Param Bedi – Associate VP for Technology and CIOErik Nelson – Director of Instructional Technology

About Arcadia University

• Arcadia University, founded in 1853, is a private, coeducational comprehensive university in suburban Philadelphia offering undergraduate and graduate study to more than 3,500 students annually.

• The Arcadia University Center for Education Abroad, ranked second in the country and recognized by U.S. News and World Report for its outstanding programs, is one of the largest campus-based international study programs in the United States, serving an additional 2,000 students each year from nearly 300 American colleges and universities. U.S. News also ranks the University among the top colleges and universities in the North and Barron’s has named Arcadia a “best buy” for the past 12 years.

Fast Facts About the University • Arcadia University serves a student

body of more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students, both full-time and part-time.      

• Students enjoy personal attention from a caring, learned faculty, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1.      

• More than 89 percent of Arcadia University's full-time assistant, associate and full professors have doctorate or terminal degrees in their field.      

• Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in more than 75 majors and pre-professional programs.

• Arcadia University has become part of pop culture history after being included as a question in the 20th anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuit.

Office of Information Technology

• IT & Library merged in 2004

• Provide the following services

– Instructional Technology– Web Development– ERP / Database / Programming – Network and Information Security– Desktop Support– Instructional Media (AV)– Library Services– Collection Development

Background

• Adopted Blackboard as the learning management system – fall 2001

• Launched an Intranet site – spring 2002• The Intranet and Blackboard were two

distinct sites • Faculty and staff used the Intranet and

Blackboard• Students only used Blackboard, and not

the Intranet

MyArcadia, the campus portal

• Received a $250,000 grant from the PA Department of Education – summer 2003

• Licensed the Blackboard Community and Portal system – summer 2003

• High Availability server configuration (2 app servers, 2 clustered database servers)

High Availability

Dyfed – Web/App Server

Druid – Web/App / Collaboration Server

Maximus – Database Server

Percival – Database Server

Disk Array SCSI -attached

Active – Passive Clustered

HeartBit

Load Balancer

MyArcadia, the campus portal

• Launched MyArcadia, the campus web portal – spring 2004

• Integration with Active directory• Single sign on (SSO) for Outlook Web Access –

fall 2005• SSO for intranet content using portal modules• Single site, multiple integrations

Roles and Permissions

• Roles and permissions are determined dynamically according our ERP System, SCT-PowerCampus

• Can be member of large groups (i.e. student, faculty, staff, etc.)

• Can be member of small group (i.e. freshman, undergraduate, residence hall, commuter, etc.)

Roles and Permissions

• Content based on roles

• Dynamic roles allow immediate access to content

• Dynamic roles require very little maintenance (already exist in SCT-PowerCampus)

• The permissions to the content are also defined at the network folder level for additional security

MyArcadia & ERP system

Challenges• ERP system training for the overseas offices• Needs of causal end users (President, VPs, etc.)

Solutions• Integration with ERP system• Real time reports using SQL Reporting services• Testimonial – John Wells

John Wells

Director, Enrollment Management (Center for Education Abroad)

MyArcadia & Enrollment Management

• Engaging admitted students

• Online discussion with Orientation leaders, faculty and staff

• Online discussion with parents

Shoshana Kuriloff

Enrollment Management Counselor

MyArcadia & Instructional Projects

• First Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE)

– Deliver EN101 (English Composition) to students studying in Scotland

– Cultural Exchange Project

Professor William Meiers

Adjunct ProfessorDepartment of English, Theatre, and Communications

MyArcadia & Instructional Projects

• Biodiversity Project – Bioko Island

• University of Melbourne

• PT Asynchronous Problem-based learning

• Online courses

Summary of features on MyArcadia

• Single campus URL for students, faculty and staff to remember

• Posting current information online and directing the campus community to the updated content

• Posting communications about important campus-wide initiatives

• SSO with Outlook Web Access (Exchange 2003) - Integration

• Engaging student clubs and organizations to use this tool

• Campus Announcements - Integration

Summary of features on MyArcadia

• Events Calendar - Integration• Campus academic and administrative

departmental information (information is shared with departments/students around the world)

• Online forms• Links to other university publications and web

sites• Document repository -- links to Handbooks,

guidelines, tutorials and documents accessible in electronic format instead of paper

Summary of features on MyArcadia

• Link to online registration, grades, online payments etc. (SCT-PowerCampus)

• Integration with SCT-PowerCampus for real time reporting

• Access to electronic library resources• Online Courses

– Discussions board– Quizzes– Grade book– Chats– Course documents– Links to external web sites

Successes

• Faculty adoption – 60% full time faculty

• ERP Integration

• Overseas offices using campus resources

• FYSAE program

• Problem based learning

• Alternate delivery mode

Challenges

• Upgrade issues

• 24 x 7 support with limited staff

• Managing expectations

• Adjunct faculty adoption

• Developing policies for different groups

• Integration with all systems

• Social engagement

Questions