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Index
The areas and issues:
The actions we have identified as strategic actions of the first priority
are:
1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.5,
2.1, 2.2, 2.4,
2.6
3.1, 3.2, 3.3
4.1
5.1
6.1, 6.2, 6.4,
6.5
Technology Task Force
Incorporating technology at Saint Mary's College should be guided by
considerations of how it enhances the mission of the College. It should
also build on structures already in place. The College has been forward
thinking in providing a network, access to the Internet, technology teaching
areas, and support. Saint Mary's is now poised to take the next step:
infusing the technology into our culture.
The first initiative of the technology plan places information technology
(IT) within the context of teaching and learning. A campus wide dialog
facilitated by the Teaching and Learning Technology Roundtable (TLTR)
will lead to a statement of how Saint Mary's can best address the concerns
of women in technology. We can be pioneers and show leadership in this
area. With the rapid changes in technology facing our students, we must
support the TLTR student IT fluency initiative, even as the general dialog
progresses. Technological developments are changing approaches to teaching
and learning in all disciplines; therefore, it is important to provide
mechanisms and support for innovative curricula and pedagogy.
The campus network provides the infrastructure to implement and support
the IT goals of the College. It is imperative that the currency of the
network be maintained and that there be integrated and coordinated planning
within all areas of the College, particularly communication and facilities.
An organizational model that gives IT planning a more central role in
the operation of the College is critical, as is a budget process responsive
to the rapid change of technology. Without coordinated planning of the
technological infrastructure, services, and support, costly errors will
be made.
The heart of Saint Mary's College is its students, faculty, administrators,
and staff. To facilitate effective and efficient use of the informational
tools available, an organized training program and adequate follow-up
support are essential. This includes acknowledging IT fluency developed
by students, recognizing and rewarding faculty for pedagogical uses of
IT, and job classifications and pay scales that recognize staff accomplishments.
In order to keep pace with the curricular needs of students and faculty
and support more in-depth research, the library must have the resources
necessary to increase the number, kind, and coverage of electronic resources.
The library must also play a central role, in preserving collections,
such as archival material, through digitization projects.
Finally, IT considerations must be incorporated into the renovation of
existing space and more importantly, in the construction of new space.
Careful, coordinated facilities planning is critical in providing the
appropriate environment for faculty to teach, students to learn, and administrators
and staff to work.
Back to Index
1. Teaching and Learning
Improve and expand upon the role of information technology (IT) in teaching,
learning, and faculty development
Outcomes
Saint Mary's College will:
- support the integration of IT into the curriculum
- graduate students with appropriate level of IT fluency
- increase faculty IT fluency
- foster pedagogical innovation using IT
- create increased opportunities for faculty-student collaborative learning
Identified issue: 1.A Placing IT within the context
of teaching and learning
Actions
- 1.1 Support efforts such as those of the
Teaching, Learning, and Technology Roundtable (TLTR) to establish reflective
dialogue about teaching, learning, and technology
- Responsibility
- TLTR
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
- Resources
- Operating budget
Support staff
- Target deadline
Evidence of progress
- Coordination of dialogue
- More widespread discussion of technology in teaching and learning
Use of TLTR for consultation on teaching and learning issues
Operating budget and clerical assistance for TLTR in working with
the Vice-President for Academic Affairs
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Identified issue: 1.B Student IT fluency in the context
of the mission statement
- 1.2 Determine how Saint Mary's College can
best address the concerns of women with regard to technology: what are
the goals for women, what is the best curriculum, how can woman play
important and innovative roles in the world of IT?
- Responsibility
- Center for Academic Innovation (CFAI)
Vice-President for Academic Affairs Faculty from a variety of disciplines,
including Women's Studies
TLTR
- Resources
- Grant monies for individuals and groups
Budget
- Target deadline
- Year 2: Host conference on women and technology
Year 3: Incorporate conclusions from the conference
Year 4: Review conclusions based on changes in technology
and College demographics
- Evidence of progress
- Conference: Women and Technology
Incorporation of ideas from the conference into strategic planning
- 1.3 Support the TLTR student IT fluency initiative
- Responsibility
- TLTR
- Resources
- Information Technology Resource Center (ITRC)
Support staff
Release time
Budget
- Target deadline
- Stage 1 - Empower students to self-assess their IT fluency through
the distribution of a grid defining levels of IT fluency to students
and academic advisors
Stage 2 - Establish a resource list of curricular and co-curricular
courses, resources, training projects, etc. that would provide guidance
to students on how they might increase their IT fluency (one year
for pilot programs)
Stage 3 - Explore, identify, and implement ways that students can
demonstrate their IT fluency (two years for pilot programs and three
years for all academic departments)
Stage 4 - Explore, identify, and implement ways that SMC can recognize
demonstrated student IT fluency (four years for pilot program and
five years for all academic departments)
- Evidence of progress
- Identification of pilot programs
Implementation of all four stages according to the above target
deadlines
Identification of courses in which students use IT skills
-
- 1.4 Ensure that all
students know the informational tools available on the campus and can
use them at the level necessary for their coursework. (See Action 4.1
Training and Support)
- Responsibility
- ITRC
- Resources
- Budget (See Action 4.1 Training and Support)
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Redesigned content and delivery of CPSC 101 (four week computer
workshop for first year students)
Broader use of the ITRC
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Identified issue: 1.C Curricular initiatives
- 1.5 Investigate the possibility of new technology-related curricular
programs (e.g. in Art and Communication, etc.)
