This UW Oshkosh 1999 IT Plan consists of four sections:

1. A narrative section describing ongoing and anticipated UW Oshkosh activities as they relate to the five strategic directions outlined in the UW System 1999 IT Plan.
2. A section identifying UW Oshkosh’s three major IT projects for 1999-2001.
3. A section providing updates on the IT projects contained in the UW Oshkosh 1997 IT Plan.
4. A section providing information on new or continuing UW Oshkosh IT projects for 1999-2001.

This plan has been reviewed by Information Technology Division staff, the Academic Computing Users Group, and the Provost’s Administrative Staff.

Section I: UW System Strategic Directions—UW Oshkosh Supportive Directions

Strategic Direction 1: Acquire, develop, and support a Systemwide academic and administrative infrastructure.

UW Oshkosh is investing substantial dollars and human resources to expand and develop its academic and administrative infrastructure.

Support for Web-based learning systems is a critical project. Faculty in individual Colleges and departments have incorporated Web-based materials into on-campus courses, creating many "technology enabled" courses. In addition, several academic units are or will be developing complete asynchronous programs (for example, the College of Business Administration’s Internet MBA). To develop a critical portion of the required support infrastructure, the IT Division received campus approval to hire two new staff, an Instructional Developer and a Multimedia Developer, utilizing the new Curricular Redesign funds. The Multimedia Developer has been hired and is currently working with faculty to design Web-based and multimedia instructional materials; the Instructional Developer has also been hired and will start in September 1999.

In Fall 1998 a faculty Web Task Force reviewed available Web course development software and recommended that TopClass and Web Course in a Box become the standards for UW Oshkosh; the Provost’s Administrative Staff accepted these recommendations. Faculty developing new Web courses are expected to utilize the campus standard products. Faculty using other products are expected to acquire needed product-specific instructional design and technical support from UW System or external "utilities"; as an example, the College of Business Administration participated in a Spring 1999 pilot project to evaluate support from US West (a private telco) for LearningSpace courses. The IT Division has agreed to provide technical back up to units using LearningSpace for a transition period. Product-neutral instructional design assistance will be available to all academic units.

With the selection of Web Course in a Box and TopClass as the campus Web courseware standards, appropriate software licenses were reviewed. The campus will obtain its WCB license through UW Milwaukee (as part of the Distributed Learning System recommended for funding by the Common Systems Review Group). A multi-year license for TopClass was solicited and reviewed; the campus requested extending this license to cover students at UW Fox Valley and UW Fond du Lac in support of a collaborative degree in Organizational Management recently implemented between these three campuses. However, the proposal submitted by WBT Systems was not acceptable due to costs and IT staffing requirements. Thus in Fall 1999 the faculty Web group will be asked to re-think the identification of TopClass as a campus standard. UW System will be supporting hosting (including license and server costs) for two other Web courseware products, LearningSpace and WebCT. The faculty Web group will revisit their earlier review of these three products in light of further System initiatives and campus funding restrictions.

A working group of the Provost’s Administrative Staff developed a Position Paper on Internet Course Fees, which was accepted. Internet course fees may be assessed for asynchronous courses starting in 1999. The campus is awaiting completion of the System-wide review on distance education pricing policies.

The University has devoted considerable resources (from the Technology Infrastructure funds) to enhance support for video-based distance education. Using these funds, a Distance Education Specialist was hired to provide overall management of the University’s three distance learning classrooms (fiber, compressed video, and audiographics) and to work with faculty to provide required training and technical support. Funds were used to create a "head-end" allowing media technicians to monitor the three classrooms from a single location. As part of the Halsey Science capital project, which will extend over the next two years, the University will acquire space for a future third full-motion video distance education classroom, as well as a separate audiographics classroom. A third full-motion distance education is needed, especially to accommodate requests for courses delivered via compressed video; the University currently has to turn away requests to send or receive compressed video courses because the single compressed video distance education classroom is already scheduled.

