Information Technology Services Report

This report highlights the progress Information Technology Services has achieved during the 2013-2014 Academic year. I am pleased to report that we have completed or made significant progress on several key technology initiatives established in Doane’s Strategic Plan and I am also pleased to report that we have completed several objectives set in the supporting technology plan.

Online Learning

As outlined in the Doane Strategic Plan, the college is planning to offer online programs tostudents by the fall of 2015. Based on input from our market research partner and our current strengths, we have developed a series of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate and graduate programs, as well as certificates and endorsements to be developed and implemented over the next three years. These programs still require discussions with faculty and approval by the higher learning commission. A business plan has been drafted and is currently being reviewed by cabinet and the President. Once this process is complete the plan will be submitted to the Strategic Innovation Committee.Additionally, a potential partner has been identified to assist us with enrollment management, curriculum development and student and faculty support and we are currently reviewing their proposed contract should we receive approval to move forward.

School of Graduate and Professional Studies

Recruiter - Customer Relationship Management System

We have implemented Recruiter on the Omaha and Grand Island campuses and are currently implementing Recruiter for Lincoln undergraduate students and plan to go live in October.

In collaboration with the Office of Strategic Communications we have created and implemented a website for the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and Education. As a re result, prospective and current students have improved access to relevant information about their learning experience. You can see the new site by visiting:

School of Arts and Sciences

Learning Commons and Instructional Design Lab

The new learning commons is open for business. Students now have access to a series of new spaces and resources configured for group study, media production, scholarly discussion, collaboration and academic coaching. Some of the new features include:

  • 24x7 Computing lab and expanded general computing lab
  • Collaboration conference room and workstations with large display
  • Media lab with audio and video production equipment and software
  • Renovated and relocated Rall Gallery equipped to display digital art
  • Writing lab with new workstations
  • Information science classroom that can be used as a 25 station computing lab
  • Centrally located Genius Bar staffed with library and technology personnel

We are currently in the process of finalizing the plans to transform CM 20 (now CM 188) into an Instructional Design Lab. The renovation should begin in late December and the new space will become alab for faculty and students to experiment with new and emerging technology. The space will be equipped with collaborative workstations, mobile technology and video/web/phone conferencing capabilities.

Mobile Learning Initiative

This summer we established a working group to evaluate the potential impact as well as cost of support, training and infrastructure for a common mobile computing device to enhance learning. The committee reviewed existing programs at several schools and the committee members experimented with iPads, laptops, PC convertibles and their associated software. We are in the process of discussing the potential initiative with academic divisions and will also request input from students through the student council. Once we receive this input cabinet will review and make a final recommendation on a mobile learning program including fees and timing.

Below is a selection of key initiatives and outcomes from the Doane College Strategic Plan and the Information Technology Plan that have either been completed since our last report or will be started prior to the Board’s next meeting in October of 2014.

Goal 1. Learning through Engagement

Objective / Strategy / Status
Objective E: Prepare students to use technology effectively for communication and for research in preparation for their future careers. / Strategy 2: Evaluate the potential educational impact as well as costs of the support, infrastructure, and training requirements for a Mobile Learning program (providing all students and faculty with a common device – laptop or tablet) as one option to facilitate the effective use of technology in academic programs and to enhance student learning on the effective uses of technology. / A working group met this summer and reviewed existing mobile learning programs at several institutions. The group also experimented with several devices and applications. We have expanded our discussion to the academic divisions and will seek input from students through StuCo. The cost for this project range from $300k to $460k.

Goal 2: Expanding Resources through Enrollment Growth.

Objective / Strategy / Status
Objective B: Grow enrollment for non-traditional and graduate students.
. / Strategy 2: Establish a blended or on-line program on the undergraduate level and identify a niche area for a new on-line graduate program. / Doane College is planning to offer online programs to students by the fall of 2015. Faculty are discussing a series of undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and graduate programs, certificates and endorsements. These programs will also require approval of HLC.
A business plan has been created and cabinet and the President are currently reviewing this along with a proposed contract from a potential partner. Once this process is complete, the plan will be submitted to the strategic innovation committee for review. The projected investment required over the first three years is approximately $850k.

Goal 4: Exceptional Educational Environment.

