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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
REPORT
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OCTOBER 1996
I EXCERPT FROM SPRING 1995 CAUSE/EFFECT PUBLICATION 1
II RYERSON INITIATIVES 1
III THE CANADIAN UNIVERSITY SCENE -- TRENDS AND CHALLENGES 2
IV PROCESS / METHODOLOGY USED 3
V FINDINGS 4
1. Communications Infrastructure 4
2. Standards 4
3. Training 5
4. Identify New Administrative Applications 5
(1) Records Management 5
(2) Facilities Scheduling 6
(3) Work/Job Order System 6
(4) One-Card System 6
(5) Application Processing 6
(6) Preventive / Deferred Maintenance 7
(7) Equipment Reservation and Maintenance 7
(8) Inventory Management 7
(9) Co-op / Placement Program Management 8
VI RECOMMENDATIONS 9
1. Administrative IT Committee 9
2. Working Groups 9
3. Yearly IT Planning 9
4. WEB Based Applications 10
APPENDIX "A" -- ADMINISTRATIVE IT STRATEGIC PLAN INFORMATION GATHERING QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX "B" -- WORKING GROUPS:
1. Communications Infrastructure
2. Standards
3. Training
4. Identify New Administrative Applications
(1) Records Management
(2) Facilities Scheduling
(3) Work/Job Order System
(4) One-Card System
(5) Application Processing
(6) Preventive / Deferred Maintenance
(7) Equipment Reservation and Maintenance
(8) Inventory Management
(9) Co-op Program Management
APPENDIX "C" -- Yearly IT Planning
APPENDIX "D" -- WEB Based Applications
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REPORT
The Administrative Information Technology (AIT) Committee was launched to identify and define
strategic directions for administrative information systems at Ryerson. The development and
definition of such directions will build and expand upon the work of the Transitional Funding
Committee.
INFORMATION RESOURCES and INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS: THE NEED FOR A HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO PLANNING AND BUDGETING
By David J. Ernst and Peter Segall
"Limited financial resources make it more important than ever to develop a coordinated
institution-wide process to link academic priorities and expenditures with the technological
infrastructure necessary to support the objectives."
Since 1992, three initiatives were launched by Ryerson to meet the information technology needs
of the University.
Four major challenges face Canadian universities today. The ability to meet these challenges will
determine which universities remain competitive in the twenty-first century.
Just-in-Time Learning. This challenge is growing because of the change in demands from our
user population. To meet these demands the university needs to integrate technology into the
curriculum which requires a state-of-the-art computing infrastructure and a commitment to
upgrading the curriculum and course materials as well.
Remote Education. Off-campus learning opportunities, as well as evening and weekend course
delivery, are growing areas of student demand. To expand this type of service to students,
Ryerson will require infrastructure support for both remote delivery of course materials, and
remote access by students and faculty to information resources at the University, in the quantities
required.
Enhanced Reputation. To attract high-calibre students and establish a valued market reputation,
the university must offer competitive facilities and support infrastructure. These facilities will
provide students with a sophisticated learning environment and support services that are
professional, timely, and that match their needs.
Innovative Approaches. To provide a distance education infrastructure in the face of severe
public funding cutbacks, innovative approaches must be undertaken to integrate information
technology into the curriculum.
The process followed to create this report was:
- John Corallo, Business Manager, Ancillary Services
- Renee Lemieux, Managing Director, Computing and Communications Services
- Richard Malinski, Chief Librarian
- Janice Winton, Executive Director, Financial Services.
The Administrative Information Technology Advisory Committee will identify and define
strategic directions for administrative information systems at Ryerson. The development and
definition of such directions will build and expand upon the work of the Transitional
Funding Committee. In so doing the information technology needs of administrative
departments and the potential value of new applications and facilities will be taken into
account.
The process for developing these strategic directions will be an inclusive one with
opportunities for input from administrative and academic departments, other information
technology committees, and any other interested individuals/groups in the Ryerson
community.
