Chancellor’s Expectations

 2006 – 2008 Biennium

Version: 1.0
Status: Approved

Contact: Joy Hatch

SUBJECT

Chancellors Expectations 2006 – 2008 Biennium

EFFECTIVE DATE

This document is effective July 1, 2006.

STANDARD

 

I.  Technology Goal:  The VCCS will achieve national recognition among community colleges for its technology platforms, connectivity, data security, and information assurance.

                                                                                                                 

Related Strategies:

 

1.       The VCCS Information Technology Services Office (ITS) shall provide system wide leadership and coordination in evaluating emerging technologies to provide the Colleges and the VCCS with the necessary information that will aid in technology decisions.

 

Operational Requirements:

·         ITS shall provide leadership in collaboration with the Colleges to research applicable technologies for potential deployment to ensure the effective delivery of enterprise services.

·         ITS shall develop and maintain technology models, standards, and guidelines that clearly delineate the VCCS technology direction and related expectations for the colleges.

 

  1. The Colleges and ITS shall maintain in accordance with the approved technology models, standards, and guidelines a robust voice, video, and data services that satisfy the administrative and instructional needs of faculty, staff, and students.

Operational Requirements:

·         All Colleges and ITS shall deploy a connection to the Internet/VCCS intranet following VCCS models, standards, and guidelines.

·         Faculty, staff, and students shall have access to wireless network services from on-campus locations.

·         The campus network and servers shall meet the following models, standards, and guidelines:

A.      Servers shall have appropriate security precautions as defined by  http://system.vccs.edu/its/security/index.htm.  College staff shall annually conduct the following risk assessment survey for each of its severs. http://system.vccs.edu/its/models/System_Server_Questionnarie.doc

B.      Colleges shall implement network security guidelines to secure the college IT infrastructure following the following http://system.vccs.edu/its/security/Security_Guideline_for_LAN.htm   The Technology Council shall develop and recommend best practices for network security.

C.      The campus network shall meet guidelines for cabling and service levels. Retrofit of existing wire closets may require exceptions to the guidelines due to current wall, etc. structures. http://system.vccs.edu/its/guidelines/telcomxx.htm

D.      Colleges shall use servers which have not reached their end of lifecycle support.  

·         Colleges shall upgrade the campus network to accommodate video to the desktop and/or VoIP services as prescribed in VCCS approved models and guidelines by the end of the 2006-2008 Biennium. 

·         Each College shall provide the necessary facilities and resources to achieve system level connectivity standards established for the system-wide voice over IP network and related services
http://system.vccs.edu/its/models/VoIP_model.htm

  1. Each College and ITS shall maintain in accordance with the approved technology models, standards, and guidelines a computer infrastructure that satisfies the administrative and instructional needs of faculty, staff, and students.

Operational Requirements:

·         Each College shall maintain adequate personal computers that meet hardware and software technical or useful life definitions as defined by VCCS models, standards, and guidelines (http://system.vccs.edu/its/guidelines/DesktopGuidleLine.htm) for the following:

A.      Each full-time faculty member and part and full-time staff members shall have their own personal computer at their workstation with the most appropriate configuration for their use level.  These computers shall be on a four year replacement cycle.

B.      Colleges will provide personal computers on campus for adjunct faculty in a ratio of 1 personal computer for every 20 full-time equivalent adjunct.  Colleges shall ensure that all adjunct faculty members have access to a computer and the Internet either on campus or at the instructor’s home.  The College shall also provide Microsoft Office software and anti-virus software to all adjunct instructors for home use at no charge.

C.      Computers for student use in classrooms, labs, or other student accessible locations shall be in a ratio of 1 personal computer for every 7 full-time equivalent students (FTES).   These computers shall be on a four year replacement cycle.

D.      Computers meeting the minimum resource requirements to run specified software shall be provided for functions such as library and student information kiosks.

E.      Colleges shall use the currently supported Operating System for their Windows and Macintosh computers.  Operating systems which have reached the end of their life cycle should be upgraded to a current version.

1.        All Windows computers shall use Windows XP for  operating system.  Colleges shall migrate all computers running Windows ME or 98 to Windows XP by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium.  Colleges shall develop a plan to migrate all computers running Windows 2000 to using Windows XP by the end of the 2006-2008 Biennium. 

2.       Macintosh computers shall use Mac OS X as its operating system.  Colleges should plan to migrate all Macintosh computers running Mac OS 9 or Mac OS 8 to Mac OS X by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium.

3.       Computers running unsupported Operating Systems in order to run obsolete instructional software shall not be connected to the college network.