Objective / Strategy / Status
Objective A: Provide an enriched technological environment that facilitates communication, research, and effective service across all campuses.
Objective C:Develop a campus master plan to improve academic facilities and plan for future growth.
Objective D:Transform the library into an advanced learning commons. / Strategy 1:Create a new Information Technology Strategic Plan to support the institution’s strategic initiatives and plans for future growth.
ITS Strategic Plan: Learning and Teaching Spaces Strategy 1: Improve the experience of student learning at Doane by developing more flexible classroom designs that accommodate a variety of teaching and learning styles.
Strategy 1:While awaiting realization of the full master plan, develop a plan to renovate the existing space of the Library into an enhanced learning commons. / The Plan has been developed and work is in progress.
Specific strategies were developed to support the 2012-2017 Doane College Strategic plan.
This year we were not able to fund the programmed refresh of laptops and desktops for labs, faculty and staff due to budget constraints. As a result, some labs and faculty are using machines that are six years old and beyond their recommended life cycle. We would require approximately $100k to fully fund the program and get back on plan.
A plan has been developed to transform CM20 (now CM 188) into a modern teaching and learning laboratorystarting in December. The plan was delayed a few months in order to complete the learning commons and ensure students and faculty had access to our 24x7 computing lab. The new lab will provide a flexible learning environment that support’s collaborative work and incorporates, mobile conferencing and lecture capture. Dr. King will provide technology workshops for faculty in this space.
The Learning Commons is now open for use. Students now have access to a series of new spaces and resources configured for group study, media production, scholarly discussion, collaboration and academic coaching

Goal 5: Supportive and Inclusive Community.

Objective / Strategy / Status
Objective C: Restructure the College to promote growth, effective planning and enhanced communication across all campuses in the college system, expanding awareness of the college’s common mission. / Strategy 5: Improve the College web-site for marketing and Enrollment Services and move to develop a College-wide portal that delivers user-specific information to increase communication of timely information and to provide easier access to College-related announcements, news, documents, policies, pertinent websites, events, etc. / The new School of Graduate and Professional Studies website went live in September.
This site provides information tailored for prospects and students in these programs. The site also includes information about graduate education and campus specific information for the Grand Island, Lincoln and new Omaha campus.

IT Plan: Teaching and Learning

Initiative / Target / Outcomes
Lecture and Seminar Media Services
Living, Learning and Performance Spaces / Create a multi-year development plan for implementing lecture capture services in designated Smart classrooms on all three campuses to enhance the learning experience.
Continue to improve students living and learning experience through technology / In January, we will install a video capture system in the new Instructional Design Lab. Faculty will be trained on its use and provided the opportunity to experiment with the system in a lab environment.
We have completed the installation of new audio and video technology in the East and West dining room and added a 200” diagonal screen in Heckman Auditorium.The new projection equipment for Heckman was not funded and will have to be proposed again next year. At this point we are using a portable projector that we place on the floor to project on the screen.

IT Plan: Administrative Computing

Initiative / Target / Outcomes
Recruiter
Acalog
LiveText
Colleague Student Information Systems Upgrade / Implement Recruiter Application for GPS and Education.
Implement new Online Catalog Solution.
Implement Assessment and Portfolio Software
Upgrade Colleague Hardware, and Applications to prepare for new enhancements and increased capacity. / We are currently in the process of Implementing Recruiter for undergraduates on the Lincoln Campus.The planned go live date is October 1st. We will begin work on an international application in October.
In support of the Registrar’s office, we have assisted with the implementation of a new online catalog system for the college. The system will be available through the Doane Website on September 30th.
We are continuing the process of implementing LiveTextsoftware for the College. Students and Faculty are currently using the software to measure outcomes and effectiveness of teaching and learning in our general education courses on all campuses. Additionally, our education students will be using the field experience module to track their experience teaching. This project is a multi-year and multi-phase project.
We had planned to upgrade the hardware for the Colleague environment this summer. As a result of budget constraints we only updated the web server as part of the virtual environment refresh. The Colleague Application and Database server upgrade was deferred due to funding constraints.

IT Plan: Technology Infrastructure and Support

Initiative / Target / Outcomes
Upgrade Virtual Server Environment
Campus Managed Wireless
Classroom, Faculty and Staff Refresh
Security Appliance Installation
Internet Services and Transport / Over the summer we will upgrade our physical servers that host the more than 50 servers in our data center.
Upgrade Wireless infrastructure and add and update Wireless Access Points.
Complete scheduled server, classroom, lab, faculty, and staff refresh programs.
Install New Security Appliance in Omaha
Investigate the possibility of adding or using an additional carrier for transport to improve redundancy. / The college’s virtual server environment was upgraded this summer.We have the prepared servers that we planned to provide the sciences but had to defer the purchase of additional VMWare licenses needed to create a virtual server lab for Math, Physics and Technology.
We successfully completed the wireless infrastructure upgrade this summer and added 44 access points in residence halls and academic buildings to improve coverage and increase density where in demand.
We were able to upgrade 10 classrooms this summer on the Crete campus. We created a new lab on the Lincoln campus and we updated the lab on the Grand Island campus. We were not able to fund the refresh of any labs, faculty or staff machines on the Crete campus. We are continuing to upgrade remaining XP machines to Windows 7
We deferred the installation of a new appliance in Omaha this summer due to budget constraints.
We have received quotes for transport from other carriers and will be evaluating them this fall. A recommendation will be forthcoming as part of the annual budgeting process.

1