Comprehensive Standard #3.8.1 (Appropriate resources)

The institution provides facilities, services, and learning/information resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research, and service mission.

Compliance Certification

The College of William and Mary is in compliance with this comprehensive standard.

Explanation

The explanation for this requirement is in two parts, considering information technology and library services.

Information Technology

Cooperative projects between IT professionals and the library have definitely moved the College closer to providing students with a level of communication, collaboration and information access that might have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. It is important to note that our claim of full compliance with this requirement does not mean that the College has accomplished all its information technology goals. Educational technology is changing dramatically and will require continued investment of both time and money in the future. We assert that full compliance is warranted because: 1) the College has a method in place for planning and managing technology investments to provide the greatest benefit from the financial and human resources available and 2) the purposes of the Office of Information Technology are carefully aligned with the College's mission and strategic plan.

The following descriptions of three categories of IT services, facilities, and resources are offered as evidence of compliance:

(1) Academic Technology

Academic Technology Support
IT provides targeted support to faculty in most departments and programs, the School of Education and the School of Law through the Academic Departmental Liaison Program. The liaisons assist faculty in developing curricula that integrate information technologies, and serve as relationship managers enhancing communications between these academic departments and Information Technology staff and services. They work closely with IT engineering and technical managers to find hardware and software products that provide an effective infrastructure to support the teaching and learning mission. Because the liaisons have graduate training or professional experience in the disciplines they support, they often work in collegial relationships with faculty on specialized class-related or research projects. The effectiveness of this support is indicated by the results of the survey conducted by the Faculty Assembly in the spring of 2004.
Technology Enhanced Classrooms
IT's Classroom Support Team has the responsibility for designing, installing and maintaining a wide range of instructional technologies in the College's seminar rooms, presentation classrooms, and multimedia auditoria. More than 50 classrooms are equipped with an LCD projector, VCR, laptop connections, an instructor podium, and a computer with the standard faculty software image, Internet connection and DVD player. Multimedia classrooms with all these features, plus additional equipment required by faculty are also available. Support for videoconferencing in the Millennium Classroom and in other locations on campus is also available.
Advanced Network Connectivity
In support of academic computational needs, the College participates in Network Virginia, the state's high-speed educational data network that currently links all colleges and universities both public and private in the Commonwealth of Virginia . The College is a full participating member of the Internet2 initiative and has direct access to the Abilene national backbone. The College is also a charter member of the Mid Atlantic Terascale Partnership, a consortium of research universities located in the region that have been instrumental in having a node on the National Lambda Rail established in Virginia. Connectivity to the national facility from the College is planned for early 2005.
Support for Research and Teaching
IT engineers assist with the design, purchase, development, configuration, installation, and maintenance of numerous software applications and operating systems in support of the research and academic community. Specifically, we support the SciClone cluster project (http://www.compsci.wm.edu/SciClone/), a heterogeneous computing cluster for use in the sciences. SciClone is used by the Biology Department in the teaching of genome research and analysis for freshman students. We also provide support to the Center for Piezoelectrics by Design (http://www.cpd.wm.edu/) a research center that "conducts research into the theoretical prediction and experimental realization of new members of a unique class of materials, piezoelectrics." Additionally, Information Technology engineers support of numerous computer servers and applications for many of our academic departments, including Biology, Chemistry, Math, Physics, and Applied Science. We support applications used by the Chemistry Department for neural simulation research, 3-D modeling and analysis in the Math Department, a mobile classroom notebook lab used by Applied Science for teaching bioinformattics, 3-D modeling and mathematical analysis. Finally, IT maintains a Unix server that provides access to numerous applications (genesis, maple, matlab, sas, splus, stata), computer languages, as well as various databases used by the College community.
Public Access Labs
Information Technology provides engineering and staff expertise to develop, configure, test, deploy and maintain the operating system, installed applications and network printing for public access labs with more than 410 computers in 20 locations on campus. The software image in these labs includes multiple, complex applications running in a secure operating system environment while providing maximum reliability. In close consultation with faculty, Information Technology develops a lab software image that includes 100+ curriculum-related applications needed for each academic year. Information Technology staff also actively monitor the lab workstations and printers to ensure all systems are functioning properly.
Blackboard IMS
The College of William and Mary was an early adopter of the Blackboard instructional management software. We originally selected Blackboard (then called CourseInfo) in 1999 because it was easy to use. Over 600 courses each semester use Blackboard to provide syllabi, assignments, reserve readings, and links to authoritative sites on the Internet. A growing number of faculty are using its interactive tools such as discussion boards, the virtual classroom, assessment management tools, and group email. At any time of the day or night, more than 800 users are logged in, with more than 2,000 simultaneous users connected during the busiest times of the semester.