F.      General office software shall be kept current. All college Windows computers for students, faculty and staff shall have Office XP or 2003.  College Mac computers should have either Mac Office 2004 or Mac Office X.   Colleges shall develop and implement a plan to upgrade to current office software versions by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium.

·         Colleges shall maintain at least one Commonwealth Classroom and one Commonwealth Conference Room per campus following the VCCS models, standards, and guidelines.  (See definition in Appendix A.)
http://system.vccs.edu/its/models/commclas.htm http://system.vccs.edu/its/models/Commonwealth_Conference_Room.htm

 

  1. ITS, in conjunction with the Colleges, shall establish security plans and procedures in accordance with the approved COV and VCCS technology models, standards, and guidelines.

 

Operational Requirements:

    • ITS shall define, implement and maintain an information technology security organization necessary to comply with all federal, state, and local security regulations.  This must include a description of the information technology security roles and responsibilities at the enterprise level as well as on the college campuses.

·         ITS, in collaboration with the Colleges shall define security personnel staffing requirements and appropriate role access for the enterprise and campuses as it relates to Commonwealth ITRM Standard SEC501-01.

    • ITS shall evaluate and procure an enterprise patch management solution and each College shall implement patch management software to help mitigate malicious attacks on servers and personal computers
  1. Colleges and ITS shall participate in national surveys designed to measure IT staffing, budget, planning, and spending and gather comparison data with peer institutions.

Operational Requirements:

·         Each College shall complete annually the Educause Core Data Service survey (http://www.educause.edu/apps/coredata/)

·         Each College shall participate in an annual ranking survey, such as the Center for Digital Education (http://www.centerdigitaled.com/comcolleges.php), to achieve a national ranking for its information technology 

 

  1. ITS, in conjunction with College representatives and AS&R, shall develop and maintain an effective and comprehensive communications strategy for promoting VCCS technology achievements and keeping the students, faculty, staff, and interested constituents informed of VCCS advancements in technology.

Operational Requirements:

·         Each College shall maintain a college website that provides current and prospective students with information about the college’s programs, news, and upcoming events, access to class schedule, registration information for both in person and online, tuition and fees.  The college website shall include links to My VCCS, login instructions, and username and password information in order to link students to VCCS enterprise applications including the Student Information System, Blackboard, and student email.

·         Web sites shall conform to accessibility standards and be coded using technical web standards, so that they are accessible both for section 508 reasons, but also technically appropriate for as wide an audience as possible.

·         ITS in collaboration with the Colleges shall develop a web page model, standard and guideline to ensure compliance with the Commonwealth IT Accessibility Standard (http://www.vita.virginia.gov/docs/psg/AccessibilityStandard_GOV103-00_Eff_11-04-05.pdf) 

·         ITS shall refine and publish a communications strategy and its implementation plan to communicate VCCS technology advancements and achievements to students, faculty, staff, and interested constituents.

·         ITS shall annually submit a minimum of three proposals on VCCS technology achievements to major conferences.

 

 

II.  Technology Goal:  Faculty and students will have access to teaching and learning opportunities regardless of time or place.

 

Related Strategies:

  1. The Colleges with support from the VCCS System Office (ITS, AS&R, and Workforce Development Services) shall provide access, training, and support to students, faculty and staff using synchronous and asynchronous teaching tools and services that support a variety of instructional approaches. 

 

Operational Requirements:

·         Colleges shall maintain 60% of their classroom space as an Electronic Classroom (See definition in Appendix A).  Colleges which do not meet the 60% minimum shall develop a plan to achieve that goal at the end of the 2006-2008 Biennium.

    • Colleges shall equip at least one Mobile Electronic Classroom per campus or off-campus center (See definition in Appendix A).
    • Colleges shall plan for a state-of-the art teaching environment in new and renovated buildings as part of the capital development plan.  Colleges shall develop implement Electronic Classrooms as a part of new classroom construction and renovation and develop a plan to upgrade existing Electronic Classrooms on a five year replacement cycle.

·         Colleges shall provide an on-campus professional development program that maximizes faculty and staff exposure to the following:

A.      General office tools & techniques

B.      Instructional tools & techniques

1.       Courseware management software

2.       Multimedia software and hardware

3.       Incorporating available online content into courses

4.       How to develop web based content

5.       Best practices

6.       Pedagogy

7.       MERLOT

8.       Where available conferencing software

9.       VIVA resources

10.   Information literacy skills and standards

11.   Other instructional applications e.g., AutoDesk, GIS, etc.

C.      New application tools and techniques

·         Each College shall provide training for faculty and staff to ensure effective usage of administrative and learning management systems. 

