Chabot
College Technology Plan
Spring
2008
Prepared
by the
Institutional
Technology Committee
Final
draft: May 29, 2008
Table
of Contents
Introduction
3
Mission
4
Technical
Support 5
Computer
Replacement, Upgrade and Maintenance 6
Procurement
Procedures 7
Media
Services 8
Distance
Education 12
Online
Student Services 16
Telecommunications
Network 18
Remote
Access for Faculty and Staff 20
Electronic
Mail 21
Backup
Procedures and Disaster Recovery 22
Website
Access and Development 23
Software
Replacement, Upgrade, and Maintenance 25
Library
and Learning Resources 27
Training
29
Assistive
Technology 33
Open
Labs 35
Review
Process 37
Conclusion
38
Appendix
A: Acceptable Use Policy 39
Appendix
B: Three-page Condensed Interact Communications Plan
49
Introduction
The
purpose of this Technology Plan is to establish technology guidelines that will
help direct Chabot College as we move into the 21st century. This plan contains
procedures, visions and recommendations for technological enhancement within
Chabot College that will occur over the next five years. Of course, this plan
should be viewed with a degree of flexibility since it is impossible to account
for rapidly evolving technology and funding issues.
This
plan examines the current status of technology on the Chabot campus, focusing on
three major elements that are crucial for the success of any technology master
plan: organization, processes, and technology. It contains administrative
procedural recommendations that should be implemented and supported if the
College intends to continue to maintain the high standard of education it
currently provides. It outlines budgeting requirements that facilitate currency
in technology and infrastructure, and future staffing needs that require
consideration to support the College's growth in technology. In effect, this
Plan should become a “living document” that serves as the strategic guide for
current and future technology at Chabot.
A
review of this plan should be conducted every other year and a report submitted
by the Institutional Technology Committee to the College Council on the progress
of the plan’s implementation and success.
Members
of the Technology Committee who contributed to this plan include Kathleen Allen,
Norman Buchwald, Tom Clark, Arlene DeLeon, Steven Piatetsky,
Catherine Powell, Mark Schaeffer, Mike Seaton, Katherine Tollefesen, Rachel
Ugale, Lisa Ulibarri, Gordon Watt, Minta Winsor, and Abdullah Yahya. We also
received valuable input from Scott Hildreth, Jeannine Methe, and Kip
Waldo.
Mission
According
to the Chabot College mission statement, the College pledges to “prepare
students to succeed in their education, progress in the workplace, and engage in
the civic and cultural life of the global community.” As education, the
workplace, and civic life become more dependent on digital technology, the
College must keep its own technology up to date in order to fulfill that
pledge.
This
Technology Plan details the expansion of technology within Chabot College and
describes the current environment and future plans to be implemented. The
Institutional Technology Committee, which prepared the plan, is a representative
group of staff, faculty, and administrators who not only contributed their own
technology-related expertise and insights, but also strove to incorporate input
from their constituencies in all sectors of the College. With an eye toward
making the Technology Plan mesh with the Facilities Master Plan, the Educational
Master Plan, and other documents created by the College, the committee
established the following goals:
The
successful implementation and completion of this plan will give the faculty and
staff the necessary tools and resources to incorporate technology into
instruction and day-to-day operations. It is imperative that Chabot College
remain committed to the advancement of technology in order to provide a
productive workplace and an exemplary educational environment where our students
receive an education that is current both in content and in
technology.
Technical
Support
Current
Environment
Chabot
College’s Computer Support consists of three Computer Network Support
Specialists II and one Computer Network Support Specialist I, under the
supervision of a Senior Instructional Network Systems Specialist (a position not
currently filled), led by the Vice President of Business Services. The College's
technology infrastructure now includes over 1700 networked computer systems, 26
administrative and instructional servers, one aggregate T-3 line, and two T-1
lines for voice, providing a comprehensive network that includes most of the
buildings, offices and classrooms on campus.
Future
Plan
Chabot’s
technology infrastructure appears to be well-positioned for the next five years,
but the same cannot be said for the technology support staff. As the Measure B
Bond increases the number of buildings, Technology-Equipped Classrooms, and
computer labs, the College will require increased staff to support the new
technology in these facilities. We therefore recommend that the following
positions be established:
There
is an immediate need to create and fill the above positions in order not to
compromise the level of technology support as the student population and the
faculty’s and staff’s needs grow.
We
also recommend that the College train a small number of faculty or staff members
around the campus to have administrative authority to install software. This
would provide faculty and staff with a more immediate response to software
installation requests and minor maintenance, which would allow IT to focus on
more important needs. IT would have final authority to decide who is given
administrative rights and under what conditions.
Computer
Replacement, Upgrade and Maintenance
Current
Environment
Technology
Services provides all faculty and staff members with a computer for their work
area. The current standard of the College provides for a minimum configuration
of a Pentium IV, 3000 MHz computer system with most faculty, staff and student
labs possessing systems with a Pentium IV, 3000 MHz processor or better. Faculty
also have the option of using Apple Macintosh computers, and some student labs
in the Arts and Humanities Division are stocked with Macs as
well.
The
College has been able to maintain currency in student computer labs by
purchasing newer technology for these labs and taking the older machines, which
in most cases are newer than those used by the College's employees, and passing
them on to the offices of College employees based on need. Part-time employees
and adjunct faculty have access to campus computers in the faculty/staff
training room and computer lab (known informally as The Hub), which offers eight
PCs, three G5 Macs, and a networked printer for use by both full-time and
part-time employees. Full-time and part-time employees also have access to
computers in most of the open labs within the College.
Networked
printers are placed in student computer labs and in other areas where they can
serve multiple users. Individual printers are limited to those employee offices
in which a larger workgroup printer would not be cost effective.
Chabot
IT has been certified to repair Gateway computers that are under warranty and to
receive payment from the vendor for doing so.
Future
Plan
Over
the last ten years, it has become apparent that computers and their peripherals
maintain a functional life of three to four years. Equipment must be replaced on
a regular four-year cycle to maintain an adequate level of service to users. A
preventative maintenance program is needed to ensure that current equipment
meets the four-year functional life set forth by this plan. The College must
establish a replacement cycle for older machines, funding replacements through
the capital outlay budget instead of relying on passing a bond issue every five
years.
Procurement
Procedures
Current
Environment
The College requires review from Computer
Support Services for all technological purchases made with College funds. This
requirement allows the College to maintain compatibility and standardization
with existing technology.
Student-use
computers are purchased as needed depending on available funding. The College
supports 1100 student-use computers, most of which are in computer labs around
the campus. Approximately 200 of these computers are regularly available in open
labs; the remaining computers are available when not being used for classroom
instruction.
Currently,
procurement of repair or supplemental parts requires a Purchase Order process
that does not lend itself to “just-in-time” repair or parts procurement. This
purchasing process is also costly in labor due to the number of persons needed
to process these orders.
Future
Plan
The
College should continue to provide all employees with technology they require.
We recommend developing a credit card system that can provide parts and software
as needed. This will minimize over-ordering of parts to keep on hand (cost
savings), cut the lead time on systems awaiting parts, and allow Chabot to
leverage its funds in a more efficient manner.