Major new or upgraded administrative systems have also been implemented. The University on July 5, 1999 will "go live" with PeopleSoft’s Student Administration, replacing a mainframe legacy system that has been used for almost 25 years. The University estimates that it will take an additional twelve months to stabilize the PeopleSoft system and to address needs deferred because of the tight implementation timeline. Self-access for students will be rolled out in stages over a two-year period.

In addition to PeopleSoft’s Student Administration, in April 1999 the University successfully implemented Advantage, a Y2K compliant financials and general ledger system. Further training and development of this system will occur over the next two years. The University will also review its long-term needs for a human resources system to replace the mainframe system still being used (because of the magnitude of the PeopleSoft and Advantage implementations, the University decided in 1998 to make its legacy human resources system Y2K compliant and to review this question after the other major administrative systems were installed).

As part of its PeopleSoft Student Administration implementation, the University has licensed several third-party "collateral" software products, including JetForms and Cypress (to support forms and high-volume printing), Convoy/DM (to support data conversion and data migration), and Schedule 25 and Resource 25 (to support room scheduling). The University will continue to monitor whether these licenses are long-term commitments or only needed for a transitional period, until the basic PeopleSoft SIS system becomes more robust. Other "collateral" software will be reviewed and selective licenses will be obtained as needed.

UW Oshkosh’s Polk Library will begin its formal implementation of the new Voyager library system in July. Numerous implementation committees have been working since January to examine and modify policies and procedures. The Library has identified the need for $180,000 to purchase new workstations, barcode readers and scanners, printers, and other equipment associated with Voyager. $130,000 has been identified from internal sources, with $18,000 coming from a UW System interest-free load (to be paid back over two years). $11,000 will be provided from 1999-00 General Computer Access funds and $30,000 from 1999-00 Student Technology Fee funds.

During 1999 the University took initial steps toward developing a comprehensive plan for replacing desktop computers for faculty and staff. A position paper on funding faculty/staff desktop computers was prepared and reviewed by senior administrators and the Provost’s administrative staff. The model envisioned combines ongoing central funds with unit funds. The University still needs to decide the complete dimensions of its replacement plan (for example, will it cover all GPR-funded positions or only unclassified GPR-funded positions).

As a foundation for any desktop replacement program, the University adopted comprehensive computer hardware and software standards, which identified supported hardware (computers, printers, and peripherals) and software (categorized as fully supported, partially supported, and non-supported). These standards are reviewed and updated every three months to ensure currency.

Strategic Direction 2: Define policy and cost implications of technology acquisition and use.

The University continued to invest Student Technology fee funds primarily into the general access computer labs, although funds were used for other specialized projects benefiting students. A Web page was created listing approved projects, and an interactive Web form was developed to facilitate submission of proposals for future decision cycles.

As described under Strategic Direction 2, the University has identified Internet course fees for asynchronous Web courses. These fees will be used to support costs of host servers, laptops for faculty, and Internet Service Provider fees.

Strategic Direction 3: Implement more efficient IT staffing models.

During 1998-99 the University successfully participated in the UW System pilot project to identify initial students to serve as Student Training Interns. Three Student IT Interns were successfully recruited and made important desktop support contributions. Using new System funds, two additional Student IT Interns will be recruited for 1999-00. Along with the original three Interns, these student workers will provide frontline support for the Academic Computing Help Desk to be implemented in Fall 1999.

IT and functional staff from the PeopleSoft implementation project have shared their expertise with the other initial PeopleSoft campuses (Madison, Platteville, and Whitewater). As additional campuses move to implement PeopleSoft, the University will continue to share expertise, as our own campus needs allow. IT and functional staff are participating in the MILER project to leverage PeopleSoft expertise from the initial campuses.

In April-May 1999 UW Oshkosh, along with Southern Methodist University and Gallaudet University, participated in beta-testing of PeopleSoft’s "Campus Connection" Web self-service/self-access product. During this beta testing the University benefited greatly from technical expertise provided by UW Madison’s DoIT and by Cambridge Technology Partners.

