Portal & DR

Posted on by Michael

Disaster Recovery (DR) is a big topic – one that I don’t intend to cover here at length.

However, as we do our DR planning we have decided that Portal is a contingency to access many other systems.  Because of that realization (and based on the current DB/host configuration), we are planning to build a “mini-portal” on a VM to service our DR needs.

This actually comes at a good time for us, as we circulated the new Portal tutorial to the other OUS schools.  OSU asked us if Portal was share-able 🙂  Building a mini-portal on a new host on a new DB will provide me the opportunity to trim Portal back to it’s original design.  This will serve us well for a DR option & give us the opportunity to share the technology with others.

Project Management – May Update

Posted on by Michael

I’ve … FINALLY … compiled all of the project lists into one Master List.

I sent it to the Printshop yesterday for printing.  I’m hoping it comes out well 🙂  In truth, I still need to meet with the Banner Functional Team to finalize some details, but the next 6 months of each developer’s time is now scheduled!

This will ensure that I can keep tabs on where project are at, and give realistic timelines for new project requests.

Once printed, the PDF should also be routed to a group of stake-holders to be vetted.

I started this project in January, and have been pulled in so many directions that it took me a long time to complete.  I’ve really buckled down the last 3 weeks to get it down, and am proud to have crossed the line!

wouTV: 2 new videos coming soon!

Posted on by Michael

Yesterday Deborah and I recorded two videos: one for AccountLookup and one for Portal.  Both are walkthroughs and will be launched on wouTV an the new WOU Tech site (wou.edu/tech)

In a few weeks we have a meeting with the Tech group, and we’ll see how far the website has progressed.  It might not be ready to launch this term, but it’ll ready for Fall Term – for sure.

Having a single point of technology information that links to everything else will be, IMHO, a useful and functional design.  I’m hoping that as the team finishes their pieces the website will make more and more sense — without becoming so cluttered that it is not useful.

 

Placement Tests

Posted on by Michael

This week we are hurriedly implementing the new Placement Test tool.  Initially the tool will be used by Biology, then by Spanish.

I expect other implementation shortly after that 🙂

Zach and Luba have built the core infrastructure, and we’ve been very satisfied with the testing.  The polish work is not done at this point, but things are beginning to come into focus.  I have a meeting in a few minutes to decide the fate of Placement Tests for this term.  My level of confidence is high.  I’m looking forward to seeing this roll out.

Card Scanner project

Posted on by Michael

This week we received a new barcode scanner.  It’s the gun style, but can also be mounted and configured to read any card that passes under it – for faster swipes.

We’ll be utilizing this next week in the Tutoring Center, to begin collecting data on the students who come in, and eventually linking that to demographic info and appointments to provide accurate data moving forward.

I hope to see these scanners in use all over campus soon.  It will be a very cheap way for departments to gather detailed data about office usage and the student population(s) that they serve.

We’ve written the software and integrated the hardware.  So for like $100, they can start using these tools as well 🙂

Spring Break

Posted on by Michael

Well we made a lot of progress on a few tools:

Cancellation, Placement Tests, Course Eval, and a new project for DEP!

This is also my first official blog in WordPress – which is now hosted locally @ WOU.

We continue to work with the Google Apps suite we have contracted via OUS, so Blogger will be off soon.

Lots of other little maintenance was done this week with security, wireless, etc…

How to migrate your Blogger bloggy McBlog site to WOU WordPress

Posted on by Michael

OK: here are the steps.  These instructions assume you have access to a WordPress site with the Blogger Import plug-in installed.

1. (UCS Staff only) Get Ron to setup an account for you on WordPress.  You should have an email in your inbox.

2. (omitted)

3. Login to your WordPress page.

4. Click the plug-ins icon on the left navigation bar.

5. Under “Blogger Import” click “Activate”.

6. Hover over the Tools icon on the left navigation bar, and click “Import”.

7. Click Blogger.

8. Click the “Authorize” button (make sure you’re logged into Portal).

9. Click the “Grant Access button”.

10. Wait.

11. Click the “Import” (magic button) next to your blog(s).

12. Click “Set Authors”

13. Click “Save Changes”.

14. Click the “Appearance” icon on the left menu.

15. Click “Activate” on one of the options.

16. Click “View Site” to confirm it’s working.

17. Viola!

18. Add one final blog to Blogger with a link to your new blog.

 

Registration

Posted on by Michael

We continue to struggle with registration on the Banner side of the house.  5th site has offered continued support, but after a conversation today – has redoubled its efforts to identify and resolve the package(s) that continue to be marked as invalid (requiring a cron-based auto recompile, and an end-user logout, login of INB).

This issue has drawn enough attention that it is our top priority to resolve.

Great Departmental Staff Meeting

Posted on by Michael

Yesterday we took a whole day to meet together.  We have staff present on topics that they had learned or were learning.
We had departments on campus come and present information.
We also took time to talk about Process Innovation.  Furthering our commitment to a culture of Continuous Improvement, we found a few good ideas, and identified some challenges that still need good solutions.

I’ve heard back from quite a few people that it was a good use of time, informative and fun.

Trainings this week

Posted on by Michael

I went to two good trainings this week.  One was a work-life balance training (that I missed some of), but the other was Maura Cullen.

http://diversityquickflicks.com/

You can get a sneak peak at the URL above, but the presentation was fantastic.  I wasn’t totally comfortable the whole time, but honestly I think that’s healthy.  Her topics of diversity and inclusion were timely and help those of us who work directly with students (or train/manage those who do).

Gen Y — coming into the workplace.  It’s a challenge, and I don’t agree with all of the strategies out there.  Modifying how we do business to better integrate them seems weird.  But in 20 years they’ll all be in charge and will make the changes for us.  I’ve never felt “behind” before, but I guess I am.  No facebook.  No twitter.  I like email.  I lose texts.  I don’t leave my GPS on 24/7 on my smartphone.  I’m not the mayor of anyplace … except maybe my office.

Thanks Maura.  It was a great presentation.