The Administrative Information Technology (AIT) report focuses on embracing IT to create user-friendly, integrated, and sophisticated systems that will provide timely, accurate information to
support the learning and teaching mission of the University. Faculty and staff will develop the
requisite proficiencies in IT through an educational process. The use of networked computing
resources, informational retrieval systems, etc will strengthen Ryerson's ability to maintain its
competitive environment and academic excellence. Fiscal management and standards will be
enhanced through financial aid management capabilities, integrated planning and budgeting, and
forecasting functions. With fewer staff, Ryerson will rely on more IT to maintain its competitive
environment and academic excellence.
The vice-presidents, administrative directors, deans, chairs and centre directors identified four key
management issues which will aid Ryerson in achieving its information technology goals.
By the spring of 1997 Ryerson will have a state-of-the-art, high capacity A.T.M. (155 Mbps),
fibre optic campus-wide backbone -- the Ryerson Information Network (RIN) -- putting
Ryerson in the leading group of universities when it comes to IT. The RIN can support all
of the internal functions and features required with no fundamental change. Through the RIN
many faculty and staff have access to the central processors, E-mail and the Internet. To be
"state-of-the-art" in delivering services remotely and providing remote access, the speed of
the "in and out" access (ONET) must be addressed.
Current business policies allow departments to purchase hardware and software (processors,
servers and personal computers) to meet their own computing needs with little or no central
overview. This leads to a wide variety of products in use and the need for ongoing support.
In turn, this leads to significantly increased costs since either central support (CCS) has to
increase its staff to provide this support or the departments need to train and retrain their own
staff.
Current levels of proficiency with computer hardware, tools, and applications across campus
is uneven. Several groups provide training or support training facilities at Ryerson with little
or no co-ordination between the groups. Ryerson needs to coordinate and increase the
amount of training provided to all employees to ensure consistent level of proficiency.
Nine key administrative applications, with major benefit to more than one user group, were
identified by the Ryerson community. Additional applications were indicated but are used
primarily by one specific group (e.g. Security Incident System, Utility Management System -
energy, water, etc.). Where possible, new applications should be integrated with the
Transition Funding Project (TFP) applications.
NOTE: Listed in the order of support received through the survey process:
This application would:
Provide the functionality for a room and facilities inventory.
Provide automated functionality for the booking and scheduling of these facilities.
Provide the functionality to manage the process.
Benefit all who must manage or book facilities on a regular basis.
This application would:
Provide the functionality of a single card for all University facilities and services.
Simplify access for all users and promote efficient and secure management of access.
Benefit all users of parking, bookstore, food services, housing, library, vending,
photocopy, photo ID and banking services.
This application would:
Provide the functionality for the creation of documents in electronic format;
Manage the storage of documents in a common format, within a common indexing
structure and manage different versions of the documents efficiently and effectively.
Provide the ability to access the documents through the index or by full text search.
Provide the functionality for storing committee-related documents such as minutes,
agendas and reports.
Provide the functionality for sharing of electronic documents across the University.
(Many documents being created now are not available through the Ryerson Network.)
Benefit all who participate in Track 2/3 proposals by providing support for the
application process, and the tracking of the proposal's progress and budget.
Benefit all faculty members who apply for grants (e.g SSHRC applications) with
online application forms, electronic capture of supporting documents, circulation to
committee members and approval process.
This application would:
Support a database of outstanding work orders.
Provide the functionality for effective management and fulfilment of work orders
through reporting and query capabilities.
Benefit all who must handle significant volumes of orders or requests for services.
e.g. Physical Plant, Graphics, and Multi-Print personnel.
This application would:
Provide automated functionality for the processing of applications for University
services, e.g. applications for residence, financial aid, and parking.
Provide the functionality for such applications to use a standard database.
Provide the functionality for effective management of the applications through
reporting and query capabilities.
Benefit any function which must process significant volumes of applications.
This application would:
Provide the functionality for an asset inventory.
Provide the functionality for a standard preventive maintenance program.
Provide the functionality for a deferred maintenance program.
Provide the functionality for scheduling preventive maintenance activities
Provide the functionality for logging maintenance activities.
Provide the functionality for effective management of both the assets and the
preventive maintenance activities.
