Provost's report
Enrollment Services
Academic Advising
2004-2005: Continued to improve availability of academic advising by increasing staffing in central advising office from 16 to 18 advisers, further decreasing the advisers-to-student ratio. Advisers established liaison contacts with all academic departments. Developed mandatory and optional group advising for students across all colleges in collaboration with faculty. A university-wide advisory committee of faculty, staff and students developed campus advising definition and goals. The campus adopted a new, consistent advising model to increase faculty involvement and student responsibility. Implemented the College Student Inventory with all incoming, first-year students. Piloted a Peer Advising Liaison (PAL) program with 17 student peer advisers in the advising center and Scott Hall.
Academic Computing
2006-2007:
- Completed application and staff certifications to be an Apple Service Center, providing better, less costly hardware support to Mac users on campus.
- Completed the application and set the groundwork for iTunesU, providing free network storage for campus podcasts.
- Planned and implemented alumni e-mail service—installed server and e-mail software; wrote custom code to automate sign-up for the service and transfer of e-mail from UW Oshkosh mail system to the alumni system; and provided user statistics to the Alumni Office.
- Assisted with implementing Image Now document imaging system.
- Assisted with UW System negotiation for Xythos and began implementing campuswide file collaboration system to be called TitanFiles.
- Facilitated project to pilot Plone content management system, to rewrite the Academic Computing Web site.
- Distributed about 160 old PIII computers and 100 monitors to local nonprofits, creating goodwill for the University.
- Reallocated 166 computers, 61 monitors and 13 printers from surplus to on-campus units.
- Hired new Help Desk Manager; reorganized unit assignments, moving GCA Lab setup from server support to desktop support.
2005-2006: Modified Help Desk software to send clients notification of opening and closing of work tickets and to provide feedback survey. Relocated Help Desk to Dempsey 207 to provide better customer service and to consolidate unit server support staff at a single location, Dempsey 307. Consolidated the College of Letters and Sciences’ year-end computer and printer purchase to reduce processing cost (from about 30 purchase requisitions down to three) and purchase cost (5 percent savings from vendors). Distributed old PII and PIII computers to local non-profits for the first time, thereby creating additional goodwill for the university; approximately 60 computers and 25 monitors were given away. Reallocated 183 computers, 57 monitors and 10 printers from surplus to on-campus units. Replaced key operational personnel: Help Desk manager, backup/antivirus server administrator and lead technician. Set unit vision, mission, goals and values. Began evaluation of Xythos as campus collaboration tool
2004-2005: Upgraded to a single campus e-mail and calendar service. Reviewed computer and printer power settings and set standards to reduce power consumption across campus. Provided computer audit service to several academic and administrative units on campus. Began migration from separate unit servers to single campus storage to reduce costs and improve collaboration. Redistributed more than 250 computers to campus departments and computer labs.
Administrative Computing and Telecommunications
2005-2006: Expanded wireless service to all academic buildings. Within each building, wireless service will continue to expand. Common areas for students are the first areas to receive wireless service. Completed the long-term project to improve network security and performance by creating separate Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) in campus buildings. Completed the technical infrastructure to allow students online viewing of their STAR report through TitanWeb. Created a Web site to support online voting for the Oshkosh Student Association elections. Implemented a system to automate the loading of electronic student application data into the Student Information System. Completed an e-grading project to allow grades submitted through the learning management system Desire2Learn (D2L) to be electronically uploaded to the Student Information System. Completed a programming project that exchanges Perkins and Nursing loan data with the loan processing service ECSI. Completed the development work for the WIDA consortium to develop English language proficiency standards and English language proficiency tests. UW Oshkosh hosts the Web site that now serves 13 states.
