Technology Fee Focus: 2011 – 2012
Report Card as of March 23, 2012
Objectives

Academic Computer Center (ongoing commitment)
OBJECTIVE

WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Look at extending Specialized Satellite Labs

coverage to additional areas, such as
engineering and graphic design labs, with tier
equipment. (elevate priority).
Investigate desktop virtualization of specialized
software packages
• Add more apps to MavAPPS; esp. MS Office
• Note graduation college needs here, too
• Virtualization of apps for satellite labs
Continue funding of the ACC and Specialized
Satellite Labs, look at additional features that
would enhance the student experience within

the general lab environment.
Continue the comprehensive machine cycle to
keep technology movement between labs and
other student areas up-to-date.
Define faculty procedure for

upgrading/requesting new software.
 Send out message to faculty to get
feedback early enough

Network Infrastructure (ongoing commitment)
OBJECTIVE

Implement redundancy in the network and

connection to Internet to reduce and prevent
service outages. (new)



Continue to increase network bandwidthfor
Internet and Internet 2 access.


Investigate external revenue streams (MnSCU

email hosting, etc.)


Two new labs in Edina and a new lab in Trafton.
We successfully piloted and tested a Citrix pilot. Students, faculty, and
staff have been part of the demo and have recommended that we move
forward and implement the solution.
We build new classrooms in South 165 classroom and AH221. AH203
and AH204 where redone with new furniture and layouts.
471 new PC and Mac computers
152 Tier 2 through Tier 4 moves
On-going – we have sent out notices asking for any new software or
configuration change before the Spring semester is over and then
again during the summer and just before Fall semester starts.
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
A redundant fiber from Scott County, Minnesota down highway 169 and
highway 22, through Mankato and terminates at McElroy Center.
MnSCU has provided a redundant firewall and Minnesota Office of
Enterprise Technology has provided a redundant router. This provides
a potential 10Gbps link to the state-wide network and a completely
redundant path to our Internet point of presence for the state of
Minnesota. Working with MnSCU to increase speed from 1 to 10
Gbps.
Hardware load balancers were added – a server or service will be
transparently rerouted to a mirrored server or service at another
physical location in event of a disaster or power/cooling outage in
Memorial Library main data center.
A network redesign was completed eliminating a distribution layer of
switches in some buildings to simplify design and performance.
A planning is nearly complete to install redundant fibers between
buildings were there is a single point of failure to prevent future
network outages.
Increased bandwidth 02/13/2012 from 200Mbps (350Mbps burst) to
273.4 Mbps (700Mbps). Looking into reasons why campus network is
still performing slow.
Connection to state network - trying to increase speeds from 1 to
10Gbps.
Increased bandwidth in Edina from 10Mpbs to 100Mpbs. Request in to
MnSCU, OET and Comet/Metnet to increase speed to 1Gbps.
Discussions with MnSCU were they would pay for ImageNow hosting
service rather than member colleges.
D2L state-wide support ending 6/30/2/12.
No new hosting or SLA services discussed or added due to pending
Office 365 agreement with MnSCU and ITS reorganization.
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Examine laptop electrical power needs in
classrooms (Wissink, 7700 France, and others)
Provide better controls and monitoring systems

to protect student computers from viruses,
worms, spam and hacking.

Increase security and performance of 
networking infrastructure including wireless

technology.


Extensive power added in Edina (expansion area). Memorial Library
has added laptop power on first floor. New Mediascape locations
include outlets for power.
Lumension is used for patching state-owned Mac and Windows
computers on campus. That, combined with WSUS, is used to patch
Windows computers. Several e-mails were sent to students reminding
them to patch computers and other devices as critical vulnerabilities
are reported.
Nagios was implemented to closely monitor servers and services in the
computer data centers – replacing What’s-Up.
Replacing coverage.
Expanded Wi-Fi coverage to areas of campus with older Access Points
that were replaced with newer 802.11n Access Points.
Worked with Res Life to plan network, wireless and cell phone repeater
in Preska Hall.
Core Technology Services (ongoing commitment)
DIRECTIVE

WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Continue to improve MavDISK and enhance

capabilities for students.


