TLTC Evaluates Synchronous Learning Management Systems
This year, the UNC Teaching and Learning with Technology Collaborative (TLTC) began a project to test and evaluate leading Synchronous Learning Management Systems that enable online interaction through voice over IP, application sharing, text messaging, and other communication features. From December 2004 – June 2005 the TLTC hosted a pilot of Elluminate for all UNC campuses. The TLTC hosted a kick-off event, at which forty campus representatives were trained to use Elluminate, and the TLTC staff provided support and scheduled sessions throughout the pilot. In 2005-06 the TLTC is administering an even more extensive pilot project for Centra (http://www.unctlt.org/initiatives/centra/index.htm). Other systems will also be examined during fall 2005.
Moreover, in order to provide campuses with a formal evaluation of these systems, the TLTC established a Synchronous Learning Management System Task Force, co-chaired by Rob Hambrick from NCSU and Andrea Eastman-Mullins of the TLTC staff. This Task Force will work through December 2005 to establish an evaluation rubric and evaluate leading systems. The final product will be a report presented to the TLTC Board in spring 2006.
UNC-OP Plans to Implement an Enterprise-Wide Operational Data Store
In December of 2004, a UNC-OP task force received approval from President Broad for developing a data management architecture to support an enterprise-wide data warehouse.
The task force, chaired by Laura Young (UNC-OP), included members of the Information Resources and the Strategy Design and Analysis divisions. During the spring of 2005, a subset of this group (chaired by Diana Haywood, UNC-OP) compiled a report outlining requirements for the implementation of an operational data store and enterprise data warehouse. Currently, members of the team are in the process of evaluating and recommending products for the UNC-OP Operational Data Warehouse, including the extract/transform/load (ETL) facilities that will be needed.
UNC Unified Financial Data Model in Production
The UNC Unified Financial Data Model (UFDM), which collects, cleanses, and stores summary financial information for the 16 UNC campuses and the UNC-OP, was brought into full production in July of this year. Data is collected and reconciled from each institution on a monthly basis, and will be available initially to the UNC-OP Finance division to facilitate financial reporting to the UNC Board of Governors, the North Carolina General Assembly, and other inquirers. The Finance division plans to begin providing financial reports to the UNC Board of Governors from the UFDM beginning in November 2005. The UFDM was the primary pilot "proof of concept" for the UNC Enterprise Data Warehouse, and the data collected and verified in the UFDM will be one of the initial datasets used to populate the warehouse. For more information, contact: lyoung@northcarolina.edu
Tuition and Fee Database Implemented
In a joint effort between the Finance, Information Resources, and Strategy Design and Analysis (SDA) divisions, the collection of tuition and fees data will be accomplished electronically for the first time this fall. (In the past, the 16 UNC institutions completed the appropriate forms and mailed them to the UNC-OP.) Recently, Keith Brown (SDA) created a web-based collection and reporting application using SAS Internet. It has been implemented under the direction of Claudia Odom (Finance) and Laura Young (Information Resources). This application will not only provide a more efficient means of collecting and reporting tuition and fee data; it will also enable "what if" scenarios to be executed in a more timely and effective fashion. Similar applications have been designed by the team to collect and report on vacant positions and information technology EPA (exempt from Personnel Act) positions; both of these processes were implemented to satisfy periodic legislative reporting requirements. For more information, contact: lyoung@northcarolina.edu
Banner Update
UNC-Wilmington and Winston-Salem State are in production for the Admissions component for Student implementation.
To view the go live dates for all the UNC campuses implementing Banner, visit: http://www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/ir/alliance/alliance.htm and browse through the calendar.
Coordinated Technology Management Round-Up
The UNC-OP Division of Information Resources is in the process of negotiating Strategic Relationship Agreements with Sun Microsystems and Cisco. (The Strategic Relationship Agreements encompass a more holistic view of the University’s relationship with a member of the information technology community by taking into account all the products and services that are exchanged such as internships, maintenance contracts, and research and development funds.)
Also, the CTM has launched a new software repository used to distribute SAS license renewals. Under this new form of electronic software distribution, 825 profiles were created with roughly 7,000 renewals under these profiles.
Recently, Debbie Tyndall, a 30-year employee of East Carolina University, has joined the staff under a temporary contract as a project coordinator. She will help coordinate some of the activities and services of the IR Division.
For more information on these activities, contact Tom Warner twarner@northcarolina.edu
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