2004-2005: Integrated the University’s credit card vendor (TouchNet) with the PeopleSoft Student Administration System. Upgraded wireless service to automatically provide faculty, staff and students with accounts and passwords synchronized with their e-mail accounts. The long-term project to improve network security and performance by creating separate Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) in campus buildings passed the 50-percent completion point. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) created a collaborative project with the College of Education and Human Services and EIS. Established through a federal grant, the collaborative project was part of a large consortium of 10 partner states seeking to develop English language proficiency standards and English language proficiency tests. Administrative Computing provided programming support for the consortium’s host website. Storage Area Network (SAN) technology was implemented to create a central University data repository. The SAN improves performance, better protects data integrity, and reduces the cost of future computer upgrades. Completed automated procedures that load course and enrollment data into the central Desire to Learn (D2L) learning management system. Completed programs to better track and reconcile financial aid that is authorized and dispersed to students. Completed programs and PeopleSoft customizations to implement a new Transfer Grade Recognition Policy for the University. Completed a project to automatically load workstudy earnings after each payroll period from the Student Payroll system in Madison to the University’s PeopleSoft Student Administration System. Working with the Division of State Facilities and the Facility Management Office, completed a survey of the University’s telecommunication conduit system.
Admissions
2004-2005: Enrolled a fall 2004-2005 FTE of more than 9,600 students, in part through the matriculation of 1,730 new, first-year students and the transfer of a record, 987 students. The new freshman class was academically well prepared with a mean ACT composite score of 22.4. About 92 percent graduated in the top half of their high school class, almost 40 percent in the top quarter. The new class included 26 first-year, academic excellence scholars and four national merit finalists.
Diversity recruitment activities increased the number of applications from students of color by 62.5 percent from fall 2000 to fall 2004; the number of admits by 56 percent for the same time period; and the number of newly enrolled students of color by 56 percent during that five-year period. The number of newly enrolled students increased by 8 percent from fall 2003 to fall 2004, primarily due to a higher number of transfer students of color. The Admissions Office hosted two Multicultural Preview Days during 2004-2005 that brought more than 800 high school students of color to UW-Oshkosh. Additionally, individual and small group visits, including 35 students from Sunset High School in Dallas, Texas, pushed the visit numbers for students of color over 1,000 for the year.
Developed a new transfer student advising and registration process to provide new transfer students with a more seamless transition into the University. Transfer students can now register along with their continuing student counterparts and still take advantage of the assistance provided by the Undergraduate Advising Resource Center.
Business Operations and Training
2006-2007:
- Enhanced professional training for instructors so they now receive Microsoft Office Master Certification as part of their professional development.
- Restructured classes to be shorter sessions that focus on specific tasks rather than perceived skill levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced).
- Expanded the number of course offerings to meet the training needs of the campus.
- Redesigned the training Web site and included online class registration and evaluation forms; created How-To videos to guide users through specific tasks in MS Word and Excel; and made all class manuals available online as another self-learning tool.
- In collaboration with Human Resources, created Essential Skills Training (EST) program and manual to provide communication tools (e-mail, electronic calendar, computer security, etc.) to all new employees; and conducted program pilot.
- Implemented a Skills Inventory (assessment) program used to determine skill level for finalists (both current employees and all other applicants) applying for vacant administrative support classified staff positions.
- Conducted introductory MS Word and MS Excel workshops for community participants referred by Women’s Center and Workforce Development agency.
- Initiated customized one-to-one training sessions for staff based on their specific needs and requests, using Microsoft Word, Excel and Access.
2005-2006: Enhanced professional training for instructors so they now receive Microsoft Office Master certifications as part of their professional development. Restructured classes to be shorter sessions that focus on specific tasks rather than perceived skill levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). Expanded the number of course offerings to meet the training needs of the campus.
Media Services
2006-2007:
- Installed two additional technology classrooms.
- Increased delivery of mobile equipment to classrooms by 8.5 percent. Computer deliveries increase by 12 percent.
- Halsey Instructional Technology Services was revitalized by upgrading computers and weeding and reorganizing the reserve items circulated in that center.
- Updated five lecture halls with “white board” monitors and document cameras.
- Began replacing classroom computers with machines running dual operating systems.
