, projector and
screen in 4 Classrooms
Scheduled for completion
by October 22, 2010 (Fall
Break)
Expand the number
of Smart Classrooms
Lincoln Campus: Install Smart
board in Graduate Education
Classroom.
Scheduled for Fall 2010.
Expand Web Based
Collaboration and
Conferencing
Capabilities
Select video conferencing solution
for one classrooms and conference
rooms on the Lincoln and Grand
Island campus to support
synchronous learning, and
administrative communication.
Scheduled for Fall 2010.
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Information Technology Services Report
2. Administrative and Constituent Services
a. Enterprise Information Systems
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Colleague
Advancement
Conversion
Complete the pre-conversion
processes, testing, training and
implementation of Colleague
Advancement 4th of July weekend
2010.
Completed July 4th weekend,
2010.
Complete the post-conversion
migration of Benefactor reports to
Colleague Advancement.
Report conversion will
commence immediately
following conversion and
will be fully completed by
fall 2010.
b. Constituent Relationship Management System
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Implement Retention Complete the installation, training
Alert for Academic
and implementation of Datatel
and Student Affairs
Retention Alert.
Completed September
2010.
2. Administrative and Constituent Services (continued)
c. Reporting and Website Content Management
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Develop and
Implement a Datawarehousing
Strategy
Install, and Implement Datatel
Orchestrator, Operational Data
Warehouse.
Software installation and
data population is complete.
Data verification is in
progress.
Convert selected Advancement
reports for delivery from the new
environment.
Advancement report
conversion will begin in
mid October 2010.
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Information Technology Services Report
Update Website
Content
Management System
Upgrade Web Content
Management System (CMS) and
assist OCM with the
implementation of new website
design during spring and summer
of 2010.
New version of Estrada
Content Management
System is running in Doane
test environment.
The final project plan will be
created once the scope of the
design has been defined this fall.
ITS will assist OCM with
the application and design
of new templates as well
site migration once design
has been approved.
3. Technology Infrastructure and Support
a. Data Center Enhancements
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Data Center
Enhancements
Upgrade Core Servers in Data
Center.
Replaced existing
production server blade
with new blade array with
added processing power and
more memory per physical
server.
b. Network Enhancements
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Network
Enhancements
Install managed wireless controller
and 12 access points in the Fred D
Brown Center on the Lincoln
Campus.
Completed Summer 2010.
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Information Technology Services Report
3. Technology Infrastructure and Support (continued)
e. Facilities Improvements
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Haddix Center
Install new building switches and
cabling.
Equipment purchased,
cable, mounts and device
installation in progress.
Completion scheduled for
this fall.
Install Sound and Video systems in
Performance Gym, Hall of Fame,
Fitness Area, and Aerobics room.
Install multi-media equipment in
the classrooms, lab, conference
room, home locker rooms, and
general use areas.
Install PCs, Printers, and phones.
Install card readers and cameras.
Sheldon Hall
Renovation
Install new building switches and
cabling.
Completed September
2010.
Install multi-media equipment in
the business office, floor lounges
and classroom.
Completed September
2010.
Install new distribution and floor
(edge) switches.
Completed September
2010.
Install new data, CATV and phone
cabling in rooms and common
areas.
Completed September
2010.
Install iMac’s in business office
and music room
Completed September
2010.
Install 3 LCD TV’s.
Install card readers and cameras
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Completed September
2010.
Information Technology Services Report
3. Technology Infrastructure and Support (continued)
f. Support Center Improvements
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Complete
Technology Website update to
improve
communication and
self-service.
Replace current Altiris helpdesk
solution with Service Desk plus.
Completed September
2010.
Advantages include the ability to
add a web service solution for
more than Information Technology
(i.e. Maintenance). Additional
platform and device support
including, mobile, email phone and
web. Lower annual support costs.
4. Information Security and Institutional Continuity
a. Manage and Control Access
Initiative
Target
Outcomes
Manage and Control
Access to Doane
College Information
technology resources
via network
registration and
identity management.
Plan and implement a single signon solution for the college to
improve speed and accessibility of
services for users and reduce the
administrative burden associated
with managing thousands of users
across three campuses.
We are currently testing the
first phase of the project,
which will allow the College
to set up users in Datatel and
trigger the creation of
accounts and groups based
on the users role.
Safeguard the
information assets of
the College and users
Implement an affordable and
comprehensive threat prevention
solution at the gateway and
enterprise core.
Installed Gateway Security
appliance summer 2010.
Business Continuity
Planning
Implement a Business Continuity
Plan
We are in the process of
finalizing the emergency
response plan this fall and
will be working on the
restoration and recovery
sections this year.
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