    • Instructional software shall be kept current. Each College should not be more than one generation behind the current version (i.e., about 18 months maximum behind a current release). Each College shall document exceptions for bona fide instructional purposes, such as personal computer repair programs.
    • Each College shall provide instructional design support for faculty using technology for teaching and learning.
    • Each College shall comply fully with distance learning and instructional technology policies and procedures outlined in the VCCS Distance Learning Management Model, VDEN Administrative Procedures, VDEN Academic Standards, and the VCCS Distance Learning Quality Assurance Plan for Asynchronous Courses. (All of these documents are subject to review and update.)

http://system.vccs.edu/vccsit/Archive/dlmodel.htm

http://system.vccs.edu/vccsit/Archive/vdenproc.htm 

http://system.vccs.edu/vccsit/Archive/VDENAdmin/vdenstds.htm

http://system.vccs.edu/vccsit/Quality.pdf

    • Each College shall monitor compliance with VCCS policy 5.1.0.1 Computer Competency Requirements http://www.vccs.edu/Polcypdf/section/sectn5.pdf 
    • Each College shall update and maintain a plan to address college, and system wide, educational program needs through distance learning.
    • Each College shall update and maintain a plan to utilize instructional technology to increase access and enhance student success in the traditional classroom and distance learning.
    • Each College shall list distance learning courses with the "VCCS Online" course directory. http://system.vccs.edu/vccsonline/coursedatabase.html

 

 

  1. ITS shall develop and maintain a comprehensive communication infrastructure which is readily accessible to administrators, faculty, and staff to support teaching and learning using multiple coordinated technologies to improve communication with students.

 

      Operational Requirements:

·         Faculty and staff members shall use general office software tools on a regular basis, to improve efficiency and effectiveness and to communicate with each other and with students.

·         Each College shall make e-mail service, including directory services, available for all faculty, staff, and students. Student e-mail is to be provided through the shared student e-mail service offered by the ITS.

 

  1. ITS shall develop and maintain a robust, world class network infrastructure utilizing the highest industry standards to provide full functionality, reliability and performance for instruction.

 

Operational Requirements:

·         All faculty and staff personal computers shall be connected to the campus network.

·         All classroom and lab personal computers are connected or have the capability of being connected to the campus network. Each College shall document exceptions for bona fide instructional purposes, such as personal computer repair programs.

·         The campus network shall be accessible in all campus locations (offices, labs, classrooms, auditoria, etc.).

 

 

  1. ITS shall develop and standardize business practices which protect the privacy and security of faculty, staff, and student data.

 

Operational Requirements:

·         Each College shall develop a program to ensure compliance with all VCCS standards applicable to security and privacy of faculty, staff, and student data. 
http://system.vccs.edu/its/standards/secpol2.htm
http://system.vccs.edu/its/standards/PersonnelSecurityStandard.htm http://system.vccs.edu/its/standards/SecPolStudents.htm
http://system.vccs.edu/its/standards/Technology_Standard_VCCS%20Acceptable%20Use.doc

 

 

Technology Goal:  Online student support services and learning tools will be available.

 

Related Strategies:

 

  1. AS&R in conjunction with College representatives and ITS shall research and gather data to determine what tools and services most effectively support student learning.  Using the data gathered, the VCCS shall prioritize what systems and services should be expanded or implemented and develop a project plan to put in place student support services and learning tools.

 

Operational Requirements

·         Each College shall identify in their plan how the college provides access to student and instructional support services that enable electronic learning activities (http://system.vccs.edu/vccsit/Electronic%20Services.doc) and the personnel responsible for:

A.      Orientation services

B.      Tutorial and mentoring services

C.      Learning and information resources services

D.      Enrollment and student records services

E.      Financial aid services

F.      Advising services

G.     CMS support services

H.      Email support services

I.         Technology support services

J.       Additional Help desk services

K.      Bookstore services

L.       Coordinate the provision of the services listed above

·         AS&R, in conjuction with the Colleges, will explore the feasibility of virtual advising and make recommendations for those services which would better serve community college students and thereby improve VCCS retention and graduation rates.

·         Each College shall develop and publish a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for the provision of help desk services. 

·         Each College shall ensure that all students, faculty, and staff shall have access to tier one help desk service provided by the college that directly supports the tier 2 and 3 services provided by VCCS for shared services. The Technology Council shall define the delineations between support tiers, however, pending that work product, tier 1 is defined as college-provided help, tier 2 is defined as the VCCS Client Services Help Desk function, and tier 3 is defined as VCCS Information Technology Services staff assistance or ITS provided vendor assistance to resolve an outstanding issue.

 

  1. ITS shall maintain the administrative and learning management systems at current, vendor-supported releases to meet the instructional and administrative needs of the Colleges.

