MyPersonal.Ell: A Student Web Portal for Ellinsburg University

1. MyPersonal.Ell:A Student Web Portal for Ellinsburg University Michael Fanucce Matthew Holsapple Kathryn Widman Purdue University Atlantic Union College Photograp

2. our task • We have been given the task to design a Web portal for our campus, Ellinsburg University. Web portals, according to Indiana University, “are the next evolution in Internet services in that they provide a more robust one-point access to a variety of content and core services, and ideally offer a single sign-on point” (Indiana, 2005). • Our task force is comprised of the Director of Residential Life, a representative from the Office of Communications, and the President of the Faculty Senate.

3. why a web portal? • Ellinsburg University already has a Web page that is considered one of the best in higher education. • The primary focus of the Ellinsburg University Web page, like those of most universities, is communication with external audiences, not the campus community. • In contrast, a Web portal will allow the university to communicate with its students on a daily basis, as well as make it easier for them to access essential services.

4. why a web portal? • A Web portal is more beneficial to students, because it provides one way to access virtually all campus services students utilize (UMV, 2004; Indiana, 2005). • Web portals can be customized for each individual student (Indiana, 2005). • Web portals help guard against information overload and spam e-mail (UMV, 2004). • Web portals can assist in building a community for the university (UMV, 2004).

5. why a web portal? • Web portals are beneficial to the new generation of students, the Millennials. This group of students is quite different from previous generations -- they view themselves as “special,” are from more affluent families, are more tech-savvy, and have parents who are better educated than previous generations (Howe & Strauss, 2000). • “Where the Gen X collegiate era was marked by substantial construction of athletic facilities, colleges would now do well to build other extracurricular infrastructure to match: theaters . . . art studios, meeting rooms, student offices” (Howe & Strauss, 2003, p. 128).

6. why a web portal? • This need for extracurricular infrastructure, as well as academic infrastructure, extends to university web content, making Web portals a necessity. • These Millennial students also place an intense focus on community building and have a desire for connectedness through technology such as e-mail, websites, chat rooms, and instant messaging programs. MyPersonal.Ell will also facilitate connection with other students thereby fulfilling these needs (Howe & Strauss, 2003).

7. established portals • Indiana University uses a successful Web portal, which can be accessed by visiting onestart.iu.edu. • OneStart is beneficial to students in that it allows them to access financial records, academic records, class schedules, send e-mail, Google search, and sell their cars all within the same page.

8. additional portals • University of Buffalo also utilizes a successful Web portal, which can be accessed by visiting myub.buffalo.edu (UMV, 2004). • The University of Buffalo web portal is user-friendly in its set-up. Categories of information are easily found when glancing at the page. • Similar to Indiana University, University of Buffalo students are able to access e-mail, course information, financial aid, and grades all within one easy to use webpage.

9. mypersonal.ell portal • To be successful, the Ellinsburg portal must include all services that a student uses at the click of a mouse. • This prototype includes one-stop access to the Office of the Registrar, financial information, the library, university e-mail, on-campus housing, University News Service, WebCT (an online course management system), syllabi, and class schedule.

10. mypersonal.ell home page

11. mypersonal.ell home page Customizable calendar allowing instant access to students’ busy schedules, weather updates, and university news feed. Customizable Quick Links for easy access to frequently visited sites. Customizable My Campus Activities for extracurricular management

12. mypersonal.ell home page The My Syllabi feature, accesses the WebCT database to deliver up-to-date syllabus assignments to the students MyPersonal.Ell page. Controls at the top of the portal take the student to an external e-mail- viewing location, WebCT, the Ellinsburg homepage, and logout. Custom channels with easy access to Class Schedule, Academics, Registrar, Finances, Menus, Library, and My Info.

13. mypersonal.ell home page The Dashboard is the customization and feedback control panel, offering freedom of control. The e-mail channel brings the ten newest messages to the student’s main MyPersonal.Ell page for easy access to current information.

14. mypersonal.ell channels • Class schedule The My Class Schedule channel allows students instant access to their course schedule and syllabi information from any computer.

15. mypersonal.ell channels • Academics Current Course Grades provides up-to-date grade information from the WebCT database. Academic Tasks allow students to access a variety of information including: Major Change, Tutor Schedule, and many others. My Progress tracks student progress toward graduation.

16. mypersonal.ell channels • Registrar - Allows students to access and change all personal information and schedule classes. • Financial services - Brings together all of a student’s financial business with the university: bill payment, loan information, encumbrances, and the purchase of university merchandise, athletic and convocation tickets, and other items. • Library - Accesses library collections and search engines, renewal of materials, interlibrary loan, help desk, and other Ellinsburg University library services

17. mypersonal.ell channels • Menus - Students will be able to access menus for each residence hall dining facility and menus for restaurants in the Student Union. Students will also be able to place online orders for several area restaurants. • My Personal Info - Students will be able to access information that other students publish about themselves. Similar to the popular Web site www.facebook.com.