Benefit any function which must maintain physical assets on a regular basis, e.g. The
Physical Plant department and CCS.
This application would:
Provide the functionality for an equipment inventory (quantity, location, vintage, etc.)
Provide automated functionality for the booking of this equipment.
Provide the functionality to manage the process.
Benefit all who must manage such equipment or who book such equipment on a
regular basis.
The application would:
Provide the functionality for an inventory database.
Provide the functionality for efficient recording of additions and deletions from the
inventory.
Provide the functionality for effective management of inventory through reporting and
query capabilities.
Benefit any function which is responsible for a significant inventory of parts, books
and literature (excluding the Library), or other such items, e.g. The Physical Plant
department.
This application would
Provide the functionality for tracking eligible students, employers and jobs.
Provide the functionality for the processes of interviewing and the assignment of
students to employers/jobs.
Provide a repository to student assessments.
Provide the functionality for overall management of the program through appropriate
reports and query capabilities.
Benefit any academic department which supports a co-op program.
An AIT committee, with a minimum of four members, should be established as an ongoing
entity. A minimum of "one" AIT member would participate on each of the "working groups"
(see point 2 below) to ensure continuity. The AIT committee would review the working groups'
reports and make recommendations to senior management on implementation.
Create four working groups to produce reports on the four management issues (see section V --
Findings) identified by the vice-presidents, administrative directors, deans, chairs and centre
directors in their surveys and interviews. These reports should reflect the pros and cons, initial
and on-going costs, both financial and personnel, and the process on how the implementation
of their particular subject would occur.
The AIT committee would oversee an annual IT Planning processes.
At the time the survey was completed, WEB based applications did not have the interest of the
administrative community that it does today. Since then, WEB based applications, to securely
support administrative functions, have evolved with the potential to greatly increase
functionality.
Examples of WEB based applications for students:
- update addresses, pay fees via credit/debit cards, register in courses, apply for parking,
RAC, etc.
- inquire and print grades, timetables, calendar information (day or C.E.), financial aid
status, job placement opportunities, etc.
- request official transcripts.
- access general information/advertising for functions, activities, events, services and maps
of the campus.
WORKING GROUPS:
Representatives from: CCS, Chair of ACAC, new Administrative IT Committee
member, Rogers Centre
Working group's schedule: As needed.
Ryerson already has a state-of-the-art, high capacity A.T.M. (155 Mbps), fibre optic campus-wide backbone -- the Ryerson Information Network (RIN) -- putting Ryerson in the leading
group of universities. The RIN can support all of the internal functions and features required
with no fundamental change. Through the RIN many faculty and staff have access to the
central processors and E-mail. However, the ability to deliver services remotely and to
provide remote access are limited due to the lack of high speed data lines connecting Ryerson
to the world.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Determine the current and future academic and administrative needs for external
communications access.
Ensure that all faculty and staff are connected or have access to a suitably configured
workstation connected to the RIN.
Ensure that all faculty and staff have access to an E-mail system.
APPENDIX "B"
WORKING GROUPS:
Representative from: Ancillary Services, Faculty of Business, CCS (Administrative
IT Committee member), Financial Services
Working group's schedule: As needed.
Current business policies allow departments to purchase hardware and software (processors,
servers and personal computers) to meet their own computing needs with little or no central
overview. This leads to a wide variety of products in use and the need for ongoing support.
In turn, this leads to great costs since either central support (CCS) has to increase its staff
to service this support or the departments need to train and retrain their own staff.
A new management process would:
Introduce some form of hardware/software central overview which could meet the end-user needs with less variety of product and consequently, lower support costs.
Ensure all stakeholders are consulted and that a professional approach is taken.
Ensure items under consideration can be supported centrally.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Develop and distribute a business case model which includes a process, the activities and
the savings/benefits for a successful implementation. Explanations for the approach and
the steps involved should demonstrate why the model should be followed and the benefits
to all stakeholders.
Obtain consensus that a hardware/software central overview process has significant
benefits.
Develop a means to ensure that the hardware/software central overview process is
followed by all departments.
Create an official policy for the hardware/software central overview process.
Ensure all departments have a current list of personal workstation hardware and software
supported centrally by CCS.
