Faculty Assembly

Current status. (1) By using STF monies to support student employees, IT Services should be able to reallocate resources so as to hire 2 additional IT professionals by 2004. (2) When IT professional staffing levels have increased to sufficient levels, a liaison system will be established so that students, faculty, staff, and administrators have access to a dedicated IT staff member. (3) The IT Council has established a set of core services that are available to all members of the campus community and has begun developing pricing schemes for

Extended Services[6]. (4) Currently, the campus has no official webmaster who can maintain the server and install robust web services such as ASP functionality.

Outcomes. The outcomes for the Support Initiative correspond to the measurable objectives found in the IT Strategic Plan[7]. In particular, successfully implementing the above strategies should lead to:

1. a 25% decrease of response time of the ITS Help Desk by 2005,
2. an expanse of core services (by migrating new and current extended service activities into the core) by 2005,
3. an 50% expanse of support for specialized labs by 2005,
4. an expanse of support for distance education activities 25% by 2005,
5. web-enabling 95% of student support services (including advising, registration, scheduling, financial aid but excluding library resources) by 2005,
6. an effective, flexible and consistent web presence for the campus by 2005, and
7. web-enabling of administrative functions by 2005 as appropriate for our campus.

 Costs. The total cost for implementing the Support Initiative is $585,000.

 Timeline. The following diagram illustrates the timing of the strategies for the Support Initiative.

Learning initiative: Establish a new paradigm for an institutional-wide learning environment enhanced by technology.

Analysis. The CU Colorado Springs campus has proven to be resourceful, innovative and creative, especially in delivering a technology-enhanced curriculum. Columbine Hall, the El Pomar Center and two recent system awards for teaching with technology are just a few examples of the campus innovative culture. Creating a national model for an innovative institutional-wide learning environment will assist CU Colorado Springs will define its distinctiveness as well as become a highly ranked comprehensive, regional, research institution.

Strategies, costs, resources and timing. The following strategies are critical to establishing a new learning paradigm. Details about these strategies can be found in the IT Strategic plan.

1. Implement a campus-wide web portal for customized services to students, faculty and staff.

2. Define, analyze, study, and deploy a learning/technology initiative designed to transform the campus.[8]

3. Develop a review and assessment process of campus-supported learning management systems every two years.

4. Establish a coordinated, focused e-Learning campus plan.

5. Converge to a single web server platform or provide staff to support multiple web servers.

 Current status. (1) Currently, the CU System is investigating various web portal options. Boulder is about to implement a specific open-source version. (2) A learning initiative with technology enhancement involves many facets including, but not limited to, assessment, core curriculum, technology competency requirements, portfolios, etc.. (3) The campus IT Services currently supports WebCT and FirstClass but eCollege and eEducation are used by various units on campus. The Teaching and Learning Center supports faculty instruction of these platforms. The WebCT license is up for renewal every fall. (4) A Distance Education Taskforce made recommendations for such an eLearning plan in June 2001. Those recommendations currently reside with the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (5) The campus currently supports two webservers: Apache and Microsoft IIs. The IT Council will make a recommendation as to whether the campus should converge to one webserver or increase staff to support multiple platforms.

Outcomes. The outcomes for the Learning Initiative correspond to the measurable objectives found in the IT Strategic Plan[9]. In particular, successfully implementing the above strategies should lead to:

1. a feasibility study of an institutional transforming technology strategy, based on pedagogical foundations, by 2003,
2. the deployment of an instructional technology environment that encourages the use of collaborative and interactive learning strategies by 2005,
3. an increase of the use of instructional technology to 70% of all courses offered by UCCS in a given semester by 2005,
4. an increase of the percentage of distance education courses (hybrid and pure) offered by UCCS to 60% in a given semester by 2005,
5. annual assessment of the use of instructional technology in 50% of all courses using technology by 2005, and
6. the development of standards of competence in information technology skills for students, faculty and staff and provide effective training to support these skills by 2005.

Costs. It is difficult to attach a total cost to the Learning Initiative since it involves a campus-wide effort to define the scope of this initiative. Minimal cost is at least $140,000.

