Union College Campus Technology Plan Campus Technology Committee

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Union College

Campus Technology Plan 2013-2018

Campus Technology Committee

(Approved by President’s Council on October 17, 2013)

Introduction (Scope)

A guiding document for all of campus, the Union College Technology Plan is a revolving action plan providing comprehensive, medium-range planning for the next five years. It covers all areas of campus, including instructional and administrative functions (Records, Enrollment, Alumni, etc.). Key features include goals for addressing the five major components of technology for effective education (learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity)1; initiatives and projects for the next five years; and a plan for continuous updates. Implementation will rest heavily with Information Systems and the Campus Technology Committee, but also involve all campus users of technology. As appropriate, action plan items will be incorporated into the Campus Technology Policy Manual.

Campus Technology Committee Membership

The Campus Technology Committee reports to President’s Council which also appoints the chair. Faculty representatives are recommended by Faculty Senate, staff representatives are recommended by Staff Advisory, and student representatives are recommended by Student Senate.

Office/Role 2013-14 Members

Chair Richard Webb

Information System Director, ex officio Richard Henriques Instructional Technologist, ex officio Debbie Unterseher

Library Director, ex officio Sabrina Riley

Faculty Representative Bruce Forbes

Faculty Representative Ken Osborn

Staff Representative Michelle Younkin, Registrar

Staff Representative Ben Barber, Web Developer

Staff Representative Shane Flowers, Information Systems

Student Representative Gino-Paul Gordon

Student Representative Gerson Corominas

Vice-President for Finance, ex officio invitee Jeff Leeper Vice-President for Academic Affairs, ex officio invitee Malcolm Russell

Faculty Instructional Technology Committee Membership

The Faculty Instructional Technology Committee reports to Academic Council and members are appointed by Academic Administration. The role of the Faculty Instructional Technology Committee is to promote the appropriate use of technology in teaching, learning, and research through training and mentoring; to assist the instructional technologist in the management of instructional technology tools such as the course management system and classroom response system (clickers); and to explore effective use of new technology and equipment including enhancements to existing resources. In order to achieve these goals, close collaboration with the Campus Technology Committee and Information Systems is required.

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Office/Role 2013 Members

Chair, Library Director Sabrina Riley

Instructional Technologist Debbie Unterseher

Faculty Member, Division of Humanities Tanya Cochran Faculty Member, Division of Science & Math Richard Webb Faculty Member, Division of Nursing Debbie Eno

Faculty Member, Library Gillian Connors

Vice-President for Academic Affairs Malcolm Russell

Campus Technology Committee Goals

Recognizing that information technology permeates higher education and is an essential tool in contemporary culture, President’s Council directs the Campus Technology Committee to guide the effective implementation and management of technology resources in order to enable faculty, staff, and students to utilize technology successfully for learning, service, and leadership.

President’s Council charges the Campus Technology Committee to accomplish the following responsibilities during and after the 2013-2014 academic year:

1. Planning: Provide strategic long-term planning for campus-wide technology including

infrastructure, hardware, software, and support services.

a. Create a comprehensive, campus-wide technology plan for the next five years (2013-18) by August 2013. The plan should include definitions of values and priorities, protocols for decision-making, standards for equipment, and proposals for annual budgets for maintenance and replacement schedules.

i. The five-year plan should be updated annually and provide the basis for annual action plans.

ii. The evidenced-informed planning process is expected to involve the regular assessment of campus technology needs.

b. Propose and execute technology improvement projects for AQIP.

2. Budgeting: Guide technology planning and decision-making processes allocating budgeted

funds for technology purposes.

a. Work with Financial Administration to develop budgeting and spending policies that accurately document total campus spending on technology.

b. Receive annual reports from Financial Administration about departmental budgeting and spending for technology.

c. Receive monthly reports from Financial Administration through Information Systems about general campus technology expenditures approved by CTC and/or PC.

d. Create policies that guide the selection of hardware and software funded within existing budgets.

e. Propose, annually, priorities for technology expenditures.

f. Recommend to President’s Council significant projects which require funding outside of the operating budget.

