Seton Hall University
Division of Finance and Technology
Information Technology Goals and Objectives for AY’2007-08
Stephen G. Landry, Ph.D., CIO
August 2007
GOAL 1: In AY’2007-08 the Department of Information Technology will continue support of the University’s Banner Project and the improvement of the University’s business processes.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for supporting the Banner Project and the improvement of the University’s business processes in AY’2007-08 include:
- IT will support the “go live” of Banner HR/Payroll in January 2008.
- IT will support the implementation of key Banner ancillary systems in AY’2007-08, including:
- Banner Xtender (document imaging and document management)
- The Banner Operational Data Store [ODS] and the Banner Enterprise Data Warehouse [EDW] (data warehousing and business intelligence)
- Banner Workflow (improving and automating complex business processes that cross Banner modules)
- A third party Facilities Management System (FAMIS) IT will support the redesign of the campus Web site, including the completion of the migration of major components of the campus Web site to the CommonSpot Web Content Management System and the implementation of the Banner (Lumnis) Portal to provide Banner information and services to the community.
- IT will implement the Oracle Identity Management suite to further automate account provisions / de-provisioning from Banner.
- IT will implement and deploy MS Active Directory (AD) as its network directory service.
- The Banner Project Office will assist the Banner Executive Steering Committee in developing and implementing a permanent organization and committee structure dedicated to the maintenance of the Banner systems, Banner policies (such as those regarding Banner security, training, and data standards), and the use of Banner to continually improve the University’s business processes.
GOAL 2: In AY’2007-08, the Department of Information Technology will continue and intensify efforts to ensure that all University IT systems and services are highly available, highly reliable, and highly secure.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for ensuring high availability, reliability, and security for the University’s IT systems in AY’2007-08 include:
- By the end of AY’2007-08 all critical IT systems managed by University IT Services (UITS) -with the exception of Lotus email - will be redundant with failover capabilities to ensure these key systems are highly available to the University community. (Key systems include: the Banner core modules, portal, and self-service; the University’s Web site; the Blackboard Learning Management System, and network services such as the campus firewall and network directory services [DNS, DHCP]; note that the Lotus email system does NOT currently support redundant servers.)
- IT will plan and deploy a MS Exchange email pilot project. If the pilot project is successful, IT will plan to migrate all users to MS Exchange by the end of August 2008.
- IT will complete the upgrade of the campus Internet connection, including installation of redundant Internet connections coming in to the campus via separate paths, with failover, so that the campus will retain Internet service if one of the campus Internet connections is disrupted.
- IT will upgrade the network core, providing redundant connections across independent paths between the network core switches in Corrigan Hall and Presidents Hall.
- IT will implement online storage outside of the current data center in Corrigan Hall and back up critical IT systems (the Banner core modules, portal, and self-service; the University’s Web site; the Lotus email systems; the Blackboard Learning Management System) to two different Storage Area Networks,
- IT will upgrade the campus firewalls and implement remote monitoring and management of key firewall functions, including the Intrusion Detection System [IDS]. (Note that regular, documented review of IDS logs is a 2006 IT audit recommendation.)
- IT will implement Cisco Clean Access (CCA) to ensure all laptop and desktop computers connected to the campus network are free of viruses and other malware and in adherence with the University’s network and security policies. As part of this implementation, the obsolete proprietary Novell protocol (IPX) will be eliminated from the campus network and all file and print sharing services will be made Internet (IP) based. (Note that securing the campus network is a 2006 IT audit recommendation.)
- IT will upgrade its network monitoring and management software to improve IT’s ability to analyze and manage network traffic, including the campus wireless network.
- IT will implement a centralized, automated desktop and laptop backup system that will automatically back up all University data stored on the University’s desktop and laptop computers issued to faculty, administrators, and staff.
GOAL 3: In AY’2007-08 the Department of Information Technology will significantly enhance the technology facilities available to students and faculty.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for improving the technology facilities in AY’2007-08 include:
- IT will support the University Library’s implementation of a state-of-the-art Information Commons on the main (second) floor of the library.
- IT will assist academic departments in upgrading their departmental labs, including the Computer Science Lab in Math/CS Department and the GraphLab in the Communication Department.
- The TLT Center will assist the Modern Languages Department and the Asian Studies Department in digitizing their collections of teaching materials used in the newly renovated Language Lab.
- In collaboration with the College of A&S, IT will re-establish AS242 as a Public Computer Lab, providing public computer access and printing to the east side of the campus.
- IT will complete installation of a Research Computing Cluster, initially as a pilot project to support five faculty research projects, but as these projects become successful, IT will expand the mission of the TLT Center to provide some limited ongoing support for research computing projects.
- In collaboration with Academic Affairs, IT will complete the configuration of the Blackboard Outcomes System, providing the campus with a central repository to administer learning outcomes assessment projects and consolidate assessment data.