Improve experience for guest login capabilities

for networks and computers. Investigate StarID

authentication to allow visiting students to use
campus resources.

Encourage students and faculty to reduce

printing and use alternatives to printing. (New
“Green Campaign” reminders) Towards a

paperless campus
Continue to explore the outsourcing of campus

email services e.g. live.edu. google

Continue to provide reliable MavMAIL service

and enhance capabilities for students.

• Investigate increasing general MavMAIL

space or backup e-mail space
Continue to add new technologies at the
Campus Computer Store
MavDISK was upgraded, rebuilt and storage added Christmas 2011.
Student space increased from 800MB to 2GB
Disk backup system with deduplication and compression added to back
up MavDISK.
Campus resources are available without authentication.
MavGUEST is available for open Internet access during summer and
for campus events.
StarID has been put on hold as a pilot is being done by MnSCU.
Student printing volume decreased over 15% in FY11 and is on target
to decrease an additional 10% in FY12. (Savings of 1.3 million pages)
Alternatives to printing are on the https://mavprint.mnsu.edu web site
and an e-mail encouraging alternatives to printing was sent in the fall
to students.
Nearly all MnSCU schools are going to Office 365 (replaces live@edu).
Awaiting contract to be completed with State of Minnesota. Plan to
move alumni e-mail-for-life to Office 365 this summer and potentially
student mailboxes as well. This is the same service as MavMAIL,
same look and functionality – only fee and hosted in the cloud.
Also will be working with google docs for College of Ed needs.
MavMAIL student space increased from 300MB to 500MB.
MavCHAT added.
Expecting major upgrade of MavMAIL this coming fall or winter.
Newest Apple and Dell products are available. Store was expanded
December 2011 to allow for more merchandise. Added netbooks,
tablets and new Dell Ultra-books. Looking in to eReaders as well as
Lenovo and HP brands.
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
Classroom Technology (ongoing commitment)
OBJECTIVE

Continue equipping classrooms and labswith
devices that enhance instruction, student

learning, and the development of technology
skills.




Continue integrating emerging instructional

technologies into the curriculum.
Provide adequate resources for the ongoing

service and support necessary to sustain
reliable classroom operations
Continue to provide fair distribution of
technology throughout campus and
departments
Expanded support and service of CSU 
presentation systems
Maintain a consistent maintenance and 
replacement cycle for classroom multimedia
presentation equipment

Instructional Management Software (IMS)
OBJECTIVE

Assist faculty & students in the use of the
instructional management system
(Desire2Learn).
Support instructional designers on campus
 to
the benefit of students

Student Study Areas
OBJECTIVE

Continue installing power and mobile
communications support.
Continue designing space to improve both
collaboration for group study and comfort for
individual study. (Committee preference to fully
implement area until funding is gone rather
than to implement something in all areas).
Possible areas for improvement:
 Memorial Library
 Minnesota room in the library (2nd
floor)
 Ford Hall
 Armstrong Hall
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Added Smartboards,
ChimeIN and Kaltura in development and pilot stages.
Five TelePresence endpoints installed in Armstrong, Morris and Edina.
Room built in Edina for TelePresence and work to be done this summer
for 2 large TelePresence units and several medium-size conference
rooms.
ML109, NH202 are new collaborative classrooms.
Edina expansion of 9 classrooms including 2 computer labs.
We started the move towards HD and digital video systems in our new
classrooms. This summer we installed about 7 rooms with the new HD
switchers to test them out for the year.
Developed and taught many different technology integration classes for
faculty through our Enriching Learning Environment group.
Adequate resources provided to sustain reliable classroom operations,
student workers & 1 full-time staff
60 classrooms upgraded across campus and across all divisions.
Departmental requests evaluated & fulfilled as appropriate and possible
Worked with CSU for Ballroom renovation project. Continue to meet
with them and help them with any needs.
60 classrooms upgraded this last summer.
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Training provided.
eLE (Enhanced Learning Environments) workshop created & held Dec
break
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Campus-wide Distributed Antenna System (Cell phone/data repeater)
was proposed in 1-time funding, but was not funded.
Preska Hall will include Distributed Antenna System.
Power expanded in Memorial Library 1st Floor.
Xxx MavNET Wireless Access Points were added this year to expand
and improve coverage.
Worked on creating new spaces with the COB and their crossroad area.
Installed new seating areas in AH and Memorial Library
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
MSU Portal (ongoing commitment)
OBJECTIVE