Media
Services
Media
Services supports the diverse media-related needs and requirements of the Chabot
campus and the District by providing the following
services:
Current
Environment
Media
Systems
Multimedia
has become an essential, integrated component to the delivery of course content
for many classes. Chabot College provides two options to support the campus with
products and services.
Teleconferencing
Teleconferencing
technology provides an opportunity for faculty and staff to communicate
face-to-face with people anywhere in the world. It allows parties to interact
via motion-video and high-fidelity audio as if both parties were in the same
room. In addition, PowerPoint presentations, computer images, movies, and other
devices can be added to the multimedia experience.
Chabot
College currently has three systems for this purpose. Two of these facilities
are located in the Nursing department, and are dedicated to supporting Distance
Education for their curriculum. The third system, in building 100, is used for
meetings, demonstrations, and classes.
Digital
Reproduction & Offset Printing
Our
campus supports the diverse and demanding needs of faculty, staff,
administration, and students. We currently support a campus-wide convenience
copier program, the centralized print/copy center, and a pay-for-print program
for student use in the Library, WRAC Center, and the computer lab in
3906.
Future
Plan
Media
Systems
In
the short term, Media Services will continue to maintain and replace overhead
projectors, 35mm slide projectors, and screens, and gradually convert from VHS
video to DVD capabilities. All newly purchased media equipment will be capable
of showing closed-captioned media. Current digital computer projectors do not
have the capability to show captioned material, so in the interim, we recommend
that decoders be purchased to allow the use of captioned material with these
projectors.
Our
long-term goal is to have all general assignment classrooms be Technology
Equipped Classrooms. The presentation systems in these classrooms will include a
ceiling mounted data projector, motorized projection screen, networked resident
computer, VCR/DVD player, closed captioning, a document camera, inputs for guest
laptops, and a user friendly control system, all incorporated into an
ADA-compatible instructor station desk. As the Bond-initiated renovations and
construction of new buildings progresses, Technology Equipped Classrooms will be
phased in as budgeting allows.
As
more equipment becomes permanently installed, the process surrounding the
circulating lending library will be revised. Delivery and pickup of equipment
will shift to the requestor. Media Services technical staff will be more focused
on providing support services rather than pickup/delivery
services.
Equipment
must be replaced every five years to remain up to date. The College must fund
and implement a regular five-year replacement cycle for all media
systems.
Digital
Reproduction & Offset Printing
We
recommend doing the following in the next two years:
Training
The
College must provide funding for us to create and produce instructional videos
to train faculty and staff on the operation, use, and applications of multimedia
equipment. Videos would be available in multiple formats, including hard-copy,
DVD, and online at the Media Services website. Training modules might
include:
Website
Upgrade
In
conjunction with a general redesign of the College website, Media Services
should establish a central, always-accessible, online location that will allow
users to be informed and knowledgeable about all the support services and
processes Media Services offers. Employees should be able to submit printing and
copying requests, download training videos, and access room-view software via
the website.
File
submission of print/copy requests, training videos, room-view software,
interactive forms, and other information naturally lends itself to having a
dynamic, interesting, and informative web portal.
Distance
Education
According
to California Community Colleges Distance Education Regulations and Guidelines,
distance education is defined as “instruction in which the instructor and
student are separated by distance and interact through the assistance of
communication technology” (www.cccco.edu/SystemOffice/Divisions/AcademicAffairs/DistanceEducation/RegulationsandGuidelines/tabid/767/Default.aspx).
Chabot now offers numerous distance education courses to meet rising demand from
students.
Current
Environment
To
jump-start a significant increase in online course development, the DE
curriculum committee streamlined the course review and approval process and
implemented a faculty incentive for teaching online. The distance education
program is continuing its first program review, which began in 2007. The
Distance Education Committee created ambitious goals in terms of learning about
our current and potential online students and their needs, improving student
success and retention, motivating and providing support to faculty to teach
online, and tackling the question of student learning outcomes in online vs.
on-campus courses. Through the continuous growth in courses using Blackboard,
online learning is becoming more prevalent.
In
the effort to assist current and prospective DE students, a website was created
to provide more information about DE courses.. The site (www.chabotcollege.edu/DistanceEd/)
includes information regarding the differences between online classes and hybrid
classes, any on-campus class meetings of online courses, technology requirements
for online students, and an information page where instructors can provide
customized information about their online courses.
During
the first few weeks of Spring 08 semester, DE faculty and the Instructional
Technology Center (ITC) staff offered an orientation to online learning for all
Chabot online students. The nine orientation sessions provided Blackboard log-in
instructions and help, an overview of the Blackboard course management system,
and tips on netiquette, time management, and study skills for the online
student. Students who struggle with logging in or with using required Blackboard
tools are far more likely to drop or to fail, and these meetings were intended
to improve both student retention and success rates.
With
the support of a Basic Skills grant, an interactive online tutorial has been
created to provide instruction in
library research for our online students. To quote from the grant proposal: “The
tutorial covers techniques in selecting a topic, searching the library catalog,
finding articles in databases, searching and evaluating the Distance Education
Committee sites, and properly citing sources. In addition, there will be an
assessment tool—a test implemented in Blackboard on basic information skills
that would refer back to the skills mentioned in Searchpath—that instructors can use to
determine if students have online research know how for their courses. Students
would then have the basic skills necessary to perform a research assignment,
effectively using library resources in an online format.”.” This tutorial
was piloted in the Fall 07 semester prior to full implementation in Spring
08.
A
new film about our online students entitled “Going the Distance” was completed
in early fall of 2007. It explores why students take online courses, how they
view the workload and participation as compared to traditional campus courses,
how they interact with instructors, and what they believe it takes to succeed in
an online course. The Distance Education Committee has offered several forums to
share this video, which was developed by our “Reading Between the Lines” student
filmmakers.
In
addition to these student-focused efforts, the Distance Education Committee also
develops programs for those considering teaching online, such as an online
tutorial—introduced in December 2007—that guides faculty through the process of
developing an effective DE course. It’s the first of a projected series of
courses for faculty that will enable them to develop a proposal, learn online
teaching pedagogy, and build a course in Blackboard. The Distance Education
Committee is also exploring potential Blackboard upgrades and other new
technologies for online teaching.
Future
Plan
The
major focus of the DE Committee so far has been to help online students succeed.
The committee’s longer-term goal is to improve the quality and scope of distance
education offerings to meet student demand.. Online courses enhance
accessibility to education for many students and helps students attain their
educational goals in a more flexible learning modality. The Distance Education
Committee also plans to develop a series of mini-modules that DE faculty can
insert into their online courses as they see fit, including library research
skills, online study skills, Blackboard tutorials, and more.
The
following focal points were adopted as the goals of Chabot College’s Distance
Education Committee to help promote and support a future Distance Education
Program.
