Building a Customer Care Culture
Award Winning
IT Solutions, in partnership with Academic Affairs, has been recognized as a 2009 Campus Technology Innovator by Campus Technology magazine for the Curriculum Design System. Only 11 recipients were chosen from 349 nominations from around the globe.
Project leads, Brenda Flannery and Brenda Hanel, replaced an antiquated, paper-based curriculum approval process with a transparent, web-based, user-centered Curriculum Design System that allows faculty and administrators to create, review, track, access, and approve curricular proposals from anywhere.
Minnesota State University, Mankato was recognized at an awards ceremony during the Campus Technology Conference, July 27-30 in Boston and full coverage of the 2009 Campus Technology Innovators will be featured in the August issue.
"The annual Campus Technology Innovators awards recognize higher education institutions that take true initiative—even out-and-out risk—to better serve the campus community via technology. These top-notch university administrators, faculty, and staff demonstrate something more than a "job well done"; their vision and leadership have taken technology investment to new heights, to the unique benefit of teaching, learning, administration, and operations on campus. Worthy of acknowledgement, too, are the campus/vendor partnerships forged to support these innovative technology initiatives and see them through."
"Campus Technology provides an integrated channel of print, e-media, and conferences to efficiently reach top-level and managerial administrators, and tech-savvy faculty with buying authority in higher education institutions. The magazine is mailed each month to 50,000 qualified senior-level and management readers. The Campus Technology media franchise consists of Campus Technology magazine, Campus-Technology.com, electronic newsletters, conferences, and targeted list rental opportunities."
Quotes are from http://campustechnology.com/
Maverick OneStop
The Maverick OneStop is a knowledge base available for students, faculty, and staff to locate information online. Topics range from Admissions to Financial Aid to ITS. Questions can also be submitted through this system. Inquiries are generally answered within a just few hours. The Maverick OneStop uses 3rd party software called RightNow which is Customer Relationship Management software that helps you create tickets/incidents, chat, analytics, knowledge base entries, and much more.
Microsoft IT Academy
Information and Technology Services and the College of Business have collaborated to offer a unique opportunity to all faculty, staff, and students at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Microsoft IT Academy is an innovative online learning system providing training sessions in the latest Microsoft Office technologies and products. Some of the software titles available online, as well as in print, are Microsoft Office 2007—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio, Project; Windows Vista, Internet Security, SharePoint Services, and many server applications such as Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Exchange Server.
Highlights of the program include:
- E-Learning courses for staff, faculty, and students
- Access to a wide variety of Microsoft curricula and certifications
- Saving faculty time with course and curriculum planning
- Software licenses for lab and classroom use
- Academic discounts on exam fees for certifications
- Help students learn the latest Microsoft technologies
- Enhances employability for students
- Offer certification training and exams to community
Become a Microsoft® IT Academy Program Member
Directors' Updates
Academic Classroom Technology Support
Installations and Upgrades
- Installed over 600 new workstations around campus
This equates to making over 1200 total computer moves of machines to 53 different locations around campus- Installed over 400 new PC workstations around campus
- Installed 84 new iMac workstations
- Installed 20 new HP TouchSmart 22" PC workstations in Otto Arena
- Installed 28 new PCs at 7700 France
- Installed 15 new PCs in Ford Hall
- Installed 26 new iMacs with dual boot in the Technology and Teaching Center
- Installed 16 new iMacs in the Dental Lab & upgraded Dentrix server software
- Converted over 86 iMacs to dual boot platform
- Created Dual Boot scripting that was highly regarded on Mac Programmer Forum
- 897,786 user logons in ACC & Satellite Labs
- Ford Hall design & implementation of computer labs, Atrium & conference rooms
- Worked with Facilities on planning & implementation of Trafton Remodel
- Upgraded from tier 2 computers in WC133 and took over computer lab management
- Assisted Vikings during Training Camp
- Upgraded AutoCad for Construction Mgmt
- Upgraded ArcGIS for Geography
- Refreshed infrastructure & user experience in Piano Lab
- Installed 7 duplex capable printers around campus
- Implemented Uniprint server preferences to allow duplex printing on campus
Personnel
- Hired New ACC Mac Support - Pat Huber
- Hired New Instructional Designer - Marni Dunning
- Hired New Classroom Technician - Damon Whitcomb
Technology Grants
- Minnesota State - funded 13 technology proposals through LTR
- Group Study room technology in the Library
- Computer Algebra system integrations, Mathematics
- Technology enhancement in AH003, C&SP
- Assistive Technologies for Pre-service Special Educators, Special Education
- Emergency Notification Systems
- Large screen displays in Wissink, Wiecking, Library, CSU
- Visix System upgrade - Airport Lab Kiosk, Aviation
Instructional Support
- 7,362 faculty & student contacts; 6,345 via Email, 452 Live Chat & 567 RightNow inquires
- Approximately 14% increase in number of courses on Desire2Learn—A steady increase continued over past 4 years
- Course development & support via One-on-One, D2L training & Learning Communities
- Developed instructional design content enhancements, technology tools
- Created MSU Moodle instance - National Forensic League, Dept of Corrections, non-credit generating courses
Classroom Technology
- Upgraded 70+ classrooms with widescreen projectors, control system, document cameras
- Design and implementation support for Ford Hall, Trafton Remodel
- Created/installed new rooms for the new MSU office in University Square Mall
- Installed one new ITV room for College of Education
- Created two ITV carts for use at 7700 France
- Worked closely with the CSU in the design of the new Ostrander Auditorium
- Helped the CSU update 5 of its meeting rooms with presentation systems similar to our classrooms
- Provided presentation system training to new faculty and TA's in many departments
- Prototyped, installed & implemented Echo360 Lecture Capture System in classrooms
- Programmed Crestron control systems saving thousands of dollars in installation costs
- Updated touch screen Crestron programming in virtually every room on campus
- Researched latest technologies: Wide Screen Projection, Wide SMART Boards, Netbooks, Audience Response systems
Customer Services
Campus Computer Store
New web pages with emphasis on increasing online sales
Equipment Repair
Initiated the Laptop Rental Program for all campus students
Desktop Support
- Implemented Mac Deployment Studio Server
- Standardized and streamlined OSX image deployment process
- Standardized and streamlined VMFusion image deployment process for Intel based Macs
- Standardized and streamlined Bootcamp image deployment process for Intel based Macs
- Initialized Green Technology Initiative replacing a large percentage of CRTs throughout campus
- Automated several processes saving trees and money
- Began Windows 7 implementation analysis, scheduled for release to MSU in 2010
- 1,163 new computers received, invoiced, imaged, or built per customer's specifications; delivered and set up (includes data transfers, printer/peripherals set up, mapping drives, etc.)
