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Information Resources Strategic Plan for 2000-2005
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Table 1: Goals, Objectives and Strategies
| Item | Description |
| UHD IR Goal #1 | Management and Planning: Provide leadership and vision in the strategic and practical application of technology within the university. Provide management of information technology projects that ensures project status is tracked and projects are addressed based on priority. Encourage the infusion of technology into all functional components in order to maximize productivity and effectiveness. Work closely with university leadership to promote opportunities for strategic use of technology. Maintain the division’s financial planning and management efforts. Improve communication. Manage user’s expectations to reflect available resources. Facilitate university-planning activities by helping to define technology resource requirements and set priorities based on available resources. Maintain university wide technology standards to improve efficiency and reduce support costs |
| Objective #1 | Continue to implement formal project management and quality assurance processes. |
| Strategy #1 | Assess project status on an ongoing basis and maintain current projects list. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Maintain clear timelines and areas of responsibility for projects and objectives. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to implement metrics, and establish additional criteria to measure effectiveness of services and processes within information resources. | |
| Action Item #1 | Continue to refine a formal project management structure for information resources projects. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Clearly define project teams that include users and information resources personnel as well as university administration as appropriate. | |
| Objective #2 | Provide an environment, which allows the university to take advantage of future technological opportunities. |
| Strategy #2 | Evaluate ongoing and anticipated technological advances and opportunities. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Provide the infrastructure, support and tools which will: 1) allow for the academic community to implement progressive educational enhancements and alternative classroom models, as well as have ready access to networks, on-line periodicals and other electronic media; and 2) provide the administrative and academic components of the university with opportunities to participate in new innovations in automation such as electronic messaging and forms, automation and real-time data retrieval from the desktop. | |
| Strategy #3 | Provide planning and policy direction and coordination for the application of technology. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to implement a planning process which includes ongoing evaluation and feedback, as well as regular updating and coordination with agency and state goals and objectives. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Establish policies and standards as appropriate, and provide university officials with information about policy implications relating to the application of technology. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Provide ready access to regulations, policies, standards and laws governing the use of technology. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Educate users about and enforce regulations, policies, standards and laws governing the use of technology. | |
| Strategy #4 | Maximize human resource utilization and commitment by continuing to refine organizational structure and empower employees. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to develop a competitive salary structure and viable growth path within the information resources division. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Provide employees at all levels with training and education that promotes individual growth and productivity. Develop skill sets in employees that will allow them to assume greater responsibility. | |
| Action Item #2 | Work with human resources to develop a goal oriented career growth plan for information resources personnel. |
| Objective #3 | Reduce administrative costs and protect technology investments. |
| Strategy #5 | Reduce costs of hardware and software. |
| Action Item #3 | Expand the in-house maintenance program for desktop equipment |
| IR Sub-strategy: Use creative maintenance programs such as hardware insurance plans and cooperative maintenance agreements. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to implement approved technology list. | |
| Action Item #4 | Publish and Maintain university wide hardware, software, and video standards. |
| Strategy #6 | Increase partnerships. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to develop corporate and agency partnerships which provide for opportunities such as exchanging use of facilities and resources for access to free commercial software and training. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Work with other components of the UH System to achieve economies of scale in purchases and exchange talents and resources as appropriate. | |
| Strategy #7 | Continue to promote a comprehensive, ongoing plan for maintaining and upgrading the agency’s technology investments. |
| Item | Description |
| UHD IR Goal #2 | Education and Support: Promote and increase support for faculty and staff involvement in re-engineering of instruction and administrative processes. Provide information, training and user support to foster effective and progressive implementation of technology. Establish an environment, which strongly supports collaborative efforts between information resources staff and end-users in addressing user needs. |
| Objective #4 | Provide support for re-engineering of instructional and administrative processes. |
| Strategy #8 | Establish a local support infrastructure to address new enterprise administrative application systems for UH System |