Timeline. The following diagram illustrates the timing of the strategies for the Learning Initiative.

Security initiative: Minimize campus IT vulnerabilities in order to provide a safe technology environment.

Analysis. Network security is ranked in the top 30% of pressing issues by faculty, staff and students[10]. The number of hacker attacks on the campus network and servers has risen substantially in the past two years. These attacks not only pose a very serious threat to the operation of the University but also may contribute to a significant liability threat should our systems be used to break into other systems on the internet. The frequency and severity of computer viruses have also worsened and have caused service interruptions to faculty, staff and students. The need for authenticated login to campus networks including the web is increasing. Use of illegal software and copyright violations are on the rise at CU Colorado Springs.

Strategies, costs, resources and timing. The following strategies are critical to establishing a new a safe technology environment for the campus. Details about these strategies can be found in the IT Strategic plan.

1. Perform annual network security analyses.

2. Develop campus policies, processes and procedures so that campus decisions and planning includes technology components.

3. Develop a process to create IT policies.

4. Install a campus-wide virus software system.

5. Increase faculty, staff and student education about copyright laws and liability issues stemming from illegal software use.

6. Establish structure and organization to track software license agreements.

7. Develop and implement an enterprise directory service for the University of Colorado to enable the following: trusted, authoritative source of data, usable by a variety of applications and services, identity, data and relationship management, and authentication services.  

1. Adopt an Intellectual Property policy for the campus.

Current status.(1) Working with University Management System (UMS), IT Services is working with an outside consultant to identify areas of network vulnerabilities, especially in regards to UMS activities. Initial results indicate that IT Services is doing a better than average job in protecting UMS from attacks through the Colorado Springs campus. (2) By ensuring that IT planning is included in all campus planning activities, vulnerabilities can be minimized. (3) The IT Council has formed a Policy subcommittee and will begin recommending IT policies to the campus. Such possible policies include the use of email and the web, hard and software owned by the campus, etc. (4) It is likely that IT Services will install campus-wide virus protection in AY 01-02. While the Student Technology Fee is one possible source of funding, the campus should match funds. (5) The Senior Faculty Associate for Information Technology, working with campus IT Services, will have workshops on copyright issues during AY 01-02. (6) Currently, IT Services ensures that no illegal software is run on systems that IT Services maintains. These systems include campus servers and the open student labs. However, there is no mechanism on campus to track software licenses for software installed on faculty and staff computers. This is a liability for the campus. (7) The CU Directory Services Project began in fall of 1999. Project teams have been formed, directory structures are designed, and initial project of white pages is in the testing phase. (8) Currently, the CU System is working to develop an IT policy. Once approved, the campus can formulate its own specific version.

Outcomes. The outcomes for the Security Initiative correspond to the measurable objectives found in the IT Strategic Plan[11]. In particular, successfully implementing the above strategies should lead to:

1. a reduction of network security and virus problems by 2005,
2. a reduction of liability threats stemming from illegal software and copyright usage, and
3. a better understanding of Intellectual Property rights.

 Costs. The Security Initiative will have $70,000 in ongoing expenditures and $25,000 in one-time expenses.

 
Timeline. The following diagram illustrates the timing of the strategies for the Security Initiative.

Physical Infrastructure initiative: Maintain and upgrade a physical technology environment in order to ensure stability and maximize effectiveness.

Analysis. Replacing computer equipment on a regular basis is another popular issue with faculty, staff, and especially students. The recently increased Student Technology Fee should cover 3-year replacement costs for computers in open labs on campus. However, there is no asset management plan to replace faculty and staff computers. In addition, students and faculty have called for more smart classrooms (podium-based classrooms) and there is a growing need for more specialty teaching labs that need computers at each desktop. Any new construction or remodeling must not only include an IT physical infrastructure but an IT human resource / support infrastructure as well. Finally, while the campus has excellent wired network capabilities due to recent construction, wireless networks are proving to have excellent pedagogical opportunities and should be explored at CU Colorado Springs.

Strategies, costs, resources and timing. The following strategies are critical to establishing a new learning paradigm. Details about these strategies can be found in the IT Strategic plan.

