Undergraduate Research Office (URO)

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URO Web Makeover Requirements Document

Pat Manley and Karen Guttentag (MS Costanza-Robinson, liaison)

Meeting quote: “We realized how little we knew about the possibilities”

The URO website currently incorporates text, photos, online submission of symposium abstracts, and a searchable database of research opportunities. These features need to remain and be improved in the Web Makeover. Importantly, the research/exploration opportunities included in the database includes those for which the main point of campus-contact spans several offices (ACE, CSO, URO, Rohatyn, Student Fellowships/Health Professions). Thus, web features that will enhance/automate the flow of content to URO from dispersed locations are particularly desirable (Portal?). Currently content updating and removal of old information is slow, because a single person, dedicates 10 hours/week total to the administrative assistance for URO and only a subset of that time can be dedicated to web upkeep.

Specific Desired Features:

  • A master calendar of deadlines for various research/exploration opportunities that self-populates with events/deadlines based on content housed elsewhere (e.g., within the URO searchable database, on ACE/CSO/etc. websites/databases) and can include manual inputs from dispersed sources. The calendar entry should be linked to other locations for more information about the opportunity. For example, if a faculty member gets notice of an EPA undergraduate fellowship, that faculty member could add that deadline to the calendar with an embedded link to the EPA website.

  • More web technology education/awareness/consulting. The current feeling is that web content providers/authors and people generally are left to request help with projects and/or specific web-based technologies. This situation presupposes that people know what web-based technologies are out there, what they can do, and that they desire them. They often don’t. As an example, LIS advertises training sessions for a variety of software and software tools (e.g., Excel pivot tables), but doesn’t advertise what pivot tables are useful for. URO suggests for LIS/communications to target specific audiences (perhaps divisionally) with announcements of training sessions/help/suggestions that focus on function rather than software/tool names/jargon. Another avenue would be to host a CAOS mtg dedicated to the subject of web-based technologies so coordinators can disseminate relevant info to their dept/programs. As an example here, Doodle is an easy effectively tool for planning group meetings, and no training is needed to use it, but most people simply don’t know what it is, that it exists, that it is free. Along these lines, URO has had considerable (and wonderful!) help from LIS setting up the searchable database, but the help was also offered in a way such that LIS helped URO do what URO requested. URO would have liked more consulting on what possibilities/limitations exist with regard to searchable databases, perhaps with examples of other databases currently in operation (e.g., at other institutions). Had they known about other/additional possibilities or existing limitations they may have chosen to do things differently. Finally, there are tools/software that people know about, but use infrequently enough to forget how to do it (e.g., printing a poster to a plotter). The existing LIS “how-to” guides are viewed as extremely helpful/well-done, but the feeling is that there are not enough of them and/or that they are difficult to find. This represents an larger discussion of what is reasonable to expect of LIS.

  • Both as more URO content becomes available and the makeover progresses, URO would like

    • to convert their static photo gallery into a slideshow that displays on their homepage, much like the main homepage

    • to add embedded video. Currently, great symposium video is posted online by Communications as part of a press release, but URO doesn’t know how/if they can do this on their site

    • to more fully automate and streamline the online symposium abstract submission/approval process. Currently, students submit their form supposedly with the consent/approval of their faculty mentor. URO would like the student-submitted abstract to automatically initiate an email that requests online approval of the named faculty mentor, while simultaneously logging/recording the submission as PENDING in the URO database – that way if the faculty mentor fails to approve in a timely manner, a mentor-reminder email can be auto-generated. Finally, after the faculty mentor approves the submission, the submission would be logged/recorded as MENTOR-APPROVED and await URO approval/scheduling. I suppose once a time/location for the submission is set, an automated email conveying that information to the student/mentor would be nice, too.

Events and Scheduling Office

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Stakeholder: Lisa Ayers
Current: http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/schedule/
WebRedo Contact: Ryan Kellett

General: Events Scheduling and Information Office has the goal of integrating the scheduling and sharing events information with the Middlebury College campus. It serves as the Functional Administrator of Resource 25 (fully hosted by Midd) for facilities and events scheduling management, maintains the “Events at Middlebury” website (http://cat.middlebury.edu/events/ ), and produces the table tent dining hall calendars.  The Master Location Schedule (http://r25web.middlebury.edu/wv3midd/wv3_servlet/urd/run/wv_space.DayList) is a component of Resource 25, also maintained by the Events Scheduling Office.  The Guide to Academic Facilities website (http://cat.middlebury.edu/events/facilities/) maintained by LIS, is linked to Resource 25 and is utilitized extensively by the campus community.  The work flow for scheduling is managed through a series of online forms, recently upgraded using sites.middlebury.edu and soon to be shared with the campus.

