Response to Survey 2005
After reviewing the Information Systems satisfaction survey the
following potential projects/changes have been identified. They are
considered top priority unless otherwise noted.
Goals |
Team Responsible |
Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Review Development office requirements that are not being met with Student Information System. | Admin Computing | |
| Increase AppDev efficiency and improve response time. | AppDev | Yes |
| Plan and implement a personnel database system. | AppDev | Yes |
| Integrate focus group or end-user testing into our process for the projected 2005-06 site redesign. | AppDev | |
| Explore alternatives to the current groups plugin in Webmail. | AppDev | In Process |
| Redirect the Webmail logout page to the login page. | AppDev | Yes |
| Explore alternatives to the Webmail (SquirrelMail) codebase. | AppDev | Yes - At this point there is not an acceptable alternative to Webmail |
| Discuss default timeout lengths within Webmail. | AppDev | |
| Explore the feasibility of raising the bandwidth limit. | Director | Yes - March 2006 we increased from 4mbps to 6mbps |
| Include information about the Bandwidth Policy in the Student's Guide to Computing at EMU. | Director | Yes |
| Make faculty training a priority | Director | |
| Address the email address confidentiality in an FAQ. Include concept in privacy section of new Electronic Communications Policy. | Director | In Process |
| Purchase smartboards with capital budget. | Director | Yes |
| Explore an area in the Science Center to be used for student wired connections. | Director | |
| Explore the option of providing pod areas. | Director | |
| Purchase new box office software with capital funds. | Director | Yes |
| Include lab locations and hours in the Student's Guide to Computing at EMU. | Director | Yes |
| Consider the feasibility of adding wireless areas to:Science Center, Martin Chapel, Graduate Counseling, Cafeteria, Front Lawn | Director | In Process |
| Install new client for Sophos Anti-Virus | Director | Yes |
| Offer a Blackboard workshop, featuring the gradebook and other topics as requested. | Instructional Tech | |
| Inform users about the online help in Blackboard. | Instructional Tech | In Process |
| Communicate to Deans office the student's desire for professors to utilize Blackboard. | Instructional Tech | In Process |
| Increase student file storage to 50 megabytes. | Netsys | Yes |
| Implement second phase of VPN deployment. | Netsys | Yes |
| Increase the Webmail sending limit. | Netsys | In Process |
| Upgrade Pure Message (spam scanning software). | Netsys | Yes |
| Implement remote access to file storage. | Netsys | In Process |
| Purchase Astra Schedule to be implemented by Jan 2006. | User Services | Yes |
| Review the metrics for the Library main floor copier and consider an upgrade. | User Services | |
| Explore the option of putting a public copier in the Science Center. | User Services | |
| Install phone by CC3rd floor copier. | User Services | |
| Clarify our copier maintainance contract with users. | User Services | |
| Document and communicate our current system outage procedures. | User Services | Yes |
| Improve training for all persons answering the Help Desk phone. | User Services | Yes |
| Create signage to announce wireless hotspots. | User Services | Yes |
| Explore the option of upgrading to Mac OS Tiger (10.4) for Fall 2005. | User Services | Yes - We have explored the idea and plan to upgrade in Fall 2007. |
| Explore the option of requiring logon for Macs in labs and running a type of login script. | User Services | |
| Explore printer alarms sent via email for toner & hardware outages. | User Services | Yes |
| Upgrade all lab computers to 512MB. | User Services | Yes |
| Monitor the printer status in CC223 closely. If it is unavailable for significant periods of time, consider options and resolve the issue. | User Services | Yes |
| Meet with the Library staff and evaluate the open public access computers. | User Services | Yes |
| Consider upgrading the printer at the reference desk. | User Services | In Process |
| Place five kiosk machines in service across campus. | User Services | |
| Develop a students guide to computing at EMU. | User Services | Yes |
There were other issues raised on the survey that could not be summarized by a goal. These are categorized below with responses.
Blackboard
- Online class reader: This would need to be coordinated with the library to be sure that copyright protections are observed; provide a "how-to" guide for uploading such readers.
- Horrible interface and costs too much money: The cost for Blackboard is far less than for our Jenzabar Student Information System and significantly lower than our annual cost for Microsoft which does not even include licenses for our students!
- Students should be trained to use it: All first-year and transfer students are given an orientation to Bb on Tues of the first week of classes. However, we would like to have suggestions about how and where in the student curriculum to include additional training
- Professors use it to send class
emails and students don't check it: For
email, students do not need to
"check" Blackboard. Email sent from within Blackboard goes directly to their preferred email mailbox. However, if instructors wish students to use other Blackboard features, they can require students to check syllabi, announcements, grades, etc. -- that's up to the instructor.
Oracle Calendar
- I would prefer a different calendar program: Many factors went into our choice of Calendar software. The Oracle Calendar was the program that met most of our requirements. At this point we are not planning to change programs
Computing Resources
- Departmental Laptops: Laptops for departmental use can be purchased with departmental funds. InfoSys must be involved in the purchase, see the Technology Resource Allocation Policy.
- My computer is slow or I would like a new computer: InfoSys is working hard to fufill the four year replacement cycle. Beginning this year(2005-06) we are implementing a plan that will guarantee faculty & staff receive a one yr old computer every three years.
- Laptops for faculty and staff: Unfortunately InfoSys does not have funds to provide laptops to all users. If you would like to have a laptop and your department has funds to help purchase the laptop, contact the HelpDesk.
- I would like Windows XP: We are hopeful that sometime this fall (2005) all computers will be running Windows XP.
- I would like a flat screen:
This summer (2005) we will begin placing LCD monitors on desks. Persons will
be chosen at random.
- I
would like
to have speakers for my computer available at no extra cost since
sounding music is critical to my discipline and work at EMU:
Speakers will continue to be a departmental expense.
- Printers available in individual faculty offices instead of one printer being shared by all: Network printer strategy will continue due to costs of procurement, consumables and support.
Copiers
- I would like to use a dime to make copies: There is a coin-op copier in the Library on the main floor.
- Spam filtering or blocking: In August 2004 we installed a very sophisticated program that is constantly updated and scans every email message received from the Internet, marking those that are probably spam by placing the "[PMX:#" characters in the subject field of the message. Information on setting it up can be found at: How do I filter my spam?
- Webmail timeout: Users may adjust the timeout length by editing the "Automatic Logout Timer" option in "Display Preferences".
- Webmail email searching: You can search for messages by selecting "Search" from the top bar within Webmail.
- File attachment size limitation: The limit has been raised to ten megabytes.
- Decrease spam:
The rising tide of Spam is not within our control, users may setup
filters to remove messages marked as spam. See FAQ: How do I filter my spam?
- Why do I keep getting strange e-mails that are not school related, never important, and sometimes offensive? I never give out my school address and I rarely ever send e-mails out from my school account? Dont we have some sort of filter system?: Your email address is probably harvested, using spyware or a virus, from someone's computer where it was stored.
Long Distance
- Long distance fees are expensive: EMU's long distance rates are set only a few cents more than our actual cost. This is necessary to cover expenses related to providing dial tone for all students.
Outages
- It would be nice to be notified when there is an outage, maybe via the phone system: Unfortunately there is no good way to notify the campus via the phone system. On the surface it seems like a good idea since everyone has a mailbox and would receive a voicemail. But on the technical side there isn't enough space available on the voicemail system to handle having messages for 1200 mailboxes. Our current outage procedure can be found at: How do I find out if there is a system outage?