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3. Enhancing Technology’s Effectiveness: Strengthen the effectiveness of campus-wide

technology through proposals for and evaluation of Information Systems’ functions. In the near future, these should include:

a. Assisting Information Systems with the creation and implementation of a customer service program to improve communication and the management of work orders. b. Developing technology replacement cycles for all categories of equipment.

c. Establishing college-wide information technology policies, procedures, and standards, including those involving emerging technologies.

d. Receive reports from the IS Director on scheduled projects.

Technology Action Plan

Technology and Institutional Planning

Recognizing that information technology is a foundational tool for nearly all campus departments, Union College created the Campus Technology Committee to provide faculty, staff, students, and administration with a voice in planning for technology. This technology plan is submitted to Faculty Senate, Staff Advisory, and Student Senate for comment and review prior to its submission to President’s Council for final approval whenever substantive changes are made, new policies are written, or new initiatives are added. The plan becomes effective upon approval by President’s Council.

Guiding Principles

These guiding principles are the foundation for making decisions in regard to technology goals, strategies, and implementation at Union College. It is understood that allocated funding will need to be considered as part of each decision, but this is one consideration of many and not the primary factor. The successful application of technology at Union College will:

 Foster student learning and success;

 Encourage innovative and effective teaching;

 Maintain a strong and smooth-functioning infrastructure;

 Improve employee productivity;

 Integrate with college strategic plans and program reviews, evaluating progress on an ongoing basis.

Major Technology Components

This action plan includes goals and projects related to the following components of information technology on the Union College campus:

 Audio-visual, including projectors and document cameras

 Software

 Hardware

 Infrastructure, including components of servers, wireless network, and Internet connection

 Telephone Services

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 Distance Education development

 Instructional and Assistive Technology

Goals and Actions

Student Learning

Action Target Date* Progress/ Status Implementation

Evaluate use of student

computer labs across campus in order to determine current usage and needs and to allocate resources in the most beneficial manner. Locations to be studied are:

Library Mac Lab Micro Lab Nursing

Ortner Center / Culver Hall Physician Assistant Studies Rees Hall

Division of Science & Math

Winter 2014 CTC submitted proposal for study to Union College AQIP Steering Committee, September 2013. CTC Subcommittee

Explore the option of offering collaborative hybrid courses with other members of the Adventist Educational Alliance.

Pilot courses Fall 2013. More to come if pilot successful.

Pilot courses postponed due lack of enrollment.

Academic Administration and Information Systems

Support online and hybrid courses.

In progress Academic Council ad hoc

subcommittee is working on policy; Nursing is offering one hybrid course and Humanities one online course Fall 2013.

FITS and Academic Administration

Faculty Teaching

Create an instructional technology plan for faculty development in teaching with technology and exploring emerging classroom technology for possible adoption.

Spring 2014 FITS/Instruction

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Page | 6 Select a podium for housing and

utilizing classroom technology.

In progress Several podiums have been added to classrooms. Still deciding on best design.

FITS/CTC

Infrastructure

Action Target Date* Progress / Status Implementation

Complete wireless internet upgrade across campus. Yet to be completed:

Dick Building (2013-2014) Larson Lifestyle Center (2014-2015)

Engel Hall (2015-2016) Carnegie Building (2016-2017) Gymnasium (2016-2017)

In progress Residence halls and Don Love Building completed. New science and math building is being done as part of new construction.

Information Systems

Upgrade switches, firewall, fiber network.

In progress Information

Systems Implement plan for regular

patch updates.

In progress Information

Systems Acquire funding for purchasing a

SAN and replace all servers. (est. $50,000)

Summer 2014 Needs approval

from President’s Council and will require working with

Advancement to fundraise. Plan ongoing replacement

schedule for servers.

2013-2014 CTC

Create a plan for system resilience, including identifying critical systems which require uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

2014-2015 CTC

Implement plan for system resilience.