During its PeopleSoft implementation the University made extensive use of consultants, and will continue to do so during the next year as the PeopleSoft implementation is completed (for example, with the creation of a Data Warehouse).

Strategic Direction 4: Improve faculty and student training and education in IT

The University has devoted considerable resources (approximately $80,000 in 1997-99) to expand and upgrade the IDEA Lab, its LTDC. Additional staffing has come through the previously described Instructional Developer and Multimedia Developer. Curricular Redesign funds have been used to purchase replacement computers (the original machines were purchased in 1996), to add additional workstations, and to install a dedicated server that facilitates access from faculty offices to multimedia development software.

The IDEA Lab currently offers training courses on Web Course in a Box, creating Web pages, Internet search strategy, classroom presentation technologies, and digital imaging. After the Faculty Web group re-visits its earlier review of other Web courseware products, training for the additional selected product will also be provided.

In addition to training courses for Web courseware products, the IDEA Lab also provides training in basic desktop software such as Windows 95, Word, and Excel; this training is essential to successful implementation of PeopleSoft’s Student Administration and Endeavor’s Voyager library system.

The IT Division provides access to more than 300 CBT courses since mid-1998. The general campus community and IT staff have made use of these courses. Currently the courses are housed on a server and users must log-in. To provide greater access to these courses and to support faculty who want to track student progress, the Division will work to put the CBT courses on the Web.

Strategic Direction 5: Build partnerships which leverage our IT investments beyond the University.

The University is a partner in several regional consortia. The University is a member of the KSCADE distributed learning network, has constructed a dedicated KSCADE classroom, and currently delivers courses to regional PK-12 sites.

The University is also a member of the FoxNet consortium and is participating with the City of Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College in a project that will extend fiber cable to the University’s Titan Stadium.

In addition, as previously mentioned, we will explore a regional license for TopClass that would also cover students at UW Fox Valley and UW Fond du Lac.

Section II: UW Oshkosh Three Major IT Projects for 1999-2001

1. PeopleSoft SIS: Enhancing the Implementation. The University will "go live" with PeopleSoft’s SIS on July 5,1999. This will be a "vanilla" implementation. Over the next two years, the University must continue to invest in its PeopleSoft implementation so that the promise of a system based on open standards and distributed computing is fully realized. Major components of this two-year project are: creating a Data Warehouse to support ad hoc queries and reports; writing critically-needed reports and interfaces that are not part of the delivered product; fully implementing off-campus Web access to support and expand student self-service and self-access; completing the cut-over of Financial Aid from the legacy system to PeopleSoft; enhancing security through a firewall; and installing future PeopleSoft releases and fixes.
2. Voyager Library System: Along with the other UW Libraries, UW Oshkosh’s Polk Library will implement Endeavor’s Voyager library system in 1999-2000 (as a Phase 3 library, Polk Library will make the cutover in December 1999). Polk Library along with the libraries from Green Bay, Platteville, and Superior, have joined to form a "Hub" maintained by UW Madison’s DoIT. Considerable work will be required to implement the Hub and to codify service and governance issues. During the next two years the Library will allocate $180,000 for workstation upgrades (library users and staff). The implementation of Voyager will allow a complete review of current Library policies and procedures.
3. Help Desk: The IT Division will implement an Academic Computing Help Desk in 1999-00. The Help Desk will address those hardware, software, and e-mail concerns that constitute the substantial majority of current requests for Academic Computing assistance. The Help Desk will incorporate problem tracking and resolution software.

Section III: Update on IT Projects Listed in 1997 IT Plan

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s 1997 Information Technology Plan identified twenty-five (25) specific IT projects for the 1997-99 biennium; these projects were selected to address the long-range IT needs and opportunities of the campus. This Section provides updates on the status of these projects. Some of the projects are completed; others are ongoing and will extend into the 1999-2001 Planning Period.

