IT governance roundup

Teaching and Learning Portfolio (TLP) 

November 28, 2018 • Agenda and Summary

• Adam Stewart, Teaching & Learning Technology associate director of operations, gave a wrap-up of the Consortium of College and University Media Centers (CCUMC) conference, hosted at the University of Utah in October. For agreeing to host, Stewart's teams were tasked with developing a logo and theme, signing a keynote speaker, and coordinating four dinner events, a campus tour, and closing event at Snowbird ski resort, in addition to providing A/V support for 37 sessions in five different spaces. In all, 250 A/V professionals attended the conference.

• TLT Director Jon Thomas informed members about a request from the Crocker Science Center for additional funds. In 2016, TLP approved an initial estimate of $20,000 for the construction of a large classroom, robust matrix switch, and lab-related digital signage. The center now estimates that the project, which is being performed by outside vendors, will cost $48,000. Several members expressed concern about the inaccuracy of the original estimate, as well as the precedent it sets for future building projects on campus and potential impact to TLP's contingency budget. There was a general agreement that more information is needed before a decision can be reached. Thomas said he would form a task force to ask cognizant stakeholders for a more detailed rationale before a final vote is made.

• Cory Stokes, associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and UOnline director, sought input from members on forming a student-led learning technologies group. He said that in discussions with colleagues at like-sized institutions, namely the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Arizona, he found that many of their teaching technologies are informed by the student body. At UNC-Chapel Hill, Stokes said, the student government created a student technology advisory board that issues recommendations to an IT governance body similar to TLP. Members endorsed the concept but would like more feedback from students, potentially via surveys or focus groups, about whether committee representation is the best way to address their technology concerns.

• Erik Hjorten, associate director of UOnline and lead instructional designer for Continuing Education, gave an overview of the components of quality course design and explained how his team helps faculty understand the end-to-end build process from an instructional design point of view. A typical design cycle is six months long, he said, with five to seven classes each cycle. Hjorten’s team is currently developing between 40 and 45 courses, only a fraction of which are new. The portfolio invited Hjorten to return in the future to provide additional details on the four phases of instructional design: design, build, teach, and revise.

• Kerri Shaffer, the School of Medicine’s director of Curriculum and Faculty Support, presented on the Education Technology Committee (ECT), which she chairs. The mission of this recently-formed body is to develop a more systematic way of implementing technologies into curriculum across U Health and the School of Medicine. Proposals out of ECT will go to the SOM’s Curriculum Committee. Shaffer conducted an environmental scan of the Medical School as the baseline criteria for creating a standard proposal template. Proposals will require the backing of both faculty and students. In terms of funding, TLP Co-Chairman Wayne Samuelson, the School of Medicine’s Vice Dean for Education, explained that every department in the school has its own state-allocated budget and an executive committee that has an entire budget cycle to review proposals/justifications.

• Thomas gave a brief update on the current Learning Spaces award cycle. Every year, the Portfolio undertakes the process for awarding Learning Spaces – Student Computing Fees (LS-SCF) funds, derived from special student computing fees assessed to each tuition-paying student at the university. Applications, Thomas said, open on December 3, 2018 and close on January 18, 2019. A LS-SCF Task Force will begin to meet on December 10, 2018.

• Thomas noted that he has been approached by the Research Administration Training Series (RATS) group in Financial and Business Services about bringing Canvas Catalog, an add-on module to the Canvas environment that creates certificates for completed training activities, to campus.

• The next TLP meeting will be Thursday, January 17, 2019 from 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. in Room 5201, Marriott Library.

Enterprise Web Advisory Council (EWAC)

December 13, 2018 • Agenda

• Mary Lou Mobley from the National Disability Expert for the Office for Civil Rights, gave a short Skype presentation on digital accessibility. Mobley discussed various aspects of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), specifically as they relate to technology and web development. In addition to discussing how best to measure web accessibility compliance against provisions, Mobley discussed ways to improve existing content and functionality, plan for new content, best practices related to UI/UX testing, procuring IT talent in this field, and training opportunities for campus webmasters, among other things.

• At the September 13, 2018 EWAC meeting, Barb Iannucci, associate director for the Content Management and Usability group in UIT's University Support Services, Nate Tanner, director of marketing and sales for Interactive Marketing & Web, and Scott Troxel, director of digital strategy for University Marketing & Communications were asked to draft an executive summary identifying specific problems with the university’s decentralized web services and recommended solutions. Due to some new information related to web policy, and the need to again meet with the Office of General Counsel, EWAC members agreed to postpone a discussion of the team's findings until a future meeting.

• The next EWAC meeting will be Thursday, January 10, 2019 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the Dumke Room, Eccles Broadcast Center.

Strategic Information Technology Committee (SITC)

The next SITC meeting will be Tuesday, January 15, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. in the Winder Boardroom, Park Building.

Architecture and New Technology Committee (ANTC)

The next ANTC meeting will be Monday, January 28, 2019 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. in the Dumke Room, Eccles Broadcast Center.

 

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