June 2002 Update
Looking Forward
The following points address new directions C&C and the UW are taking:
Financial Desktop Project Seeks User Feedback
User feedback sessions are being held across campus through May and June to help determine the scope and priorities of the Financial Desktop project.
- Opportunities to participate: To learn more about the feedback sessions or to volunteer for the Financial Desktop project, please email findsktop@u.washington.edu
- About the Project: The Financial Desktop will provide administrators, managers, and other users quick access to UW financial information over the Web and allow them to complete their financial transactions online.
- For more information: http://www.washington.edu/user/financial_desktop/
Wireless Fee Alternatives
In response to feedback from departments and units, C&C now is offering three pricing options for wireless data deployments on campus. With the absence of institutional funding for campus-wide wireless infrastructure, campus departments that wish to install wireless access points in their building(s) may
o Pay a monthly fee for service with nominal installation charges
o Pay a one-time fee for procurement and installation and a lower monthly charge for maintenance, or
o Pay a one-time fee for procurement and installation and no monthly fee. Any required maintenance and support will be billed on a time and materials basis with this third option.
- For more information: contact install@cac.washington.edu or call 206-543-5068.
MyUW for Parents
C&C is working with the Office of Undergraduate Education to explore the possibility of creating a parent view for MyUW that would give parents of UW students access to MyUW with information tailored specifically for them. Information might include notification of special events at schools or colleges and (with the student's permission) ability to pay tuition and view grades.
- Potential benefits: Ability by schools and colleges to reach parents with news and information.
MyUW Partnerships
C&C is interested in exploring possible partnerships with schools and colleges to investigate ways in which MyUW might be developed to help academic units reach constituents including students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Possibilities might include creating Web pages exclusively for faculty and staff of a particular unit through MyUW or targeting alumni or other constituent groups with information and announcements of special interest to them.
- Opportunities to participate: If
you are interested in partnering with C&C, please contact Ellen Jensen
at ellenj@cac.washington.edu
or 206-685-7560.
Another Look at University-wide Calendaring
C&C, in partnership with the UW Computing Directors group, is investigating the interest and feasibility of offering a university-wide online calendaring system.
- For more information: Contact your
representative on the Computing Directors group (http://depts.washington.edu/compdirs/)
or email Oren Sreebny at oren@cac.washington.edu
New C&C Organizational Website with C&C Contacts
C&C has a new organizational Website at http://depts.washington.edu/cac/ that can help you figure out whom within C&C to contact for what. Look under Organization for contact information and descriptions of the nine areas of C&C.
- Feedback needed: Please let us know how well the site meets your needs. To comment, email ksharpe@u.washington.edu
Two New Pilots of the Integrated Authorization Project
Two pilots of the new integrated authorization system are planned for later this year as part of the E-Procurement and Grant Proposal projects.
- About the project: The Integrated
Authorization project seeks to provide faculty and staff with quick and
flexible access to the systems and resources they need to do their jobs.
It would provide a simple Web-based process for departmental administrators,
managers, and others to authorize system access for faculty and staff. In
addition, managers would be able to delegate authorization authority.
- For more information: http://www.washington.edu/user/iap/index.html
Updates on Issues Discussed or Services Requested
During the meetings, many of you heard about and discussed current C&C projects. The following points address some issues that were raised and list newly completed projects:
Expanded MyUW Audience
UW alumni and UW Educational Outreach students now can get UW NetIDs, which give them access MyUW and other UW services.
- Potential benefits for users: Departments and units can publicize their academic news and events, including seminars and presentations, to an expanded MyUW audience. Department calendar coordinators can enter events directly online using a simple form. For access to the form, contact Bob Roseth in News & Information at roseth@u.washington.edu
- In the future: Departments and units might be able to use MyUW to reach particular audiences with specific information or messages. Expanding the number of constituents with access to MyUW is an important step in that direction.
- For more information: To see different MyUW audience views, visit the MyUW Website at http://myuw.washington.edu and click Enter as a guest. If you are interested in a demonstration of MyUW, please contact Oren Sreebny at oren@cac.washington.edu or 206-543-5415. To reach MyUW staff, send email to myuwhelp@cac.washington.edu
Increased Hours for Administrative and Student Services
Administrators and other users now have access to Higher Education Payroll/Personnel System (HEPPS), Employee Self-Service (ESS), and the Online Payroll Update System (OPUS) nearly 24/7. In addition, most C&C production drivers (the online systems where administrators access various financial and personnel databases) are available through weekends without special request. Faculty access to MyUWClass and student access to MyUW student personal services and Web registration also have been expanded to nearly 24/7.
Improved Ability to Recover from Disasters
The UW more quickly can recover from disasters affecting the central business systems (including financial, payroll, student, HR), allowing faster access to critical data after an emergency. C&C now can recover service in less than an hour, so main UW enterprise applications can continue operation.
Updates on Issues Not Discussed
The following points address issues of potential interest that were not discussed in our meetings:
Improved Services for Students:
- Expanded server capacity--The student information system handled a record number of transactions on the first day of Spring Quarter (427,000), with no negative impact on other administrative applications.
- Short-term loans--Students can apply for short-term loans through MyUW and get immediate approval and disbursement to cover tuition and fees or to deposit funds directly to a checking account.
- Online transcripts--Students can display unofficial transcripts through MyUW, eliminating the need to come in person to the Registrar's Office or Undergraduate Advising for a copy of their academic records.
- Goodbye STAR--Web registration through MyUW has been so successful that the Registrar's Office will take STAR out of service after October 2002.
Improved Services for Faculty and Staff:
- Immediate Time Schedule adjustments--Once beta-testing is completed, academic department Time Schedule coordinators will be able to make immediate adjustments to their course offerings via the Web.
- PERS3 selection online--Employees now can select the new state retirement program through Employee Self Service (ESS) in MyUW.
Improved Services for UW Community:
- Coordinated calendars--Users now can select campus events in MyUW and automatically move them to their MyUW personal calendar.
Updates on Better-known Issues
The following points address issues that you may be familiar with, so we provide only a brief summary. Details are online in the 2002 Deans' Report:
http://www.washington.edu/president/2002_05_01-evp-deansreport.htm#A4
SSN Privacy Protection
Employee identification has changed for all employees from a social security number to a unique UW number, in response to increasing concerns about data privacy and identity theft. (Item 29 in Deans' Report.)
MyUWClass
Instructors can use MyUWClass for quick access to class information (such as classroom attributes and class lists) and to Catalyst tools (for building class Websites and for other help teaching with technology). (Item 6 in Deans' Report.)
Computing Directors Group
Monthly meetings will continue. For more information, look on the Web at UW Computing Directors Group. (Item 7 in Deans' Report.)
