Computing Council – Portals Discussion

Portals: Portals are web-based, points-of-access to our college environment, customized to our various user populations (students, alumni, employees . . .), and personalized to the preferences of the individual user.

Planning Recommendation: The planning subcommittee recommends the establishment of an Ad-hoc sub committee of the College Computing Council to identify the college’s portal strategy and to recommend an implementation plan. The subcommittee will report outcomes both to Student Tech Fee and Networking and Services subcommittees. Potential membership includes:

  • Student services representatives from each campus for student activities content
  • Computer Center technology representative
  • Student affairs representative for links to on-line student services
  • Faculty representative
  • Student representative
  • Representative from Academic Affairs (for faculty portal and links to course management and outcomes assessment system)
  • Representative from Human Resources (for employee portal recommendations)
  • Representative from the Alumni Association (for alumni portal)

Discussion Items: (for Ad-hoc Committee):

I.How do we proceed?

A.Do we separate our planning for different user groups

1.Sub committee decides?

II.General Considerations:

A.Where will it be hosted? – From where will students access the service (is this primarily an on-campus activity or an at home activity?

1.By “us” here

2.By outside vendor off-site (accessible via the internet)

B.How will it be maintained?

1.Who will enter/create items such as events, announcements, discussion groups (items listed in red)

2.Who will link our existing data/sites into the system (items listed in blue)

C.How much will it cost?

1.How much Commercialism should we accept to offset costs?

III.Student Portal Needs/Consideration:

A.Email

1.Use our existing boxes (but have access tool as part of the portal)

2.Have boxes hosted off-site (We provide membership information for creation)

B.Discussion groups and chat rooms

1.Course based (Do we do here or have faculty use blackboard)

2.Activities Based

3.Interest Based

C.Personal Calendars

1.Linked to class schedule and academic calendar

2.Student automatically sees meeting dates of the courses registered for

3.Student automatically sees academic calendar events

4.Added subscribed events (campus groups/teams/clubs) that the individual participates in.

a)Automatically added as part of the system or
b)Manually added by the student using a portal tool

D.Access to College and Campus information

1.Create Links to Earmarked College’s web sites

E.Access to College and Campus Services

1.Links/integration with course management server

2.Links/integration with Outcomes assessment server

3.Links to on-line records and registration activities

F.Access to Announcements

1.Academic

2.Activities

3.Sports

G.Access to calendars

1.Academic

2.Activities

3.Sports

4.Clubs and interest groups

H.Access to other Campus services

1.Alumni

2.Bookstore

3.Food Service

I.Access to area services

1.Local events

2.Local vendors

3.College partners

4.Suffolk County Federal Credit Union

J.Special Interest information

1.News Services

2.General College links

3.Career/job links

K.On-line services and Shopping

1.Banking

2.Amazon.com

3.Edu.com

IV.Faculty Portal Needs/Consideration:

A.Link to Existing Email – Outlook features

B.Discussion and special interest groups

C.Access to course management and outcome assessment systems

D.Access to college services

1.Links to Mainframe System

a)Rosters
b)Grade reporting
c)Advisement
(1)SAIN
(2)MSOL
(3)Registration
(4)Block removal

V.Employee Portal Needs/Consideration:

A.Human resources information

B.Human Resource Announcements

C.College / Campus Announcements

D.Time reporting and accruals

E.Records maintenance

F.Forms Processing