APPENDIX "B"
WORKING GROUPS:
Representatives from: C.E., CCS, Human Resources, Library (Administrative IT
Committee member)
Working group's schedule: On-going.
Current levels of proficiency with computer hardware, tools, and applications across campus
is uneven. Several groups provide training or support training facilities at Ryerson with little
or no co-ordination between the groups.
A new management process would:
Increase emphasis on the efficient use of resources.
Identify teaching groups and develop a higher level of co-ordination between teaching
groups to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the programs.
Ensure all faculty and staff have the level of proficiency using IT needed to be efficient and
effective.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Place training as a project in the implementation strategy.
Define roles and responsibilities and provide for the co-ordination of the various groups
involved.
Define the minimum level of proficiency using IT for faculty and staff.
Create a skills inventory for all faculty and staff.
- Recommend a training strategy for the university
APPENDIX "B"
WORKING GROUPS:
Representatives from: Ancillary Services (Administrative IT Committee member),
Library, Physical Resources, CCS
Working group's schedule: On-going. New applications will continually be identified.
It is recommended that mini working groups be formed consisting of the main departments
or centres that would benefit the most from the new applications.
Nine key administrative application of information functions with major benefits to more than
one user group were identified by the Ryerson community. There were other applications
that were indicated but are used primarily by one specific group (e.g. Security Incident
System, Utility Management System - energy, water, etc.). Where possible, new applications
should be integrated with the Transition Funding Project (TFP) applications.
This new management process would:
Ensure all major administrative processes would be appropriately supported with
information technology.
Where appropriate, applications would be integrated with each other in order to prevent
duplication of effort (rekeying) and the errors it entails.
Cross-functional activities would be more efficient and applications which require views
of multiple functions would be supported.
Link applications software through transactions or through common databases.
Common data would mean same definitions across the university.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Develop an implementation strategy, taking into consideration the costs and benefits, the
existing schedule for development and implementation, and the available funds.
Review the applications and develop a high-level costs and benefits report for each
application, including initial/on-going costs and support implications.
Ensure applications under consideration can be supported centrally, by CCS.
Develop a process for future acquisition and implementation of new application. A needs
model and business case which includes a process. Explanations for the process and the
steps involved should demonstrate why the model should be followed and the benefits to
all stakeholders.
NINE KEY ADMINISTRATIVE APPLICATION
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, C.E., Physical Resources
This application would:
Provide the functionality for a room and facilities inventory.
Provide automated functionality for the booking and scheduling of these facilities.
Provide the functionality to manage the process.
Benefit all who must manage or book facilities on a regular basis.
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, Library, Registrar's Office, Security
This application would:
Provide the functionality of a single card for all University facilities and services.
Simplify access for all users and promote efficient and secure management of access.
Benefit all users of parking, bookstore, food services, housing, library, vending,
photocopy, photo ID and banking services.
Representatives from: Board of Governors, Finance, Human Resources,
Library, Registrar's Office
This application would:
Provide the functionality for the creation of documents in electronic format and the
storage of documents in a common format, within a common indexing structure;
Manage different versions of the documents efficiently and effectively;
Provide the ability to access the documents through the index or by full text search.
Provide the functionality for storing committee-related documents such as minutes,
agendas and reports.
Provide the functionality for sharing of electronic documents across the University.
(Many documents being created now are not available through the Ryerson Network.)
Benefit all faculty members who participate in Track 2 and 3 project proposals by
providing support for the application process, and the tracking of the proposal's
progress and budget.
Benefit all faculty members who apply for grants (e.g SSHRC applications) with
online application forms, electronic capture of supporting documents, circulation to
committee members and approval process.
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, Campus Planning, Physical Resources
This application would:
Support a database of outstanding work orders.
Provide the functionality for effective management and fulfilment of work orders
through reporting and query capabilities.
Benefit all who must handle significant volumes of orders or requests for services.
e.g. Physical Plant, Graphics, and Multi-Print personnel.
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, O.R.S., Student Service
This application would:
Provide automated functionality for the processing of applications for University
services, e.g. applications for residence, financial aid, and parking.
