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ITS NEWSLETTER VOL 7, ISSUE 2 In This Issue Preserving the Black Academic Library History…...1 Automating the Office of the CIO………………….2 Combining Courses in BlackBoard………………...3 Library Services…………………………………….4 Librarian Liaisons…………………………………..4 Live@edu Migration Project……………………….5 VC Quality of Service Implemented……………….6 Budget Cut Impact………………………………….7 St. John Academic Center News…………...………2 Advance Learning Environment Projects…………..3 BlackBoard Learn Update………………………….3 EZProxy Make Home Access Easier………………4 Identity Management Project Udpate……………...5 Libraries to Implement LibQual+………………….6 FY2011 Annual Report Announcement…………...6 Employee Recognition……...…………………...8-9 ArƟcle courtesy of the January/February 2012 American Libraries: The Magazine of the Library AssociaƟon hƩp://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/02062012/ preserving‐black‐academic‐library‐history *STJAC=St. John Academic Center Students attend a class via videoconferencing at UVI’s St. John Academic Center. Photo credit: University of the Virgin Islands. NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE STJAC 2 The St. John Academic Center (STJAC) conƟnues to strive towards its objecƟves. The door of enrollment was substan‐ Ɵally broadened in the Spring Semester. Six (6) new students used the STJAC as the entry point into UVI, the youngest student is sixteen (16) years of age while the oldest is seventy‐seven (77). The combinaƟon of retenƟon and an increase in enrollment culminated in a sixty‐seven percent (67%) increase in semester hours and tuiƟon revenue (Fall 2011 to Spring 2012). The opening of the New House classroom on the St Thomas campus is another barrier removed for the St. John students. The classroom is a step toward the soluƟon of the late night scheduling conflict for St. John students. The STJAC was able to move two courses into New House for the Spring semester. AssimilaƟng future St. John students into UVI is one of the three core objecƟves. The STJAC arranged for forty (40) Julius S. Sprauve students to travel to the St. Thomas campus in January. The same students toured the STJAC and aƩenƟvely listened to a lesson on, “The Doors that EducaƟon Open.” ITS prides itself on efficiency of its operation and services. As many are aware, the University of the Virgin Islands is taking great strides to “Go Green”; ITS has already started by automaƟng the Office of the CIO. As stated in newsletter, Volume 7 Issue 1, ITS continues to make its operations paperless. ITS continues to find and test free software to make electronically signing and accessibility easier. Several months ago, ITS staff emailed documents with or for signature to the appropriate staff member; however, as of January 2012, ITS managers have been testing a file manager software, which allows users to share documents and folders. Once one uploads a document, all persons that share that folder receives notification and the appropriate staff members accesses that file, signs using iPads/ThinkPads. For example, there is a “Signature Required” folder, once a document is uploaded for the CIO’s signature, the CIO then accesses the document, signs and saves it. Then the document is automatically updated with the proper signature, which all persons that have access to that folder receive notification that the document was updated by the CIO. This reduced the amount of emails received and sent with and for signature. Again, ITS is in the testing phase and will notify the UVI community with an update once finalized. In addition, an ITS community was created on the portal, from which all ITS employees have access to internal documents, including managers and staff meeting minutes, internal forms, project plans, newsletters and annual reports. Also, an internal calendar displays staff’s absences, conferences, meetings, and other information deemed necessary. Other items include a message board for staff to participate in discussions and an announcement section for important announcements to staff. If your component, department or office is interested in having a community created, please send requests to the helpdesk via telephone at ext 1466, email helpdesk@uvi.edu, or UVI portal https://mycampus.uvi.edu/. Institutional Advancement has already joined the bandwagon. St. John Academic Center News St. John Academic Center News Automating the Office of the CIO 3 The Advancing Learning Environments (ALE) Project is to develop learning spaces that encourages collaboraƟon, enables the use of technology by both faculty and students, and creates learner centered environments. These are criƟcal elements to student success. Due to a shiŌ to wireless technologies, the call to improve retenƟon and enrollment, and the shiŌ to a more collaboraƟve teaching pedagogy it has become obvious that all classrooms and learning spaces at the University of the Virgin Islands do not meet the 21st century needs of the students or the faculty that teach them. The University has embarked upon a highly successful training program for faculty to provide skills to use a variety of technology in