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September 2004
ACADEMIC COMPUTING AND COMPUTING SUPPORT SERVICES HIGHLIGHTS |
Anti-Plagiarism Software Pilot -Two software implementations of plagiarism detection software are to be piloted in the Fall: SafeAssignment and Turnitin. Both products integrate with our learning management system, Blackboard to allow instructors to directly incorporate assignments within their course without having to go to an external site. A head-to-head comparison coupled with a limited faculty evaluation pool will help determine which product will be a candidate for a campus-wide site-license.
iTeach, Rollout of Instructional Technology Resource Website – The first version of a new instructional technology resource to support faculty will be rolled out in the Fall. Geared to help faculty deal with the many instructional issues of teaching, the site will provide tips, techniques and other resources to aid in their teaching especially in the large classroom. Tutorials and other multimedia resources will be available.
iLearn (BlackBoard) System Major Hardware Upgrade – iLearn continues to experience robust growth and adoption throughout the campus. The increased use of the system as a communication tool, a pedagogical enhancement and an administrative adjunct has lead to novel uses of the present system requiring upgrading with additional CPUs and extra file storage. The administration is beginning to see this system as a vital component in the focused distribution of personalized content to individual students, as well as the student body as a whole.
Xythos “Universal” File System Pilot to Begin Soon – This new content management system is slated to become available to faculty sometime during the Fall or Winter Quarter. Increased digital storage requirements from research faculty have reached the point where faculty wish to have increased control of their digital assets. They desire to control and limit access to these resources while still having versioning flexibility. Coupled with digital rights management and a future image database system, we see this system receiving increased utilization in the near future. |
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Statistics/Computer Building Gets New UPS and Planned Generator in Support of Internet2 Backbone Upgrade - A new 130 kVA UPS was installed last September to support the main computer room in the Statistics/Computing building. This brought the latest technology in backup power on line to support both computing and network resources in this facility. We are currently in the late planning stages for the installation of an emergency diesel AC generator for the entire Statistics-Computer building. This will provide a very high level of protection for both business and safety resources housed in this facility. The new generator will provide emergency power for many mission critical devices including Internet2 backbone hardware and an emergency telephone switch.
NEC Digital Telephone System Update - In March we replaced an Alcatel PBX with a new NEC IPX 2400. At that time we moved all campus services running on the Alcatel system to the NEC except for the Residence Halls. Between March and July we also moved approximately 70% of desktops being served by our Mitel PBXs to the NEC. This removed one complete MITEL controller from the picture. This Summer, in what could be called a forced-march roll out, we are moving service in the Residence Halls to the NEC system. This involves expansion of the system installed in March as well as the installation of a remote node in the Pentland area of the Res-Hall complex. Over the next 18 months we will remove all Merlin systems from campus by replacing those services with digital phones connected to the NEC system. We expect to also move the remaining Mitel services in this same time frame. The NEC PBX has IP Telephony capabilities. We plan to trunk our new Heckmann Center in Palm Desert into the campus PBX using IP trunking. We also plan to pilot desk top IP phones when we find an appropriate location.
Campus Wireless Data Network Update – We currently have 235 access points installed with 10 more that will be on-line by next week. We have 23 more access-points on order for the General Assignment Classrooms project that we plan to have on-line by the start of the 2004-2005 school year. Additional access points have been installed in Family Housing and we have repositioned antennas to improve wireless coverage. We continue to have difficulties with rogue access-points. Wireless VLAN roaming is being investigated so the flat net can be broken up to improve performance and prevent total wireless network outages.
Successful Implementation of New Telephone Prefix and Area Code – On July 17th the campus area code changed from 909 to 951. At the same time we made a long-planned move to the new 827 prefix, as well. UCR owns the 827 prefix which spells out UCR and had only partially used it. The expectation is that over time, Residence hall services will move to 787, while campus business phones remain on 827. At this time, this division has not been made. Between now and October, the PSTN is providing for permissive dialing between 909 and 951, while the campus phone staff are providing for the same service between 787 and 827 calls. In October, both 951 AND 827 will become mandatory.
Data Network Renewal and Replacement Update - R&R is currently in the planning stages. This year's plans include additional buildings being upgraded from 100 MBs to gig to the core, upgrade for critical network services (for example www, email) with redundant gig connections, continue implementation of layer 3 at building entries, and improved network monitoring and outage/problem notifications.
New Packet Shaping Device Evaluation – Product evaluation criteria and testing models are nearly completed. Product bid/testing to follow soon. |
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CENTER FOR VISUAL COMPUTING HIGHLIGHTS |
UCCSC Event a Success – UCR was proud to host the 2004 University of California, Computing Services Conference. We had nine of the ten campuses attend as well as UCOP representatives. The theme this year was Fast Forward: UC IT 2010 and we focused on the future of the technology and how all of the UC’s are using that technology. You can view a list of presenters as well as their presentation material online at: http://uccsc.ucr.edu/index.php?content=presentations.php .
Modified iEvals System Used for 1st Faculty Evaluation Pilot –Our iEval System has been modified to allow the survey administrators to create their own evaluation form. This has made it possible for other departments to easily adapt their paper form to an online evaluation. This summer, the Sociology department used it to evaluate their professors. Eight professors agreed to participate and we had 140 students out of 395 (35.4%) students fill out the evaluations. |
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ADMINISTRATIVE COMPUTING HIGHLIGHTS |
Credit Card Processing Update – Since implementation in May, we have added American Express to the list of credit cards being accepted. We have processed over 850 credit card transactions for a total of over $430,000.