| Strategy #9 | Continue to offer university technology center support for faculty and staff in integrating technology in their instruction or administrative process and to support other innovative and strategic uses of technology. |
| Action Item #5 | Expand new instructional technology center with additional electronic classrooms |
| Objective #5 | Enhance web services for administrative and academic support. |
| Strategy #10 | Develop intranet services for internal use. |
| Action Item #6 | Purchase a second web server. |
| Action Item #7 | Transfer the appropriate local web based services to the intranet server. |
| Objective #6 | Improve user support. |
| Strategy #11 | Continue existing education and support services; review processes; modify and add additional services as appropriate to improve support and productivity. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to implement documentation standards; refine documentation-upgrading processes; offer on-line documentation. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to provide readily available user assistance in the central computing lab (lab assistants, full-time technical staff). Increase training of support staff and develop software specific experts for highly technical, frequently-used software. | |
| Action Item #8 | Continue to provide support for widely-used productivity software tools such as word processors, databases, spreadsheets and graphics applications in the central lab, and offer subject specific software as needed to support the curriculum. |
| Action Item #9 | Maintain the functionality of hardware and software within the university; update and distribute a list of supported software with levels and conditions of support indicated; provide access to public domain software, utilities and virus prevention software; continue to implement self paced computer based training. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Expand existing agency-wide help desk to offer more substantial application and report generation support for the integrated HR, Financial, and Student Records system. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to provide and improve services to facilitate users' efforts in their work (i.e. hardware/software needs evaluation and purchasing, hardware/software configuration, data conversion and recovery, technical support and troubleshooting, research support, curriculum enhancement with technology, work flow process automation, etc.) | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Expand existing training program consisting of instructor-led, hands-on training sessions, and library of video-, computer-, and text-based as well as on-line training materials. Expand the use of interactive video and audio technology; provide access to self paced development tools for web based and web supported courses | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Increase efforts to inform users about current and evolving technology and their application at UH-Downtown. Utilize Web resources, technology fairs, seminars, newsletters, fliers, and other methods. | |
| Strategy #12 | Expand and enhance access to library services. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Expand desktop access to University of Houston's centralized library catalog. | |
| Action Item #10 | Continue to increase access to automated Library system and electronic/CD based publications. |
| Action Item #11 | Continue to increase access to online library materials and resources. |
| Strategy #13 | Continue to evaluate evolving options for providing support in order to maximize productivity and performance as well as minimize costs (e.g. external help desk for online course after hours needs). |
| Objective #7 | Provide support and guidance for on line courses, course support, and environments for distance and a synchronous communication. |
| Strategy #14 | Develop support for online degree programs. |
| Action Item #12 | Design a course development model. |
| Action Item #13 | Design a course/degree support model. |
| Action Item #14 | Develop courses in partnership with faculty. |
| Strategy #15 | Provide generalized support for faculty who are developing online course materials or courses. |
| Objective #8 | Foster and assist with the infusion of technology into instructional delivery as well as the curriculum as appropriate. |
| Strategy #16 | Evaluate options for increasing the use of technology to enhance instructional delivery (i.e. additional computerized classrooms, open access as well as college- or department-based; video-equipped classrooms; distance education; virtual classroom concepts and other unique classroom models; supporting faculty authoring of teaching aids; etc.) |
| IR Sub-strategy: Evaluate the need for data and video transport capability during all future classroom designs. | |
| Action Item #15 | Continue to expand the program support and outreach activities in the Technology Teaching and Learning Center to promote instructional design and faculty development. |
| Objective #9 | Enhance needs assessment. |
| Strategy #17 | Continue needs assessment tools, and modify to increase validity of results. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to expand needs assessment efforts for users with special needs (such as users with disabilities). |
| Item | Description |
| UHD IR Goal #3 | Application Development and Production: Provide adaptable, efficient and appropriate automated solutions to administrative processes. Integrate financial aid system into the existing student records management system. Focus development efforts on implementation and enhancement of package solutions. Assist with acquisition and implementation of system-wide Financial, Human Resources, and Student Records software. Increase web access for administrative and academic applications. |
| Objective #10 | Improve automated financial aid system. |
| Strategy #18 | Support an online Financial Aid system. |
| Action Item #16 | Develop interfaces with external Financial Aid services. |