blended and distance courses. The goal of the ALE project is to increase the number of “smart” classrooms from thirty‐percent (30%) to ninety‐percent (90%) over the next five years. The Learning Spaces Task Force was assembled to provide a mulƟ‐consƟtuency/stakeholder perspecƟve and recommendaƟons to address the learning space needs of 21st century students and faculty at the University of the Virgin Islands. The task force is comprised of four faculty members (two from STT and two from STX), an IT Specialist, physical plant representaƟve, two students, a representaƟve from the CEA’s office, a representaƟve from the registrar’s office, and chaired by the Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). The task force was charged with evaluaƟng the condiƟon of each classroom and making recommenda‐ Ɵons on the priority for each space to be renovated and upgraded. We will update the UVI community as the Advancing Learning Environments project progresses. While many faculty find that combining mulƟple secƟons of a courses makes the course management aspect a bit simpler, it can create some confusion for students who register late for classes. Once mulƟple secƟons of a course have been combined and a student (or two) comes to you and says “I can’t see this course in Blackboard but others can”, you should first check to see if the student is listed in the course secƟon that has been leŌ as “unavailable”. OŌen Ɵmes faculty combine their courses prior to or at the beginning of the semester, if a student registers for the secƟon of the course that was leŌ “unavailable” aŌer you have combined secƟons the student will not be able to see the course. If the student is listed in the secƟon that is “unavailable”, he/she can be manually enrolled into the secƟon that is available. This should resolve the student issue, if it does not the student should contact the helpdesk for further assistance. Blackboard Learn implementaƟon conƟnues and is being piloted by several faculty this semester. Workshops are currently being scheduled so faculty may begin developing their courses for next semester in the Blackboard Learn environment. AddiƟonal informaƟon and schedule will be forthcoming from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Advancing Learning Environments Project Advancing Learning Environments Project Combining Courses in BlackBoard BlackBoard Learn Update 4 Using library eBooks yet? Need a liƩle help with an eReader? Access to library eBooks just got easier with the availability of iPads and Kindles at the St. Thomas and St. Croix Libraries and the St. John Academic Center (STJAC). With valid library cards, you may check out an iPad or a Kindle for overnight use. eBooks may be checked out on the iPads. The Kindles may be used for eBook classics and other freely available resources. Contact your library for further informaƟon. To ensure that student access to informaƟon for classes is not impeded, librarians are increasing promoƟon of electronic resources for research during informaƟon literacy instrucƟon, and have added a segment on eBooks specifically for Freshman Development Seminar classes. In addiƟon, students are reminded of the availability of 24/7 computer labs, and campus‐wide wireless network access. Using library databases off‐campus just got easier. A new proxy service launched in November 2011 allows library users to access databases for research using the same login credenƟals used for connecƟng to the network on campus. Simply select the database of your choice from the list of resources and use your UVI ID and password, when prompted. Please note, you may connect to hƩp://library.uvi.edu at any Ɵme for access to the online catalog, eBooks and online databases. Use your UVI user ID and password to login. If you connect through hƩp://mycampus.uvi.edu, library databases will be accessible through the single login that connects you to other UVI resources. Simply scroll down to the Library Databases box and select the resource you wish to search. *Ezproxy access is managed for UVI by OCLC®. EffecƟve library collecƟon development relies heavily on collaboraƟon between faculty and librarians. Faculty knowledge of research and content within the disciplines supplemented by librarian knowledge of new and forthcoming publicaƟons, reviews, and other releases are the ingredients for building rich and useful resources for the benefit of student development. To strengthen the faculty/librarian collaboraƟon, the staff has idenƟfied Librarian liaisons to schools and colleges. The group will provide updates to faculty regarding current and new resources and will be available to share informaƟon on library programs and services. Contact informaƟon for each librarian is shown below. Please contact your liaison for informaƟon and assistance: 1. CLASS – Liberal Arts/HumaniƟes Cynthia Richards ‐ x1369 (crichar@uvi.edu) 2. CLASS – Social Sciences Sherna Gumbs ‐ x1363 (sgumbs@uvi.edu) 3. School of Business Celia Prince‐Richard ‐ x4143 (cprince@uvi.edu) 4. School of EducaƟon Wenda Stephenson ‐ x4136 (wstephe@uvi.edu) 5. School of Nursing Tanisha Mills ‐ x1373 (tmills2@uvi.edu) 6. College