Ellingsburg University Portal proposal

1. Ellingsburg University Portal proposal University of South Florida Michael Crump, Jennifer Gallagher, and Nicholas Rau

2. Our Vision To create the best portal design for Ellingsburg University. Our unrivalled approach to university portal design comes from our unique understanding of students and student development. By synthesizing our knowledge of portals and students, we can offer unprecedented control and choice of user service.

3. OUR Concept Our design begins with a secure, password protected login. From that login, users will be directed to their own personalized portal based on their status as students, parents, staff, faculty, or alumni. Our multi-tiered design allows each user the ability to access individualized, highly relevant information. We have eliminated the information overload to provide users the content they want on demand.

4. the Portal will… • Increase user performance • Raise quality of customer service • Lower information technology costs • Provide unified look for easier use • Help consolidate information Webmasters have as much influence, if not more, over prospective millennial student decisions than the admissions director (Wallace, 2000).

5. Our portal will… • Be available to all members of the university community • Be personalized with user name and password • Have multiple customizable channels • Serve as the communication hub for the university community

6. your portal Will… • Access student information system • Feature a customizable main page with links, announcements, and campus news • Access an interactive personalized calendar • Link to discussion boards • Access university email

7. Theory in practice • Person-environment congruence (Strange, 1996) • In order to have an educationally purposeful experience and guarantee satisfaction, individuals need to feel comfortable in their environment. • By creating a customized portal, the individual will create able to create a comfortable environment ensuring a positive working condition. • “Interactive capacities of computer-mediated communication lead to the formation of characteristic social aggregations.” (Strange & Banning, 2001)

8. Development Team The following were identified as stakeholders who serve as end users or content providers, or both: • Students • Faculty • Student Activities/Residence Life • University Relations • Enrollment Management

9. Development Process • End user focus groups • Reliability of service • Ease of navigation • Accuracy and timeliness of content • Online/email questionnaire • Satisfaction assessment • Solicitation of user input • Consultation of contributors • Ease of information access

10. System SUPPORT NETWORKS • User access and authentication • Enrollment management databases • Campus newspaper • Calendar database • Search engine • Bookstore interface • Human resources • Alumni information

11. Organization of the portal • All user options will include: • Personalized greetings • Interactive calendar • University-wide announcements and news • Weather updates • Links to libraries, colleges, and academic support

12. Organization of the portal • Students • Enrollment management database • Organization Announcements • Residence Life • Work orders, RHA, room lotteries, tech support • Bookstore (online ordering) • Campus food service • Blackboard/WebCT • Single login for all functions

13. Organization of the portal • Prospective Students • Virtual admission counseling • Online applications • Orientation information and updates • Financial aid applications & FAFSA • Housing information and online applications • Virtual tours • Adult and transfer student resources

14. Organization of the portal • Faculty/Staff • Access to grades and class rosters • Professional development opportunities • Promotion & tenure information • Research support and databases • Academic technology links • Budgets, accreditation, and master planning • Human resources

15. Organization of the portal • Parents/Alumni • Homecoming & Commencement • Academic/Event calendars • Parents Association • Alumni Association • Campus safety reports and resources • Fundraising/Giving back • Parents Weekend • Overview of FERPA With parents of Millennials being increasingly involved in the education of their students, higher education institutions must involve parents in the aspects of the university experience (Sells, 2002).

16. Design best practices • Content edited for accuracy • Easy to read fonts and spacing • Simple, consistent color theme • Fast-loading graphics • Accessible to individuals with disabilities • Uniform writing style and terminology • Technical assistance readily available • Active links regularly updated

17. Selected examples • University of California – Los Angeles • Xavier University • Evergreen State College • University of Minnesota • Pennsylvania State University Our portal reflects many key traits of these institutions’ portals.

18. References Strange, C.C. (1996). Student services: A handbook for the profession. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Strange, C.C. (2001) Educating by design: Creating campus learning environments that work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Wallace, H. (2000, Fall). Campus ecology theory and websites: One example of applying traditional student affairs theory to technology. Student Affairs.com E-Journal. Retrieved September 28, 2004, from http:// www.studentaffairs.com/ejournal/Fall_2000/wallace.htm