| Action Item #17 | Purchase and implement an online Financial Aid system with web based resources for students. |
| Objective #11 | Support student records system functions. |
| Strategy #19 | Improve processes in on-line registration. |
| Action Item #18 | Implement a process for reducing and then phasing out development in current student records system in preparation for transition to new Peoplesoft Student system. |
| Action Item #19 | Clearly define business practices related to student records system and evaluate alternatives for those not readily accomplished in Peoplesoft registration system. |
| Action Item #20 | Define reasonable processes for modification requests within the context of the system-wide integrated student records system. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to automate emerging legislative mandates TASP enforcement as appropriate when the context of a change in student records systems.. | |
| Strategy #20 | Increase self service support for student records system on and off campus |
| Strategy #21 | Provide data and reports to meet state reporting requirements. |
| Action Item #21 | Develop and produce state reports. |
| Action Item #22 | Post state mandated reports on the University’s website |
| Objective #12 | Improve access to centralized and statewide administrative applications. |
| Objective #13 | Reduce costs and improves efficiency of administrative workflow. |
| Strategy #22 | Automate form processing, approval and tracking for purchase orders, personnel action requests, etc. |
| Action Item #23 | Continue to implement and expand the use of the document imaging system. |
| Strategy #23 | Continue to automate distribution of institution-wide documents. |
| Strategy #24 | Continue decentralization of student record and financial system reporting requests and printing functions. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Develop integrated reporting/data warehousing system. |
| Item | Description |
| UHD IR Goal #4 | Technology/Infrastructure: Provide standard desktop technology and network infrastructure to effectively support information resources and agency goals. Focus efforts on appropriate implementation of advanced but proven technology and take measured steps toward highly sophisticated technology. Develop a centralized service request system. Provide the equipment, facilities, and support for instructional and administrative reengineering. Leverage private and public network to ensure close integration within the University of Houston system while allowing for better access to wide area network and external services. |
| Objective #14 | Continue to equip and maintain university technology center to support re-engineering of instructional and administrative processes. |
| Strategy #25 | Maintain and expand distance learning infrastructure and support environment. |
| Action Item #24 | Maintain and enhance infrastructure equipment that supports ITV and on-line courses (e.g. codecs, servers, routers, etc.) and the computers, infrastructure, and equipment in the technology center. |
| Objective #15 | Improve university communication infrastructure and its performance. |
| Strategy #26 | Upgrade campus network |
| Action Item #25 | Complete Phase I of Gigabit Internet technology into UHD network infrastructure. |
| Action Item #26 | Establish a high speed connection to networking cloud from a local provider. |
| Action Item #27 | Design mesh network topology for UHD. |
| Action Item #28 | Complete Phase I of the audio, video, and data network integration. |
| Action Item #29 | Implement software-based firewall at the router level |
| Action Item #30 | Begin to implement server and storage farm strategies for UHD servers. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Continue to review current and upcoming networking standards; study and maintain compliance with ISO/OSI standards; maintain TCP/IP protocol support. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Review current voice, data and video equipment and technology on campus; upgrade existing data transport infrastructure to take advantage of newer and more cost effective media and technology such as DSL and cable based network access. | |
| Objective #16 | Develop the environment to support Peoplesoft enterprise applications. |
| Strategy #27 | Provide infrastructure to support a tightly integrated three-tier client server based enterprise wide application environment. |
| Action Item #31 | Review current capabilities of the existing system wide infrastructure. |
| Action Item #32 | Upgrade or acquire new servers. |
| Action Item #33 | Upgrade network bandwidth between University components. |
| Objective #17 | Continue to provide access to up-to-date standardized desktop hardware and software to all full time faculty and staff. Standard e-mail and document sharing will be key components. |
| Strategy #28 | Implement university-wide desktop technology continuity plan which will include regular upgrades of standard software (including standard e-mail) and hardware on a scheduled basis university wide. (ongoing) |
| Objective #18 | Continue to improved computing performance of centralized computing and lab (ongoing) |
| Strategy #29 | Continue to upgrade hardware and software of computers in the central lab. (ongoing) |
| Action Item #34 | Implement automated or AI-based tuning management tools for network, operating systems, and databases. |
| Objective #19 | Establish system-wide performance metrics for network operations. |
| Objective #20 | Continue centralized management and support as well as decentralized functional computing as appropriate. |
| Strategy #30 | Increase implementation of distributed computing and server-based technology. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Evaluate and replace stand alone software packages with network-based software as appropriate | |
| Objective #21 | Improve security and formalize disaster recovery plans. |
| Strategy #31 | Continue information security and risk management evaluation, and continue to comply with DIR risk management guidelines as resources allow. |
