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Information
Technology Services 1.
Name
Change.
The Office of Computer Services officially changed its name to
“Information Technology Services (ITS).” This better reflects the
totality of the services provided including support for academic and
administrative computing, telecommunications and media services. In
conjunction with this name change the “Instructional Technology”
group was renamed “Media Services.” 2.
New
positions.
Three new positions were added: a Computer Technician, a Network
Technician, and a Systems Analyst. 3.
Johns
Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program. ITS provided extensive support for the CTY program during June-August.
This involved the following areas: computing, classroom technology,
telecommunications, media services, networking in the residence halls.
Between computing, telecommunications and media services support over
120 hours per week of direct support was provided. A card access lock
was added to Olin 102 to allow CTY faculty and staff free 7X24 access to
this room. 4.
Major
campus network upgrade.
The entire campus network was upgraded over the summer. This
upgrade resulted in new, state of the art equipment in nearly all
buildings on campus. This new equipment is capable of network
speeds 10 times faster than the previous equipment. In addition, users
now have the flexibility of using their computers anywhere on campus
without changing any network parameters. 5.
Wireless
Network.
The use of wireless networking was introduced with a pilot program
involving 30 students and 20 faculty/staff. Wireless networking is
now available in Shaffer Library, the Olin Learning Center, and the Nott
Memorial. Plans are underway to open the wireless program to all
interested students and faculty as well as further expand the coverage
areas for the wireless network. 6.
WebAdvising project. The new WebAdvising system
is now operational. It was implemented in late August for a pilot group
of twenty-two (22) faculty.
This group is utilizing the system by accessing on-line administrative
data, via the Web, when meeting with their student advisees. Additional
faculty are being provided with this new academic advising tool each
month. 7.
Colleague Conversion project. The Datatel Colleague
system is our campuswide administrative computing system for admissions,
financial aid, registrar functions, student housing, etc. The Colleague
16 conversion is entering its final stages. During the last several
months, all academic year-end processes were completed successfully on
the new system for the first time, including Commencement and student
housing operations. Programming efforts continue and it is anticipated
they should be completed during the next 2 months. 8.
Firewall
Installation. A firewall was installed to provide the campus network
protection from the internet. The firewall is designed to prevent
network attacks from internet users from disabling the campus network. 9.
Public E-mail Terminals. Five (5) new network appliances were installed in
the Reamer Campus Center for public e-mail and web browsing use.
These appliances replaced old computers and allow students to check
e-mail and browse the web while at the Campus Center. Additional sites
will be added as recommended by members of the Student Forum at the end
of last academic year. 10.
New
Equipment.
The following new equipment has been purchased and is available from
Media Services for use: 1) a small data projector, weighing less than 5
lbs. Is available for faculty/staff to borrow for making
presentations at conferences, seminars, etc., and 2) a digital
video palm-corder that uses the mini-DV format 11.
Blackboard Course Management Software.
Forty-four courses are registered as Blackboard
courses for the Fall Term including “Health Care Policy: The Political
and Organizational Context”, the first distance learning course
offered in the new Bioethics Masters Program. Workshops were held over
the summer to teach faculty how to create Blackboard courses. Faculty can register their classes via the web.
USTAR students have been trained to teach students on using Blackboard. 12.
F.
W. Olin Center computers. New
IBM computers have been installed in Olin rooms102,.106, 306, and 307,
replacing computers that were three years old. The computers that were
replaced were recycled to other locations on campus. 13.
Electronic
Classrooms. Science
and Engineering N210 has been converted into a laptop presentation
classroom with network and electrical connections on the desks to
accommodate fifteen (15) student laptops. A Windows computer was added
to the lectern in Olin 107. Previously there was only a Macintosh
computer available. The room can now be used as a presentation
classroom, as well as a collaborative classroom (with Macintosh
computers for student use). A wireless network access point will also be
added to the room. 14.
ITS
renovations.
In order to provide offices for additional staff at ITS remodeling was
done that incorporates the outer hallway into office space. Also, the
ITS machine room and print room are being reconfigured to provide an
additional office and additional space for servers in the machine room. Report
submitted by D. Cossey. |