Project News – April 2012 (Covering March)
- Common Timetabling is focusing on improving data quality, so that the number of falsely reported clashes can be reduced.
- The use of group based events is being promoted to provide a more detailed student timetable.
- The integration of CMIS events into the Google calendar is progressing with a trial being prepared for Easter.
- The Enquirer and Applicant Project has successfully delivered two major applications for the University
- i) The Points –Based Admissions App.
- ii) The Pre-registration-App.
- These systems, which have been built to the latest standards and with contemporary Web 2.0-based software will ensure that applications and admissions to the University are processed as smoothly as possible, giving a much higher level of service to our customers They are a key component of CiCS contribution to Project 2012.
- The project will now be closing, with further development of the system being taken forward elsewhere.
- This project has just started up and aims to establish a corporate repository of University contact information for use in incidents, along with policy/procedures to support institutional use.
Managed Staff Printing and Photocopying
- Consultation has taken place across the University and a network of Print Champions has been set up to help ensure the project is successful for the University. A Proof of Concept is being run over the winter in CiCS, and based on the lessons we learn from that we will commence pilots in Academic and Professional Services departments. A reduction in the number of printers in use on the University will be matched by an increase in the quality of the available machines.
- A tender has gone out for a Print Audit and it is intended that this will take place in conjunction with the roll-out of the service, in order that we get the most effective result for print users.
- The detail as to the shape of the service and how it will work locally is yet to be agreed between the Project Board, Faculties and Departments.
- Following a brainstorming session with CiCS staff in November 2011, a new approach to Portal development has been proposed, and a prototype is under development which will allow us to assess whether this proposed approach is appropriate for the current University computing environment.
Print Audit and Submission Software
- There has been good progress, and a pilot is due to start in April.
Programme Regulations Online Management System
- Work on the new process is now starting. It will be enabled by a new IT system, but it will also include changes to the format of Programme Regulations.
- Further communications and consultations regarding the details of this project will be announced soon.
- The Project Board, in conjunction with FDLTs, has agreed that an operational Windows 7 managed service will go live at the start of academic year 2012/13.
- The project is currently focussed on piloting a new Windows 7 managed service, with a student pilot service being run on a number of dedicated computers within the Information Commons and an admin staff pilot service underway within HR.
- The CiCS technical team is working to ‘package’ the applications that will be delivered via the new Windows 7 desktop.
- The upgraded production systems went live successfully on 17th January 2012.
- The project was formally closed at the project board meeting held 29th March 2012.
- A demonstrator application for scanning documents, with data tagging and a user-friendly retrieval facility has been produced. Information for those wishing to explore the possibilities of scanning documents will be published shortly.
- Applications in HR and student Services are being explored.
SHIP (Sheffield HEAR Implementation Project)
- HEAR as a formative document will be delivered via MUSE to current staff and students.
- We are working with a JISC-funded project consortium, including a company called Digitary, to pilot the delivery of the HEAR document to graduates and third parties (e.g. employers), as a verified document in a secure and graduate managed environment.
- We are hoping to make interim HEARs available, via the Digitary system, so that students can provide third parties (especially employers) with access to this document before graduation.
- A request for the accreditation data required for the HEAR has been sent out to departments. We are planning further discussions with stakeholders re systems that might be used to load extra-curricular information onto CIS.
- A HEAR website has been set up at www.sheffield.ac.uk/hear.
- The SAM Project has re-started to manage the recent change in guidance for Student Attendance Monitoring which will take effect in Academic Year 2012/13.
- The project has been re-started. A business case is being finalised to justify the expenditure of employing an outside company to provide the functionality specifically for the e-File. A tender document has also been provided.
- Work on phase one has started, and some pilot functionality is already in place.
- The Project Definition and membership of the Project Board will be finalised shortly.
- MOLE 2 is now live for the majority of departments from the Faculty of Social Science, and selected departments from Medicine, Science. See http://www.shef.ac.uk/cics/mole2
- Departments scheduled to move to MOLE 2 for Sept 2012 are being contacted by members of the Learning Technologies Team to discuss training and migration options.