| Strategy #32 | Improve disaster recovery plans. Maintain the back-up and recovery plan, which enables IR major applications functions to continue in the event of a disaster. |
| Action Item #35 | Review current back-up and recovery plans and procedures. Review and enhance software back-up plans and off-site storage procedures. |
| Action Item #36 | Continue to coordinate efforts with other campuses to identify back-up hardware and software support. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Test and review Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan regularly; update plan as needed. | |
| Objective #22 | Participate in and establish parameters as appropriate for college- and department-based computing endeavors in order to facilitate continuity within the computing infrastructure at UH-Downtown. |
| Strategy #33 | Work with colleges and departments to facilitate communication about emerging computing opportunities. Participate in related planning, and identify impact factors. |
| Item | Description |
| UHD IR Goal #5 | Partnerships: Cultivate mutually beneficial agency, community and business partnerships |
| Objective #23 | Build partnerships within the agency, within the UH System, and with other organizations. |
| Strategy #34 | Pursue grant opportunities within Information Resources and in conjunction with other departments or groups. |
| Strategy #35 | Involve information resources staff at all levels in building partnership opportunities. Encourage information resources staff to network with other professionals in related fields, not only in order to gain information, but also to learn about partnering opportunities. |
| IR Sub-strategy: Coordinate with other UH System components to identify individuals and teams who are involved in similar processes within their respective IR organizations. Utilize the people and teams who are doing the work to identify partnerships that may be beneficial in their areas. | |
| IR Sub-strategy: Identify for IR staff, opportunities to participate in relevant computing societies, software-specific users' groups, computer training organizations, quality-promoting associations and various forums, and investigate opportunities to participate in bulletin board services and exchange libraries such as ISAAC (the Information System for Advanced Academic Computing) and CAUSE. Encourage employees to cultivate relationships that may lead to valuable alliances or other partnerships. | |
| Objective #24 | Build on existing partnerships between UH-Downtown and various community and business organizations as appropriate, and identify new partnering initiatives. |
| Strategy #36 | Work with the Office of Institutional Advancement, as well as employees in other areas who are involved in existing partnerships, to investigate the appropriateness and viability of the involvement of information resources. Evaluate potential "spin-off" partnerships as well. |
| Strategy #37 | Maintain relationships with organizations that we are partnering with currently or have in the past and cultivate new or expansion opportunities. |
| Strategy #38 | Initiate new partnerships. |
| Category | Brief Summary/Overview |
| IR Priority Setting | Within the context of
a new system wide integrated Student, Human Resources, and Financial
system a new high level priority setting structure and new processes
need to be put in place. They will need to be defined such that administrative
overhead and other complications are not introduced in such a way
as to impede progress and support at the local level. Current local
priority setting will continue to follow existing practices as follows:
1) Overall university direction and priority setting occurs at the university leadership level, but takes into account the interests and needs that are defined in the bottom up unit planning process described above and through other means. 3) Technology related needs which are high priorities of specific colleges or departments are, in some cases, implemented by those components. Specific funds are supplied to each college to address such needs (based on evaluation within the unit planning process). Efforts are made by IR management to participate in these plans and include them in the long range information resources planning documents in order to enhance communication and coordination of efforts, and to ensure adherence to IR standards. Some degree of ongoing support is usually provided by the information resources division, after the original commitment is made by the individual college or department. 4) Setting priorities for specific administrative development projects is a practice which occurs during user group meetings. A master list is maintained, and the group members determine the order in which projects are addressed. The group membership includes the head of each major user group area (i.e. Dean of Student affairs, Director of Enrollment Services, Financial Aid Manager, Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs, Dean of University College, Director of Institutional Research and Reporting) and Information Resources leadership (i.e. CIO, Projects and Planning Director) and application development personnel (manager of Application Development). The meetings are also open to anyone else who is interested in attending. 5) The IR division provides leadership in setting university wide technology standards and policies as well as implementation guidelines. In line with the current performance-based funding, UH-Downtown information resource planning efforts are formalized and integrated. Efforts are continuing to increase the involvement of academic and administrative advisory committees in providing input and reviewing information resource planning documents. |
| IR Planning Methodology | 1) The university has
implemented university-wide unit based planning processes, which allow
each unit to define its priorities and identify collaborative opportunities.
A university planning council works in close cooperation with the
president and vice presidents to evaluate the goals of each unit and
set priorities.