of Science and Math Tanisha Mills ‐ x1373 (tmills2@uvi.edu) EZProxy Makes Home Access to Library Databases Easier iPads and Kindles Now Available for Checkout iPads and Kindles Now Available for Checkout Librarian Liaisons to Schools and Colleges Established 5 IdenƟty Management (IdM) is the management of idenƟƟes within electronic systems. This incorporates giving permissions to systems based on roles as well as the removal of access at relevant Ɵmes. IdM aims to increase system security while automaƟng the processes of providing authorizaƟons. At UVI, IdM is driven by the Banner database. A user is created as a student or employee in the network and other systems aŌer the respecƟve account is created in Banner. This project also introduces the use of the UVI ID number in all system records. Employees will eventually login to the network using their UVI ID number. Email addresses will also be updated, allowing for the use of the address firstname.lastname@uvi.edu (jon.doe@uvi.edu). While this is currently an alias for all employees, it will be formally uƟlized. Eventually, student email accounts will also uƟlize this format, instead of using their UVI ID number as their username. Remote authenƟcaƟon will also be possible. Instead of having to come on campus for the first login on the network, this will be possible remotely. Once implemented, UVI persons will authenƟcate to the network via the myCampus portal (hƩp://mycampus.uvi.edu). Upon iniƟal login a person will be prompted to provide answers to five quesƟons. Persons who forget their password will be prompted with a few of these, which if successfully answered will reset the account password without assistance from the helpdesk. Groups will also automaƟ‐ cally be created for students and employees based on several factors including gender, campus, department, program and residency. UVI’s email is moving to the Cloud! What is the cloud? ‘The Cloud’ is the generic term used for remotely access services. UVI resources already in ‘the cloud’ include the website (hƩp://www.uvi.edu), the myCampus portal and student email (Gmail). The technology industry has seen a shiŌ to more and more services in the cloud. Email is no different. EducaƟonal insƟtuƟons have been moving students and/or students and employees to either Gmail or Live@edu for email the last few years. This saves an IT department money on upgrading hardware, soŌware and staff. UVI is no different. ITS was invesƟgaƟng and planning for a migraƟon of employee emails to the cloud, using Live@edu. The recent failure of the Exchange system led to the acceleraƟon of this Ɵmeline. Live@edu was selected because of its connecƟon to MicrosoŌ. ITS has a MicrosoŌ Campus Agreement, which provides that company’s soŌware at a great discount. It also provides licensed home use access to the Office suite of soŌware for employees and students at a low or no cost. Live@edu will provide cloud hosted email using an interface already familiar to UVI employees. Outlook will remain the tool for accessing email. As we move through the migraƟon, addiƟonal informaƟon will be shared with employees. Once accounts are created, persons will be provided access to their new mailbox. InformaƟon on archiving and/or reducing the size of the mailbox to below 3GB have been shared with all. Once mailboxes are the requisite size, assistance will be provided to individuals to migrate mail from the old system to the new one. Identity Management Project Update Identity Management Project Update Live@edu Migration Project 6 To assess and improve the quality of library service, it is said that “it is more important to study people than books”. Although ITS has been using locally developed surveys to collect data annually, the level of sophisƟcaƟon for effecƟve administraƟon and analysis is lacking in the current process. To this end, ITS staff is undertaking a major project in 2012 to collect user feedback. The project will use LibQUAL+®, a suite of services used naƟonally by libraries “to solicit, track, understand, and act upon users’ opinions of service quality.” The Libraries were awarded $7,500 by the HBCU Library Alliance to perform the comprehensive user assessment of library services, including the ITS service desk. Funds will be used to purchase LibQUAL+® administraƟon and analyzing services from the AssociaƟon of Research Libraries (ARL). The project will be conducted over the next twelve (12) months, and should strengthen the interacƟon with users for improved program effecƟveness. There has been a tremendous increase in the capacity of the University’s network and an accompanying increase in the consumpƟon of that capacity. Web traffic, voice and video over IP, and other mulƟmedia applicaƟons have significantly contributed to the increase in that traffic. Some applicaƟons, such as the interacƟve mulƟmedia applicaƟons, not only require large amounts of bandwidth, but also require specialized service from the network with respect to latency and loss. The network has to accommodate the traffic without degrading the performance of other applicaƟons on the network, some of which may be mission criƟcal