- Responsibility
- Members of appropriate departments
TLTR
Dept. of IT representative
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Student representative
- Resources
- Plan for new facilities and integrate these into the facilities
long-range plan
Expanded electrical capacity in Moreau
New faculty positions
An established campus cable TV network
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Proposals from departments to the curriculum committee
-
- 1.6 Expand role of IT
in the W program by exploring ways to integrate IT into the teaching
of writing
- Responsibility
- Writing Proficiency Program Director
Director of Writing Center
TLTR
- Resources
- Classrooms equipped with appropriate hardware, software, and seating
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Identification of W teachers who are willing to integrate IT into
their pedagogy
Identification of W courses with an IT component to students
Provision of an adequate number of appropriately equipped classrooms
-
- 1.7 Support departmental
efforts to put teaching, assessing, and testing, materials on the Web
- Responsibility
- Dept. of IT
ITRC
- Resources
- Budget for software
Licenses
Support staff
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Upgraded level of software for web delivery of course material,
currently Blackboard (i.e. CourseInfo).
Establishment of separate protocols for classroom vs. public computers
Provision for support personnel
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Identified issue: 1.D Faculty development
- 1.8 Develop and publish
a policy stating how technological initiatives by faculty will be evaluated
and recognized with regard to promotion and tenure
- Responsibility
- Rank and Tenure Committee
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Faculty Assembly
- Resources
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Amendment to Rank and Tenure Guidelines
-
- 1.9 Develop support
for faculty projects on innovative pedagogical uses of IT
- Responsibility
- TLTR
CFAI
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
ITRC
- Resources
- Fundraising or grant resources to establish a dedicated fund for
innovative pedagogical uses of IT
Release time
- Target deadline
- two years
- Evidence of progress
- Annual awards to proposals for faculty projects on innovative
pedagogical uses of IT (similar to the project partners model used
in MINERVA and the CFAI fellowships)
Annual workshops with national experts on teaching, learning, and
technology
Faculty use of online resources for the assessment of hardware and
software as well as model teaching modules such as those offered
by the American Association of Higher Education (AAHE)
-
- 1.10 Increase support
for, development of, and awareness of the Information Technology Resource
Center (ITRC)
- Responsibility
- TLTR
ITRC
Director of Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Additional full-time staff
Adequate space
Appropriate hardware and software
Increased pay incentives, academic credit, or both for student consultants
- Target deadline
- two years
- Evidence of progress
- Increased use of ITRC by faculty and students both within and
outside of classes More ITRC-run workshops
Increased numbers of students working in the ITRC
Approval of academic credit for work in the ITRC
- 1.11 Expand and support
faculty training in IT (See Action 4.2 of Training and Support.)
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2. Campus Network
Improve the use of the College's network in order to support constituencies
on and off campus.
Outcomes
Saint Mary's College will:
- optimize the electronic environment in order to improve efficiency
and communication
- enhance and extend our sense of community
Identified issue: 2.A Make efficient use of and maintain
the currency of the campus network
Actions
- 2.1 Conduct business online (college forms, work orders, library resources,
bookstore purchases, college purchasing, electronic delivery of documents
to Printing Services, credit card payments, etc.).