2015-2016 CTC/Information

Systems Decide the future of Unicomp

system.

Summer 2015 CTC

Explore viability and benefits of a virtual desktop system for Union College. 2013-2014 academic year Information Systems and CTC Make faculty/staff

administrators of their own computers, which will require infrastructure updates and time for IS to figure it out.

TBD based on outcome of virtual desktop study.

Information Systems

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Page | 7 Upgrade campus telephone

system.

2018-2019 CTC and

Information Systems? Productivity

Graduated implementation of 5-year replacement cycle for desktop computers. By year 3 or 4 all computers will be 5 years old or less.

Begin 2013 Information

Systems

Software application training and support for staff.

2013-2014 Office managers group already has peer-to-peer program in place but does not include all staff.

Staff Advisory

Implement Spiceworks helpdesk software to manage work orders and improve communication.

2013-2014 Information

Systems

Select system for digitally archive academic records .

2013-2014 Records Office is preparing a proposal for consideration by CTC. Records Assessment

Monitor Information Systems and Academic Computing budget line items for hardware and software expenditures.

Monthly–as reports are distributed.

CTC

Identify strengths,

improvements, and weaknesses. revealed in the TechQual+ survey. Annual - each spring So far administered in Spring 2012 and Spring 2013. CTC – ask Institutional Research to administer Review annual campus budget

reports of hardware and

software spending. Include both campus-wide line items from Information Systems and Academic Computing budgets and departmental line items for hardware and software. Make recommendations to President’s Council for next fiscal cycle.

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Page | 8 *Target date represents the intended beginning of the project. As much as possible, projects should also be completed within the timeframe listed.

Financial and Human Resources Action Plan

Technology is both transient and perpetually evolving. As such, it creates significant challenges for Union College’s budget and the Information Systems staff. Therefore, in support of the above Technology Action Plan, the following Financial and Human Resources Action Plan addresses steps to manage the budget for hardware and software, diversify sources of funding for technology, and assist Information Systems with accomplishing its mission.

Budget

Recommend funds for computer replacement schedules,

infrastructure upgrades, and unexpected needs.

December 31st for next fiscal year.

Campus Technology Committee Investigate potential cost

savings through the Adventist Educational Alliance.

In progress Information Systems All spending for hardware and

software out of an individual department’s budget will be assigned to the department’s hardware or software account number. After the fiscal year is closed, this information will be provided to CTC for evaluation and future planning.

Report presented to CTC August of each year. Individual Departments / Campus Technology Committee Funding

Capital campaign to fund big ticket items (such as the SAN)

2013-2014 President’s

Council Collaborate with Advancement

to develop a viable strategy for sustainable funding which supplements the operating budget.

2014-2015 Campus

Technology Committee / Advancement Pursue grant funding for

innovative projects.

TBD TBD

Human Resources

Increase use of student labor in Information Systems.

Will build into budget for 2014-2015

Information Systems

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Page | 9 Request one additional full-time

staff member in Information Systems (job description yet to be determined).

2014-2015 Information

Systems

Diversify and expand professional development activities.

In progress. Information Systems Increase instructional

technologist position to fulltime, or hire a second part-time person.

2014-2015 FITS via Library

budget

*Target date represents the intended beginning of the project. As much as possible, projects should also be completed within the timeframe listed.

Plan Maintenance

The Campus Technology Plan will be reviewed and updated each Fall Semester based on information learned from the assessment activities of the prior academic year (see Assessment section of the Technology Action Plan), changes to the campus strategic plan, and the identification of new needs and opportunities. This cycle allows CTC to decide what funding should be requested prior to the budget proposals being submitted in December/January. It allows CTC to collect data during second semester and the summer for evaluation, and then make decisions based on data for the following fiscal year during Fall Semester. New actions will be added to the plan and the budget requests will be made to support them. Completed actions will be removed or become part of the campus policy manual as appropriate.