Technology Plan

The purpose of this biennial plan is to describe targeted technology-related activities through the 2002/2003 academic year, and to ensure that the planned use of technology is effectively embedded within the broader campus strategy for delivery of instruction and associated support services.

Background

Information Technology Services (ITS) is the centralized technology support organization at Central Oregon Community College, with broad responsibility for administration, operation and support of information systems, networks and telecommunications, and desktop computing. ITS maintains the necessary blend of systems, infrastructure and technical support to enable delivery of and access to information resources and services across the main campus, the Redmond North Campus, and at the six rural college centers.

ITS Support Resources:

ITS components include: Management Information Systems, User Services, Network Systems, Telecommunications, and Academic Computing. ITS staff coordinate campus support of:

Technology Infrastructure:

Systems Components:

Planning Framework

National Trends:
Data from the annual "National Survey of Information Technology in U.S. Higher Education" highlight the following points regarding nationwide technology trends in 2000:

Survey data again confirm that the key IT challenges in higher education involve staff, not products. Retaining current IT personnel was rated the most critical strategic issue facing colleges and universities. Increasing corporate demand for technical talent means that IT staff can increase their income by 30 to 50 percent by leaving the education community. A related critical issue is understaffing in the area of user support, where ratios of technology users to technology support personnel remain two to five times the level found in comparable corporate environments.

Though survey data continue to show gains in the use of technology in the classroom and in the role of technology to support instruction and learning, it appears that those gains are leveling off (4% increase in use of Internet resources from 1999 to 2000, vs. 10% peak increase from 1996 to 1997). Large increases are noted, however, in the use of course management software such as WebCT, with 60 percent of responding campuses having standardized on a single product standard for that purpose.

Use of campus web sites for offering campus services and e-commerce capacity is increasing dramatically:

Campus Environment:
On-campus, COCC headcount enrollment growth has averaged approximately 4%/yr. over the last five years and growth is projected to remain at or above that level. The Student Services Plan now in place includes a significant commitment to on-line student access of campus information systems. A specific goal is that 80% of student-initiated enrollment and business transactions will be completed via worldwide web linkages to Banner 2000 systems.

Central Oregon University Center (COUC) undergraduate FTE enrollment increased by 25% over the last two years and Oregon State University Cascades will now expand upper division program offerings in continued collaboration with COCC and higher education partners. On-site technology infrastructure and support service will be provided by COCC, and integrated systems will address needs of both COCC and OSU Cascades students.

Continued growth of information resource infrastructure and services has been instrumental in accommodating the enrollment growth and organizational change currently underway. Current projects include:

Implementation of a comprehensive management information system (SCT Banner 2000), including enhancements for web access/electronic commerce support and integration with systems for facilities management, parking, bookstore, fundraising, and instructional course management

Network infrastructure upgrades (for both the campus backbone and wide-area Internet access) to improve performance and enable advanced application support

Implementation of a web-based helpdesk system to improve end-user support through automated work order processing and inventory management

Employment of a four-year lifecycle replacement model for desktop computers

Migration to the Windows 2000 network operating system for integrated electronic mail/calendaring, student web pages, and shared network storage space for on- and off-campus access

Information Resource Assessment:

Technology-based operations are monitored continuously on campus, and effectiveness is assessed through comparison of observations to targeted benchmarks. The guidelines detailed below are based on recent national and statewide surveys, and on data published in technology consultant studies—all of which reflect known practice in comparable institutions of higher education. Utilization and performance data related to campus infrastructure and systems include network and systems performance reports and downtime/outage logs. User support services are assessed through the automated helpdesk, which generates reports on work orders submitted, time to completion, and user satisfaction (on-line satisfaction surveys are forwarded automatically to users at the time of work order completion). An equipment inventory database is maintained for tracking hardware location, ownership, description, and configuration.

Target Current

Information Technology Strategy

The mission of Central Oregon Community College as stated by its Board of Directors is:

The Board has established Vision and Ends statements to further define this mission, and has listed achievement expectations towards accomplishment of each End. Of particular importance to the technology planning process are the following expectations for the College:

Ensure access and successful articulation to appropriate programs at post secondary educational levels (including access to university programs)

Link to regional, national and global information and educational networks (remain on the cutting edge, oriented to the future)

Work to continuously improve and develop the institution (using objective analyses in performance assessment)

Be governed through policies and procedures that reflect collaboration, shared purpose and innovative thinking

In consideration of these expectations within the planning framework discussed above, priority information resource strategies for the 2001/2003 biennium are:

Improve campus wide and branch campus coordination of technology initiatives

Expand on- and off-campus access to technology for all faculty, staff and students

Upgrade user services for technical assistance and training

Streamline workflow and business processes campus wide

During 2001/2002, the first three strategies will be addressed through continuation of activities currently in progress, with primary focus during 2002/2003 on business process improvement to maximize return on technology investments.

Strategy 1 - Technology Coordination

Administration of technology-based operations involves a combination of centralized and distributed responsibilities. To improve integration of systems and services, the Chief Information Officer will employ guidance from the campus Technology Advisory Council (TAC), to be comprised of instructional and administrative leadership from across campus. TAC will comprise a technology stakeholders group that:

Serves as the campus technology steering committee

Defines campus technology priorities for strategic and operational planning

Recommends and communicates technology standards, guidelines, and policies

Coordinates technology integration for college partnerships

Strategy 2 - Access to Technology

Network infrastructure improvements will continue through the biennium. During 2001/2002, broadband circuits will be connected to transport data and video traffic between the Bend and Redmond campuses and to the Internet through the Oregon Wide-area Education Network (OWEN). Network security will also be upgraded during this first year with the acquisition of a Cisco PIX firewall. Fiber optic backbone upgrades will continue through both years of the biennium with phased replacement of building hubs as needed to complete gigabit Ethernet connections to all buildings on the Bend campus.

A critical improvement in access to network resources will result from a migration to the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system for network servers and desktop computers. Integrated calendaring/electronic mail/conferencing applications and network file storage will be accessible to faculty, staff and students from on- and off-campus. Student web pages and faculty/staff backup of desktop hard drives will also be enabled.

Strategy 3 - Technical Assistance and Training

Helpdesk response time and work order time to completion will be reduced with the addition of a full-time staff position in ITS User Services in 2001/2002. In addition, staff resources will be used more effectively as high maintenance, 5-7 year-old desktop computers are eliminated with adoption of a life-cycle replacement model on campus. Approximately 25% of campus desktop computers will be replaced during each of the two years of this planning cycle.

Development of a web-based user services environment will provide additional technology training opportunities, as well as improvements in technical support. In year one, the current online helpdesk application will be extended to include self-paced training and self-help hardware/software diagnostic modules. In the second year, the evolving database of user hardware/software inventory and configuration will be linked to the helpdesk application for integrated technical support.

Strategy 4 - Streamline Workflow

State-of-the-art Banner information systems and Windows 2000 network directory services can be leveraged to streamline campus business processes through the implementation of a web-based portal environment. The "paperless office" model of data processing will be targeted for the campus through implementation of a Microsoft SharePoint portal server during the second year of this biennium. "Web Parts" such as database viewing (reporting/graphing) and business intelligence analysis will provide customizable web access to integrated components from existing campus information systems.

Streamlining of business processes will also be promoted by development of a single campus card system. Planning has begun for combining functions currently addressed with separate identification, magnetic stripe and bar code cards into a single campus card system. Campus identification, building entry, library loan, and financial transactions (vending, charge back, ATM) will be addressed with the use of a Diebold single card system.

Technology Operations 2001-2003