like videoconferencing. To provide predictable performance, videoconferencing requires significant bandwidth with minimal delay, jiƩer and loss. The inability to provide the required network quality has been one of the major obstacles affecƟng the University’s videoconferencing. One helpful soluƟon is the recent implementaƟon of Quality of Service (QoS) over the holiday break. QoS for networks is an industry‐wide set of standards and mechanisms for ensuring high‐quality performance for mission criƟcal applicaƟons, like video conferencing. By using QoS mechanisms, we can use exisƟng resources efficiently and ensure the required level of service without reacƟvely expanding or over‐provisioning our network. QoS network devices must be able to differenƟate among classes of arriving traffic and saƟsfy their individual requirements. QoS mechanisms provide a set of tools that can be used to do that. It enables the network to recognize traffic belonging to videoconferencing so that preferenƟal service is provided to it. QoS does not create any addiƟonal capacity for videoconferencing. It just helps to manage the available resources for videoconferencing according to policies set out by our network. The 2011 ITS Annual Report will be available soon. Titled “Competence, Commitment, SoluƟons”, the report reviews the acƟviƟes of InformaƟon & Technology Services in the last fiscal year. It will be available directly at hƩp://www.uvi.edu/sites/uvi/PublicaƟons/Forms/AllItems.aspx , under secƟon “InformaƟon and Technology Services” in category “Annual Reports”. Video Conference Quality of Service Implemented over Christmas Recess Video Conference Quality of Service Implemented over Christmas Recess Libraries to Implement LibQual+® Libraries to Implement LibQual+® 7 InformaƟon and Technologies Services conƟnues to make strides on maintaining standards despite the recent budgetary cuts and personnel lost within the component. The objecƟve is to remain consistent with the standard of service delivery promised in the ITS Service Charter. In addiƟon to the eight (8%) VI Government mandated salary reducƟon; ITS budget was reduced by $111,201 in this fiscal year. In an aƩempt to do more with less, at the beginning of the year ITS eliminated reduced exisƟng subscripƟons and ongoing maintenance contracts, in addiƟon to reducing the costs for library collecƟon development. Based on ITS limited financial resources the following services impacted were as a result: • Closed the libraries and helpdesk on Saturdays. • No longer provide staffing for the CA lab and lower campus on St. Thomas. • No longer have network techs on call evenings and weekends. • No longer have part Ɵme help to answer the help desk phone. • Reduced the periodical and book collecƟons. • Charge back telephone installaƟons and network drop installaƟon to departments. • CommiƩed to paying five percent (5%) of the operaƟonal cost of the St. John Academic Center. This was to be covered by salary savings from staff providing service to the grant program, but the salary saving was taken in the budget cuts. • A grant expiring that currently pays for half of the University’s Internet service that is expiring in September 2012. This was not funded by the budget commiƩee last year, so the cost of the service will either have to be absorbed or the service eliminated. The biggest single challenge faced by ITS is the lack of ongoing monies to support the maintenance and support of equipment and services. Annual maintenance costs for FY2012 are esƟmated to be $907,715. The older equipment is, the more likely it is to fail. Most one‐Ɵme grant monies cannot be used to support replacements. The network servers, network equipment, microwave, desktop equipment all take more Ɵme to manage as they age. They also fail more. Currently this annual maintenance is unfunded and most investments are coming from salary savings within the Component. So without these funds and addiƟonal investment, this equipment will fail to meet the ongoing needs of the University. This directly equates to loss of producƟvity for the ENTIRE UNIVERSITY. In spite of the financial challenges we are faced with ITS will conƟnue push forward and strive to meet ITS service standards according to the ITS Customer Service Charter. Budget Cut Impact Budget Cut Impact 8 Sherna Gumbs, Special CollecƟons Librarian, received a $15,000 scholarship to parƟcipate in a nine month intensive leadership insƟtute beginning February 2012 under the direcƟon of the HBCU Library Alliance. She will join nineteen (19) parƟcipants from other HBCU libraries in training and development to provide in‐depth educaƟonal leadership programming at their home insƟtuƟons. The curriculum includes dynamic topics such as components of successful leadership, relaƟonship management, measuring the effecƟveness and impact of library services, and aligning performance with strategy. Monthly web‐based classes will be taught using experƟse from the HBCU Library Alliance community. A mentoring component will provide effecƟve mentorship during the Leadership InsƟtute and strengthen mentoring on individual campuses and within the network