(2) Core Services Technology

Technology Support
Information Technology operates the Technology Support Center (TSC) to respond to support requests for computers, telecommunications, and cable TV. The TSC also maintains and upgrades departmental computer hardware and software so that faculty and staff have access to current technology for accomplishing their work. Annually, the TSC responds to 40,000 support requests; more than 80% of which are closed within a 24-hour period. The TSC provides professional and high-quality service that is recognized by many through our ongoing customer surveys, including this professor who wrote, "The Technology Support Center makes my job as a faculty member easier. When technical problems come up, the center always is there."
Secure Network Services
The College provides a secure, scaleable network for faculty, staff and students. The entire campus is fully wired with BISCI certified fiber optic and copper cable plant deployed to all buildings. 100 Mbps switched Ethernet service is offered across the entire network and the residence halls are wired to a port/pillow standard. The College network connects to two Internet service providers for fault tolerance and security measures include a firewall, intrusion detection, active intrusion prevention and traffic shaping. Complementing the wired network is an 802.11b/g wireless infrastructure that covers all academic and student services buildings.
Ubiquitous Access to Computing Resources
Information Technology provides access to a core set of services to faculty, staff and students via an IT account that grants single sign-on access to email, instructional management software, student records, personal network storage space, a portal, and computer labs. Personal network space, for securing and sharing documents and hosting personal web pages, is easily available using a mapped drive from public access labs, offices or residence halls, and from off campus using a secure FTP connection. All academic and administrative departments also have shared server space for easy file sharing and storage. Data from the servers is backed up regularly and stored both on site for easy recovery and off site for disaster planning. A faculty member who recently benefited from IT's backup services wrote, "I somehow deleted my whole electronic portfolio. This was the website I had spent several weeks over the summer creating to be used in my promotion review this fall; and I had just that week given the web address to my School's Faculty Evaluation Committee for their consideration. I was a wreck for about 30 minutes, but that's all it took for IT to make the file reappear on the H: drive. What a relief it was to see the file again!"
Web Development Services
IT offers web design and development services to departments and programs at the College. In addition to services for customized sites and web applications, IT develops and supports optional W and M Web Templates for departments and student organizations that have sites on the campus web server. The web templates control all of the basic design features of a site, allowing web editors to instead concentrate on producing useful and interesting content. Web template features include printer friendly version, consistent menus, calendar of events, bulletin board system, content management system, W and M search and navigation, site statistics, data collection forms, forced login, and extra and alert blocks. W and M Web Templates are used by 160+ departments and entities at the College. Personal Web Templates are also available for faculty, students, and staff who wish to create personal web pages. A professor evaluates personal web templates, "After teaching people to create web sites for a decade, I think that I have found the best instructional tools for doing so. The Personal Web Templates provide a wonderful balance among ease of use, flexibility, features, and sophisticated results that is perfect for someone who wants to concentrate more upon the content and functionality of web sites than their HTML formatting."
Desktop Lease Program
IT manages a desktop lease program called the Equipment Service Program (ESP) which provides leased computer equipment that is institutionally-owned. The ESP provides departments with standard up-to-date hardware which can be supported at the highest level by the College, and removes obsolete computer equipment and machines which have no regular replacement cycle. The program also makes technology easier for the W and M community by providing easy ordering, stable costs, reliable equipment, and excellent service. Currently, there are 1,800 computers in the campus desktop lease program.
Technology Training
IT's Web and Learning Services Team designs and delivers a high quality curriculum for desktop and enterprise applications for faculty, staff and students in a professionally-outfitted technology training facility. Members of the W and M community use this resource both as a professional development activity and to enhance their workplace effectiveness. During 2004, 133 workshops were offered ranging from MS Office to Macromedia Dreamweaver to SCT Banner Student and Finance.
Security Awareness and Communication
IT has executed a comprehensive effort to promote safe computing among faculty, staff and students. An IT News feature has include 13 security-related news articles in the past two years, and an annual safe computing message, a student postcard campaign in summer 2004, articles in student newspapers, posters in residence halls, and presentations at student and employee orientations have been used to educate the community about information security.
Project Management Office
Information Technology established a project management office in 2001 to implement standards and provide guidance to technology staff in the planning and execution of information technology projects. Additionally, the project management office oversees the business processes for the department and adds value to the institution by exercising general business management skills in the allocation of human and capital resources. Because this office is led by a certified project manager (PMP), W and M is well-positioned to respond to oversight from Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) on technology projects.

