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This document prepared by Robert Jewett. Email: (jewettrj@potsdam.edu).
Require discipline-based computer skills for all majors: The Committee thinks that the College should encourage all majors to develop appropriate, discipline-based computer skills as an additional requirement for graduation. We recommend that the faculty develop and implement this program.
Rationale: All careers now benefit from computer-based technology. The most effective way to market our excellence in computer technology is to use it to directly enhance the education of our students. With this computer skills requirement, we can effectively market the technologically advanced education that Potsdam College provides.
Each student must satisfactorily complete one course designated Computing-Intensive. This course may be a course in the major, a free elective, or a course offered in the Modes of Inquiry. To be designated Computing-Intensive, a course must require a minimum of three assignments, projects, simulations or other activities (other than word processing) that require students to utilize a computer in a manner consistent with the goals of the discipline. There must be instruction in the nature of computer use in the discipline.
Each year, from February through April, we personally interview every academic department on campus, as well as the libraries, to determine their technology needs based upon their departmental academic plans and directions. The department chair determines who attends the interview from their department. In some cases the entire department is present; in other cases, only the department chair and/or the departmental technology coordinator is present.
From the information obtained in these interviews, as well as from other campus planning information, we build a detailed 1-year academic computing plan (including SCAP) and adjust our 5-year plans as needed. We present our proposal for the 1-year plan to a representative faculty committee (ACAC - Academic Computing Advisory Committee) for review, adjustments as needed, and endorsement.
We have been using this planning process for academic computing since 1987. It has proven to be effective because it actively involves the academic community in the process and ensures the campus that our technology plans are based upon our academic plans. We are working toward systematically employing this same process with our administrative offices in order to build a campus information services plan.
At the campus level, we are somewhat concerned about the ability of the college's strategic planning process to link planning for technology with the planning for the major program efforts at the campus. This is an area that will require more attention. We also hope the links between the college's planning process and its budgetary process can be strengthened.
By Department
The Division takes a team-building approach and works toward a commonly-held (and constantly evolving) mission.
Strategic technology working groups study key issues and make presentations to larger groups.
Weekly brown-bag technology sharing sessions are held to share projects and good ideas with others. Training sessions are held as appropriate. Professional development opportunities are supported as appropriate.
SCAP - Useful for student computing labs, classrooms. Limited to restricted applications. Limited to allocation provided. Limited to a single annual
purchase. Cannot be accumulated. Can be used toward multi-year projects or lease payments.
CCUP - One-time, useful for large expenditures - centralized computers, network infrastructure.
COPS - Loan (interest payment), useful for large projects.
FACT - Useful for faculty development, small dollar amounts. Good stimulus for campus planning, catalyst for SUNY technical planning.
IFR - Flexible uses permitted, can accumulate for major purchases.
Construction Fund - Limits on flexibility -- i.e., what types of equipment you can buy. Most useful for the largest projects.
Grants - Hard to obtain, but useful for special projects (e.g., Windows classroom).
College Foundation - Multi-year, often for specialized or limited funding.
To date, we have wired the academic quad (most classrooms and offices) to the campus Ethernet local area network. We have yet to wire the student residence facilities fully, and doing so will be a huge and costly undertaking. A number of student computer laboratories in the residence facilities are wired, but our goal is to connect each and every student room to the network as well. SUNY Potsdam is primarily a residential college and has the second highest ratio of student beds to total students in the SUNY system. Thus, improving the quality of student access by completely wiring the residence facilities is crucial. Ensuring that all students are capable of accessing the campus network from their residence will significantly improve the potential for integrated computer use in classes and coursework.
Distance learning projects $100,000 per site
Distance learning provides opportunities for working collaboratively with area two-year colleges and high schools. We see distance learning as a possible mechanism for implementing a 3-1-3 program as well as other school-to-university transition programs. We also plan to use this technology to expand our public service outreach mission, such as working with the local Akwesasne Native American reservation. We currently have PictureTel equipment to receive as well as originate broadcasts, but would need to equip receiving sites with similar equipment to be able to provide ongoing programming.
College-wide information system (Kiosk project) $100,000
We are in the process of developing a campus-wide information system, which is currently accessible through the campus network. We plan to extend this accessibility to kiosks, which we hope to install at convenient locations across campus.
High-technology classrooms (classroom renovation) $100,000 each
Technology classroom in the Crumb Library for bibliographic instruction $50,000
We have developed seven high-technology classrooms, with a variety of capabilities, over the last six years. However, two of these function more as computer laboratories and are in need of upgraded equipment. Others have presentation facilities, but no student computer workstations. We need significant investment in high-technology, "smart" classrooms that combine state-of-the art presentation facilities with multimedia computer workstations and flexible student seating arrangements to fully integrate new technologies into student learning. We are currently designing a classroom which will serve as a technology "showcase" and which we expect will excite faculty and students alike about the potential that exists with such classrooms.
Faculty computer upgrades (3-4 year cycle) $200,000/year
Computers for new faculty $25,000/year
While most of our faculty have computers on their desktops, most of these computers are in need of upgrades to be able to utilize completely computer-networked information resources such as full Internet access (Gopher and World Wide Web), the College library on-line catalog and the BANNER administrative database system. It is particularly important for faculty to gain access to the BANNER administrative database system for student advising purposes and for the potential of on-line registration, which we've already begun to experiment with. We must also continue to provide new faculty hires with the level of equipment they expect, and in fact, demand.
Our faculty need ongoing development and training to integrate educational technology into their classes effectively. Additionally, we are looking for ways to institutionalize the use of educational technology in our academic offerings. When our current General Education program was developed in 1986, we decided to include familiarity with computer technology through instruction in the disciplines. For instance, students in English composition are introduced to word processing and the computer network (through the sharing of electronic information resources). Currently, a new generation of proposals are being developed and discussed for further incorporating computing experiences into the program. For example, one proposal would require an additional introductory course on computers and communications. Another proposal describes a "computing-intensive" course in which computer experiences, such as programming, simulation or other computer tool usage, would be embedded in high-level discipline-specific activities.
Upgrade student computer labs $100,000/year
Student computer laboratories in the residence facilities are in dire need of new and upgraded equipment.
ADA compliance $50,000
Complying with ADA guidelines for access to information resources is an important priority.
Basic software is purchased with each new computer. Other software purchases are up to the department or individual. Occasionally discipline-based software for student use is purchased through SCAP.
Every new computer purchased includes network interface cards and communications software.
The demand for network access--in the classroom, the laboratory, the library, the residence, and the office (administrative and academic)--is driven by the applications, information and services that continue to expand on our local campus LAN and the "network universe". Within the next 3-5 years, it is our goal to provide complete, integrated access to all campus information services (voice, data, video and multi-media) in each classroom, laboratory, office and student residence on campus as well as ubiquitous access to data services within the library (perhaps relying upon wireless technology). There is also considerable interest in expanding this level of access to lobbies and foyers within campus buildings where information kiosks and multi-media connection points will be placed (to plug in special equipment for demonstrations, presentations and entertainment).
Access to our campus data network from off-campus is equally important, especially for faculty and non-resident students who need convenient off-campus access to the College's computing and information resources. It is expected that the most common, efficient method for providing this access over the next 3-5 years will be high-speed, dial-in modems. It will be necessary to expand our current dial-in modem pool and obtain the necessary communications hardware and software to support campus communication protocols, services and applications.
"Community network" access is not currently supported.
Public school access is not currently supported.
Any of these groups could potentially be provided access (via modem).