1. Administrative Data Bases and Application Systems
   
   
   1. Curriculum Codes

      This project has been completed. Relational database files for curricular and non-curricular programs, majors and minors, and their attributes are defined. The program is in production. Tables for CDR reporting have been completed. The new PeopleSoft Student Administration system will replace these programs.
      
      

   2. Degree Audit and Reporting System (DARS)

      The first production run of DARS/STAR was completed immediately following the tenth day of classes in the Spring 1998 semester. Each undergraduate student had his/her STAR report mailed to them. The report helps students schedule for their next semester. A newly installed laser printer will be used for all future production printing of DARS/STAR reports. Minor programming changes are necessary to use a laser printer. However, the new printer offers desirable advantages over the older impact printer. The laser printer reduces mailing costs by using duplex printing, produces a more professional looking report, and reduces the time required to print the reports. An interface/extract program is being developed by PeopleSoft at the University of Wisconsin Madison. After the interface/extract program is completed, it will be installed at UW Oshkosh. The program will provide the interface to DARS. The latest release of DARS is scheduled for initial installation and testing in the third quarter of 1999. This release is compatible with all related products on the MVS/ESA operating system. These related products are COBOL/MVS, Language Environment (LE), and CICS 4.1. The latest release of DARS also has client/server capabilities and greatly enhanced, user-friendly screens.
      
      

   3. COBOL to COBOL II

      All OS/VS COBOL source code has been converted and adheres to VS COBOL II standards. All batch and online programs have been recompiled and placed into production. The final eight online applications were waiting for Software AG’s Natural 2 to be reconfigured to run under CICS/ESA Version 4.1. With all source code converted, the VS COBOL II compiler was no longer needed and was removed from the system effective May 1, 1998. VS COBOL II and COBOL/MVS are source compatible. Effective May 1, 1998, VS COBOL II was replaced by COBOL/MVS.
      
      

   4. CICS Upgrade

      CICS/ESA 4.1 has been installed and all macro level programs have been converted to command level. As part of moving to CICS/ESA 4.1, all programs written in OS/VS COBOL have been converted to VS COBOL II. In addition, the external security package CA-ACF2 has been added. CICS/ESA 4.1 requires an external security package. CA-ACF2 support for CICS is installed, configured, and in production. The last product to be reconfigured under CICS/ESA 4.1 was Software AG’s Natural 2. Upgrading to CICS/ESA 4.1 is a high priority project. However, the highest priority project—PeopleSoft’s Student Administration—has delayed the final stages of placing CICS/ESA 4.1 into production. Full implementation of CICS/ESA 4.1 was completed in June 1998.
      
      

   5. Mainframe Replacement

      This project was completed in June 1997 as scheduled.
      
      

   6. PeopleSoft Student Administration (SA)

      PeopleSoft’s SA software was licensed in March 1997. The campus kick-off was held in June. Hardware from HP and the Oracle relational database were licensed and installed. IT staff representing applications programming, DBA/security, academic computing, telecommunications, the library, and training and user support are deeply involved in the PeopleSoft project. Overall costs for the PeopleSoft SA project are in excess of $4 million including hardware, software, consulting, training and travel, and staffing. UW Oshkosh will "go live" with PeopleSoft in July 1999.
      
      

   7. Year 2000

      A Year 2000 Plan for the University was written and approved by the Chancellor in April 1997. Administrative and academic units have identified Year 2000 coordinators. Each unit was sent a copy of the Y2K Plan and a UW Oshkosh Y2K FAQ document. Y2K seminars were held in March 1998 for Y2K unit coordinators, who are working with IT staff to identify and resolve Y2K issues. $50,000 special funding to address Y2K has been provided in 1997-98 and 1998-99; these funds have been used for consultants, LTEs, student assistants, and software. A final $25,000 will be provided in 1999-00.
      