18. what’s next? • This prototype is only a starting point for MyPersonal.Ell. Before it can become a fully integrated program, the following must be addressed: • Further development • Student input • Campus integration • Continual evaluation

19. further development • An ad hoc committee should be formed for further development of the initial plans and implementation of the final MyPersonal.Ell system. It is important that the committee include a large number of students, as well as university faculty and staff representatives from campus departments. This committee will not only have input into the design, but will also be necessary allies in MyPersonal.Ell’s continued use and growth on campus.

20. further development • The ad hoc committee should include representatives from the following groups of people: • Student leaders • Communication Office • Information Technology • Provost’s Office • Faculty Senate • Student Affairs Offices

21. student input • As students will be the end users of MyPesonal.Ell, their input is essential before any system is put in place. The university will hold a series of focus groups with the general student body, as well as garner continued input from campus student leaders. • In addition, it is also important to include students on the MyPersonal.Ell implementation committee. Not only will this ensure that the system includes information relevant to and valued by our students, it will increase “buy in” from students if they feel they have a voice in the system’s design.

22. campus integration • To be successful, MyPersonal.Ell must be fully integrated throughout campus, both technologically and pedagogically. According to Spodark (2003) the university must cultivate an “enabling environment” – universal access to technology, reliable networks, opportunities for training and consultation, and a faculty willing to experiment and adapt -- for projects like this to be successful.

23. campus integration • Prior to MyPersonal.Ell implementation, members from the ad hoc committee will meet with every Ellinsburg faculty member discussing possibilities for using the system in courses. After implementation, the university will sponsor periodic workshops on specific topics to help professors use the system, as well as providing avenues for assistance throughout the year (Wright and Bernstein).

24. campus integration • No information truly lies on the portal; it is merely a way of organizing existing data. Therefore, the system must also be integrated with all of the university’s current computer systems, allowing them to share information. This will allow students to truly access all of their information and take care of all campus business in one place. If this is not possible, the system is not serving its most basic function. • This technical integration will also allow the system to provide students access to information based on a unique user name. This will give students access to their grades, financial information, class and major information, message boards and chat rooms, and other types of personal, private data and applications. It will also allow MyPersonal.Ell to synthesize the syllabi from a student’s courses, providing them with a master schedule for their courses.

25. campus integration • This technical integration will also allow the system to provide students access to information based on a unique user name. This will give students access to their grades, financial information, class and major information, message boards and chat rooms, and other types of personal, private data and applications. It will also allow MyPersonal.Ell to synthesize the syllabi from a student’s courses, providing them with a master schedule for their courses.

26. continual evaluation • College students are a continually evolving and changing population, which means MyPersonal.Ell will need to be able to change and evolve with our students. • An important feature of the portal will be the opportunity for continual feedback. At the beginning of each month, the system’s administrator will create a report on which options students are choosing most frequently.

27. continual evaluation • In addition, the front page of each student’s customized portal will include a feedback button, allowing him or her to make suggestions or report disruptions in service. • Every two years, the university will enact a major evaluation initiative. Each student will receive an e-mail survey to rate various aspects of the system, and university officials will hold several focus groups to receive additional qualitative input.

28. conclusion • “. . . the mistake is to assume that next year’s collegians will be like last year’s, only a bit more so. Most of the time that’s true, but every two decades or so such linear projections prove to be catastrophically mistaken.” (Howe & Strauss, 2003, p. 12) • Universities that recognize the specific needs of new student populations will be the universities that succeed. MyPersonal.Ell is one step towards the future success of Ellinsburg University and its efforts to better serve its students.

29. references • Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2003). Millennials go to college: Strategies for a new generation on campus. Washington, DC: American Association of Collegiate Registrars. • Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000) Millennials rising: The next great generation. New York: Vintage Books. • Indiana University Knowledge Base (2005). What is a web portal? Indiana University. http://kb.indiana.edu/data/ajbd.html?cust=544204.25827.30

30. references • Spodark, E. (2003 March). Five obstacles to technology integration at a small liberal arts university. T.H.E. Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2005, from http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A4344A.cfm • UVM IT News (2004). A Campus Portal in UVM’s Future? The University of Vermont. http://www.uvm.edu/cit/IT-news/200409/?Page=planning/Portal.html&SM=planning/planmenu.html

31. references • Wright, R.M., Gorman, J., & Bernstein, R. (2002) MyUB: A personalized service portal. In D. J. Burnett and D. G. Oblinger (Eds.), Innovation in student services: Planning for models blending high touch/high tech (pp. 223-237). Ann Arbor, MI: Society for College and University Planning.