·
Provide
online developmental opportunities and resources for Chabot College staff
·
Develop
programs for equitable compensation and support for those interested in
development of Distance Education technologies
In
support of these goals, the Distance Education Committee plans
to:
With
upcoming changes and additions in Distance Education, we are focused on the
expansion of student support. While students have additional options for online
courses, they may be lacking in the foundation needed for success in a distance
education course. This need sparked the expansion of Blackboard student support
services for the initial weeks of the term. However, the growing number of
distance education courses demands additional permanent support. We hope to
address this need with the addition of full-time student support personnel who
can better address the on-campus and resource needs for the growing population
of distance education students.
Online
Student Services
Online
Student Services is part of the Admission and Records Department. Student
Services personnel maintain student records and advise students online, and
provide online self-service tools for registration and
enrollment.
Current
Environment
The
College uses a web-based common application developed for the California
Community College system and a District-maintained web-based registration system
for registration and retrieval of academic records. Financial aid information is
also available through the registration system.
Student
Services employs a document imaging system to maintain any paper documents that
are relevant to a student’s enrollment at Chabot College.
Departments
that do academic advising use an appointment system from which state
matriculation data is gathered, stored and eventually uploaded to our student
information system. Students can schedule appointments during off-hours by means
of a self-service appointment system. A system will soon be implemented that
will automatically notify the students by phone and/or e-mail of upcoming
appointments and can also be used to broadcast important messages about deadline
dates and upcoming events.
English
and mathematics assessments are web-based, and their results are obtainable
online via the registration system.
An
attendance tracking system, which interfaces with the District student
information system, is used in all instructional labs.
The
District is currently implementing an advising and program evaluation tool to be
used by counseling faculty that will also include a self-service component for
students.
Future
Plan
An
increasing number of online systems will include a self-service component,
giving students 24/7 online access to their academic
records.
As
offsite and online course offerings increase, there will be new student services
online, mainly relating to new student enrollment. In addition, we are exploring
online counseling methods in conjunction with the implementation of the advising
and program evaluation tool, so students can make informed decisions when
registering for classes.
Telecommunications
Network
Current
Environment
The
College's telecommunications network is a combination of physical connections,
hardware, and software that handles voice and data. Voice and data currently
operate as separate, autonomous units with the capability of future
integration.
The
data network consists of Cisco BFR 6509 routers and Cisco Catalyst 3950 series
switches, which provide the backbone for a Fast Ethernet network. Internet
access is supplied to Chabot College by a dedicated DS3 connection to CENIC.
Connection between the buildings is established through Single and Multimode
fiber, and category 5 cabling is used within the buildings to provide
connectivity to end-user locations. Data lines and Internet access are provided
to most student labs, faculty, staff work locations and classrooms. A Cisco PIX
firewall is in place at Chabot to protect the systems from outside intrusion and
virtual LANs are used within the campus to segment the student access machines
from those used by employees. To ensure reliability of the data network, battery
backups are installed in key locations to reduce downtime in the event of a
power outage. The campus network backbone necessary to maintain our network are
attached to battery backups that will provide one hour of uninterrupted run
time. Barring a protracted event, this system should be sufficient to outlast
most planned or unplanned power interruptions.
The
College's voice system infrastructure consists of a Fujitsu 9600 and a new Avaya
System phone switch with AVTS voicemail system. The voicemail system is
incorporated into each full-time end-user's work location. The voicemail system
has several advanced features including selective greetings and phone trees. The
campus receives phone service via two T-1 lines used for both inbound and
outbound trunks. 1100 DID (Direct Inward Dialing) lines are in place to allow
direct calling of extensions from off-campus bypassing both the main number and
switchboard.
A
battery backup is provided for both the telephone and voicemail systems. This
backup will run for about eight hours depending on the system load. Backups of
the telephone system settings are done weekly by backing up the settings to
tape. The telephone and voicemail systems are backed up monthly and stored in an
off-site location.
Chabot
Computer Support supports the College's voice network. The District supports the
cabling infrastructure for data and is the only entity allowed to install new
data lines.
The
campus 911 emergency system has been upgraded to provide the actual location of
the caller to law enforcement and the 911 operator. All 911 calls are monitored
around the clock by the Chabot Campus Safety Department.
A
minimal number of wireless access points have been installed on the campus.
Currently, the only public wireless access points are the Disabled Students
Resource Center, Library, Boardroom, and Cafeteria.
Future
Plan
The
College's telecommunications network will continue to support the College's
mission by providing opportunities for teaching and learning with access to
voice, video, and data networks (including Internet access and emerging
technologies).
To
support the increased number of online class offerings and distance education,
the College's data network must be expanded to include a gigabit Ethernet
backbone and additional fast Ethernet access to desktop users.
Wireless
networks will be deployed for areas of the campus where multiple connections are
needed. Our WAN is currently an aggregate of one T-3. We need to install a
wireless management system that will allow the IT department to better service
and control the wireless infrastructure.
Streaming
video is fast becoming a standard in some industries and our college data and
video network needs to be in place to support such bandwidth intensive
applications.
We
need to ensure that off campus sites are connected so that all access is routed
through the college firewall for security purposes.
The
voice network on the Chabot College campus is sufficient to accommodate some
growth on campus. However, should newer hardware become available that would
increase the functionality of the telephone system, the College should consider
functionality over expansion of the current system.
Remote
Access for Faculty and Staff
Current
Environment
Faculty
and staff can send and retrieve their email while off-campus through a secure
Web server running GroupWise Web access. This server allows access to their
GroupWise schedule, contacts, and email information. A secure interface called
CLASS-Web allows students to register for classes, check schedules, find open
classes, and other related services. It also allows faculty to access rosters
and run reports. All employees can use CLASS-Web to check their paystubs, leave
balances, tax information, and benefits.
Future
Plan
As
the network infrastructure at Chabot improves during the Bond construction, we
should explore ways to increase remote access for all faculty, staff, and
administrators. With the District’s collaboration, we should explore ways for
faculty and staff to work from home when appropriate, by providing them a means
to transfer files over the internet, and providing secure access to their “home”
folders and web sites.
Electronic
Mail
Electronic mail allows for the efficient
exchange of information regardless of the distance between parties. It has
become a collaborative tool that allows colleagues to stay in touch, teachers
and students to easily communicate. It also is an excellent way to provide
information to large groups of people or to all the employees of the
College.
Current
Environment
College
email is provided using a Novell server with GroupWise clients. All full-time
faculty and staff have GroupWise mail accounts, and access is also provided for
adjunct faculty and part-time employees. GroupWise is currently deployed
district-wide. GroupWise provides collaboration options including calendar,
contacts, and tasks. In addition, the Web client for GroupWise allows employees
to check their email anywhere in the world where there is an Internet
connection.
The
College email system is set up with the domain name “chabotcollege.edu.” A
standard naming convention for all users has been established as first initial
and last name. In the case of duplications, the user’s middle initial is
added.
The
College has adopted policies for acceptable use of the College's computing
facilities. Currently, there is a policy governing use of computers by students,
faculty and staff. This policy (Board Policy and Administrative Rules and
Procedures 2311) was a strong first step in providing guidelines and structure
for overall use of computing resources. A copy of the current policy is located
in Appendix A.