Continue to move campus resources to the

portal


Promote capabilities to students/staff
Improve search capabilities for MSU website.
(new)

New Technology Initiatives
OBJECTIVE
“Suggestion Box” for student ideas for
technology initiatives.


WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
myMNSU Toolbar login is presented on the Current Students page.
We now show fully managed “sponsored results” that correspond with
our A-to-Z directory, along with the links to the same search on Bing or
Google at the bottom of the results page. In addition, we have
enhanced the search box on each page to suggest word completion
suggestions for the characters entered, a la Google and Bing.
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Technology Fee grants not offered in FY11. However, Tech Fee
funding is being allocated for new and innovative technology as
suggested by student leadership over the past year and prior year.
Five TelePresence endpoints are being installed at the MSU campus as
well as 7700 France Avenue. This pilot will be used for instruction as
well as meetings. Partnerships with other MnSCU schools and St. Paul
Public School district are also being formed for distance learning and
possible internship opportunities.
Eliminate expansion of public area electronic
“billboards”

Support for the Distance Learner
OBJCTIVE

Provide non-campus based students with
technology and support to meet their needs not

covered by existing services as demand
requires. (i.e. MavAPPS)




Use of technology for advising services
including 7700 France


Increase computer support for 7700 France
 via
technology such as videophones
Expand helpdesk hours (i.e., to cover 7700

France Saturday courses)


Printers at 7700 France and how – to

Added Skype booth and skype software on kiosks.
All digital billboards recently installed have been purchased by
departments and colleges.
WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
Kaltura video streaming server is in place and will be state-wide this fall.
Pilot of Citrix was done this year. Pricing and options available to
students to consider with Tech Fee increase. Cost of Citrix and
Microsoft Student Option is about $1.06 increase in Tech Fee.
Potential for TelePresence as a new tool for distance learning and
expanding class offerings at 7700 France and main campus.
TelePresence will have future capabilities for desktop-based video
conferencing. Two large rooms will be available fall 2012 along with
several more medium-size conference rooms.
Atomic Learning is available free for video-based technical training for
students.
Microsoft IT Academy offers online Microsoft Certified training for
students as well as official training material for free.
Two demonstrations of Cisco EX90 Personal TelePresence units have
been performed. Four or five will be ordered to provide student
services between Edina and the main campus summer 2012.
Videophone use has been very light and occasionally calls are
unanswered. They roll into the helpdesk queue. There is a refocus on
a single full-time help desk person and supplemented by student help.
Hired temporary tech support staff at Edina site.
Currently working through process to hire full-time support position at
Edina site.
Advertised for student employees to assist with tech support and
extended hours.
Printer usage in suite C has been very low, so this printer and color
printer moved to new suite D. Instructions provided.
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
Continued support for Library computing
DIRECTIVE

Provide ongoing commitment and support

laptops for checkout to students. (new)

WHAT WAS DONE IN THE PAST YEAR (OR SOON TO BE DONE)
This is continuing support of 20 new laptops per year, for a 3-4 year
replacement cycle.60 laptops are available for checkout at the Library
Electronic Resource Center.
Laptops are available for rent for up to one semester at Electronic
Repair in the Student Union for a semester.
Routing of Minnesota State Mankato library

material to 7700 France campus
Increase e-books, textbooks, and online 
documentation and support for associated
readers (possible inclusion of InterLibraryLoan)

Students get access to over 280 electronic databases, 40,000
electronic books, access to over 55,000 periodicals (print and
electronic)
Library assistance in person, email, 24/7 chat reference.
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