      

2. Computers and Network Facilities
   
   
   1. General Access Computer Labs

      The University’s goal remains establishing and equipping general computer access labs with 450 workstations, which will provide access of four hours per student per week to high quality computers, software, and the Internet. General Computer Access funds and Student Technology Fee funds have been used to increase the number of workstations from 80 to 389 in the past nine years. Throughout this time usage statistics have shown typical utilization of 50-70% with peak use of 100%. Growth has kept pace closely with demand. During the last year, the Clow Lab was upgraded from 486 to Pentium II computers. IntraNetware was installed in all labs and anti-virus software purchased and installed, along with additional software licenses. 1999-00 General Computer Access funds will be used to replace older workstations in the Halsey PC and Radford computer labs.

      The University will reach its goal of 450 workstations through the Halsey Science capital project, scheduled for the 1999-01 biennium. Once this goal is reached, funding needs to extend indefinitely to replace obsolete equipment in the general access labs.
      
      

   2. Faculty Computers

      Personal computers and Internet access are now essential tools for teaching, communicating with students, and scholarly work. In 1998-99, central funds amounting to $225,000 were provided for computer hardware and software in Academic Affairs (another $125,000 was provided to the other administrative units). In addition, each year the campus spends approximately $600,000 from unit budgets for faculty and staff desktop computers. A goal for the 1999-01 biennium should be formal adoption of a campus-wide faculty/staff desktop computer replacement program.
      
      

   3. Library Teaching Lab

      A classroom within the Library was remodeled and rewired. All furniture was ordered and received. Workstations were ordered and installed. Controller software was installed. Funding for the teaching lab ($92,000) came from Lab Modernization funds. Although completed earlier, the room became fully operational for the Fall 1998 semester. To date the room has been used for 139 library instruction classes given to 2,718 students. In addition, the room has been used for training in preparation for implementation of the PeopleSoft SIS.
      
      

   4. Campus Cable TV Upgrade

      Phase III of the Cable Television Upgrade project was achieved when the University joined the KSCADE distributed learning network in March 1998.
      
      

   5. ResNet

      The number of students enrolled in ResNet remains below 25% of the total Residence Hall population. Demand for network connections is growing each semester. Additional network hubs were required in 1998 to accommodate the growing number of ResNet connections. Additional network hubs will also be needed in 1999. The installation of a central campus Ethernet switch in January 1997 resulted in improved ResNet network bandwidth. Access to ResNet servers improved with the installation of a network switch in Gruenhagen. This switch was installed following the Spring 1997 semester. A second project to study the impact of accessing file servers in general access labs from Residence Hall workstations is underway. Findings will be used to recommend procedures to allow expanded access to file servers. Minihubs have been approved by IT Telecommunications staff for installation in Residence Hall rooms where two students are both enrolled in ResNet. The minihubs allow two connections to a single datajack.
      
      

   6. SLIP/PPP

      In Fall 1997 an IT position paper was prepared outlining alternative ways to provide remote Internet access to UW Oshkosh students, faculty, and staff. The alternatives ranged from IT providing the resources internally to outsourcing to Internet Service Providers (ISPs). IT recommended, and faculty supported, the outsourcing proposal. The IT Division issued an RFI in Summer 1998 and identified NorthNet as its preferred ISP in September 1998. This ISP provides very competitive rates for UW Oshkosh faculty, staff, and students.
      
      

3. Academic Information (Online)
   
   
   1. Access to Full-Text Databases and Electronic Journals

      Polk Library began to provide access to full-text databases in the Fall of 1996. In September 1997 the Library implemented a GUI as a front end to its online catalog, Web resources and other electronic products. Ten new workstations were purchased and 21 were upgraded. These 31 workstations are networked to laser printers where students can print full-text articles at no cost. In addition, Polk Library has greatly expanded the number of full-text databases and electronic journals made available. In the Summer of 1998, the Library discontinued its MDAS databases which provided citation indexing to journal articles via telnet and expanded the number of full-text databases and electronic journals via the Web such as Wilson Web and American Chemical Society Journals Online. Currently, the Library provides access to some full-text articles from almost 2,500 periodical titles. The use of full-text articles has risen dramatically during this period. For example, the number of articles retrieved through the Library’s most popular vendor of full-text articles (Ebsco) has increased from 65 articles in November 1996 to 2,431 articles in November 1997 to 20,712 articles in November 1998.
      
