they said “go for it!” – now what? university of colorado at boulder’s cuconnect...the...

They said “Go for it!” – Now what?They said “Go for it!” – Now what?

University of Colorado at Boulder’s CUConnect...the Student Portal Project

CU-Boulder Portal Project

University of Colorado at Boulder

University of Colorado at Boulder

Founded in 1876Offers 3400 courses in 150 fields of study9 colleges & schoolsOne of 5 campuses (Boulder, Central, Denver, Health Sciences & Colorado Springs)32,041 students3,626 instructional & research faculty3,254 staff


Portal – Strategic DirectionPortal – Strategic DirectionNo pressure:

Spring 2002 IT Strategic Planning Process key recommendation: provide excellent, unified web-based student services tailored to individuals based upon their affiliation with CU-Boulder

September, 2002: Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs commissions the Student Portal Project

CU’s President Hoffman references the portal in her university-wide Vision 2010 presentations.


Portal Project ObjectivesPortal Project ObjectivesMeet student requirements: academic, administrative and student life – as articulated by students and by service providers. Foster campus-wide collaboration encompassing web-based service delivery, policy, quality, integration of services, standards and support.Select and implement a scalable technical framework. Ultimately, provide a comprehensive student portal, encompassing all student services and programs.


Success Factors & ChallengesSuccess Factors & ChallengesSuccess Factors

– High-level sponsorship

– Campus-wide involvement– Build upon previous

successes– Remember! It’s not just

about technology– Funding

Challenges– Strong champions bring

high visibility– Tall & wide silos– Successes bring high

expectations– Mucking with culture and

all new technology– No dollars, no new staff


Project ChampionPolitical conduit. Sustains momentum.

Key decision-makers. Communication through

monthly meetings

Provides analysis, design, development, testing.

Core Team

Provides detailed project work & conducts regular meetings

Project Team Structure

Sub-Teams

OutreachAcademic AnnouncementsTesting Deployment

Technical Team Steering Team


Project Core RepresentationProject Core RepresentationNot quite knightly – but the representatives include: Academic Advising, Bookstore, Bursar, Continuing Ed, Housing, ITS, Libraries, Registrar, Student Affairs, Student Government, Univ. Management Systems and Web Communications – and we have learned to work together around the table.


Project Steering RepresentationProject Steering RepresentationDecision-makers include:Executive Director of ITS (Chair), Student Government Tri-Executive, Assistant VP of Information Technology, Associate VC of Undergrad Education, Dean of Students, Exec. Director of Financial Services, Exec. Director of Enrollment Services, Exec Director of University Communications, Director of Arts & Sciences Advising.


First Things First: NamingFirst Things First: NamingNot exactly the very first thing, but naming received lots of attention.

Two months of team meetings, discussion, email, research.

Student survey (6 names to rank, comments box & one suggestion box), 534 responses.

Subsequent action items: Legal, rebrand CUConnect, reserve in domain, logo, outreach.

Portal Name - Survey Averages

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

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2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

My CU My CU-Boulder

BuffaloExpress

CUExpress

BuffaloRoundup

CUConnect

Name

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core


Portal Features: a lot of ideasPortal Features: a lot of ideas

Academic tools Account management Academic Advising Site Link Address change Advising Advisor look-up Announcements Ask Ralphie Bill balance Bill detail Bill detail history Bill pay Bookmarks Book swap Catalog Campus news Campus events Campus maps Career Services Central listing of course info Classifieds Conditional Drop/Add of Courses Course descriptions Deadlines Degree audit Department home pages Dining menus Direct deposit Directory Lookup Entertainment listings Estimated expenses Event ticket sales FAQs FCQs Fact of the day Financial aid app status Financial aid award status GPA calculator Grades Health insurance waiver Housing reservations ID Card info IM or Chat Internet File System I-vote Library content Library reserve Library record Math modules National News headlines Off campus housing search Parking permit Parking citation info & payment Personal Calendaring Picture of the day PIN number change Prepared links Print balance Professor home pages Purchase books from CU Bookstore Registration Schedules Schedule planner Scholarship app Scholarship news Search Skins SmartForce integration Sports updates Stops Student employment Student group activities Student government news Student survey Support links and info Student Profile Transcript request Telecom bill Tuition recalc Unofficial transcript Waitlists Weather WebCT WebMail

Student survey (1804 responses)– Services with most/least interest

Most: GPA CalculatorLeast: Housing reservations

– Information with most/least interestMost: Central listing of coursesLeast: IM or chat

Surprise: Students stressed focus on CU

Student focus groupsPrioritize by vote within Core TeamPrioritize by vote within Steering TeamPrioritize by feasibility within Tech Team


Portal Features PrioritizedPortal Features Prioritized

Main ACADEMICS FINANCIAL Student Life My PageSearch PLUS PLUS Student Employment Web Mail