There
are also “Student Conduct and Due Process Policies” published in the College
Catalog (pp. 162-163) which state that a student may be expelled, suspended or
placed on probation if they: commit a computer-related crime; or use computing
facilities to send obscene or abusive messages.
Future
Plan
Chabot
College will continue to participate in District discussions concerning
improvements to our email system. In response to the need for faculty to have a
more efficient way to communicate with their students, the District is in the
process of implementing a Web portal that will allow students to have email
accounts. Since all college staff will continue to use GroupWise email, the two
email systems will interface seamlessly from the user’s perspective.
Backup
Procedures and Disaster Recovery
Current Environment
The
purpose of a data recovery plan is to be able to recover most data within a
relatively short time frame. The loss may range from one file on an instructor’s
home directory, to loss of the entire data center.
Tape
backups are performed weekly, at night. People who need to recover lost data can
contact the Chabot/Las Positas District Information Technology Department at
723-6966.
Future
Plan
We
need to develop a procedure/process for moving tapes to a remote location for
storage in the event of a disaster. One possible site would be the District
office in Pleasanton.
Website
Access and Development
Chabot
College has a website to serve many purposes, including but not limited
to:
As
more and more people—especially students—use the web more often, reliance on
Chabot’s website has become greater than ever before.
Chabot
currently hosts its website on its own servers on campus. The purpose of the web
servers and software is to host Chabot’s website and provide the functionality
we need for the website to work according to our needs.
Current
Environment
Chabot’s
website is primarily a static website with useful information but few
interactive capabilities. Responsibility for the website is divided among
several parties, including the webmaster, the marketing manager, the College
administration, and the District.
Future
Plan
We
plan the following improvements to Chabot’s website:
The
extent to which we can do this is limited, since most forms are issued by the
District. Moving toward online forms will help us achieve a “greener” campus and
environment, save time and trees, and simplify our business processes.
The
Board of Trustees has commissioned two studies that point to significant
shortcomings in the College's web presence. (A three-page condensation of the
Interact Communications Plan can be found in Appendix B.) The recently
introduced Web Portal addresses one of the plan's recommendations by splitting
internal communication among faculty, staff, and students (which will be handled
by the web portal) from marketing and external communication (which will
continue to be handled by the website). The College's website should be
redesigned in a timely manner to conform with the remaining recommendations of
these studies.
An
easy 10-point checklist is available at
www.csun.edu/accessibility/checkpoints.html, and additional resources are at
htctu.net/divisions/webaccess/main.htm.
To
conserve economic and human resources, Chabot should automate as many tasks as
possible. For example, providing an online “wizard” for building faculty
websites, similar to those provided by many commercial web hosting services,
would reduce the need for IT staff to train each user on how to build their own
website.
As
web standards and technologies change, the College website needs to stay up to
date. A web advisory group representing marketing, IT, the Technology Committee
(on behalf of faculty and staff), and other concerned representatives of the
District and College should meet regularly with the College webmaster to plan
and implement changes to the website in a timely manner .
With
the growth in social networks and online communities, it is clear that students
spend much time and are attracted to networking and communicating online.
According to a 2007 report by the National School Boards Association (available
at www.nsba.org/SecondaryMenu/TLN/CreatingandConnecting.aspx),
online networking can help students improve their skills in reading, writing,
and conflict resolution. The
Web Portal is intended as a first step toward facilitating communication and
collaboration among students, faculty, and staff. The College and the District
should continue to evaluate the potential benefits and risks associated with
online communities to determine what role (if any) they should play in student
learning.
As
Web 2.0 and other emerging technologies place greater demands on the College's
online infrastructure, investigate ways to optimize the College's delivery of
web services
in
ways that will increase staffing resources and reduce maintenance
costs.
Software
Replacement, Upgrade, and Maintenance
As
software applications acquire new features and capabilities, Chabot continually
faces the need to upgrade its software. Some upgrades are driven by the desire
to improve support of student learning, while others are dictated by the need to
keep pace and maintain compatibility with other institutions. Software upgrades
place a heavy demand on College resources, because upgrading a single
application often requires upgrading the operating system or even the hardware
that supports it.
Like
all computer users, the College also has to deal with compatibility issues. From
different hardware platforms to different file/data formats, being able to share
reliable/secure information is key to a successful organization, and so are the
tools that enable cross-platform compatibility.
As
the number of employees, students, and computers increases, so does the risk of
having unlicensed software. As a result of faculty, staff, and students bringing
in software from home and having campus-wide network access, controlling who
installs software and what software is installed becomes more difficult.
Whenever software is installed on its computers, the College is agreeing to
abide by the software maker’s terms and conditions. Thus, every day, the College
unknowingly enters into license agreements.
Current
Environment
The
College supports applications that run on Macintosh and Windows systems. Support
levels for these applications are as varied as the applications themselves, as
is to be expected in a distributed computing environment where the user of the
application is generally the most knowledgeable about it. At the same time, all
new faculty and staff computers and all office computers come equipped with a
standard package of Microsoft Office and GroupWise.
Currently
within the College, there are single-user licenses, multiple-user licenses, and
site licenses. Some monitoring and tracking of campuslicensed software
occurs, but no standard procedure exists for dealing with copyright violations.
Individual departments may purchase and license any software package they choose
provided that IT has reviewed and approved their request. Specific needs for
specialized applications can create a vast variety of software. Occasionally,
the users’ current hardware will not support their newly purchased software
packages. In addition, software patches and upgrades are continually becoming
available and need to be installed College-wide. Chabot Computer Support is
performing centralized patch management for Microsoft products and Norton
Antivirus. Chabot Computer Support also maintains System Management Server
Services to remote install and maintain computer systems on the instructional
portion of the campus.
Future
Plan
The
College should strive for further standardization of general-use,
College-licensed software. The basic setup should include accessibility software
necessary for compliance with federal and state regulations.
Upgrades
and new applications should be evaluated for functionality, system requirements,
investment value, and feasibility of cross-platform operation. The expertise for
selection should come from a combination of the Chabot Computer Support staff
and the department requesting the software. Procedures need to be established
and adhered to for procurement of software. These procedures will reduce the
waste and delays to classes due to software incompatibility with hardware and
other software already in use in the desired labs.
Computer
Support Services and other staff must continue to receive training to support
installed applications. The compatibility of assistive software programs and
campus wide programs for students should be considered when new software,
upgrades and maintenance are considered. The College should be responsible in
keeping the assistive programs upgraded to the level of compatibility when new
software upgrade and maintenance is considered. If the current assistive
software is not compatible with the campus wide software being purchased,
upgraded or maintained, the compatible assistive software upgrade cost should be
included in any purchasing, upgrading or maintenance.
Library
and Learning Resources
The
Library is the center of learning where students can gather information from
books, magazine, newspaper and journal articles, and a wide variety of
audiovisual sources. Individualized help from a librarian enables students to
formulate paper and speech topics and find appropriate research sources. The
librarians provide instruction individually and in class sessions in specific
skills to increase students’ information literacy and give them the confidence
to become lifelong learners. In this day and age, busy community college
students need online access to Library resources 24 hours, 7 days a
week.