2) UH-Downtown information resources staff members routinely analyze and evaluate a) usage statistics and results of other measurement tools; b) input from faculty, students and administrators (via needs assessment questionnaires, communications from the instructional and administrative computing advisory committees and student records implementation team, and communications from deans, chairs, and other department administrators, as well as user groups and individual end-users); and c) information derived from investigations of current technological opportunities and applicable, effective implementations of technology in other organizations. 3) Information resource plans are drafted by IR management and approved by the Vice President for Administration and CFO as well as the President. 4) Regular comparisons and reviews of existing planning documents within the organization are conducted and used in conjunction with the aforementioned analyses and evaluations to guide the direction of technology and to recommend priorities. This information is provided to and reviewed by top administrative representatives to determine ultimate priorities and funding. UH System and Board of Regents approval is sought when applicable. |
| Operating Systems | UHD is moving away from
VMS as its standard administrative operating environment, in favor
of Unix and NT. Unix and NT have also been established as the standard
operating environment for the system-wide Peoplesoft Student, Human
Resources, and Financial system. Desktop functions are supported by
PC based systems in an integrated environment which provides for document
transfer and electronic mail support. However, Macintosh
systems for staff and faculty desktop support have been largely phased
out.
Academic operating system standards are selected to meet instructional computing needs. These standards are coordinated with administrative computing in order to reduce maintenance and support. Currently, the operating systems supported include VMS, UNIX, Windows95, Windows2000, NT, and Macintosh. During the next few years, we anticipate reducing the number of operating systems supported to one or two platforms. Operating system and communications standards are developed and recommended by technical services staff (within IR) and are then approved by IR and agency management. Local information resource management continues to work with the technical services units in coordinating efforts with other campuses to study the implementation of open architecture and to determine future operating system standards. |
| Development Methodology | The university follows the system development lifecycle methodology. It implements separation of environments, change control, table and form ownership restrictions with owner access control, security and back-up practices and controlled test environments. |
| Software Audit and Management | Through the university's Desktop Project, standard hardware and software are provided to faculty and staff university-wide. This allows for centralized control of standard software applications. Licensing audits are conducted annually and include licensing in the centrally managed computing facilities. The responsible college and/or department manage licenses for college and department based labs. |
| Quality Assurance Practices | Formal QA processes have
been put in place to assure successful implementation of information
resource projects. The Office of Technology Planning and Projects
serves as an independent quality assurance unit within information
resources.
Most of the quality assurance practices identified in the DIR guidelines are already in use at UH-Downtown. However the university plans to fully implement them as resources allow during FY2000. The university incorporates the seven guidelines for quality assurance outlined in the Information Resource Management Act through its project management processes. The office of Technology Planning and Projects to evaluate the status of information resources projects in this regard conducts a quarterly project assessment. |
| E-Government | The university is developing an e-commerce plan which will address specific goals and strategies for receiving electronic forms and payments via the Internet. This plan is scheduled for completion in October 2000. The university currently accepts transcripts and administrative applications on-line. Several other e-commerce projects are also under evaluation or development including electronic funds transfer for financial aid and electronic placement test scoring. E-commerce activities associated with the major administrative applications (Finance, HR, and Student Records) will be developed in coordination with the system wide implementation of the PeopleSoft integrated system. |
| Change Control | For local systems, change
control and configuration management are coordinated by our user support
group and implemented through our application development and operating
system support teams.
For enterprise systems that are not locally managed, the university system must develop procedures for change control and configuration management that will appropriately facilitate the needs of each of the component universities as the new PeopleSoft enterprise systems are implemented. This will be a complicated task given the differing service priorities of the independent student service operations at each campus. |
| Security | The campus police department
provides the physical security of computing environments on the UH-Downtown
campus with input from information resources management. The technical
services units, in conjunction with the administrative security officer
and user support services maintain and enforce system security. Regulations,
policies and laws regarding security are reviewed regularly by information
resources staff, and are distributed to end-users. Enforcement is
strongly supported by campus administration.