Dept Pages Advising Billing & Pmt Events Course Schedule

Announcements GPA Calculator Student Services. Profile

Weather Course Info Financial Aid Campus News Calendar

FAQ Off Campus Housing Bookmarks

Portal Support Schedule Planner One-Time Pmt Registration E-Bill Library Two-Pmt Plan Academic Tools Direct Deposit Academic Record Health Insurance


Portal Features: Security(the one feature we all agreed upon)

Portal Features: Security(the one feature we all agreed upon)

Traffic encrypted

Secure Login– IdentiKey and password– Establish student profile via Directory

Pass through authentication(fewer signons)


CUConnect Portal PilotCUConnect Portal PilotCUConnect Pilot June, 2003


CUConnect CommunicationCUConnect Communication

Student Surveys – six surveys during prototype (frequency of use, info access, specific features, speed, value rankings of features and CUConnect)

EMail address for comments

General positive comments re features - throughout prototype

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100

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CUConnect CommunicationCUConnect Communication

Detailed Communication Plan

Monthly articles in ITS-campus newsletters

110 presentations campus-wide understanding


CUConnect MarketingCUConnect MarketingTargeted email to specific deployment groups (Residence Halls & Colleges/Schools)

Table tents and posters in target areas

One campus-wide announcement in “Buff Bulletin”

Press release in student and Boulder newspaper

Reference on home page

….word of mouth ever since

Next: introduction with orientation, ememos, references on labs, kiosks, and popular websites, encouragement from schools/colleges.


CUConnect Time LineCUConnect Time LineSeptember, 2002 Project Commissioned

November, 2002 Project Team Formed

Jan. – May, 2003 Design & Development

May – June, 2003 Design, Testing

June – August, 2003 Prototype Testing

Aug., 2003 – Jan., 2004 Development & Testing

Jan. 21 – Feb. 2, 2004 Release to ResHalls

February 9, 2004 Arch, Ed, Leeds, Music

February 16, 2004 Campus-wide release

Today 44 items on “to do” list


Challenge outcomesChallenge outcomesChallenges

– Strong champions bring high visibility

– Tall & wide silos– Successes bring high

expectations– Mucking with culture

and all new technology– No dollars– No new staff

Outcomes– Fostered campus-wide

understanding & buy-in– Tall & wide representation– Successes bring strong

foundation & experience– Integrated cultural and

technical transformation– Student fee-funded– Highly talented, highly

motivated staff.


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9188

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Date

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Day Count

Total Count

CUConnect UsageCUConnect Usage

EMemo to Housing EMemo to Arch, Ed, Leeds, Music Grades availableBuff Bulletin & Press Release


CUConnect RatingsCUConnect Ratings

Survey Jan. 21 – March 8: 457 responsesHow do you like/rate CUConnect: 1.6 (where 1=Very high; 5=Very low)

401 of 457 gave a very high or high rating;8 rated it low; 3 rated it very low.

Favorite quote from survey:“This is Freaking GREAT!!! I can set this thing up to be my exclusive homepage with all the information and resources I will need!!! Someone deserves a big bonus or raise. Keep up

the great work!”


CUConnect Information ChannelsCUConnect Information ChannelsCustom channels:

– Student profile (Enterprise Directory queries)– Student Schedule, books & grades (SOAP calls to SIS)– Law School student schedule & exam number – Advising links (personalized)

Web Proxy channels:– Academic Calendar, Catalogs, Ask Ralphie– Boulder weather, CU Images, WebCam

JA-SIG clearinghouse channels:– Announcements (targeted)– Academic, Financial & Student Services links– Student employment

RSS News – (CU, Health & Wellness, Student Gov’t, Int’l Ed, Housing, Career

& Internship, ITS, schools & colleges)


CUConnect Service ChannelsCUConnect Service ChannelsCustom Channels

– Student Poll– Course Lookup & Schedule Planner– GPA calculator

Web Proxy Channels– CU Search

JA-SIG Clearinghouse channels– WebCT (single signon)– Personal bookmarks

Inline Frame– PLUS transactions (single signon, separate time out)– Personal calendaring (single signon)

WebMail (separate signon)


CUConnect – next...CUConnect – next...On-Line bill pay (summer deadline)Static bill view (summer deadline)Campus Events Calendar (July)Centralized course information (August)Libraries channel (August)Account managementStudent File SystemFinancial Aid applications (October window)uPortal upgrade

…and much much more


CUConnect DemoCUConnect Demohttps://cuconnect.colorado.edu


Portal Project ContactsPortal Project ContactsCUConnect Web Site:https://cuconnect.colorado.edu

Project Web Site:http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/portalproject/

Project Manager: Paula J. [email protected]

Web Communications Director: Malinda [email protected]

Technical Lead: Gary [email protected]

CU images from www.colorado.edu/Publications/pdb/index.htmlRoundtable picture source: Philip S. Jennings, Medieval Legends. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1983, p.123

they said “go for it!” – now what? university of colorado at boulder’s cuconnect...the...

Documents

student portal project

comprehensive student

student requirements

campuses boulder

student life

student survey

detailed project work

director of financial