      

   2. Integrated Library and Information Access System

      After an extensive process, UW System selected the Voyager system from Endeavor as the next library and information access system for UW libraries. UW Oshkosh is currently engaged in extensive planning for implementation of Voyager. Polk Library is scheduled to switch to Voyager in December 1999. Along with the libraries at Green Bay, Platteville, and Superior, Polk Library will be part of a Hub maintained by UW Madison’s DoIT.
      
      

4. IT Service Organizations and Staffing
   
   
   1. Help Desk

      A Help Desk CQI team made its recommendations in October 1997. The Team was able to make recommendations in the areas of Scope, Staffing, and Hours, but not for Availability and Hardware/Software. After discussion by the IT managers it was decided to focus on implementing an Academic Computing Help Desk. Since 80% of the problems reported on the Help Desk survey relate to services provided by Academic Computing (such as PC installation, software installation and upgrades, and e-mail) this will focus the initial Help Desk configuration on the most recurring problems. A plan for implementation of this Academic Computing Help Desk was submitted in April 1998. It was hoped that the Help Desk could be implemented either in July or September 1998, however due to costs (initial costs of $150,000 for hardware, software, and student labor with ongoing annual costs of $50,000) it was not possible to implement the Help Desk in 1998. Implementing the Help Desk is one of the University’s top priority projects for 1999.
      
      

5. Teaching and Learning Support
   
   
   1. IDEA Lab

      The IDEA Lab was established in Fall 1996 with 9 lab workstations and two multimedia development workstations. The Lab has been used to train faculty and staff in a wide range of software, from word processing to presentation to Windows 95. The high demand for training requires an expansion of the lab to accommodate more staff in a training session. In February 1998, following faculty and administrative review, authorization was received to use 1997-98 Curricular Redesign funds to expand and upgrade the IDEA Lab. This expansion added three additional general workstations and one additional multimedia development workstation, and expanded and upgraded available software for training and instructional development. Additional one-time Curricular Redesign funds were used in 1998-99 to further upgrade LAB hardware and to license additional software.
      
      

   2. Video on Campus Network

      A plan for expanded and integrated video services to classrooms utilizing satellite, cable TV and other video sources was developed and proposed. Funding was secured to install video coaxial cable and video jacks in all general-purpose classrooms and selected instructional labs for instructional support, as well as upgrades from CAT-3 to CAT-5 wiring in selected buildings. This project, funded at $173,000, began in February 1999.
      
      

   3. Distance Education Facilities

      The University’s initial distance education classroom, with compressed video, opened in Summer 1995. In August 1998 a second distance education classroom became available. This classroom serves as the dedicated KSCADE fiber classroom for courses delivered on the KSCADE distributed learning network. Equipment for this classroom was funded from 1998-99 Classroom Modernization funds.
      
      

   4. Faculty/Staff Training

      Beginning in Spring1997, the IT Division has prepared a Training schedule for each semester, with the number of training sessions doubling between Spring 1997 and Spring 1998. To facilitate face-to-face training, an IT staff member was designated IT’s Training & User Support Coordinator in November 1997. In addition to face-to-face training, UW Oshkosh is utilizing training courses from CBT Systems, obtained through a UW System site license.
      
      

   5. Interactive Classroom

      UW Oshkosh obtained a grant to implement an interactive classroom—a classroom with a Student Response System (SRS). Following recommendations from the Academic Computing Users Group, a system was purchased in Fall 1997. The system is portable, allowing it to be utilized in multiple classrooms across the campus.
      