Current
Environment
The
Library maintains a web “Gateway to Information” to facilitate access to the
online catalog, electronic databases, and links to about 1,000 important
academic & reference websites. The Library also has an online interactive
tutorial called “Searchpath” that is especially geared toward Distance Education
students. It also has a blog where current Library related news is posted, and
it maintains a Google custom search engine that is able to retrieve pages from
over 150 academic web sites.
Both
Chabot and Las Positas libraries use the SIRSI Library Catalog for their book
and audiovisual collections. The catalog sits on a server hosted by the
SIRSIDynix Corporation, and records are updated by Chabot librarians and
classified staff.
Twenty
online subscription databases are available for student use; included are 6,335
full-text journal, magazine, and newspaper titles, as well as selections from
over 20 reference book series. Access to these databases is available off-campus
through the District’s proxy server, using the EZProxy software.
94
computer stations are available in the Library for student use; 12 are in the
reference area for library research purposes only, 24 are in Room 119 which is
the site for Library Skills courses, and can be reserved for individual course
instruction in library database use, and 58 are in the Mezzanine as the Student
Computer Lab where students can work on their homework assignments, whether it
be on Blackboard or Microsoft Applications. Two computers are outfitted with
adaptive technology to assist disabled users. Printing from computers to the two
networked student printers is controlled; payment for prints is mandatory
utilizing GoPrint.
Future
Plan
We
plan the following improvements to the Library’s technological
resources:
·
Continue
to refine, tool, adapt, and maintain the Library website.
A
website must always grow and change in order to adapt to students’
needs.
·
Offer
brief screencasts and other tutorials on library research (outside of
Searchpath)
The
main challenge is to find time to do so, but this can be achieved if planned far
enough in advance. Additional screencasts could help students with different
learning styles and allow remote assistance when a librarian is not available to
help by phone.
·
Have
an E-books database
An
e-books database is necessary for the growing number of Distance Ed courses, and
it would give all students remote access to books 24/7, and from home. The
Library is currently reviewing such a database to determine whether it truly
meets our students’ needs, and if so, how to finance it.
·
Set
default margins for printing that use paper more
efficiently.
For
example, the current default .75 margins for printing in Internet Explorer are
wider than what the Library subscription databases currently estimate for
articles in HTML format. With students currently paying ten cents per page, a
large document in HTML format could end up being quite expensive for them. The
default print setting should have smaller margins.
·
Hire
a technology/computer lab assistant to help students with hardware and software
problems.
The
only supervision our student computer lab has is by one part-time audiovisual
tech person. This isn’t adequate to students’ needs.
·
Expand
accessibility with adaptive technology such as a Kurzweil reader/scanner and
additional voice reading licenses (e.g. Dragon NaturallySpeaking).
These
improvements are essential to meet the needs of our disabled
students.
·
Consider purchasing software that makes
reserve articles available by remote access.
If
we get such a product, we have to work out technological and personnel solutions
in addition to covering the cost of such a platform or
server.
·
Implement
control software such as Public Web Browser to ensure that students use Library
computers for research purposes only.
This
is necessary to guarantee that students are not using the reference room
computers for non-academic purposes such as chat, email, online social networks,
and games.
·
Provide
a bigger computer classroom with at least 50 computers for library instruction
sessions.
This
is being proposed as part of the Bond construction. Right now, classes bigger
than 24 students do not get hands-on training for a library
orientation.
·
Investigate
solutions that student lab and reference computers will have better privacy and
security safeguards.
A
financial commitment and approval from computer support people is what’s needed.
For now Microsoft controls are not adequate enough, especially on the privacy
issues for students. It’s easy to get into a browser’s history, or change it
back to automatic passwords, etc. Browser history is set up at twenty days, etc.
A public computer should erase anything linked to a student’s private searching
habits.
·
Investigate
and work with campus computer support so that reference, student computer lab,
and the library classroom computers have customizable computer profiles.
This
would allow browsers to contain preset bookmarks and other options that are
specific to that particular service area.
For example, a reference
computer could have its browser permanently set to the Library home page. A
permanent “favorites” toolbar could lead to common reference links such as
database pages and the library catalog., allowing students who are elsewhere on
the Web to easily access Library resources when
needed.
Training
Ongoing
training is vital to maintain and update the knowledge and skills of faculty and
staff. To be effective, training must be based on the needs, learning styles,
and objectives of the learner. When designed effectively, a mix of various media
can enhance learning and understanding, as well as meet the needs of various
learning styles. Figure 1 (below) illustrates the process for designing
effective training, making use of an instructional systems design (ISD) training
model. “The ADDIE model is a systematic instructional design model consisting of
five phases: (1) Analysis, (2) Design, (3) Development, (4) Implementation, and
(5) Evaluation” (www.learning-theories.com/addie-model.html).
Figure 1: Designing Effective Training What
teaching strategies & media (online? in-person?) best suit the
objectives?
Current
Environment
Technology
training is provided primarily by the Instructional Technology Center (ITC)
staff. Instructional Technology is defined as the theory and practice of design,
development, utilization management and evaluation of processes and resources
for learning. The Instructional Technology Center (ITC) was intended to be a
group of support services to include training, resources, and administrative
services that are designed to enable faculty and staff to effectively use
technology in the workplace to support classroom instruction to ultimately
enhance student learning and success. Instructional resources are evaluated not
only on how to use effectively, but whether to use them at all, even if a
non-technological method will suffice.
However,
the intended “group” is hindered by separate physical spaces—for example, the
faculty/staff training area / computer lab (known as the “Hub”) is in an
entirely different part of campus from the staff offices. Yet, despite the lack
of a convenient, state-of-the-art training facility, faculty, staff, and
administrators continue to take advantage of the one-on-one training and
step-by-step guides offered by the ITC staff. An Instructional Assistant in the
Hub provides training in various software, while the Instructional Designer
provides training and instructional assistance to the growing number of faculty
requesting Blackboard. There is also a need for further training in Media
Services, which is dependent upon staff availability and proximity (refer to
“Media Services” for more information). The expansion of training offered is
dependent upon budget, current needs of the faculty, staff, and administrators,
and availability of staff to provide training.
Future
Plan
While
ITC staff offer frequent workshops and one-on-one training in Blackboard,
Microsoft Office, and other software, truly effective training requires
substantial changes to the current staffing and physical setup of the ITC staff
office and the Hub, all of which should be addressed with the campus
remodel.
Until
that time, ITC staff will revise current training strategies to best meet the
needs of the campus. This requires increased availability of online training as
well as increased and improved face-to-face workshops. In addition to the use of
software, training should also focus on effective use of technology in the
creation of quality courses. The ITC staff and a representative of the
Institutional Technology Committee will work in conjunction with the Staff
Development Committee to develop training, using technology training
funds.
The
ITC staff will also work to stay current with emerging technologies by working
with faculty and Computer Support Staff to perform a needs assessment. Such an
assessment will help to determine the technologies that are most useful for the
campus and the degree of need for additional lab space.
