Value Optimization, Unexpected Challenges, Possible System Wide

Collaborations

CFO Meeting November 15, 2002

Pyramid Project (useful info)

• http://pyramid.northshore.edu Select the Campus Portal Block• Content – Entire planning process, integration

strategies, timelines, project documents, lessons learned, etc.

• Pyramid Project Foundational Values• Technology, engineering and organization• Demonstration Project for Commonwealth of

Massachusetts/BHE/ITD• Course Redesign, Academic Transformation, Portal • Web site organization• Massachusetts E-learning Initiative

Agenda

• General Overview of NSCC

• General ROI considerations

• Value Considerations

• Quick Tour

• Unexpected Challenges & Expectations

NSCC Background

• One of 15 public Community Colleges in Massachusetts – *Multi-Campus 4 campus locations

• 6200 credit students (3600 FTE)• 4200 non-credit students• 100+ programs of study

– Career & Liberal Arts Transfer– Technical Training

What We Wanted• Integrated Email and Learning Mgmt. System• Provide better learning resources, faculty and

student services - and acceptance of Web as the way we deliver services

• 24 x 7 access to teaching and learning services• Cure inefficiencies and streamline processes

– Cure the inefficient registration process– Automate processes– Reduce mailing costs– Reduce back-office support– Redefine outdated policies – Advising - remove the barrier & highlight the benefits

Portal Model

Admin Apps

Process/Wkflow

Infrastructure

`

People

Typical IS Model

Web Admin Apps

Email

Instruct Apps

Admin Apps

ROI for NSCCIndicators and outcomes

“Are you attracting users, interacting with users, transacting with users, retaining users, and growing with users” (Camille Farhat – GE company)

• Integration is the key!• High utilization rates and adoption are paramount

and have led to significant return• Allowed or sped up process and procedural changes• Scalable (50 or 20,000) students can be supported

without additional staff

ROI Tangibles• Student schedules no longer mailed• Web Admissions• Reduced walk-in registrations and paperwork due to Online

Registration (85%+ via web)• Incorporation of non-credit students into online services• Faculty generate their own class rosters and enter grades online as

SOP• Significantly reduced postal mail due to general communications

enhancements through portal, email, & web services• Advising - Online Degree Audit available to students• Dynamic account generations – single sign on• In-house 24 x 7 services and consolidated helpdesk• Further integration and systems being developed

Value Generation

Prepared for future (Flexible and Scalable) • Ease of Use, self-service convenience• Single Sign-on • High utilization rates • Accelerated integration of disparate systems • Increased utilization by faculty with simple

access to resources and tools • Additional resources leading to enhancing the

educational process

Available Student ServicesServices and Functionality• Web Services:

• Online Admissions• Degree Evaluation• Registration & Class Search, Payment,

FA• Transcripts, grades, schedules

• Email, Calendar & Groups• Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation • Targeted Announcements• Course Resource Areas for Every Class:

• Threaded discussion• Class chat• Class links

• Single Sign-On:• Web Services• Learning Management System, Email • CBT tutorials, Personal Web Space (Jan

2003)

“This technology is the best thing the college has ever done”Student Trustee 2001 Laurette Mordi

Available Faculty Services Services and Functionality• Web Services:

• Advising information including Degree Evaluation and Transcripts

• Online grade entry, schedules, class rosters

• Email & Calendar• Dynamic Accounts & Self-activation • Targeted Announcements• Course Resource Areas for every class:

• Threaded discussion• Class chat• Editable area for class links• Automatic email distribution lists

• Single Sign-On:• Web Services • Learning Management System, Email • CBT Tutorials, Intranet, Personal Web

Space (Jan 2003)

"Current technology, particularly Campus Pipeline, makes up-to-date information about students in our classes instantly available--as close as the computer terminal whether in our office or at home."  -

Professor Lori Azzara

Available Employee Services Services and Functionality• Dynamic Accounts & Self-

activation • Targeted Announcements• Ability for Department Chairs to

check enrollments from any system• Employee Intranet:

– Secure and role based environment

– Departmental Information– Online Web tools integrated to

main home page and Banner• News• Federal Work Study• Bulletin• Room Reservation System• Personal Web Space (Jan 2003)

“Portal technology

allowed us to tie disparate systems together and provide an easy to use system that everyone would utilize”

Usage Rates

Usage Rates Registration turned on November 13, 2002

Top IT Issues (Educause Rpt.)

Top IT Issues (cont.)

Unexpected ChallengesSecurity• Maintenance• Denial of service attacks, Spam defenses• Firewalls• Supporting growth (14 to 40) servers – 10+ servers

need to be accessed outside of NSCC via WEB• Digital Certificates• Virtual Private Networks• Peer to Peer software abuse• Wireless security issues

Unexpected Challenges

Providing True 24 x 7 services• Expectations• Remote monitoring systems• Alert mechanisms• Zero down time means system updates are

becoming difficult to perform• Redundancy and UPS (not 30 minutes)

• Gas generated UPS ensures unlimited uptime for all servers and communications equipment

• Staffing

Unexpected ChallengesHelpDesk• Managing Expectations• Many Users (thousands)• Many Variables – different home system

configurations, etc.• Staffing Support• Understanding other services (non IT) that require

online support – Each department with information accessible on the Web

must plan to communicate promptly via email, All documents scanned converted into digital form (Cluster brochures, etc.)

Impact on Culture Change

• Portal Technology and Web applications have transformed the NSCC culture by:– Further supporting E-learning– Increasing Faculty and student services – Allowing the expectations of students, faculty/staff to be

met– Raising awareness in student support offices leading to

more creative thinking on redesign process– More services are wanted and continually being

developed

ROI - Intangibles

• Customer relationship management: Competitive advantage and customer loyalty due to excellent services, student-centered learning, enrollment and advising effectiveness

• Economic Cycle Independence: Unanticipated return during State Budget reductions/Early Retirement Program/Restructuring

• Organizational Impact: Awareness that the Web can work for future savings, revenue generation, and reallocation of resources

Possible System-Wide Collaboration

• Imaging

• Training (Online services)

• 24 x 7 support

• E-learning

• EDI (Electronic Data Interface)

Quick Demo on Following Slides

Self Activation of accounts

Self Activation of accounts

Online tutorials available on login page and internally

Online tutorials available on login page and internally

Email & CalendarAccess

Email & CalendarAccess

Targeted AnnounceArea

Targeted AnnounceArea

Access CourseResources

Access CourseResources

Course Tools including email dist. lists

Course Tools including email dist. lists

Tools for adding online content

Tools for adding online content

Quick Class Roster

Quick Class Roster

Seamlessly access Learning Management System and Online Computer Based Tutorials

Seamlessly access Learning Management System and Online Computer Based Tutorials

Student and Faculty Web

Services

Student and Faculty Web

Services

Class Search

Class Search

Class Schedule

Class Schedule

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial Transcripts

Degree Audit for students. Available to all faculty for all students.

Degree Audit for students. Available to all faculty for all students.

Role Based Secure Intranet with toolboxes for updating home page and querying Banner System

Role Based Secure Intranet with toolboxes for updating home page and querying Banner System

Room Reservation system integrated with Banner Database

Room Reservation system integrated with Banner Database