New Student Self Service – The following student services are under consideration for the web:
- A comprehensive hold display which will advise the students of all holds including registration holds, transcript holds, and financial aid holds. The process will include links to instructions for clearing the individual types of holds.
- Version 2 of the Financial Aid Award letter, including comprehensive revision processing.
- Official Transcript request. Since Official Transcripts must be paid for, credit card payments will be accepted for the request.
- Printer friendly final grade report. Students will be able to print their own grade report from the web, eliminating the need for printing and mailing the final grade report.
Selective Admissions/Comprehensive Review – Currently under development is a robust system to automate the Comprehensive Review process necessary for Selective Admissions of Undergraduates. The system is designed to “look at applicants in a comprehensive manner and utilize a variety of measures of achievement.”
Course Plan Submission as Part of Student Advising – We are designing a process for students to submit a course plan to be approved by their advisors as a requirement for registration. It will be flexible enough to require or waive the requirement based on a tailorable set of business rules. |
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MULTIMEDIA TECHNOLOGIES GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
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General Assignment Classroom Enhancements Continue:
- Single Point of Control (SPOC)
IP-based Multimedia Controllers are being installed in all GA classrooms for FALL quarter. Extron System-5 IP provides a single point of control for all classrooms multimedia. It also provides the ability to monitor, secure and control the system remotely via IP. Email alerts are sent when the projector lamp hours exceed a comfortable level, when faculty press a button configured for “help”, and when a projector gets disconnected. Email alerts are sent directly to cell phones of the multimedia staff-person on-call.
- Wireless in All GA Rooms
We have been working diligently to increase wireless coverage across inside and outside general meeting areas. This summer we have been working on taking wireless to every GA classroom. Faculty and student can easily walk into GA classrooms and rely on the convenience of wireless connections.
- Help Phones in All GA Rooms
In combination with the Single Point of Control, we are also installing phones in every GA classroom. When faculty have difficulty using the technology in the classroom, they can press a special help button and immediately a multimedia staff-person will call that classroom’s line to assist. This provides immediate assistance to faculty, any time of the day or night.
- UCR Classroom Technology has a new support page that allows instructors to visit all GA classrooms virtually, and learn about the installed technology. http://classrooms.ucr.edu
Audience Response System Pilot - We have begun a pilot deployment of the H-ITT audience response systems in general assignment classrooms. This infra-red response system provides faculty with the tools to conduct spontaneous assessment and get general student feedback by polling “the audience”. It includes instructor software for instant grading and control. Student hand-held transmitter ID’s are registered with their student ID’s in order to participate in courses using the audience response systems.
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STUDENT COMPUTING HIGHLIGHTS |
Student Computing Lab Upgrades – This year marks the third year of a four-year plan to improve and expand the capabilities of the UCR student computer labs. This summer, augmentation funds are allowing us to upgrade our Sproul computer lab, our primary student computer lab for support of computer-related instruction. Sproul lab will be upgraded with new space-saving Profile-5 computers from Gateway, a projection system for instructional use, and new tables to maximize use of the available space. Funds have also been used to upgrade computers purchased out of last year's augmentation with CD-RW drives to meet students' increased storage needs, and to purchase a new Hewlett Packard 8150N printer.
Bear Facts Orientation Session - For the second year in a row, Computing and Communications presented to incoming UCR freshmen an overview of the computing services provided to students at UCR, during UCR's annual Bear Facts Orientation. Topics included Webmail, iLearn(Blackboard), Wireless Network, Remote Access, Spam Prevention and Virus Protection. During each presentation, students received iGuide bookmarks, providing the URL to our New Student Guide to Computing website (http://iguide.ucr.edu) , where students can find more information about our services. These presentations, held during each of the eight two-day Orientation sessions, reached over 2000 incoming UCR students. |
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COMPUTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURITY HIGHLIGHTS |
CAS (Central Authentication Service) Initiative Underway – Computing & Communications has implemented Yale's Central Authentication Service (http://www.yale.edu/tp/cas). CAS provides Kerberos-like single-sign-on functionality for web services so that users can present their credentials once, and then access a multitude of other web-based services without re-authenticating. We are currently testing CAS with Peoplesoft, iLearn (Blackboard), Calendar@UCR, and various other services.
New Backup System in the Works – Computing & Communications is currently working on upgrading our backup service. Our new backup systems use dual disk arrays for staging backup to tape. We will also co-locate a backup server at UCI in order to strengthen our disaster recovery preparedness.
eMail@UCR System Upgrade – In an effort to better serve the faculty at UCR, Computing and Communications is offering an upgrade to the great email services already offered to them. Within a few months, UCR faculty members will have their email accounts moved to a dedicated email server instead of sharing with staff and students. This upgrade will give faculty members a one gigabyte mail quota (20 times the 50 MB storage that is currently being offered). Along with the increase in storage, the separation of faculty email accounts from staff and students will increase theoverall performance of the system.
Sun Cluster Update - Sun clustering will provide the campus
with highly available redundant computer systems for data-related
applications. This allows for system or network maintenance
or failure without loss of accessibility to the data provided by
the systems. Currently, our cluster is composed of two Sunfire
V880s and a Sun StorEdge 6320 with 3.5 terabytes of usable storage.
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OTHER HIGHLIGHTS |
Heckmann Center Technology Plan - The Heckmann International Center for Entrepreneurial Management is under construction in Palm Desert. Computing and Communications has developed a comprehensive plan for outfitting the facility with the latest in technology including a sophisticated data and voice network that relies on the expansion of the CENIC fiber backbone to the Palm Desert Campus. The detailed multimedia technology plan for the Heckmann Center has been prepared to ensure that the facility is well-equipped to meet the technology needs of a 21st Century teaching and learning environment.
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