(3) Enterprise Technology

Enterprise Resource Planning Implementation
The implementation of integrated, enterprise-wide applications has been a major focus of IT for more than three years. Through Project MAST, IT is collaborating with College departments to implement Sungard SCT Banner for student, finance and human resource systems. In addition to overall planning activities (scheduling, budgeting, contract negotiations, and Commonwealth reporting), Information Technology has provided leadership for the Project Management Team and the Data Oversight Committee. The project impacts the academic and business lives of all in the College community and interviews and surveys of affected constituencies are used to evaluate quality assurance and enhancement. Though Project MAST officially ends in September 2005, project planning for enterprise resources will of course continue. Examples of continuing enterprise resource planning efforts include implementation and Banner integration of third party products such as FAMIS (facilities management system), Admissions interfaces (Collegenet, CommonApp, EmBark, Admit-M), Workflow, Imaging, Housing Lottery, and Room Scheduling.
Database Administration and Application Security
Maintaining and supporting the integrity of the ERP database structure and the effectiveness of database administration and application security practices is the responsibility of IT's Enterprise Information Systems group. Additionally, this group manages the request process for Banner application and database security, monitors database performance, and reviews source code. In such a complex administrative systems environment where integration and integrity must be sustained, software installation and upgrades for products such as Banner, Oracle RDBMS, Blackboard, Operational Data Store, Oracle Discoverer, and other third party software is also a critical effort.
Application Programming and Functional Support
Information Technology supports legacy mainframe systems, the Sungard SCT Banner ERP, and reporting tools. While converting mainframe data to the ERP application (Banner), remaining legacy systems are supported by programmers and computer operations/production control staff. The ERP systems require both maintenance and implementation support by programmers, administrative liaisons, and content specialists. Support of these systems includes report-writing, training, documentation, Banner help desk support, application programming, and business analysis tasks.

Library Services

The Earl Gregg Swem Library is the main library for the campus of the College of William and Mary. It also administers several departmental libraries: Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Music, and a Biology Reading Room. The Law Library, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Library, the Professional Resource Center of the Business School, and the Learning Resource Center of the School of Education are independent and separately administered libraries within the College (Swem Library). See Swem Library General Information for access to other library home page sites.

The mission of the libraries is closely aligned with the College's mission. Goals identified as part of the library's Strategic Initiatives make the alignment clear, especially with the focus on research and learning and facilitating access to resources and services.

(1) Facilities

In 2005, Swem Library completed a seven year expansion and 170,00 square feet. The library is designed to provide additional space for student seating (1,545 seats) and collections, as well as update the infrastructure to accommodate developing technologies and services. (See Swem Library Construction Project.)

We intend for the facility to encourage people to work and learn independently and collaboratively. The Information Commons, the dynamic center of the Library, has more than 100 high-end computers, each loaded with a large suite of productivity applications, Internet tools, and specialized course-related software.

