Information Dissemination

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Coordinate the collection and distribution of services to students information available via several medium

Focus on:

• Information dissemination infrastructure to support services to students service delivery
• Content of services to students information; dissemination of all information pertaining to students

  Key Issues Overall:

• Limited access to information by both students and employees
• Same information presented in a variety of formats and styles but content is not always consistent or accurate
• Computer system security measures, policies, and procedures are either not in place or enforced
• Various information sources
• Multiple contacts are frequently necessary to receive information
• Ownership of data to ensure data integrity

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  Information Planning Team composed of:

• Services to Students Process Owner Managers: Students First! Center; Advising, Counseling, and Career Services; Information Dissemination; and Support and Diversity Services
• Representatives from: Institutional Advancement; Computer Services; Research and Planning

  created: 12/96 (pilot team)

  Information Support Team with responsibility for information disseminated in the following ways:

• Cable Channel 12, Printed Materials, Student Database Linking, Wide Area Network, Telephone, Oral

  created: 2/97 (pilot team)

  KEY ISSUES:

  Cable Channel 12	Printed Materials	Student Database Linking	Telephone	Wide Area Network
  Under-utilization of medium for disseminating information Access to equipment used to broadcast information is restricted Unawareness of how to make use of Channel 12 Not easily viewable on campus	No central clearinghouse to confirm information content is accurate and consistent across the various printed media Inconsistent style and language for services to students information Credit and continuing education information is inconsistent Multiple types of print materials exist and not all services to students produce all types	Not all services to students providers have access to both credit and non-credit database information Alternative recordkeeping and shadow databases exist Several mainframe databases exist for demographic info: credit, continuing education, ABSE, payroll, SAFERS More than one student record could exist on several student databases Sources of data for reporting may come from mainframe and/or shadow databases No process for determining access needs and allowing access on an individual, as needed, basis Data is entered multiple times with a lack of sharing of data resources Accessing data may require entry and re-entry into systems	Phone lines are busy during peak, assigned times and students have difficulty getting through to ClassLine Scripts are often confusing and contain misleading information Access to the switchboard (main number) often requires several attempts Switchboard and department employees access to information is limited and results in students being transferred to several departments or voice mail	Minimal information is available on-line While standards exist, enforcement and control are not managed Web Page Committee has limited authority Lack of training on use of the WAN Unawareness of liability issues as they relate to the use of 'outside' information

  Cable Channel 12

  CURRENT SITUATION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  unawareness of who the 'process owner' is limited technical expertise to support channel 12 unclear reporting relationship for 'telecourse coordinator' in charge of channel 12	unawareness of channel 12's capabilities limited information concerning how channel 12 can be used	difficult to transmit data from administrative system		procedures for using channel 12 are unclear and not defined

  PROPOSED SOLUTION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  provide training to information support team to understand how to utilize channel 12 technology	establish training for any interested in using channel 12 to disseminate information encourage more information sharing between media technology and channel 12	explore methods for transferring and creating cable-ready data		clarify procedures and investigate policies for use

  Printed Materials

  CURRENT SITUATION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  multiple players in creation and development and production of information	non-credit and credit services to students units don't communicate service offerings in the same manner lack of communication between service providers, Institutional Advancement, and Printing and Graphics	no consistent method for transmitting system information to printing and graphics: credit information is transmitted electronically; non-credit information is transmitted via disk technology not accessible or used fully to develop services to student information for multiple print media

  PROPOSED SOLUTION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  information support team is clearinghouse for collecting information, ensuring consistency of content and style, and working directly with Institutional Advancement	create Information Support Team	establish standard method for transmittal of information to printing and graphics

  Student Database Linking

  CURRENT SITUATION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  limited training and cross-training on how to use student database	service to students providers are unable to access all (credit & non-credit) student data and information various record-keeping methods are in existence	criteria for access unclear shadow databases exist no core database exists		some policies or procedures for determining access information from shadow databases is often used for external reporting which results in discrepancies and potential audit implications

  PROPOSED SOLUTION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  establish on-going training program for all services to students providers	determine what information will be required by the SF! Ctr. Team establish recordkeeping standards for all student records	identify programs required to provide SF!Ctr. Team with information necessary to serve students determine uses of information needed for integrated information screens review and identify data elements that are not included on the database and investigate feasibility of adding data elements investigate feasibility of creating a core database		determine procedures to be used to determine individual access establish policies and procedures for data sources used to report information to external agencies

  Telephone

  CURRENT SITUATION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  	department staff do not have access to all services to students information	ClassLine and GradeLine scripts are not well maintained		inconsistencies in use of voice mail by services to students units

  PROPOSED SOLUTION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  	SF! Ctr. is central information resource with its own phone number Information Support Team ensures information is consistent and accurate	identify information necessary for scripts with Information Support team responsible for rewriting re-program ClassLine and GradeLine scripts investigate use of voice response system for use by SF! Ctr.	Establish standards for SF!Ctr. and all services to students use of voice mail

  Wide Area Network

  CURRENT SITUATION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  no formal organizational structure for control or authority of web technology informal structure (web committee) has limited resources to monitor and control web activity many individuals spend disproportionate amounts of time on web development	no central clearinghouse for all services to students information specific instructional department information is not always conveyed to services to students providers	most services to students units have access to web technology technology available to some services to students employees is inadequate for using and accessing the web electronic access by students to their information is limited and only available via kiosk	limited number of data lines for access by outreach areas	no policy for establishing web pages limited procedures for establishing web pages

  PROPOSED SOLUTION:

  PEOPLE/ ORGANIZATION	CROSS-FUNCTIONAL WORKFLOW	TECHNOLOGY	PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE	POLICIES/ PROCEDURES
  identify appropriate organizational structure and reporting relationship (including authority and control) to support web development assign individual(s) (i.e. Web Master) to be totally committed to web development	Information Support Team serves as central clearinghouse Information Support Team ensures that specific instructional information is distributed to SF! Ctr. Team	Information Support Team functions as primary access point for web development all providers of services to students have equipment that enables full access to the web and other data access methods expand student access to electronic information (including computers for student access to Internet) investigate alternative methods for student access (e.g. interactive, bar code scanning, kiosks)	Lane investigates expanding access to outreach areas	Executive Leadership Team establishes policy concerning the establishment and use of web technology for all services to students information at Lane