      

   6. ECADE/KSCADE Distributed Learning Network

      In late 1997 UW Oshkosh was invited to join KSCADE (with annual membership fees waived for seven years) for the purpose of serving as the flagship UW institution in this network. Funding for the seven-year lease cost to join KSCADE ($176,000) was identified, and a dedicated classroom was remodeled and equipped during Summer 1998 (costing just over $79,000). Course delivery to the KSCADE network began in Fall 1998.
      
      

   7. FoxNet Consortium

      The University in March 1998 re-confirmed its membership in the FoxNet Consortium and assisted in funding a detailed engineering study to determine final costs of connecting to the FoxNet fiber trunk. In Fall 1998 the University agreed to partner with the City of Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College in a project to extend fiber cable under the Fox River, with an extension to Titan Stadium. The University will contribute approximately $72,000 to this project, paid over a four-year period.
      
      

   8. Satellite Digital Reception

      Satellite services have been upgraded for digital reception by acquisition of a fiberglass dish installed in September 1997. PBS Adult Learning Service (ALS) is broadcasting some programs in digital currently and will broadcast all programming in digital in June 1998. Since PBS first announced their conversion from analog to digital transmission, they changed the specifications for digital receivers. As a result, UW Oshkosh needs to purchase two additional receivers to receive PBS downlink programming. This is a high priority project given heavy use of IT’s current satellite receivers for PBS ALS programming. The new speakers are estimated to cost $3,000.
      
      

Section IV. New IT Projects for 1999-2001

This Section describes major projects (new or continued) anticipated for the 1999-2001 Biennium

1. Human Resources

   UW System has conducted a "best business practices" review as part of its planning for APBS (appointments/payroll/benefits system). An RFP for a third party APBS will be issued in late Summer 1999. If the licensing of a specific vendor product as a common system is recommended through this process and funded through the Common Systems Review Committee, the University would likely migrate from its current legacy HR system to the vendor solution during the 2001-03 biennium.
   
   

2. PeopleSoft Financials

   UW System has purchased a System-wide license for PeopleSoft’s Financials software. Once the University’s PeopleSoft Student Administration system has been stabilized and expanded to include off-campus Web self service and a data warehouse, the University plans to migrate from its current Advantage financials system to PeopleSoft. Depending on a number of factors, this migration could take place in 2000-01 or 2001-02.
   
   

3. Faculty/Staff Computers

   The University should continue to review a faculty/staff desktop computer replacement model for implementation in the next biennium. Depending on the dimensions of this model (whether it covers all GPR-funded positions or only unclassified GPR-funded positions, and whether the replacement cycle is three years of four years), the annual costs of this program could range between $315,000 up to $800,000. Funding would be a combination of unit operational funds and centrally provided funds.
   
   

4. Enhance and Expand Library Reference "Open Lab"

   The Library currently has 31 public access computers in an "open lab" configuration in its Reference department. These computers provide access to the Library’s catalog, CD-ROM databases, and Web resources. The Library will seek to replace the current 31 computers with models that match or exceed the University’s recommended configuration, and also add 12 additional computers. Funds will be sought from the Laboratory Modernization process to assist in this upgrade and expansion. Estimated costs of this upgrade and expansion are $66,000.
   
   

5. General Access Computer Labs

   As part of the Halsey Science capital project, during 1999-2001 the University will expand general access computer labs in Halsey. Currently Halsey has a 24-station Sun lab and a 35-station PC Lab. When the capital project is finished, Halsey will contain a 32-station Sun Lab, a 40-station Teaching Lab, and an open PC Lab with an additional 50 to 60 workstations. These expanded labs will bring the total number of computers available in the general access labs to just over 450, the goal of the University since the 1980s.
   
