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Kingsborough Community College
Student Technology Fee Plan
2011-2012
It is apparent that, as the College enters the tenth year of the technology fee, the benefits that accrue to students and the ability to advance the academic agenda of the institution is enhanced immeasurably by the prudent and targeted use of these resources. As with all aspects of public service, with such significant authority comes substantial responsibility. Among these is to ensure that constituents are appropriately consulted and that their concerns are addressed. In order to ensure that this responsibility is met, the Tech Fee Committee has maintained its close relationship with the primary stakeholders and decision makers of the institution. These include, but are not limited to, student leaders, department chairs, the President’s cabinet, and the planning committees that direct the efforts of the strategic planning process as well as the PMP and accreditation review processes.
The emerging consensus among the leadership is that the institution must leverage its resources as efficiently as possible in light of the extraordinary pressures that are likely to face the University in the years ahead. The mantra of “doing more with less” is no longer a troubling cliché but rather a challenging reality for the foreseeable future. In order to address these challenges, the leadership of the institution has identified the following priorities for the coming year:
- Ensuring that the college maximizes the use of technology to reduce the financial and logistical pressures on students in delivery of instruction
- That technology, in the form of online, hybrid and blended courses, are freely available, as appropriate, for students and that the necessary support is in place to ensure that instruction is provided with little or no interruption.
- That students of limited financial means are, through laptop loans or on-campus lab access, afforded unfettered access to the technology they need to compete in an increasingly restricted environment.
- That faculty are provided with the technology needed in classrooms, labs and supplemental instructional environments, the resources required to meet their academic obligations
- That all delivery systems of the institution (i.e. online instruction, in class instruction, web-based support, library services, tutoring and supplemental instruction, etc.) are provided with the support needed to ensure maximum services to students
Departmental plans, targeted to the achievement of these goals, are found in the College’s Strategic Plan and in the goals and the course outcomes required by Middles States accreditation standards. A crucial component in meeting these goals, however, is the role played by this committee. This includes:
- The continued investment in systematic upgrades and maintenance of the existing instructional technology base. History has taught us the lessons of deferred maintenance. The progress of the past cannot and will not be laid waste to short-sighted views that are not sustained by ongoing support.
- Ensuring increased student access to technology through laptop loans, Wi-Fi access on campus, and in-class use of technology.
- Providing accessibility to resources (through lab access, increased library hours, weekend and evening support, etc.)
Accomplishments: 2010-2011
As we assess the progress made, the College is proud to report that we have met or exceeded the goals set in the current year’s plan. This includes:
- Upgrading workstations, printers and software to support all open and instructional labs at the College
- Meeting the goals set in the strategic plan for providing smart blackboard technology to all of the classrooms scheduled for the 2010-2011 academic year
- Expanding the number of open workstations or available hours in labs for students to complete work assignments
- Expanding the capabilities of the wireless network
- Maintaining or upgrading the software needed to support the curricula of the institution, in keeping with the demands of the academic community.
- Maintaining or upgrading the College’s infrastructure to support the instructional program
- Upgrading technology in classrooms, including Smartboards, podiums and projection devices, in keeping with the previously established implementation plan
The attached appendix lists, by project, the achievements to date for fiscal 2010-2011.
Goals for 2011-2012
The committee has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the progress made to date is not compromised by a lack of ongoing support and maintenance. To that end, it is critical that the investments made over the past decade are not lost as we pursue new initiatives. As we approach 100 percent deployment of smart blackboard technology in all instructional spaces (classrooms, open labs, specialized labs, etc.) it is important that these spaces are upgraded as they begin to age and newer technology becomes available. With the exponential increase in workstations across the campus, we must continue to ensure that they are replaced as they age and as new applications emerge requiring appropriate support. Student use of wireless technology has placed a burden on the college’s infrastructure that must be addressed. The need for “anywhere, anytime” access, while challenging to address, must be met if our students are to keep pace with the trends in higher education in general and the City University in particular.
At the same time, new advances must be incorporated into our planning if the college is to remain current. Balancing the needs of the present with the requirements of the future is truly the challenge of the Committee. It is our belief, however, that this challenge can be met if we make prudent investments and remain true to the College’s mission. To that end, the following goals are offered:
- The ongoing maintenance and support of the College’s current instructional technology base must remain our highest priority
- The institution must continue to increase student access through new facilities, laptop loans, and improved use of existing labs
- The College seeks to meet its target of 100 percent deployment of smart blackboards in all of its classrooms in the coming year.
- The College seeks to expand smart blackboard deployment to non-traditional instructional spaces such as kitchens that support the Culinary Arts program and workshops that support the Marine Technology program
- The College must look to invest significantly in services that support its library and student access to information.
- Library support must include both physical layout (labs, workstations, electronic databases, etc.) and emerging technologies.
- Emerging technologies must include vehicles that promote student access to instructional resources including research.
- Examining delivery mechanisms for these resources (i.e. e-readers, e-books, online reserve, etc.) must be a critical component of our emerging strategy.
- Creating dual purpose instructional spaces in large lecture centers through the creative deployment of technology
In order to meet these goals, the College continues to review the status of its equipment and plan for timely replacements. It should be remembered that the institution made the deliberate decision four years ago to extend its replacement cycle from three to four years. In select cases, some equipment would be on a five-year replacement cycle if it was determined that operational risks would be low. This was done to maximize the use of our resources by recognizing that, while it is preferable to replace equipment on a shorter cycle, many workstations, switches and software must be replaced based on need and not the clock.
The attached table provides a summary of workstations that we will be replacing next year. This will be done around the instructional needs of the institution with most of the deployments taking place during periods when classes are not in session. While our unique calendar makes this a challenge, IT staff have become quite adept at scheduling activities with a minimum of disruption.
Recognizing that student access remains a crucial need, the College will build on its laptop loan program and explore other options. These other options include expanding on this year’s pilot of retrofitting existing lecture halls with thin client wireless devices that convert 50 to 75 seat lecture halls into robust instructional spaces with a variety of teaching options for faculty and learning opportunities for students.
Lead by the College’s Chief Librarian and the Provost, the College will work to enhance the services provided to students through our library services. This includes creating spaces that can be used for instruction in library resources, expanding the available library databases, enhancing the delivery of media services and exploring e-readers and e-reserve services.
This last activity is one that resonates with students, faculty and administrators alike. The spiraling costs of books and the attendant burden on students is one that has prompted many to look to technology as a possible solution to escalating costs in a time of diminishing resources. The library staff have explored a number of alternatives that appear to be both cost effective and instructionally viable. While many of the logistics (volume acquisitions, loan policies, etc.) have yet to be finalized, the policies and practices employed in laptop loans and other student support projects serve as a valuable template.
These initiatives, along with expanded service hours, enhancements to Wi-Fi network, etc. will hopefully reduce student burdens and frustrations. We recognize, however, that this plan is, of necessity, a work in progress. This Committee will continue to meet on a regular basis to assess the progress made on its projects and to determine whether a change, or mid-course correction, is warranted. The Committee will also identify any new issues that might emerge and propose adjustments to the plan to address these issues within the broad parameters set for planning and within the accepted goals and priorities of the institution. Any adjustments made to the plan, once approved, will be shared with the University and the College community. |