Goals:
  • Resource 25: Keep CollegeNET’s R25 in increased capacity. CollegeNET’s goal is to be 100% web based by 2011.  A component of the current version of R25, Webservices, has not yet been implemented.  Webservices will be necessary to advance our use of R25.  25Live is a recent release from CollegeNET and will allow for many of the advancements that are desired for Events at Middlebury (http://corp.collegenet.com/depts/higher_ed/series/25Live/ ). Using a vendor with the technical support offered by this option allows for a reduction in support required from Middlebury’s web management staff and sustainability when there is Middlebury staff turnover.
  • One Stop Shop: R25 must be deployed in such a way that every dept, office, and stakeholder buys-into it its use as the universal scheduler. Currently, too many redundant efforts are made to recreate calendars separate from R25. This contributes to errors and inaccuarcies in event information and prohibits communication when late changes are made that require notification (change of time, location, cancellations, etc.)
  • Event Marketing and Campus Announcements: The Events at Middlebury site should be enhanced to serve as a tool for distribution of College Announcements, highlighting key events information and bring comfort to events planners that their events are being advertised in such a way as to change behaviors and reduce or eliminate the needs for All Campus emails for this purpose.
  • Event Feed: Users should be able to use event feeds for whatever purpose they choose. RSS and iCal support are highly encouraged such that users do not have to use Outlook. Feeds can also be placed on CMS pages and pulled into individual portals. Departments should be able to to pull information from R25 for their department sites as needed to facilitate a one entry point calendaring process.  This would allow for accuracy and consistency of information while enabling an appearance of a specialized calendar for those departments who desire a calendar presented on their web site.  Events information should be able to be shared with users in such a way as to allow for attention to be brought to events of each users’ interest as opposed to them having to weed through a long list to find their interests.   All of these tools should be supported in such a way as to advance in concert with technology changes to continue to bring value to the students and departments and reduce the possibilities of underground calendars being developed because Middlebury’s no longer serves the needs of the changing population and the technical advances.
  • Facilities View: Easy and fast CMS updates to view spaces on campus. Also, need for multimedia presentation of spaces (photos, videos, and configurations of tables/chairs) and the support to keep this information current. Also dynamic listing of room features (smart classrooms, technologies that is clearly understood by the lay person considering space options prior to reserving a room).
  • Master Location Schedule: Continue to offer to the campus
  • Events at Middlebury: Major redesign for ease-of-use with multiple views (month, week, day). Need to preserve sortability by categories and depts. Equal representation of events (“objectivity”) such that no event is advertised better than another.
  • External Events calendaring:  Enable a separate calendar that allows for marketing of off site events (such as those planned by College Advancement, Admissions, etc.)
  • Multimedia: ability to pair pictures or other media with an event so that it can be marketed with that media. It is more attractive on Events at Middlebury website. Must be user-uploaded pictures.
  • Payment system: allow for a built-in payment system to register and pay for events. Some box office functionality.
  • Event Alerts: opt-in/opt-out alert system (email? or message to portal?) for event changes and cancellations
  • Broadcasting: Broadcast “Today’s Events & Today’s Announcements” visually at other places on campus at physical locations (grille, library, dining halls). And/or one daily email announcement with direct feed from R25.
  • Security/Privacy: segment views of events for faculty, staff, students, other. Protect certain events from being over-attended.
  • Monterey: Enable these features to be used by Monterey as they are already sharing R25

Rohatyn Center for Int’l Affairs (RCFIA)

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Stakeholder: Allison Stanger and Charlotte Tate
Current: http://www.middlebury.edu/administration/rcfia
WebRedo Contact: Ryan Kellett

General: The RCFIA is a key part of the college’s international outlook and co-curricular activities for undergraduate students. It hosts numerous lecture events throughout the year, many of which are filmed and archived online. It also is an intellectual center for faculty to publish white papers and exchange ideas. Students have the opportunity to do research and apply for research grants. RCFIA publishes an annual report.

Web: RCFIA is generally satisfied with its current web presence which focuses primarily on being a repository of online videos. This rich content serves as a record but also as a marketing tool. University Channel and iTunes U is used to distribute some of these online videos for public consumption beyond viewing them on their website. Students primarily use the site to access forms for research grants and to access faculty pages. Faculty use the site to circulate white papers and view previous video content.

Next Gen:

  • Website Navigation: RCFIA likes the current organization of content (as it was reorganized 18 months ago)
  • Multimedia: reduce the barriers to access some of RCFIA’s multimedia content
  • Frontpage: dynamic front page (slideshow?) would be nice
  • Events Calendar: RCFIA currently maintains its own CMS version of their events. These are redundant inputs of information that exists in Resource 25 calendaring system used to book spaces and events across campus. Ideally, a new website will pull information directly from R25 and display it on the CMS page so that there is an accurate schedule and archive of RCFIA events. It would be nice for these events to be tied to multimedia archive as well — pairing a video with the completed event.
  • Broadcast vs. Subscription Model: Currently, RCFIA feels it is necessary to broadcast its information on upcoming events. It chooses a selective group of “internationally inclined” students, faculty, and staff to update via email. A new version of the website might help RCFIA move toward less reliance on email and more reliance on a subcription model (for example, RSS feeds) for getting information to the college community.
  • Diverse audience: lecture-attendees vary drastically in age. How can RCFIA reach a wide variety of people with varying technology skills.
  • Cross-branding: RCFIA is open to Middlebury “international” cross-branding such that the Monterey Institute, Language Schools, Study Abroad, International Studies (IS) major, and International Politics and Economics (IPE) major can tie into their website. This cross-branding, however, should be automated content from other places.
  • Application forms: RCFIA currently has several forms on their website for applying to research grants, etc. These must continue to be supported or replaced by a dynamic form to collect data to be processsed as part of an application. The same technology can be used to collect data on visitors both, physical and virtual, to the RCFIA.