Goal/Desired
outcome |
Strategies/Activities |
Dependencies |
Provide
ongoing and increased training and support opportunities for faculty and
staff to effectively use technology. |
Work
with Computer Support, Staff Development, and related entities to create
training for upcoming software upgrades and new technologies. |
Sufficient
staff to provide the training. |
Provide
faculty training on the best pedagogical use of instructional
technology. |
Develop
training using an instructional systems design (ISD) training model such
as ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate). |
Sufficient
staff to provide the training. |
Promote
and recognize effective teaching and learning strategies; showcase
effective teaching and learning strategies. |
The
Instructional Designer will continue to research best practices for
teaching online and incorporate those practices into training.
|
Compensation
for faculty to showcase their effective teaching and learning
strategies. |
Ensure
technology capabilities are state-of-the-art. |
Perform
a periodic campus needs assessment and work with Computer Support, Staff
Development to evaluate, select, and implement software for developers to
run tests and develop training before it is released for general
use. |
Sufficient
funding for software; Sufficient staff to provide the
training. |
Provide
ongoing training for staff in use of job-appropriate
technologies. |
In
order to attempt to stay on top of “state-of-the-art” technologies, the
ITC will continue to utilize its newly established software budget.
|
Sufficient
funding for software; Sufficient staff to provide the
training. |
Provide
training modules for faculty and staff in the use, functions, and features
of technology tools (see Media Services section). |
Collaborate
with Media Services staff to create and produce instructional materials
depicting the operation of multimedia equipment. |
Sufficient
staff and funding. |
Assistive
Technology
Chabot
College provides equal access to an education to all persons registered in
classes, participating in college programs, and employed by the Chabot Las
Positas Community College District. Our goal is to encourage students and staff
with disabilities to become independent and assertive participants in their own
educational and career process. Accessibility in classes, facilities,
extracurricular activities and in all student support services is our ultimate
objective.
Chabot
College is committed to insure that technology hardware, software and equipment
utilized by students and staff with disabilities in classes, in student
services, and during college activities are compliant with Title V, the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973- PL 504 & PL 508, and the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).
Current
Environment
Future
Plan
Open
Labs
Current
Environment
College
learning requires students to study beyond the scheduled lecture and lab class
experiences. The Carnegie “unit” is based on a minimum of three hours of
homework for every hour of lecture, and lab work often involves protracted study
and work outside the scheduled lab meeting time. An additional challenge comes
from courses that require the use of specialized software like AutoCAD, Adobe
Creative Suite, Final Cut Pro, and others that are normally not covered with
campus-wide licensing agreements. Even though the majority of households now
have computers, students might not have access to specialized software and
colleges are reluctant to suggest that students need to purchase expensive
software.
Chabot
currently has three types of open labs: those open to all students (Library),
those open to all students when no classes are scheduled (WRAC Center) and those
open only to those registered in software specific classes when no classes are
scheduled (digital arts lab, Autocad lab, etc.). As an increasing number of
courses incorporate digital content, we need to increase student access to
computers and specialized software. Budget will drive the size and scope of
access, but there will be access.
Factors
that impact student access to open computer labs:
Online
class growth along with the expansion of software for traditional courses has
led to some courses requiring students to shoulder the burden of computer and
software access. Some help comes from:
The
wireless environment and the increasing number of students bringing laptops to
school help somewhat, but students wishing to print from their laptops must
access a lab computer in order to print. During peak times, this lack of access
is an issue.
Future
Plan
Review
Process
As
mentioned throughout this Plan, technology is constantly changing. In order for
this plan to maintain currency and effectiveness it must be reviewed biannually.
The Technology Committee will schedule a review of the Technology Master Plan
during one meeting each fall. During that meeting the Committee will review
current trends in technology and education, evaluate the progress the College
has made since the last review, and make recommendations for modifications or
additions to any part of this Plan.
Once
the review is completed, all modifications will be submitted by the Technology
Committee for review to the College Council before being submitted to the
President of Chabot College.
Conclusion
The
College's Technology Plan is intended to focus on the technology needs of Chabot
College over the next five years. This document will assist in the planning and
sculpting of the information technology efforts to an end that is both
beneficial and functional for the College. The plan breaks down several
important issues and lists recommendations for future enhancements and changes.
While some of these issues are already in practice, others require serious
planning, preparation, and budget. Overall, the College's technology
infrastructure is well positioned for the next five years.
In
support of this plan, the College needs to establish a consistent funding
process. Funding should be based on a percentage of the College's capital
outlay, maintenance, and operational budget. A minimum of 3 percent of the total
operating budget should be set aside for technology, maintenance, upgrades, and
changes. The College must accept the fact that computer technology has a
built-in obsolescence period and must be upgraded regularly. The simple analogy
is that computers are like chalk, only more expensive.
This
plan should be viewed as a living document. The annual reviews are imperative to
the success of this plan and the technological health of the College. The
College should continue to rely on and support the Technology Committee and
Computer Support Services as they monitor the success of this plan, continue to
investigate emerging trends, and update the plan
accordingly.
Should
the Chabot College Board of Trustees and administration maintain and support
technological growth as they have in the past, this College should be well
poised to support the academic and administrative goals of our students, staff,
faculty, and administration throughout the period covered by this plan and
beyond.
Appendix A
Administration Administrative
Rules and Procedures 2311 Computer Use |
The computing facilities of the
Chabot-Las Positas Community College District are provided for the use of
students, faculty, and staff in support of the programs of the Colleges
and District. In order to facilitate proper and responsible use of
computers, the following administrative rules and procedures are
established for all users. Instructors, managers, departments, or colleges
may elect to impose additional requirements or restrictions.
|
Beyond the consequences listed
herein, rule violations may have consequences determined by District Board
policy and applicable law.
|
1.
Proper Use
|
a.
Board Policy 2311 specifies that the computer systems of the
District are provided solely for the following purposes:
|
1)
use by authorized employees and agents of the Chabot-Las Positas
Community College District for District business;
|
2)
use by authorized employees of the Chabot-Las Positas Community
College District for professional activities related to the employee's job
function, or |
3)
use by registered students or authorized employees of the
Chabot-Las Positas Community College District for instructional
activities; or |
4)
public access to approved District or College information resources
via the public telephone and data networks.
|
b.
Use of District computer resources for personal or recreational
purposes is prohibited. Prohibited activities include, but are not limited
to, the following examples:
|
•
storing
personal recipes •
balancing
your personal checkbook |
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
•
preparing a
homeowner's association newsletter •
playing any
sort of computer games unless the games are a specific component of an
instructional activity or assignment.
|
c.
Use of District computer resources for personal gain, profit, or
commercial purposes is prohibited. Prohibited activities include, but are
not limited to, the following examples: •
consulting
for profit •
typing
services for profit •
maintaining
commercial business records •
developing
software for sale, except as permitted in Board Policy pertaining to
intellectual property rights •
any
activity which is not District business or a professional activity related
to the employee's job function. •
|
d. Use of District computer resources for
unauthorized activities is prohibited. Unauthorized activities include,
but shall not be limited to, the following examples:
•
use of
passwords or accounts of another user •
attempts to
capture or "crack" passwords •
attempts to
break encryption protocols •
attempts to
use loopholes in computer security or special passwords to gain access to
systems, obtain extra resources, or make unauthorized use of systems
•
destruction
or unauthorized alteration of data belonging to the District or to another
user •
creation or
communication of "viruses", "worms", or "Trojan horses"
•
acts that
restrict access to the system or damage the system •
acts that
deliberately misrepresent the identity of the source of a message
•
acts that
harass, threaten, or defame other persons •
acts that
violate any law |
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
2.