- Upgraded both interactive video distance education classrooms with 50-inch, flat-panel monitors and added H.239 “People plus Content” capability.
- Established small-group videoconferencing facility in Halsey Room 259.
- Completed pilot project to incorporate Plone Content Management System to array of offerings for Web development.
- Initiated live streaming video of commencement.
- Initiated offering of iTunesU for storage and distribution of podcasts.
- Completed searches for Instructional Television Coordinator and Clow Audiovisual Services Assistant
- Reported highest percentage of D2L utilization in UW System.
- Produced self-study book and associated documents for Higher Learning Commission Reaccreditation.
2005-2006: Installed four additional technology classrooms. Updated the control system in Halsey Room 106 lecture hall. Began a regular three-year cycle of computer replacement for the classrooms. Upgraded all video-only classrooms to include DVD. Switched from Infrared to Radio Frequency Student Response System, which made the Student Response System usable in any classroom. Use of Desire2Learn Course Management System almost doubled as College of Letters and Science required online access of syllabus. Integrated Desire2Learn Gradebook with Titanweb grading. Upgraded Polk Room 116b’s interactive video distance education classroom to use IP-based videoconferencing and acquired portable videoconferencing equipment, which can be used in any classroom.
2004-2005: Installed seven new technology-enhanced classrooms and added four video/data projectors to the pool of equipment delivered to classrooms. Took part in introducing Breeze Live Internet meeting software, Breeze Presentations Web presentation software, classroom student response systems, and online portfolios for students. Use of Web enhancements for courses doubled to more than 400 courses using Desire2Learn (D2L).
Telecommunications, Networking, Administrative Computing
2006-2007:
- Implemented a new content management system (Plone) to improve the University’s Web presence. The Web site for Academic Computing was the pilot project.
- Developed a new telephone billing and charge back system for the University.
- Developed a new automated system to manage the University’s Faculty Development Program.
- Created the computing environment for offices and departments to offer online surveys.
- Working with Gateway Enterprises Inc., upgraded the University’s cashiering system to improve its security and reliability.
- Provided the analysis and programming to deliver an accurate Fiscal Operations Report and Application to Participate for the Financial Aid Office.
- Completed the telecommunications and computer infrastructure to support the University Foundation’s new automated call center.
- Working with the vendor Nelnet Inc., integrated electronic refunds with the University’s Student Financials System.
- Completed the analysis and programming for a project that allows students to view their earning statements online using the Student Administration System’s self-service feature.
- Provided a secure remote connection, Virtual Private Network (VPN), between the University and the Living Healthy Community Clinic.
- Completed a collaborative project with the Human Resources Office and UW Madison’s Division of Information Technology (DoIT) to convert the University’s legacy personnel database to Madison’s Integrated Appointment Data System (IADS).
Polk Library
2004-2005: Installed wireless computer connects in the library and improved study spaces for students. Redesigned the library’s website and introduced “Google-like” features to make finding information easier. Held its first book sale and other public events. Librarians taught almost 300 instructional class sessions to 6,000 students.
Registration
2004-2005: Continually upgraded the student information system and improved services available online. Implemented e-Grading (online grading), with great success for the fall 2004 grading timeline. Restructured the entire transfer process in collaboration with Academic Advising and Admissions. The new process (Titan Transfer) is more student-friendly and is highlighted by an interactive Titan Web tutorial for registration and other Titan Web functions. Implemented an electronic means of informing students about schedule changes through a push-button function on PeopleSoft. Published the 2005-2007 Undergraduate Bulletin and began work on creating a “live” draft of the 2007-2009 Undergraduate Bulletin that both students and faculty can access. Improved the diploma vendor process. Worked on the DARS to DARWIN project that will allow students and advisers to access their degree audits (STAR) online, which will remove the charge associated with “ordering” STARs and allow students to readily access their audits. Improved the process for enrolling students in a study-abroad program (through a placeholder course), which can make an easier transition back to UW Oshkosh. Assisted many UWO student/soldiers with deployment issues.