Notes:

  • Prof. Stanger recommends a feature to push professor office hours directly into a student portal

Center for Campus Activities and Leadership (CCAL)

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Stakeholder: Doug Adams (CCAL)
Current: http://www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/activities
WebRedo Contact: Ryan Kellett

General: CCAL is the critical resource for students’ extra-curricular activities. Our website should be an accurate and up-to-date starting place for student organizations and student leaders to get funding information, plan events, preview spaces for events, fundraise, and learn about various CCAL programs such as student organization, student government, student center, Winter Term Workshops, Orientation, and MiddView.
Requirements:

  • An indexed and searchable way to access the Student Leader Resource Manual
  • Able to display student organization constitutions dynamically
  • Connection with Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) and the SGA Finance Committee
  • An easily usable interface
  • Online forms for the collection of data from student organizations
  • Storefront Software: accept online payment for Middlebury Outdoor Programs and Winter Term Workshops (with real-time ticketing, inventory control, and wait listing)
  • Financial: push and manipulate financial data from bannerweb Multimedia: ability to insert video and photos into CMS pages
  • Info: Collect information online, register student organizations (ability to have student updated and generated officer and club information, ability to push updates to student organizations and/or individual students, for examples, see Doug Adams)
  • Display of a student organization / CCAL meeting calendar
  • Announcements

Center for the Arts (CFA)

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Stakeholder: Liza Sacheli Lloyd
WebRedo Contact: Joe A.

Center for the Arts requirements focus on:

  • Calendar and events services
  • Improved search functionality and navigation
  • A modern online/real time box office system
  • Customization
  • Social networking
  • Tagging

Right now, the Arts are one of the seven main areas at the op level of navigation off the home page. In the web makeover, we want to ensure that the Arts continue to be included as a top level of the College’s web presence. The Arts at Middlebury play a unique role as an area of the College in that the Arts are important to both a campus and community audience.  We’re a connector between students, faculty, staff, and community members.  We’re also a connector between academic disciplines, enrichment pursuits, and leisure interest.  Because the Arts are relevant to such a broad cross-section of the community, our outreach should be represented early on in the viewer’s experience with Midd on the web.

One of our biggest wishes for the future is that the Arts at Midd’s presence on the web can better reflect the vibrancy, the energy, the vitality of the programs and people here.  We’d like a web framework that allows more freedom, more excitement… we’d like to see sound and movement on the new site.  The ability to better incorporate audio and video would allow us to show what happens here more effectively. Obviously, artists are people who value free expression!

Calendar: An events calendar is, and will always be, a really important part of the Arts’ web presence. The Events at Middlebury area, and the way it interfaces with Resource 25, has always felt clunky and unfriendly.  We have an amazing amount of exciting stuff happening at Middlebury-there has got to be a way for the web to show that excitement in a way that’s easier to navigate and understand, that looks and sounds great too (pictures? sound?)  Maybe an events calendar could be more interactive, or have social networking compatibilities. What about a running marquee of events each day?

Search: Middlebury would benefit from a more effective/friendlier search functionality for the entire Midd web presence.

Navigation: There is great room for improvement in our web’s navigation strategy!  There is an opportunity to integrate different functions so that intuitive sequences of info unfold to the user.  For example, one of our faculty envied a school where it was easy to find each academic department, then once you located a particular faculty member, you could see what classes they were teaching, and that page linked right up to the relevant course catalog listings; that linked right to registration, etc.

Box Office: We would like to see Middlebury invest in new ticketing software that would run in real time, and be hooked up to exchange critical information with Banner. Right now we operate on a separate system, and we have work-arounds to make ticket sales available on the web (NOT in real time).  If we ever got this functionality, we could be of real service to the entire campus community as a commercial portal for all kinds of services.

Customization: We would like to see our web presence have customization capability so that the various places we go electronically every day could be collated into my Midd web experience.

Social networking: We have an opportunity to strengthen our sense of community at Middlebury with technology.  In the era of Facebook, there are so many new and different ways to keep in touch.  How can Midd take advantage of that connectivity?

Tagging: We have a program we call “Curricular Connections” where we suggest links between the course curriculums each semester and the public arts offerings that are planned.  Each semester the online Curricular Connections brochure is organized thematically, with chapters devoted to any theme that emerges during that timeframe.  There is a connection between this thematically organized content and the tagging feature.