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Finance
Vice-President for Academic Affairs
- Resources
- Contingency plans and abilities in case of power failure
Additional T1 lines
Proxy servers
Computer clusters for employees without a computer or desk
- Target deadline
- T1 lines immediately
- Evidence of progress
- Improved off-campus access to electronic resources
Expanded use of student ID card
Automated payments
Credit card payments
Online availability of College forms, such as work orders
Bookstore sales
College purchasing online
Electronic delivery of documents to Printing Services
-
- 2.2 Integrate and coordinate communication services (telephone, fax,
e-mail, bulletin boards) (See also Administration and Funding and Facilities)
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Finance
Director of Dept. of IT
Director of Purchasing
- Resources
- Budget
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Integrated messaging system
Effective coordination of planning for communication
Increased use of teleconferencing and
videoconferencing
Revised policy and procedures for faxes
Established guidelines for campus-wide communication
- 2.3 Explore possible
future directions for the campus network such asthe installation of
classroom or campus-wide wireless network
- Responsibility
- Director of Dept. of IT
TLTR
- Resources
- Budget
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Report of recommendations
Development of an implementation plan
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Identified issue: 2.B Optimize communication
-
- 2.4 Integrate and coordinate the development and maintenance of College
information (electronic, web, and print publications)
- Responsibility
- Director of Marketing Communications as coordinator of a team
effort
- Resources
- Hardware and software
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Consistency, currency, quality, and integration of College publications:
print, electronic, and other formats
-
- 2.5 Develop a campus
cable TV network to provide information and services such as video distribution
and the possibility for student programming
- Responsibility
- Director of Dept. of IT Telecommunications
Communication Studies, Dance, and Theatre
- Resources
- Budget
Support staff
Equipment
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Delivery of content
Faculty and/or student programming
-
- 2.6 Develop a policy regarding appropriate use of distributed learning
technology at Saint Mary's College (e.g. online courses, electronic
learning communities, electronic portfolios, computer-based tutorials,
video-based delivery systems)
Responsibility
- Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Curriculum Committee
TLTR
- Resources
- Time
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Policy on use of distributed learning which includes accepting/granting
academic credit for distance learning
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3. Administration and Funding
Improve the integration and efficiency of IT decision-making and management
Outcomes
Saint Mary's College will:
- coordinate planning of technology infrastructure, services, and support
- make coherent and intelligent decisions for the use of IT on campus
- avoid costly errors
- integrate information systems
- increase communication among offices that use information systems
- provide reasonable and sustained levels of funding for IT
- increase the flexibility of IT budgeting in order to support innovation
Identified issue: 3.A Administrative organization
of IT
Actions
- 3.1 Implement an integrated organizational model that gives IT planning
a central place in the operation and planning of the College.
- Responsibility
- President
- Resources
- Clerical staff
Travel budget
New staff positions (possible)
- Target deadline
- One year: Investigation, selection, and implementation of new
organizational structure
- Evidence of progress
- Models identified
Feedback and consensus building within the Saint Mary's community
IT staffing needs determined according to the newly implemented
organizational structure
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Identified issue: 3.B IT planning and budgeting
-
- 3.2 Provide for on-going review of the IT strategic plan
- Responsibility
- Newly created review body including representation from Dept.
of IT, TLTR, Banner Steering Committee, ITRC, hourly staff
- Resources
- Time
- Target deadline
- One year: Investigation, selection, and implementation of new
organizational structure
- Evidence of progress
- Annual progress report
-
- 3.3 Improve IT planning and budgeting
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Finance
Director of Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Increase in annual IT funding (capital and operating budgets)
to more reasonable levels
Integrate hardware, software, and network upgrades into annual IT
budget
Establishment of a depreciation fund for equipment
Establishment of a contingency fund for responding to innovative
ideas that fall outside the current budget cycle
Establishment of a mechanism or procedure for departments (academic,
staff, administrative) to communicate IT needs
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Identified issue: 3.C Administrative IT
-
- 3.4 Continue the integration
of administrative information exchange begun with the implementation
of the Banner project
- Responsibility
- Banner Steering Committee
- Resources
- continued budget support
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Continued implementation of the software
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4. Training and Support
Improve training with IT in order to ensure that SMC staff is able to
perform job function at optimal levels.
Outcomes:
Saint Mary's College will:
- increase staff IT fluency
- encourage and facilitate training
- provide a greater level of satisfaction about the ability to do one's
job
- provide appropriate support for IT
Identified issue: Comprehensive training
Actions
- 4.1 Create an organized training program utilizing a variety of training
and support options: videos, CAI, tutorials, outsourcing, scheduled
workshops, on-demand workshops, teleconferencing, etc.
