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September 2001
ACADEMIC COMPUTING AND COMPUTING SUPPORT SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS
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| Partnership between
the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and Computing and Communications
Progressing
Executive Vice Chancellor David H. Warren
recently created UCR's Center for Teaching Excellence (the current
Director is Economics Professor Susan Carter). C&C is partnering
with CTE on a substantial number of initiatives, including the joint
sponsorship of various workshops, seminars, short courses, etc.
Included in the Fall 2001 offering are Teaching in Large Classrooms
(panel discussion), several Blackboard workshops, short presentations
on new classroom technology, etc. The partnership has been well
received by the campus.
Campus Multimedia Production and Instruction Facility to come
on-line Fall 2001
Various events are planned to introduce
the facility to the faculty and students. This is a "state of the
art" production and teaching environment featuring primarily Apple
hardware with various multimedia peripherals and software.
C&C to Partner with new Physics Faculty to Bring up Super Computer
C&C will be partnering with Dr. Gary Zank
from Physics to bring up a Beowulf supercomputer. C&C will be providing
system administration expertise and space. Faculty are already seeking
research funds to explore the possibility of "linking" Beowulf systems
(and bartering CPU cycles) via 10 GB Ethernet.
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COMMUNICATIONS HIGHLIGHTS
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| UCR Achieves Tremendous Success in Public /
Private Network Expansion
Via a partnership between the VCA and C&C,
UCR's network backbone has been extended to two new OFF-CAMPUS student
apartment complexes. This brings the number of these public / private
partnerships to three. The agreement calls for the private partners
to acquire and install electronics, fiber, and copper mirroring
campus standards. Under the terms of a "Memo of Understanding",
C&C runs the network as if it were an on-campus residence hall.
Wireless Network will be Promoted to Students during the Fall
2001 Quarter
T-shirts, pencils, and an article in the
student newspaper will mark the roll out UCR's wireless network
this fall.
Nortel / Symbol 802.11A Wireless Products to be Evaluated
C&C will be working with Nortel / Symbol
to evaluate 802.11A products (among the items to be evaluated will
be co-existence of 802.11B and 802.11A wireless networks in the
same space as well as any improved security associated with the
802.11A products).
Communications Interim Planning Standards Document under Review
C&C's recently introduced Interim Communications
Planning Standards Document has been used to produce network budgets
for two buildings that recently came on-line. While the effort still
had some difficulties, the document did succeed in bringing some
"order" to the process of outfitting new buildings with networks
that meet a minimum campus standard.
JOG Study on Campus New Building / Major Renovation Network
Funding would be welcome
Given the current State budget and the
number of new buildings coming on-line during the next 5 to 8 years,
a JOG sponsored review of network funding for new buildings would
be most welcome. The analysis would include the following: 1. How
are inside & outside cable plant and network electronics budgeted
for new buildings / major remodels?; and 2. How are these items
paid for (state building funds, recharge funds, other campus funds)
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COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURITY HIGHLIGHTS
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| C&C
is Piloting Web Mail Systems for Potential FY 01/02 Deployment
C&C has brought up 2 web mail systems and
is evaluating these products for potential deployment to campus.
The two products are Mirpoint and Sendmail (both are commercial
products providing support, products enhancements, etc.). The Sendmail
web client is Mailspinner.
C&C / Nortel VPN Partnership being Explored
With the goal of providing a robust level
of security for campus network applications (especially VoIP and
wireless), C&C is working with Nortel on evaluating a scalable,
easy to manage & maintain VPN solution.
Campus Citrix Server Now Available and
Campus use of Corp Time (Calendaring System) Expanding.
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CLIENT SERVER COMPUTING HIGHLIGHTS
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| Encumbrance Accounting
in Production
Encumbrance accounting within the PeopleSoft
application came on-line 7/1/2001. The system presents encumbrance
balances by purchase order number. The system will be expanded to
provide encumbrance information by work order (for campus feeder
systems) within the upcoming fiscal year.
Excel Based Reporting Tool VERY Successful and Already Expanded
Computing and Communications recently released
a new Microsoft Excel based query and financial reporting tool.
The system makes SQL calls from within Excel to the financial system
and payroll data marts (using Visual Basic for Applications) and
combines the data into an Excel based report. The product is known
as the Enterprise Reporting System. Phase I included Appropriated
Funds Expense Analysis (especially for extramural funds). The application
has been VERY well received by the campus. New reports have already
been released that produce simple and complex "P&Ls" (for self supporting
and auxiliary enterprises). The complex "P&Ls" include fund equity
balances. C&C is now partnering with the VCA to develop a budgeting
tool using the ERS development paradigm. Computerized Maintenance
Management System (CMMS) now Includes WEB based Estimates. The campus
CMMS system, already a best of breed application for higher education
Physical Plant operations, now has a web based estimating tool.
The system allows the campus to submit requests for estimates that
are electronically processed by Physical Plant staff. Users can
review the proposed costs on line and accept the "bid", which creates
work orders for appropriate crews to begin work.
UCR Continues to Investigate a PeopleSoft Human Resources Implementation
UCR is continuing to investigate a possible
PeopleSoft HR implementation. The working group includes participation
from Human Resources, Academic Personnel, and Computing and Communications.
The group will shortly complete a document outlining the project's
SCOPE and IMPLEMENTATION PHASES, the COMPELLING REASONS for PURSUING
an HRIS, and the ESTIMATED COSTS OF IMPLEMENTATION. The document
should be completed within 60 days.
COEUS Presentation Rescheduled
Due to the unfortunate tragedies in New
York and Washington, the UCR COEUS presentation was rescheduled.
The new date is October 17th. All JOG members or their representatives
are invited.
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OTHER
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| Efforts
Continue to Rebuild C&C After tragic Loss of AVC Sautter
Although it has been almost two years since
UCR lost Associate Vice Chancellor for Computing and Communications
Larry Sautter, efforts are still continuing to rebuild the organization.
Recent C&C hires include the Chief Financial and Administrative
Officer, the lead Financial Analyst, the Director of Communications,
the Director of Client Server Computing, and C&C's Communications
Planner. Senior positions still to be hired include a network security
analyst and a lead project manager.
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