   

6. PeopleSoft Data Warehouse

   The campus has identified a Data Warehouse as its long-term solution for campus data reporting and analysis needs. UW Oshkosh is currently working in a pilot project with UW Madison’s DoIT to determine whether UW Oshkosh can use DoIT’s data warehouse structure and queries for its reporting needs. If this determination is positive (and initial review strongly suggests it is), the University would move quickly to have its campus data warehouse in place for all Student Administration data by Fall 1999.
   
   

7. Voyager Implementation: Public and Staff Workstations

   As part of completing the migration from KeyNOTIS to the Voyager library system, the Library will spend approximately $180,000 to replace library staff and library user computers and other peripherals (printers, barcode scanners, etc.) Over the two years 1998-99 and 1999-00, the Library will spend $130,000 of its own funds. $18,000 will be borrowed (interest-free) from UW System, to be paid back over two years. Additional funds will be sought from General Computer Access, Laboratory Modernization, and Student Technology Fee accounts.
   
   

8. Web Based Learning Systems Support

   The University has identified Web Course in a Box as one of its standards for Web course development. Training and instructional development assistance for faculty and academic staff needs to be provided. Media Services staff will present group and one-on-one assistance. The software license and server hosting for Web Course in a Box courses will be obtained from UW Milwaukee. In Fall 1999 the faculty Web group will be re-convened to review other Web courseware products that could be identified as standards for the University.
   
   

9. IDEA Lab

   The IDEA Lab will remain the center of Web course design and multimedia support for faculty and staff. Regular ongoing funds are required to keep both the hardware and software in the Lab up to date.
   
   

10. Web Server Farm

    Currently the University’s Web pages reside on the Sun network. There are security and other issues associated with the Sun network serving dual purposes. The University will provide a dedicated Web "server farm" consisting of three dedicated computers to host the University’s Web pages. Estimated costs of this server farm are $15,000.
    
    

11. Help Desk

    The IT Division needs to implement the Academic Computing Help Desk proposed in 1998 and referenced earlier in this Plan. Estimated first-year costs for software, hardware, and student assistance are $150,000. After the initial year, hardware and software maintenance will need to be funded.
    
    

12. Voyager Hub

    Along with the libraries from UW Green Bay, UW Platteville, and UW Superior, UW Oshkosh’s Polk Library will join a "hub" configuration as part of the Voyager library system implementation. The library databases will reside on a remote server in Madison, maintained by DoIT.
    
    

13. Mandatory Student Computer Ownership/Leasing

    The campus will begin a review of issues related to possible mandatory student computer ownership or leasing. Fundamental issues to consider at the outset are whether the campus has the necessary infrastructure to provide significant numbers of students with portable access to the campus network, and the extent to which faculty have infused technology across the curriculum. Student computer ownership may be considered on a campus-wide basis or discipline-specific. If there is sufficient interest from faculty and students, a task force containing faculty, students, and IT staff will be formed to study the network infrastructure needs and possible methods of providing computers to students (purchase or lease). Partnerships with the private sector would also be explored.
    
    

14. Mainframe and Operating System Review

    Although the University will begin using the PeopleSoft SIS in July 1999 in a distributed (client/server) environment, it will be necessary to continue running other administrative systems (Financials and HR) in a mainframe environment for another 2-3 years. In addition, the legacy Student Master File will be maintained for some period to generate transcripts and to verify accuracy of the data migrated to PeopleSoft. And the University will continue for one more year to use the legacy system for Financial Aid transactions. For these reasons, it is in the University’s interest to consider several options including a possible upgrade from the current mainframe and mainframe operating system software to an advanced Intel machine running the most current operating system software. If such a migration moves forward, estimated costs of the new hardware, software, and consulting are $200,000. Funding would come from savings resulting from cancellation of several current maintenance contracts, from reallocations within IT operating funds, and possibly from Technology Infrastructure funds. The University will begin a bid process to determine actual costs should it decide to move in this direction.

Return to Information Technology
Return to UW Oshkosh