- Responsibility
- Dept. of IT
Human Resources
- Resources
- Materials
Time
Training coordinator
- Target deadline
- Two years
- Evidence of progress
- Easy access to print and on-line manuals
Creation or purchase of computer tutorials
Increased attendance at workshops
Workshops available by request
Widespread awareness of training options available on campus, including
the ITRC
Widespread awareness among faculty of who they could contact when
pursuing a project or solving a problem
Existence of a campus-wide IT resource directory
-
- 4.2 Create job classifications
with appropriate pay scales that recognize IT skills and proficiencies
- Responsibility
- Human Resources
- Resources
- Personnel budget
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Establishment of minimum level of IT skills for specific positions
Level of wages and salaries that correspond with levels of skill
with IT
Ability to attract applicants with higher levels of IT skills
- 4.3 Support essential
staff training
- Responsibility
- Human Resources
- Resources
- Staff release time
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Policy in staff manual regarding release time for training
Increased IT skills for staff
-
- 4.5 Increase support
for using software and hardware
- Responsibility
- Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Support staff
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Increased availability of help desk support
More rapid response to support needs
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5. Library
Expand the acquisition of and access to information resources
Outcomes
Saint Mary's College will:
- provide opportunities for more in-depth research
- preserve irreplaceable items
- improve access to library collections
Identified issue: 5.A Access to electronic resources
Actions
- 5.1 Increase the number, kind, and coverage of electronic resources("kind"
meaning electronic periodical indexes, online reference items, e-journals,
etc.; "coverage" meaning discipline/subject areas not wellrepresented
in the library's current collections)
- Responsibility
- Librarians (in consultation with academic and administrative departments)
- Resources
- Increased library materials and supplies budget.
Additional T1 lines
Consortia memberships
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Acquisition of new electronic resources
Student, faculty, and administrative uses of resources>
-
- 5.2 Expand present reserve
system to include electronic delivery of reserve items
- Responsibility
- Librarians, Collection Manager, Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Adequate electronic storage
Scanning/digitizing hardware and software
Support staff
Budget for copyright clearance
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Utilization of electronic access to reserve items
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Identified issue: 5.B Electronic preservation of collections
-
- 5.3 Digitize particular
items in the library's collections or items located elsewhere on campus
(e.g. particular materials in the College's archives, record collection)
- Responsibility
- Librarians
College Archivist
Art Dept.
Music Dept.
Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Adequate electronic storage
Digitizing hardware and software
Budget
Support staff
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Implementation of an electronic preservation plan
Utilization of preserved resources
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6. Facilities
Ensure optimal IT capabilities for SMC teaching and administrative facilities
Outcomes
Saint Mary's College will:
- provide appropriately designed and equipped classroom space to
allow faculty to integrate and expand the pedagogical uses of IT in
their courses
- incorporate IT requirements into facilities planning
- provide the necessary space for the Department of IT, including
theITRC
Identified issue: 6.A Appropriately designed and
equipped classrooms
Actions
- 6.1 Assess the need for additional and flexible
IT classroom space, and determine the appropriate level of IT for seminar
rooms
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Director of Dept. of IT
Registrar
TLTR
- Resources
- Budget
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Classroom designs (such as wireless networks) that support both
IT and non IT pedagogy
- 6.2 Provide the necessary level of IT in
all classroom laboratories, e.g.nursing, biology, chemistry, and in
classrooms for departments with special needs, e.g. Music, Art, Communication,
Dance
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Director of Dept. of IT
TLTR
- Resources
- Budget
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Submission of proposals
Classroom laboratories equipped with IT for their specific purposes
- 6.3 Ensure that, at a minimum, all classrooms are media ready as defined
by the 1999 report by the Information Technology Study Group(ITSG) entitled
"Classroom Improvements and Support for Teaching and Learning
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Vice-President for Finance
Director of Dept. of IT
Director of Facilities
TLTR
- Resources
- Budget
- Target deadline
- August 15, 2001
- Evidence of progress
- Current classrooms are made media ready and all future classrooms
are designed media ready at a minimum
-
- 6.4 Provide the necessary high-end technology
for use in CPSC and other courses to keep pace with the curriculum
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Computer science faculty
Director of Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Budget
Physical facilities
Hardware and software
Support staff
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Installation of a high-performance workstation laboratory (e.g.
a Sun laboratory rather than a PC or Mac lab)
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Identified issue: 6.B Facilities planning
-
- 6.5 Integrate the physical needs of the Department
of IT into the Campus Master Plan, including personnel and co-location
of equipment (e.g. telephone switch, cable system, computer room) supported
by battery backup and emergency generator
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Finance
Director of Facilities
Director of Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Budget
Physical space
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Appropriate space for IT personnel
Co-located equipment
Back-up measures in place
-
- 6.6 Include IT Department in facilities planning at all levels
- Responsibility
- Vice-President for Finance
Director of Dept. of IT
- Resources
- Target deadline
- Evidence of progress
- Integrated and coordinated facilities planning
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