1. Establish a regular, three-year cycle for replacing computers in open student labs.

2. Establish a regular, three-year cycle for replacing computers in faculty and staff offices.

3. Build more podium-based and computer lab classrooms.

4. Develop campus policies, processes and procedures so that campus decisions and planning includes technology components.

5. Develop and test a wireless environment that encourages collaborative and interactive learning.

Current status. (1) The STF will enable IT Services to manage an open lab computer replacement plan. (2) Currently, there is no campus-wide policy or plan to regularly replace computers used

by faculty and staff. (3) Currently, construction of the new Engineering building, the update of Dwire, and the Beth El / Science complex will provide more podium-based and computer lab classrooms. Nonetheless, the best guess based on faculty usage indicates that the campus needs 10 additional podium-based classrooms and 5 additional computer lab classrooms by 2005. (4) The campus must establish a policy that includes planning for both physical and human resource IT infrastructure with all new construction. (5) The campus has no official effort to build wireless networks although this was identified as a need in the recent campus IT survey.

Outcomes. The outcomes for the Physical Infrastructure Initiative correspond to the measurable objectives found in the IT Strategic Plan[13]. In particular, successfully implementing the above strategies should:

1. ensure that the highest quality and most robust technology possible is installed with new construction or renovation on campus,
2. ensure that 90% of all classrooms have embedded computer and media technology by 2005, and
3. ensure that consistent long and short-term strategic plans for CU Colorado Springs reflect the rising costs of information technology.

Costs. The Physical Infrastructure Initiative will have $625,000 in one-time expenses and $3,350,000 every 3-years.

 Timeline. The following diagram illustrates the timing of the strategies for the Physical Infrastructure Initiative.

Information initiative: Establish a capacity to collect, exchange, analyze and report information throughout all activities on campus.

Analysis. Through the 2000-2001 campus IT survey and focus groups, the faculty and staff have indicated that the campus needs to provide easy access to administrative information. While the University Management System has already begun to address this issue with the Data Warehouse, the Student Information System (SIS), and PeopleSoft financial system, a user-friendly, campus-based interface is needed. This is an example of the broader need to readily and easily collect, analyze and report important information. Robust intranets, used in corporations and other universities, can be an effective means of building administrative and academic communities for the purposes of exchanging data. However, the trend in higher education is that the needs for administrative data and academic data will converge so that a single system for data exchange is advisable. It will be important that any such system is designed to accommodate system data and be built with available standardized database structure. This is a significant project and the campus might benefit from the expertise of companies that deliver similar products for other universities.

Strategies, costs, resources and timing. The following strategies are critical to establishing a new learning paradigm. Details about these strategies can be found in the IT Strategic plan.

1. Collaborate with the other campuses in the CU System to web-enable back-office and administrative functions.

2. Implement a campus-wide web-based portal for customized services to students, faculty and staff.

3. Establish a campus-wide intranet to enhance the exchange of information.

4. Provide a web-enabled database capability that can interface with the important back-office administrative functions such as SIS, Peoplesoft, and the Data Warehouse.

Current status. (1) and (2) The CU system is currently investigating web portals for all four campuses, a new Student Information System platform, as well as refinements to the data warehouse. A campus-wide portal system would offer many academic and administrative features to students so use of the Student Technology Fee might be appropriate. (3) and (4) Building and maintaining an intranet as well as a database capability would take significant resources. A campus commitment to add resources in order to build these capabilities would be required so as to not sacrifice support in other administrative and academic areas. Considerable research is required to identify the exact needs and how those needs may best be served.

Outcomes. The outcomes for the Information Initiative correspond to the measurable objectives found in the IT Strategic Plan[14]. In particular, successfully implementing the above strategies should:

1. Web-enable 80% of all administrative functions by 2005.
2. Provide 95% of student support services (including advising, registration, scheduling, financial aid but excluding library resources) online by 2005.

Costs. As with the Learning Initiative, it is difficult to determine the costs of the Information Initiative until further and substantial research is conducted.

 Timeline. The following diagram illustrates the timing of the strategies for the Information Initiative.

Cost summaries for the five IT major initiatives.

 
Timeline summaries for the five IT major initiatives.