Goal Setting

Student Life

International students could benefit from some IT orientation both before they arrive and afterwards.

Before They Arrive

• Streaming videos of the town and international students talking about Davidson would be nice.
• Information about Skype access.
• Information about optimal computers and software they might want to buy before they arrive.
• Online chat sessions with international students.
• FAQs and archived chat sessions.
• Easy access to Facebook page for DC International students to upload photos, comments, etc.

After They Arrive

• A "rent to own" program with computers on campus ready for them to buy over a time period that fits their budgets.
• Help getting used to new computers and other IT issues, especially if the students have had minimum computer access.
• Skype for easy access to video or inexpensive dialing to phones at home. <br

The international studies office could use a lot more technical support in getting pages posted, making and editing videos, and keeping the information updated.
It might be nice to provide current international students with flip cameras and allow them to shoot the movies of what they think other students might like to know about.

Administration

• Develop a systematic process to assess core job competencies with regard to technology and staff employment at Davidson
• Develop appropriate training programs beyond initial hiring to ensure that supervisor and employees continue to place importance on continuous development of technology skills
• Initiate a design and information architecture overhaul of campus website. Key issues to address include information organization (including student portal) institutional branding, integration with web 2.0 technologies (applications that facilitate information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, hand-held devices etc.).
• Replace aging campus analog telephone system with modern Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. Major benefits include the elimination of separation phone infrastructure ($$ savings), new features that would improve campus operational efficiencies (peer to peer video, call redirection, etc.).
• Invest in a tiered central storage system that provides for centralized desktop backup.
• Develop plan and provide appropriate funding to extend the use of Banner to:
  • Re-engineer business processes to fully utilize Banner's capabilities and optimize employee efficiency and productivity
  • Increase electronic access to information and reduced use of paper
  • Implement customer-friendly online self-service applications

Teaching and Learning

• Provide physical spaces and tools to maximize interdisciplinary collaborations and learning. I have just learned about Google Wave as one possible example. Wikis, Wiggio, Dropbox, etc. are tools that facilitate collaborations in dynamic and flexible ways. Perhaps cloud computing and thinking of technology in a new way will open up creativity.
• Stimulate critical thinking and analysis by enabling students to work with meaningful data and primary sources.
• Blur traditional boundaries that restrict intellectual curiosity and exploration.
• Foster student communication skills using technology found in graduate and professional schools as well as the private sector.
• Provide for a diversity of technology enabled student study spaces (group study, collaboration, individual, etc.) throughout the campus.

Research

• Provide the tools required for faculty-student collaborations.
• Facilitate long-distance communications that are not restricted by band width.
• Enhance scholarship by stimulating creativity and minimizing distractions.
• Provide timely and easy to read financial reports so faculty can understand their grant funding status and produce reports with a minimum amount of time investment.