- Streamlined Information and Technology Services Equipment Repurpose Program:
- 1,012 computers scrubbed in 2008
- 343 of scrubbed computers were reimaged and repurposed
(utilized to upgrade MSU department's equipment or sold on eBay for funds to recycle surplus MSU equipment) - 669 of scrubbed computers were sent to MSU's Surplus Sale (working but obsolete equipment) or to be recycled
Help Desk
- Digital signage for College of Business and Help Desk
- Help Desk Wiki, online student training
- Piloting Windows Deployment Service
- Instrumental in several computer moves throughout the MSU Campus Community
Minnesota State D2L Help Desk
Renewed SLA for FY10
College of Business Laptop Initiative Program
Continuing in FY10 with expansion to other colleges
ResTech Services Support
Renewed SLA for FY10
New Personnel
Samone Franklin – Technology Coordinator at 7700 France Ave
Technical Services
- Installed power beneath the chairs in Wiecking Auditorium to facilitate laptop use
- Tested and deployed new version of anti-virus/malware protection for campus computers
- Implemented VMWare virtual server technology expanding virtual servers from 3 to 72+. This replaced a large number of physical servers and reduced power and cooling costs. Moved about 20% of our physical servers to virtual with more to be converted this year
- Worked out a cooperative agreement with Minnesota State PALS to provide them with 42 VMWare virtual servers and manage them for EZProxy to all of the Minnesota State libraries throughout Minnesota
- Worked to resolve inherent problems resulting from ISRS Oracle conversion that impacted user account automation systems
- Designed and prepared to pilot Office Communication Server that will add capabilities for presence, campus instant messaging, group chat, desktop web video conferencing capabilities and enhanced unified communication capabilities
- Rebuilt and updated the video streaming server
- Upgraded ImageNow to a newer version, changed the database from CTree to SQL Server, and added capabilities of reporting server
- Added new Minnesota State institutions onto ImageNow—Anoka Ramsey, Century, Rochester Community College (additional users) and Northland Community and Technical College
Added new MSU departments onto ImageNow—Educational Talent Search, HR, International Center- New fiber run to the new KMSU tower and decommissioned fiber and equipment to the old tower
- Support for Blackberry service on MavMAIL
- Installed a new Medicat system for Student Health Services to automate medical records.
- Migrated most of SQL Server 2000 databases to SQL Server 2005
- Implemented STAR Alert. Migration of users from old system to STAR Alert
- Moved some services that contain private and non public information behind an application firewall to provide better security and comply with HIPPA, FERPA and PCI regulations and laws
- Installed cable for new LCD digital billboards in various buildings throughout campus
- Investigated 31 copyright complaints (Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notices) from Motion Picture Industry and Recording Industry Association of America
- Upgrade of phone system (by end of summer break)
- RFP for Trafton remodeling project
- Developed an Account Status web application for Help Desk to check status of Active Directory accounts
- MavPRINT:
- Replaced 11 MavPRINT printers to allow duplex printing and standardization for drivers
- Two new student printing locations—Armstrong Hall and Julia Sears Residential Hall
- Implemented two-sided printing by default—36% savings in paper consumption overnight
- Surpassed 5 million pages of student printing for the first time
- Extended campus network to University Square to accommodate wireless for classes in Carmike Theatre, the College of Business Entrepreneurship program, Maverick Software Consulting, and the new College of Social and Behavioral Science facility
- Re-cabled a computer science lab, Center for Academic Success, and classroom computer labs
- Implemented a change management process to improve quality service and communication
- As part of Trafton remodel, relocated a wiring closet and re-cabled for faculty and staff that are still working in Trafton during phase I, II and III
- Worked on planning, feasibility and an RFP for a cell phone repeater solution in the Julia Sears residential hall to provide better cell phone signal coverage for all providers
- Developed new policy, procedure and standards for campus student records and FERPA compliance, networked printers, Internet-facing servers, and system security hardening guidelines
- Developed the Campus IT Privacy policy to inform users and technical staff of the privacy of their information, what information is kept on users and what circumstances that information may be used and who must authorize that use
- Investigated several criminal issues with law enforcement agencies
Web Development
- Deployed new overall website design
- Dozens of individual sites and key pages redesigned and deployed
- Curriculum Design System with Academic Affairs
- Course Schedule Builder for the Registrar's Office
- Parking Permit Application for the Cashier's Office and Vehicle Services Office
- Online Course Evaluation system for Academic Affairs
- ISRS transition to Oracle
- CAP Server transition
- Deployed Hobson's CRM for Admissions
- Grad Studies Prospect application
- Online Giving website for the Alumni Foundation
- Financial Aid tracking letter for Student Financial Services