- The TLT Center will upgrade the aging video projection systems in 48 classrooms and upgrade the video control systems in Jubilee Hall to match those used in the rest of the campus.
- In collaboration with the University Library, IT will implement DSpace, an open source content management system, to replace the existing library and TLT Center digital media content servers; this will enable acceleration of the Library / IT collaboration to build a digital content repository for archival digital materials, such as the Online Chalice Collection and the digital archives of the Chesterton Review.
- IT will evaluate the pilot projects in the Mobile Computing Program that provide alternate computers to faculty and students in select programs. Based on the evaluation, a decision will be made whether to continue these pilot programs. These programs include:
- the Mac Pilot Project, providing as part of the Junior technology refresh a Mac laptop to students in select music and graphic arts programs in Art and Music and Communication.
- the Tablet PC Pilot Project, providing a Tablet PC to all undergraduate students in the natural and physical sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Math/CS, and Physics).
- In December 2007, IT will release an RFP for the general purpose laptop computers for the Mobile Computing Program in order to ensure the best possible computer for the Mobile Computing Program. In late Spring 2008 it is estimated that the University will upgrade approximately 1200 student laptops and approximately 250 faculty and administrator laptops as part of the Mobile Computing Program.
GOAL 4: In AY’2007-08 the Department of Information Technology will continually improve technology support services for the University community.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for improving technology service and support for the University community include:
- IT will assess its Help Desk tracking system (InterTrack), and either re-implement or replace this system in order to provide the IT management team with more detailed and granular information about technology problems experienced by the University community.
- IT will assess its Tech Skill I course, a six hour technology orientation program that is mandated by Freshman Studies, to ensure Tech Skills I is meeting the needs to ensure basic technology proficiency for incoming students. IT will develop an implement a Tech Skills III course for advanced users who have successfully completed Tech Skills I and Tech Skills II, to provide students the opportunity to continually improve their technology proficiency.
- IT will develop and implement a Tech Skills I course for faculty, staff, and administrators, and will work with HR and other key executives at the University to mandate basic technology proficiencies for all new employees.
- IT will assess the University’s use of the Presidium “after hours” help desk service and develop and implement plans to better utilize this valuable service.
- IT will launch a performance and cost metrics program aimed at benchmarking the quality and cost of select IT support services.
GOAL 5: In AY’2007-08 the Department of Information Technology will strengthen its systemic efforts to support the effective use of technology to improve teaching, learning, and the administration of the University.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for strengthening IT’s systemic efforts to promote and support the effective use of technology in teaching and learning in AY’2007-08 include:
- The TLT Center will continue its current slate of internally funded Curriculum Development Initiative [CDI] projects to use technology to redesign large enrollment courses to improve student learning. Continuing projects from last year include: Elementary Spanish; Financial Accounting; Freshman Studies; the MBA Prequalifier Online Courses; the Core Curriculum Signature Courses; and, the A&S Online Core Courses (currently working on mounting courses in Communication, History, Mathematics, and Philosophy).
- The TLT Center will launch four new CDI projects nominated by the CDI Steering Committee this past spring. These projects are: Outcomes Assessment; Research Methods; Service Learning; and, US History [I and II].
- The TLT Center will continue it Mobile Computing Assessment Program, this year reinstituting questions on the student survey regarding student satisfaction with the University’s hardware, software, and support services and reinstituting a faculty survey to assess faculty uses of technology and faculty satisfaction with the University’s hardware, software, and services. (The faculty survey was administered by the TLT Center in 2002, but was taken over by the Faculty Senate IT Committee in 2004 and last administered in 2005.) IT will revitalize the steering committee of deans and faculty leaders [the CDI Steering Committee] in order to provide input into a broad range of IT policies and projects.
GOAL 6: In AY’2007-08 the Department of Information Technology will continue to explore cutting edge technologies with the potential of engaging learners and improving communication, collaboration, and productivity.
Objectives: Some specific objectives for exploring cutting edge technologies in AY’2007-08 include:
- UITS and the TLT Center will go “live” with the Research Computing Pilot Project, completing installation of the research computing cluster, and will work with faculty to appropriately expand the current five pilot projects.
- The TLT Center will recruit additional faculty into the Second Life Pilot Project in addition to the current projects in Biology, Communication, and English. (Second Life is an online virtual world that enables, among other things, colleges and universities to build complex simulations and learning objects and to build intuitive interfaces to campus services.)
- UITS will work with the University’s Web and Learning Management System vendors to enable access to more of the University’s communication and student services via cell phones and other highly mobile devices. The TLT Center will work to develop pilot content that is accessible via cell phone technologies, such as documentation, tutorials, and course materials.
- The TLT Center and UITS will install and pilot open source alternatives to some key University services, including an open source LMS, and open source portfolio system, and an open source content management system, to gain experience with open source projects and to determine the feasibility of providing these key services to the University community using open source products.