of leadership in the HBCU Library community. The HBCU Library Alliance project is funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon FoundaƟon. Shelly Anslyn‐Jones is being recognized for her commitment to the ITS component. ITS employees oŌen wear many hats and are responsible for many services that are criƟcal to our mission here at UVI. Shelly Anslyn‐Jones wears many hats and does it well! In the morning when our technicians are performing opening procedures for videoconference rooms, Shelly is there. Whenever anyone needs assistance, she always responds quickly with a very pleasant aƫtude. Shelly is equally responsive when customers call for assistance. She plays the role of intermediary , performing a delicate balancing act to reassure distraught customers, while encouraging and assisƟng technicians to provide immediate responses to customer needs. Shelly is the primary service desk aƩendant assisƟng with a variety of library and classroom support services. Shelly listens carefully to the needs of students, faculty and staff alike; she makes it her business to find a resoluƟon to their concerns. If she does not know the answer, she always partner with a knowledgeable team member for guidance and soluƟons, which adds value to ITS services. Shelly is an excellent example of how ITS provides world class customer service! Debra Pennington has been working with TIAA‐CREF on devising a more efficient way of reporƟng employee contribuƟons. In the past, the payroll technician had to spend several hours inpuƫng and updaƟng employee contribuƟons manually into the TIAA‐CREF database. With the work “Debbie” (as she is affecƟonately known) has been doing with TIAA‐CREF, processing Ɵme will be cut down to approximately five (5) minutes. Debbie has worked Ɵrelessly with the TIAA‐CREF representaƟves as well as the payroll and benefits staff at UVI to get this process implemented. Debbie has been with ITS for four years. She came to us from West Virginia. She and her husband relocated here because of their love of island living and the beauƟful surrounding waters. They get out on the sea every chance they get. They are also very good ambassadors for the US Virgin Islands, aƩracƟng lots of tourists to the islands. They maintain a blog site called “livedelifeusvi”, which chronicles their experiences (good, bad, and ugly) since they moved here. We recognize Debbie for her dedicaƟon to all projects and tasks assigned to her no maƩer how challenging they may be. Debra Pennington, WE APPRECIATE YOU!!!! Employee Recognition Employee Recognition 9 I am wriƟng to report on the excellence of Jose Negron’s technical help over the phone. My PC died. In just two calls and three quesƟons Jose had me back up and running (Albeit without one bank of RAM. ) In the 1980’s I was the senior tech at the Boston Comput‐ er Exchange ( I fielded thousands of quesƟons in the era of DIP switches, 10 Mg hard disks, DOS 1.0 and no mice) I did thousands of tech calls in that era. I know how hard it is to “see” inside the clients computer and figure out what’s wrong with scant data. Jose is great at this task. He is a real asset to the Universi‐ ty. Many Thanks and give him a hearty pat on the back and a day off someƟme. Alexander Randall 5th, Chair Department of Music, CommunicaƟon, Arts and Theatre* Dear Cherie and Erik: CooperaƟve Extension Services (CES) would not have been able to conduct a video‐conference training workshop (AlternaƟve Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Design, 3/13‐14) without the responsiveness, technical experƟse, and troubleshooƟng skills of the IT Helpdesk team. This training workshop was part of a 5‐year program conducted in partnership with the University of Rhode Island, VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources and VI Waste Management Authority. CES had to set up a video‐conference locaƟon on St. Croix because the VI Government agencies did not have available funds this year to send St. Croix personnel to St. Thomas. The evening before the workshop, CES and SBDC staff were unable to establish a video‐conference connecƟon with STX UVI room 133. We called the IT Helpdesk, Romeo Richardson and Jose Negron assisted us immediately. Jose tried to solve the problem by phone, but that approach was unsuccessful. He suspected that the video‐conferencing equipment had been reconfigured by Broadband VI and decided that a service call was necessary. Unfortunately, he determined that SBDC’s video‐conferencing capability could not be restored unƟl Broadband VI repaired the damage. We leŌ SBDC wondering if we could conduct the training workshop successfully. Early next morning we learned that Erik had set up a video‐conference connecƟon between the UVI CELL classroom and room 133. Everything worked beauƟfully, and we were able to conduct the video‐conference without any problems. Thank you very much for the quick and effecƟve response. All those involved with conducƟng the training were very impressed with commitment to customer service exemplified by the IT Helpdesk team. Toni Thomas, CooperaƟve Extension Service ITS is Working for You! ITS is Working for You!