Provide the functionality for such applications to use a standard database.
Provide the functionality for effective management of the applications through
reporting and query capabilities.
Benefit any function which must process significant volumes of applications.
Representatives from: CCS, Electrical, Finance, Physical Resources
This application would:
Provide the functionality for an asset inventory.
Provide the functionality for a standard preventive maintenance program.
Provide the functionality for a deferred maintenance program.
Provide the functionality for scheduling preventive maintenance activities
Provide the functionality for logging maintenance activities.
Provide the functionality for effective management of both the assets and the
preventive maintenance activities.
Benefit any function which must maintain physical assets on a regular basis, e.g. The
Physical Plant department and CCS.
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, CCS, Library,
This application would:
Provide the functionality for an equipment inventory (quantity, location, vintage, etc.)
Provide automated functionality for the booking of this equipment.
Provide the functionality to manage the process.
Benefit all who must manage such equipment or who book such equipment on a
regular basis.
Representatives from: Ancillary Services, Chemistry, Physical Resources
The application would:
Provide the functionality for an inventory database.
Provide the functionality for efficient recording of additions and deletions from the
inventory.
Provide the functionality for effective management of inventory through reporting and
query capabilities.
Benefit any function which is responsible for a significant inventory of parts, books
and literature (excluding the Library), or other such items, e.g. The Physical Plant
department.
Representatives from: Computer Science, E.C.E., Nursing, Social Work
This application would
Provide the functionality for tracking eligible students, employers and jobs.
Provide the functionality for the processes of interviewing and the assignment of
students to employers/jobs.
Provide a repository to student assessments.
Provide the functionality for overall management of the program through appropriate
reports and query capabilities.
Benefit any academic department which supports a co-op program.
ANNUAL IT PLANNING
Working Group Representatives: Senior staff with experience/sound understanding of information
technology -- representatives selected by the vice-presidents.
Currently there is no "official" university wide annual IT planning process. This leads to a wide
variety of IT projects being undertaken, each with its own need for ongoing support. In turn, this
leads to higher project costs and greater support costs.
A new management process would:
Introduce some form of annual central IT planning overview which would meet the end-user needs.
Ensure all stakeholders are consulted and that a professional approach is taken.
Ensure projects under consideration can be supported centrally.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Establish a working group to develop a business case model which includes an annual central IT planning overview process, the activities and the savings/benefits for a successful implementation. Explanations for the approach and the steps involved should demonstrate why the model should be followed and the benefits to all stakeholders.
Distribute the business case model and obtain the community's consensus that an annual central IT planning overview process has significant benefits.
Develop a means to ensure that the annual central IT planning overview process is followed by all departments.
Create an official policy for the annual central IT planning overview process.
The working group would review each department's/centre's submissions and produce a report with recommended joint department/centre involvement where appropriate.
The AIT committee would review the working groups' report and make recommendations to senior management for implementation.
WEB BASED APPLICATIONS
Working Group Representatives: CCS, Continuing Education, Community Relations, Registrar,
Student Services
WEB based applications, accessed from labs or remotely, will give students easy access to many
administrative functions now performed by Ryerson staff. These WEB based applications will
decrease Ryerson's cost for printing and support staff that currently operate the information counters
and service areas while increasing the hours of service availability.
WEB based applications would:
Allow students to update their addresses, pay their fees via credit/debit cards, register for courses, apply for parking or RAC, etc.
Allow students to inquire and print their grades, timetables, calendar information (day or C.E.), financial aid status, job placement opportunities, etc.
Permit general information/advertising for functions, activities, events, services and maps of the campus.
Allow students to request transcripts.
Suggested Points / Steps:
Develop an implementation strategy, taking into consideration the costs and benefits, the existing schedule for development and implementation, and the available funds.
Review the functions and develop a high-level costs and benefits report for each function, including initial/on-going costs and support implications.
Ensure functions under consideration can be supported centrally, by CCS.
Develop a process for future implementation of new functions. A needs model and business case which includes a process. Explanations for the process and the steps involved should demonstrate why the model should be followed and the benefits to all stakeholders.