The library is fully connected with more than 500 data ports for laptop access and an extensive wireless network. Workstations are provided throughout the building and students, faculty and staff can use College-owned laptops. The library features a Media W all that broadcasts national and international news and campus and community events.

Swem Library is a bright, welcoming place, full of comfortable chairs, couches and other seating areas including carrels and tables to accommodate individual and group research and study activities. Shortly after the main floor was opened, an exit survey of students provided very positive feedback, with students describing it as the "most beautiful library" and noting that the new arrangement "makes learning fun."

In the 2004, a student survey revealed that 87% of the respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the library's provision of a "comfortable and inviting location." (Note: Library staff have done preliminary analysis of the 2004 data, but the survey results are not yet available for release.) This represents a 16% increase in satisfaction from the previous year (see Senior Survey (Library) 2003). In 2002, library patrons participated in the national LibQUAL+ survey and even though the library was not yet complete, patrons rated the provision of a 'comfortable and inviting location' above their minimum expectations (see Swem Library 2002 Survey Report).

(2) Services

Swem Library provides a full range of traditional and innovative library services. In addition to in-person, telephone, e-mail and instant messaging reference assistance, Swem Library also offers 84 hours of online chat (virtual reference) in collaboration with eleven other members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL; see Library Reference Services). Recently, the library began several new programs including electronic document delivery to the desktop for interlibrary loan requests ( Interlibrary Loans). e-Swat assistance, a team of technologic adept student assistants helps fellow students with technology questions and is available through instant messaging.

Swem Library has created two state-of-the-art instructional spaces: the Learning Center and the Media Classroom. Library staff members use these facilities to teach individual and library information and literacy classes. Library services have expanded by providing group study rooms that support activities such as the Writing Center (see Writing Center news story) and practice sessions for student presentations.

The Library staff worked collaboratively with faculty members and Information Technology staff in the development of the Media Center , which was an outgrowth of student requests during the planning stage of construction. The Library will phase in a new range of services beginning in the fall of 2005, including multi-media creation and editing capabilities, a sophisticated experimental visualization lab, and a digital project collaboration space (see Media Center). Collaborations with IT also include an electronic reserve system (see Electronic Reserves Information for Faculty) and the purchase of and training for RefWorks, a bibliography and database manager.

In the 2004 survey, 93% of the students rated Swem's over all service quality as good or extremely good, which is up from 89% in 2003. (Note: Library staff have done preliminary analysis of the 2004 data, but the survey results are not yet available for release.) Ninety-Four percent agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the way they are treated (up from 91% in 2003); and 89% agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with library support for learning and research needs (up from 85% in 2003). The measures assessed in the student survey indicate a steady increase in the level of student satisfaction with Swem Library's services. (For results of the 2003 survey, see Senior Survey (Library) 2003).

Faculty members indicated their satisfaction with library resources in the library section of the faculty survey of the fall of 2003. Satisfaction levels varied by academic area, from a 80% humanities to 64% for social sciences. Arts and Sciences faculty members are least satisfied with library holdings and rate services and accessibility are more highly.

(3) Use of library and collections

With the completion of the building project and rededication in February 2005, Swem Library has seen an increase of 142% in the number of visitors to the building (2002/2003 to 2004/2005). Circulation has increased by over 5,700 items compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. (See library visitors and Swem Library circulation.)

(4) Learning/Information Resources

Swem Library provides appropriate learning and information resources to support he teaching and research missions of the College of William and Mary (see the discussion of Core Requirement 2.9). In recent years, collaborative efforts with consortia have enhanced significantly the electronic offerings of Swem Library. Through these efforts, we are able to deliver directly to the desktops of students and faculty members complete journal collections from a wide variety of publishers. Most recently, the Library has used private funds to acquire several historic archives to support Ph.D. programs in history and American studies, most notably the American Periodical Series and the Historic New York Times. (See online databases.)

Note: ASERL data are available for past five years.

The College of William and Mary

SACS Compliance Certification

August 2005