The university has taken steps to improve physical and electronic security and plans to continue strengthening these areas. The information resources component at UH-Downtown completed several evaluations in the past few years, with the most recent taking place in fiscal year 99. Information resources will continue to seek additional ways to meet the DIR security regulations and will take progressive steps within its resources to comply with the requirements. |
| Geographic Information Systems | Not Applicable |
| Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Planning | The university has developed an extensive Disaster Recovery and Business Contingency Plans for its locally managed major administrative systems. The plan was updated and tested in FY99. Disaster Recovery and Business Contingency Plans for the centrally managed PeopleSoft systems will be coordinated by UH System. We will work with UH-System in evaluating the potential for use of the West Texas Disaster Recovery Operations Center or the Austin Disaster Recovery Operations Center. |
| Resource Use | The university publishes formal policies regarding the use of computing resources. The policies are updated on a regular basis, and significant effort is made to insure that users have access to them. Procedures are also in place for responding to violations of these policies. Enforcement of university policies is strongly supported by campus administration. The university adheres to standards for videoconferencing as adopted in TAC 201.16. The UH System videoconferencing standards are available at www.dt.uh.edu/infotech/cvn.html |
| Contract/Consultant | Rather than training existing staff to provide short-term, specialized skills such as those required conducting specialized programming, the information resources division periodically brings in consulting services and implements package solutions. All contract services are bid and awarded in a manner consistent with written UH-Downtown and UH System policies and procedures. |
| Information Sharing | The university continues to support information sharing through implementing standard document exchange interfaces. The university adheres to UH-Downtown and UH System policies and practices with regard to open records and follows federal and local requirements for information privacy (FERPA, etc.). |
| Training and Continuing Education | The IR group recognizes
education and training as high level priorities for its continued
success in delivering services and support with its limited personnel.
Skilled personnel are necessary not only in the data center, but end-user
departments as well. In addition to providing training programs and
end-user consulting for staff, faculty and students, the information
resources division regularly analyzes staff training requirements
and identifies and prioritizes them during the unit planning process.
Utilizing the train the trainer concept, the IR group continues to
rely on a network of users to assist colleagues in their areas with
basic training and support.
Required areas of expertise are defined by evaluating existing skills as well as available auxiliary support resources, such as faculty expertise. Optimum support levels are determined based on established priorities, usage statistics and other measures, characteristics of target audiences (i.e. number of users who will benefit) and anticipated acquisitions. Within this context, training plans for staff are established within each organizational unit. Furthermore, rather than training existing staff to provide short-term, specialized skills, the information resources division periodically brings in consulting services and implements package solutions. Other practices regarding staff training include making arrangements with academic departments to allow information resources staff to audit relevant courses; encouraging staff to participate in professional organizations and user groups, particularly those that offer relevant seminars and other educational and growth opportunities; and hosting training seminars in academic computing facilities, providing software and equipment in exchange for free training of information resources staff. A training profile is maintained for each employee in his/her department files. Training plans are developed by managers for their staff in Information Resources, and are based on skill needs and emerging standards. Current training needs include PeopleSoft, network security administration, project management, SQL, database administration, system design, network management, instructional technology, and video communications. |
| Data Center Operations | The university does not at this time have plans for migration to the West Texas Disaster Recovery and Operations Center for data center operations. However, disaster, recovery for the centrally managed UH System Administrative applications is being coordinated by UH System. We will work with UH System in evaluation of potential use for the West Texas Disaster Recovery and Operations Center. |
| Category |
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Capacity/
Size/Count |
Descriptive Information |
| Minicomputer | Alpha 4100 | DEC OpenVMS 7.1 | Oracle 7.3 |
1
|
Administrative |
| Minicomputer | Alpha 4100 | DEC Digital Unix 4.0d | Oracle 8.1.5 |
1
|
Academic Unix |
| Minicomputer | Alpha 400/233 | DEC Digital Unix 3.2d | NA |
1
|
Administrative Unix |
| Central LAN Servers | PC | Windows NT Server 4.0 | Sybase |
25
|
Financial Aid, Help Desk, file and print services, central desktop services, etc. |
| Central LAN Servers | PC | Novell Netware 4.1 | NA |
1
|
Academic labs |
| Remote LAN Servers |
None
|
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| Central LAN Clients | PC | Windows 95 | NA |
1800
|
Desktop systems |
| Remote LAN Client | PC | Windows95 | NA |
1000+
|
Dial-up systems |
| WAN Server | NA | NA |
3
|
Mail server | |
| WAN Server | Web | NA | NA |
10
|
Web server |
| WAN Server | DNS | NA | NA |
2
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DNS server |
| Standalone PC | PC | Windows 95 | NA |
25
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Misc. |