Copyrights and Licenses
|
a.
The District acquires a substantial portion of its computer
software from vendors under license agreements which restrict the use of
the software to specific computer systems and which require the District
to limit the use and copying of the software. Board Policy 2311 requires
compliance with the terms of these licenses and with copyright law.
|
Use of District computer resources
in violation of copyright restrictions or software license terms is
prohibited under Board Policy 2311. Prohibited activities include, but
shall not be limited to, the following examples:
|
•
copying
District-licensed software in violation of the license terms or copyright
law •
installing
software on District computers in violation of the license terms or
copyright law •
"giving"
District software to students or colleagues
|
b.
Each major organization shall be responsible for implementation of
this policy: For computer software used on College computers, the College
Presidents shall be responsible for establishing implementation
procedures. For computer software used on District-organizational unit
computers, the Chief Management Information Officer shall be responsible
for establishing implementation procedures.
|
3.
System Access
|
a.
Administrative Systems.
The District's administrative systems are operated by MIS. Access to these
systems requires MIS approval of a written request prepared by the
employee's supervisor or manager. In addition, other administrative review
is sometimes required. For example, the Controller will review the need
for Finance System access. Usually, requests will be approved for staff
who have specific |
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
administrative responsibilities
requiring system access. Administrative responsibilities that require
system access include, but are not limited to, the following examples:
|
•
management
or overseeing of department or area budgets •
management
of financial records of special projects or grants •
data entry
of information pertaining to students, personnel, or finance records
•
student
information inquiry by counselors or A&R staff
|
Administrative system users shall
access only those system accounts authorized by MIS. All other access to
administrative systems is prohibited.
|
Administrative system users may
not, under any circumstances, transfer or confer their system access
privileges to another individual or permit use of their assigned system
accounts by another individual. Users will be held responsible for all
administrative system transactions conducted under their login passwords.
|
Administrative system users will
be granted access privileges only if they agree in writing to adhere to
the rules and procedures presented in this section. System access
privileges may be revoked without notice in response to violations of
these rules and procedures or in response to legitimate requests from the
employee's supervisor or manager.
|
b.
Instructional Systems.
The District's instructional systems are owned and operated by the
Colleges. (The sole exception is the instructional Sequent computer, which
is operated by MIS.) Access and privileges for these systems are assigned
by the systems administrators of specific individual systems. Eligible
individuals may become authorized users of a system and be granted
appropriate access and privileges by following the approval steps
prescribed by the College for that system.
|
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
4.
Passwords
|
a.
Passwords are the keys to system security, and they provide the
most important defense against unauthorized use of District systems. Each
system user is responsible to
|
•
follow
certain rules when creating passwords •
select
passwords that are secure •
change
login passwords periodically •
keep
passwords secret |
Users shall fulfill these
responsibilities in conformity with established CLPCCD Password
Guidelines. |
b.
Users of a terminal or PC that is logged in to an administrative
system must not leave it unattended. Users will be held responsible for
all system transactions conducted under their login passwords.
|
5.
Ownership
|
a.
The District's computer systems, including hardware, software, and
all computerized information and data are owned by the District or are
licensed from vendors under license agreements. Except as provided in
Board Policy pertaining to intellectual property rights, employees and
students have no rights of ownership to these systems or to the
information they contain, even if the employee or student entered the
information into these systems. Employees may use this information only as
directed in the legitimate business of the Colleges and District and only
as prescribed by Board Policy 5511.
|
6.
Electronic Mail Privacy
|
a.
Under Board Policy 2311, the District's electronic mail system and
messages are owned by the District and provided for legitimate business
use by its employees. |
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
b.
The District's E-mail system uses encrypted messages and is
relatively secure. It is contrary to MIS department policy for MIS staff
to snoop or routinely examine the contents of employee E-mail, and most
E-mail messages will enjoy private status.
|
Nevertheless, E-mail messages are
not guaranteed to be private or confidential, and the District accepts no
responsibility for consequences that might arise from disclosure of an
E-mail message. Please remember that control over a message is lost once
it is sent, and future events may have unanticipated results:
|
•
The
recipient of the message might forward it to others on the system.
•
The
recipient of the message might print it and hand it to another reader or
might even post it on the wall. •
The message
might accidentally be sent to an unintended recipient, especially when
using named Groups for the "TO" address. •
In unusual
circumstances, MIS staff might need to examine mail in order to resolve a
system problem. •
Conceivably, one or more messages might be
subpoenaed in a legal proceeding, and then MIS would be required to
provide the subpoenaed material.
|
The bottom line: E-mail is not
guaranteed to be private or confidential. MIS encourages users to draft
E-mail messages thoughtfully, assuming they might be viewed by
unanticipated readers. It's best to treat them as any other written
document. |
7.
Etiquette
|
Users are expected to use the
system in a manner that reflects respect for other users.
|
a.
It is a violation of system etiquette to transmit material which is
offensive, harassing, or needlessly affects the work of other users.
|
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
•
Please
carefully consider the appropriateness of any E-mail message being sent to
EVERYONE; notification of the arrival of such a message will interrupt
every user on the system and consume a portion of their system resources.
Such messages are sometimes perceived as the electronic equivalent of
"junk mail". •
Mail
messages composed in all capitals are difficult to read and are often
perceived as the electronic equivalent of "SHOUTING". Please use such
messages sparingly. |
8.
Nondiscrimination
|
•
All users
have the right to be free from any conduct associated with the use of
District computer systems which discriminates against any person on the
basis of race, color, national origin, gender, or disability. Users of
District systems shall refrain from such discriminatory acts.
•
Discriminatory conduct includes, but is not
limited to, written or graphic conduct that satisfies both of the
following conditions: (a) harasses, denigrates, or shows hostility to or
aversion toward an individual or group based on race, color, national
origin, gender, or disability, and (b) has the purpose or effect of
creating a hostile, intimidating, or offensive educational environment.
|
1)
"Harassing conduct" includes, but is not limited to, epithets,
slurs, negative stereotyping, or threatening, intimidating, or hostile
acts, that relate to race, color, national origin, gender, or disability.
This includes acts that purport to be "jokes" or "pranks" but that are
hostile or demeaning. |
2)
A "hostile educational environment" is established when harassing
conduct is sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent so as to
interfere with or limit the ability of an individual to participate in or
benefit from District computing systems.
|
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
c.
Any user who believes he or she has be subject to conduct
associated with the use of District computer systems which discriminates
on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, or disability may
report the incident to the College or District Affirmative Action /
Harassment Officer. |
9. Management Rights and
Responsibilities |
a.
