Technology has become an integral part of our student’s daily lives, from the use of text messaging on cell phones to listening to music on iPods. Students depend on mobile technology, using cellular and WiFi networks for communication and entertainment, and using laptops in class. Today, student’s learning styles are blending with their lifestyles. IT proposes to use technology to enhance the quality of student life, provide new channels for communication, and increase student safety on campus.

In the past, student computing centers have been collections of workstations for access to software. IT would like to develop a new concept for student computing centers by transforming computing centers into destinations that support student’s technology lives. Computing centers will become a place where students can obtain a wide variety of technology services in a comfortable environment that encourages interaction and collaboration. Centers should be a place where students can go for help with technology, find equipment to create podcasts and video casts, find help creating presentations, take equipment for repair and support, and obtain specialized training.

IT Goal II: Improve student technology services and support

a. Create a new approach to serving students. IT will create a “welcoming” and collaborative environment for students, transforming the lower level of MITC into a “gathering place” to include a renovated South computing center, the new iTech Xpress store, and vendor kiosks. This new environment will position IT to seamlessly deliver technology and related services to students based on a concept of “no walls, no waiting, and no wires.” Services offered in this collaborative environment should include, but are not limited to:

• Hardware, software, and other technology products
• Copy services
• Rentals (mobile broadband cards, video equipment, laptops, etc.)
• Demo center for laptop and tablet computers
• Computer service and repair
• HelpDesk/consulting support
• Wireless service
• 24 X 7 access
• occasional community building events such as concerts or gaming

Given adequate space and funding, IT desires to provide comparable services for the HSC undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

b. Upgrade wireless networking to meet student requirements. Students are mobile, and there is strong demand for universal coverage in campus areas where students gather, such as classrooms, open areas, food service areas, and residence halls. Wireless services on campus should be secure, but be easy to access.

c. Develop student cellular programs to support mobility applications. Mobility applications can deliver student news and information, support new applications, and enhance life safety. IT should partner with Student Affairs to develop a comprehensive student mobility program to support and deliver these applications. It is essential that the university make it cost-effective for students to acquire the mobile devices that work with these applications.

d. Develop technology support for “at-risk” students. Many students cannot afford to provide their own technology. IT should partner with Student Affairs and Financial Aid to develop strategies that assist these students and enable them to get the most out of their experience at UofL.

e. Enlist students to help other students with technology. Students know more about how students use technology than can any technology organization. To increase student involvement, and to allow students to support students, IT should create a student-staffed helpdesk that will enhance student technology support and provide real world internships for students.

f. Partner with REACH and others to create enhanced services for students. IT should adopt the REACH student employee certification program, which not only teaches students how to tutor other students, but truly emphasizes a service philosophy of teaching students how to help themselves. IT should pursue other partners, both within and outside the university, to identify opportunities for enhancing student services through collaboration, grants, or other initiatives.

IT Goal III: Enhance student safety and information access

a. Develop and enhance emergency notification systems to provide timely and widespread notice to the university community. Emergency notification is critical to life safety. This effort should utilize multiple channels of communication, including text messaging, email, and voice broadcast to communicate to all members of the university community. All students, faculty and staff should be strongly encouraged to participate.

b. Develop a mobile life safety program for students using GPS-equipped cell phones. Student safety on campus is a serious concern, and applications such as Rave Guardian can be used to address this need. IT should partner with Public Safety and Student Affairs to develop and promote a phone-based life safety program.

c. Develop a flexible suite of mobile applications that integrate with university systems. Cell phones and wireless PDAs have become the devices of choice for students to receive news and information. The university should integrate its applications (such as PeopleSoft and Blackboard) to provide students with access to announcements, personal information, and course information. Additional student information applications, such as a service to track shuttle buses, should be developed.

IT Goal IV: Provide support for student communities and social environment

a. Develop applications that support the student community. Students have requested enhancements to the university portal that will support communication, interaction and information. There is a wide variety of community software available for students, including modules of Blackboard, and external web sites such as Second Life. Available tools should include wikis, blogs, and social networking systems.

b. Utilize technology platforms that support enhanced collaboration tools for students. Groupware systems that supply email and calendaring for students should integrate with collaboration tools, classroom technologies and learning management systems.

c. Partner with parents of prospective, new and current students. Recognizing parents as a key stakeholder, Information Technology will develop partnerships to identify expectations, solicit ideas for new services, and provide information and awareness by:

• Enhancing participation in new parent orientation
• Marketing services to parents through the IT website, mailings, etc.
• Creating a parent technology “hot line”
• Conducting annual surveys and discussion forums