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| Database Name | BANNER Student Database System |
| Database Description | A vendor package developed by SCT mainly to contain the UHD student information. Contains shared application use by all University staffs and faculties who enter and query student data in a daily basis. |
| Database System | ORACLE 7.1.x database. |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 40GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | Shared by all academic departments, colleges, student affairs, and business and accounting office. Used at remote campus sites. Used to generate reports prepared for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
| Future | Will be upgrade to ORACLE 8 based on the application version and develop web interface. |
ency Databases
| Database Name | POWERFAIDS Student Financial System |
| Database Description | A vendor package is mainly use by the Student Financial Aids Office to maintain student financial application information. |
| Database System | SYSBASE database |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 2GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | The Student Financial Aid Office mainly uses data only. In-house process has been developed to upload/download data between the Student BANNER ORACLE database. |
| Future | Will be upgraded according to the Student Financial Aids regulation set by the federal and state agency and develop web interface. |
Agency Databases
| Database Name | ACCUPLACER Placement Test System |
| Database Description | A vendor package is used for student placement testing. The database is maintained by University of College and various academic advisors maintain the database. Primarily using a vendor produced Internet based system, with local LAN copy as a backup. |
| Database System | Vendor specific |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 2GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | Continue migration to web based system. |
| Database Name | Support Magic |
| Database Description | A vendor package used by Information Resources to log and track calls online (including assignment to appropriate staff). It is also used by Physical Plant to log calls and assign them to appropriate staff. |
| Database System | Sybase |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 4 GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | Shared by Physical Plant department. |
| Future | Implement the web module. |
| Database Name | Document Imaging |
| Database Description | A vendor package is mainly used by Admissions and Records to scan all students' records for later access online |
| Database System | Centura/SQL, MS/SQL |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 40 GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | Shared by University College, Admissions and Records, and Financial Aid |
| Future | Convert to more stable system and expand usage university-wide. |
| Database Name | ID System |
| Database Description | Vendor developed program that allows the information center to create picture Ids for students, faculty and staff. |
| Database System | MS Access |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 4GIG |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | N/A |
| Database Name | SAMS (Student Account Management System) |
| Database Description | In-house developed program that allows students to create Unix accounts on their own. |
| Database System | Oracle |
| Estimated Physical Storage Requirements | 10MB |
| GIS Data Classification | N/A |
| Sharing | University wide access for all students. |
| Future | N/A |
| Application Name | Student Records System (BANNER version 3.2) |
| Application Description | Agency overall student records system including
on-line Admissions,
Scheduling, Advising, Student billing, and Academic history. |
| Database System | ORACLE, VAX Alpha 2100, PC |
| Development Language | ORACLE Form, Pro*C, Pro*COBOL, Developer 2000 |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | Will upgrade to BANNER 4.0 |
cy Applications
Agency Applications
| Application Name | Faculty Evaluation System |
| Application Description | Provide for scanning of faculty evaluation and producing of comparison reports. |
| Database System | ORACLE |
| Development Language | Pro*COBOL, ORACLE Forms |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | Will be upgraded as needed. |
Agency Applications
| Application Name | Voice Response System (version 2.1.21) |
| Application Description | Provides support for telephone registration, telephone grade reporting, telephone payment |
| Database System | EPOS,ORACLE |
| Development Language | Firstline, ORACLE Form |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | Implement Admission module, Upgrade to version 4.0 |
Agency Applications
| Application Name | Grade Scanning System |
| Application Description | Provides for scanning of student grades, and updates student records database |
| Database System | ORACLE |
| Development Language | Pro*COBOL, ORACLE Form |
| Sharing | N/A |
| Future | Will be upgraded as needed. |
| Application Name | WebCT |
| Application Description | Vendor developed program used as a premier online course development solution. It offers all-in-one package of course tools for web delivery. Features include a calendar, grade book, testing utility, message board, email, and online chat. |
| Database System | Vendor specific |
| Development Language | Vendor specific and CGI scripts |
| Sharing | Several faculty and students access and use the system. |
| Future | Upgrade to latest version |
| Physical Storage | 20 GIG |
Table 6: Interagency Data Needs
| List | Information from student records systems of UH System components. |
| Obstacles | Each UH System component universities utilizes different student records systems and there are not common data elements or data definitions in these systems.. |
| Needed Assistance | With the implementation of the PeopleSoft student records system cooperation between the UH system component universities will be necessary. |