 

Operational Requirements

·         The ITS shall deploy an enterprise plan to upgrade to the latest releases of learning management and administrative software.  Using the enterprise plan, the Colleges shall develop and deploy local plans including training college staff, updating business processes, and revising documentation in concert with the enterprise deployment schedule. 

·         Each College shall maintain adequate service levels for technology infrastructure to achieve the mission and priorities of the College in concert with centrally provided services. 

·         ITS shall provide test environments of the most recent releases to System Office and college staff.

 

  1. The ITS shall work with Network Virginia and appropriate telecommunications vendors to improve network reliability and capacity.

 

Operational Requirements:

·         The Colleges and ITS shall monitor network traffic to ensure the Colleges and the VCCS System Office have adequate bandwidth.

 

 

 

Technology Goal:  Technology applications will be leveraged to ensure access to high demand workforce training programs throughout the Commonwealth.

 

Related Strategies:

 

  1. ITS shall work with the System Office Workforce Development Office to integrate Workforce students and courses into the course management system, student email, and a student information system.

 

 

Operational Requirements:

·         ITS along with the Workforce Development Services (WDS) Advisory Council shall coordinate projects to manage non-credit student data integration with the Student Information System and payment processing.  College staff shall participate in the development of common business processes and testing solutions.

·         ITS along with the WDS Advisory Council shall develop processes to manage student data and statistics to meet reporting requirements.  Colleges shall assist with testing and the implementation of these processes on their campus.

 

 

Technology Goal:  Online resources and expertise will be leveraged across the system utilizing data warehousing and other strategic information systems.

 

 

Related Strategies:

 

  1. ITS, in conjunction with the Chancellor’s appointed Institutional Research Steering Committee, shall establish a model for an enterprise portal to facilitate achievement of:
    • student learning and career objectives
    • faculty teaching and professional development goals and objectives
    • effective and efficient management and processing of College and System Office administrative support functions

Operational Requirements:

·         Each College shall improve facilities scheduling, usage, and reporting through appropriate software.

 

  1. ITS shall implement an enterprise portal based on the defined model.

 

  1. ITS shall define a data warehouse and reporting model for integration of information from disparate learning management and administrative systems.

 

  1. ITS shall implement an enterprise data warehouse and reporting system based on the defined model.

 

 

Technology Goal:  Proven disaster recovery and contingency planning strategies will be incorporated to ensure that community college services vital to the Commonwealth and its citizens are maintained in accordance with prioritization set by the Technology Council and approved by the Council of Presidents (See Appendix B).

 

Related Strategies:

 

  1. ITS shall develop and implement and maintain information security models, standards, guidelines and supporting programs that are appropriate to its business and technology environment.

Operational Requirements:

 

 

Technology Goal:  Reliable, sustainable, and scaleable administrative support systems will be in place to support continued achievement of Management Standards, including clean audits, appropriate financial accounting and reporting activities, and expanded reporting required to deliver services.

 

Related Strategies:

 

  1. ITS shall implement and operate the selected enterprise administrative software to meet the management and administrative needs of the Colleges and the VCCS. 

 

Operational Requirements:

·         The Administrative Information Systems Steering Committee shall develop an enterprise plan to implement administrative information system software.    Using the enterprise plan, the Colleges shall develop, resource, and deploy local plans in concert with the enterprise deployment schedule. 

 

Appendix A:  Definitions

 

Electronic Classroom:  Room with an instructor computer and permanently installed projector, LCD panel, Plasma Screen, or Computer Monitor(s) for students to view materials from the instructor computer.

Mobile Electronic Classroom:  A laptop computer, a projector, and speakers on a mobile cart which can be easily moved to a classroom to be used for instructional presentations.

Computer Laboratories or Lab:  Room with a separate computer for each student that generally has each student working individually.  Typically, classes are not scheduled to hold all of their class meetings in a “lab.”

Computer Classroom:  Room with a separate computer for each student that generally is the regularly scheduled meeting place for a class.

Commonwealth Classroom:  The Commonwealth Classroom provides classroom size facilities for two-way video conferencing for large groups.  It consists of:

  • a typical classroom-size room (25-30 people)
  • the most up-to-date interactive video equipment available to Colleges
  • Net.Work.Virginia connectivity:
  • Campus LAN/Internet connectivity
  • power, lighting, acoustical and furniture considerations
  • Telephone and Fax

Optional equipment

  • ISDN connectivity and video display equipment
  • Video Projector

 

Note:  Classes may periodically meet in a computer lab, but they have another room as their regular classroom.  A computer classroom may function as an open lab during periods when no classes are scheduled.  This distinction is usually based on the predominant use of the room.