Administrative Systems
Managers shall make written requests for employees' access to the
District's administrative systems. In addition, to maintain system
security, managers shall notify MIS in writing immediately when system
access is no longer required or authorized for an employee.
|
Managers shall be responsible to
provide general supervision of departmental employees' adherence to the
rules and procedures presented herein, and managers shall have the right
to impose additional departmental rules or procedures. In the event of
conflict, the rules and procedures presented herein shall take precedence
over departmental rules and procedures.
|
b.
Instructional Systems
Managers responsible for instructional computing facilities shall be
responsible to provide general supervision of staff and students'
adherence to the rules and procedures presented herein, and managers shall
have the right to impose additional departmental rules or procedures.
Under the general direction of College management, the systems
administrators of the College instructional systems may develop more
detailed guidelines, as needed, concerning administration and daily
operation of these systems. In the event of conflict, the rules and
procedures presented herein shall take precedence over departmental rules
and procedures. |
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
10.MIS Staff Rights and Responsibilities
|
•
In the
normal course of systems administration, the MIS staff occasionally may
need to examine files, electronic mail, and printer output in order to
gather sufficient information to diagnose and correct system problems or
perform technical maintenance. In the course of this work, the staff
reserves the right to inspect, copy, remove, or otherwise alter any data,
file, or system resources which may adversely affect the system without
notice to the user. In addition, the MIS staff reserves the right to
restrict system access of any user who violates the rules/procedures
presented in this section. •
Although
MIS staff have the right to examine any system files, they also have a
responsibility to maintain users' privacy to the maximum extent possible.
|
11. User Rights and Responsibilities
|
|
a.
As described herein, users of District systems have the right to
|
•
use District systems as authorized |
•
own information stored on District systems solely as provided in
Board policy pertaining to intellectual property rights
•
be free of
routine intrusions on privacy •
be free of
discrimination in use of District systems. •
|
b.
As described herein, users of District systems have the
responsibility to: •
use the
systems in compliance with the rules and procedures presented in this
section •
make proper
use of District systems •
comply with
copyright law •
access
systems only as authorized •
keep
passwords secret and maintain password security
|
Administrative Rules and
Procedures |
2311 Computer Use |
•
use the
system with proper etiquette and respect for other users
•
refrain
from acts that are discriminatory, defamatory, harassing, or illegal
•
agree that
the District is not responsible for the content of external networks and
for actions by individual users of the systems in violation of these
rules. |
12. Agreement and Disclaimers
|
By using District computer
systems, users agree to the following conditions:
|
•
Users agree
that they understand and will comply with the rules and procedures
presented in this section. •
The
District disclaims responsibility for actions by individual users in
violation of these rules and procedures, and users accept this disclaimer.
Any user who harasses others or makes defamatory or derogatory remarks or
misrepresents the identity of the source of a message is in violation of
the rules and procedures of this section and shall bear sole and full
responsibility for these actions. Users agree that the District or
College's role in managing the computer systems used is solely as an
information carrier, and that they will never consider transmission though
the system as an endorsement of said transmission by the District or
College. •
The
District disclaims responsibility for the content of external networks,
and users accept this disclaimer. Many of the District's computing systems
provide access to outside networks which furnish electronic mail,
information services, bulletin boards, news groups, conferences, etc.
Users are advised that the District does not assume responsibility for the
content of any of these outside networks.
|
Appendix B
Three-page Condensed Interact
Communications Plan (ICP)
(From the “Chabot College Web Plan”,
Interact Communications, Inc)
Introduction
Has little or no marketing or outreach capabilities. In fact, there is very little content at all which is addressed to the viewer. Rather, part of the clarity of the site is due to its lack of user focused content.
There is no clear path for the new student or interested community member to explore what the college has to offer. Instead the assumption is that the visitor knows that they need a schedule of classes, and that they must apply and register.
The site is primarily focused on meeting information needs for current students and faculty and staff. What it is not is a website that explains to visitors the many ways in which Chabot College can play a role in their life. Prospective students are not addressed directly, and neither is there recognition of the different informational needs of traditional versus non traditional students.
It is a solid site if you are an insider. It is a maze if you are on the outside of the organization looking in.
Perhaps the most obvious gap is marketing language. There is nothing that speaks to a high school student or their parents…..nothing that speaks to a working adult….to business….nothing that reminds the community that Chabot is an important part of the social life …
Structure and
Design
Home page is a solid sorting page, but has very little content, 90% of the information is not of interest to groups or individuals outside the college
Core information is too deep and assumes you are an internal individual
Recruitment
Function
There are 15 bullet items that point out major weaknesses (Note: District CLASS-Web adds to confusion and detracts from the ability to short-cut navigation)
Recommendations
1.
Create a “pod” for
perspective high school students with information on why choose Chabot, why a
community college, unique programs, connections with current students, unique
faculty, and alumni who are successful
2.
Allow for text
messaging contact (rather than simply face-to-face and
phone)
3.
Remove all
information from that pod that is focused on other audiences (business,
community, etc.)
4.
Consider creating a
parents area or a high school guidance counselor area in the high school
pod
5.
Create this area
with graphics, photos, and small flash areas that do not damage the 508
compliance of the site
Retention
Function
Seven bulleted items point out a lack of student “social” content and meaningful presentation of information in non-academic jargon
Recommendations
1.
Create a “pod” for
current students with information from student
publications
2.
Provide an area
where students can manage their own content
3.
Consider a student
blog with information on events for students by students
4.
Work to create a
sense of commitment to Chabot while students are there (rather than waiting
until they are alumni)
5.
Infuse
communications in this area with a sense of fun and emotional
richness
6.
Consider providing
an area for student portfolios or areas where students can post their own
materials
7.
Give student life a
prominent role in the student area
8.
Allow areas where
current student successes can be promoted
9.
Create a focus on
services that encourage students to stay in school (short term loans, tutors,
etc.)
Design
Parameters
Last Four pages discuss design parameters and focus on how distinct users need different designs and presentation of information. Provides core information that should be on each page and makes key recommendations for interactivity.
Interactivity
Recommendations
All groups:
Searchable data bases faculty and staff information,
catalog (programs), and classes
Email addresses, forms, PDF downloads, powerful search engine, downloadable forms (Word)
High School & Current Students: Live chat (instant messaging), video streaming
Business: Searchable data bases of business services, downloadable forms
Overall
Findings
Overall
Recommendations
Selected data from CLARUS
marketing report
Preferred Information Sources
Web Site (93%)
Course Descriptions
(88%)
Campus Visits
(87%)
College Catalog
(79%)
College Information Nights
(78%)
Class Schedule
(78%)
College Guides
(75%)
Go To Web Site (50%)
42%
Chabot Region And 58% Las Positas Region
MyPage Development On
Colleges’Web Sites
95%
Have Internet Access
Online 32 Hours Per Week
(Average)
Surf
For Information (90%)
School Research
(89%)
Send
E-Mails (77%)
Instant Message With Friends
(73%)
Download Music
(62%)
Play
Online Games (37%)
Shop
Online (31%)
Take Classes (13%)