Tag Archives: emergency

Update from Database Applications & Systems

Submitted by Chris Norris

Here are some of the projects and tasks that DAS staff members have been working on during the past month…

Mike Schuster
– Created a spec for Bookstore Upload / Course Listing Bookstore Links
– Researched problem Off Campus Study was having pushing Admissions applications
– Corrected problems with Bread Loaf, Language School, and Off Campus Study decisions processing reports, reports were broken due to System 9 upgrade
– Created SSB web package to allow residential systems coordinator to delete room draw preferences, reorder preferences, and activate/inactivate room draw applications
– Processed Fall 2008 course response form data
– Updated Feb’s MNET email addresses to “preferred”
– Fixed problem with LS & BLSE Financial Aid online web applications where bad data entry selection of dates in dropdown boxes would cause applications to get an Oracle error
– Modified custom p_assign_boxes database procedure to allow mail boxes to be assigned to students during winter term
– Worked with Liz Whitaker-Freitas and Marcy Smith to develop documents needed by Monterey staff when developing/requesting new reports

Liz Whitaker-Freitas
– Supporting Hyperion BI+ for functional & technical users
– Troubleshooting Admissions Decisions reports
– Coordinating roles to groups migration by Velaris

Ian McBride
– Added service to check GO addresses nightly
– Worked with Adam to develop web service for MiddTube
– Wrote WordPress plugin for MiddTube
– Developed Middlebury theme for WordPress
– Added a service to the Directory to automatically redirect to a user’s homepage
– Added a video icon to CMS home page news items with videos
– Developed home page for the New England Review site in WordPress
– Began investigation into Single Sign On applications
– Continued work with the Platform and Design/IA groups for the Web Makeover
– Finally launched News Portal at http://go.middlebury.edu/news!

Travis Stafford
– Created 7 new alumni event forms
– Tested WordPress CFORMS upgrade
– Upgraded all the WordPress blogs and cforms to the new version of CFORMS (13 blogs / +/- 50 forms)
– Completed porting over all the cat standard ecommunicate forms to CFORMS
– Minor changes the New England Review ecommerce form
– Troubleshot\Fixed issues with the CCAL Fundraising ecommerce form
– Added new functionality to the BLM application to show Counts by indicator flag for Banner-ListManager admins
– Added self service component to the BLM project for subscribing\unsubscribing to Newsletters and List Manager lists
– CFORMs support/training for various departments
– General support and HEAT tickets

Rob Pekor
– Rolled late graduates to Alumni
– Started developing and creating tables to hold Harris Online Directory data
– Started creating scripts to load initial data for Harris Online Directory
– Started very preliminary development of process to send updates to Harris
– Corrected problem with Phonathon SSB data selection page, page would error on multiple individual years selected, problem has been corrected and is now in production
– Created new function to retrieve a list of regions for a particular person
– Corrected problem in AIA relating to updating ask amounts, if an ask amount never existed before for a person, the SSB page would not update the value, problem has been corrected and is now in production
– Created list of people that currently have access to AIA
– Corrected issue with view for the Banner List Manager relating to the indicator for students

Chris Norris
Staffing
– Participated in telephone interview for open DBA position
Projects
– Reviewed Phoenix BIA reports and summary
– Worked on spec for remote DR web presence
– Participated in CA fundraising strategy meeting
– Refined Banner-ListManager project spec with DAS staff
– Completed work with CA and Communications on Organic Garden giving form
– Met with DOC and PS staff regarding new ER web presence
– Met with technical/functional staff regarding eCommerce options for “pay-for-print”
– Met with Communications staff to plan for upcoming Newsletter projects
– Met with Career Services staff to plan for upcoming Newsletter projects
– Participated in various Web Makeover team meetings
– Met with HR staff regarding Web Makeover requirements
– Met with PHC staff regarding Web Makeover requirements
– Met with PS staff regarding Web Makeover requirements
Systems Administration
– Ongoing monitoring and problem resolution of online services
– Resolved service outages for Banner and Hyperion
– Resolved server config issue for GoogleEarth version of campusmap
– Updated TouchNet server config to support additional web servers
– Upgraded SubmissionManager web application for BLWC
– Configured new GO rewrite rules
– Ongoing tuning of GSA to improve search results
– Renewals of College-owned domain names
– Met with SNS staff regarding HSF config options
Help & Support
– Provided support to CFA staff for artsmail Newsletter IA
– Provided support to HR staff for middleader Newsletter buttons
– Reviewed President’s Holiday Card for pre-sending issues for Communications
– Updated Middlebury’s United Way web presence (campaign stats)
– Updated AbroadView.org web presence (footer)
– Provided various support for CMS editing, HEAT tix, and ad-hoc help calls
Vendor Related Activities
– Participated in Sun-Guard/SCT Banner DBA weekly status calls
– Participated in Velaris Hyperion SysAdmin weekly status calls
– Continued contract re-negotiation with Hyperion SysAdmin vendor (Velaris)
– Worked with DavisProjectsforPeace.org external web vendor to grant direct database access
– eCommerce call with alumni online community vendor (Harris) to define IMA requirements
– Coordinated redirect request from MIIS staff with www.MIIS.edu web vendor (NeptuneWeb)

Emergency Preparedness

Let’s all start 2009 off right be taking a moment to think about emergency preparedness.  Do you know what to do if a student walks up to you and says “There’s somebody lying on the floor over there, they seem to be passed out or something.”  If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about the appropriate response to this and many other situations, please take some time to brush up on your readiness.

Being prepared to act on behalf of the College in an emergency is a personal responsibility of which we should all be mindful.

Let’s all start 2009 off right be taking a moment to think about emergency preparedness.  Do you know what to do if a student walks up to you and says “There’s somebody lying on the floor over there, they seem to be passed out or something.”  If it’s been a while since you’ve thought about the appropriate response to this and many other situations, please take some time to brush up on your readiness.

Being prepared to act on behalf of the College in an emergency is a personal responsibility of which we should all be mindful.