2005 Studentaffairs.com Case Study CompetitionMarc Ebelhar, Susan Hudson, Sarah Pierson, & Annahita

SmedalUniversity of South Carolina

Developing an Educational

Portal

Presentation for the President’s

Executive Staff

Overview• A Portal System

• Portal Benefits

• Portal Team

• Portal Design

• Security

• Systems

• Assessment

• Future

• Conclusion

• Portal Examples

• Footnotes

• References

A Portal System“The biggest issue is staying in line with industry

standards and not letting yourself fall behind as IT standards are developed.”

- Vincent Conti, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at University of Maryland, College Park 1

In 2004, 37% of colleges and universities in the U.S. reported having a working portal with a single sign-on. 2

According to a study by Jupiter Research, “…more than 80% of polled companies said they now have or will deploy within a year a portal site for their employees.” 3

A Portal SystemEllingsburg University Mission

“Ellingsburg University is dedicated to providing a student-centered learning environment, upholding the ideals of a liberal

arts education, and promoting meaningful interactions among all members of the university community. While preserving our traditions, Ellingsburg University believes in the dynamics of

change and has a strong commitment to the continuous review, evaluation, and improvement of the curriculum and all aspects of the university, so as to meet the changing needs of students and

society.”

With this in mind, the Portal Conceptual Development Team has created a proposal to move Ellingsburg University into the technological future, while still maintaining our commitment to meaningful interactions, continuous review, and the changing needs of students.

Portal Benefits• Integration of information resources

• The portal will provide a single location for the variety of information and services which are available on the university’s current web presence. Therefore, users will find these resources more readily and easily accessible.

• Increased student retention• Vincent Tinto’s theory of student retention sheds light on the role a portal can play

in retaining students through their first year. With a focus on goal commitment and clarification, institutional commitment and helping students progress towards their goals, academic integration and overcoming the challenges of the first semester, and social integration into the Ellingsburg University community, the various portal channels and functions will assist in student retention. 4

• Increased student satisfaction• Nevitt Sanford identifies the idea of a proper balance between challenge and

support as the critical element in student satisfaction and development. 5 The portal will front-load support and resources, while encouraging students to take an active, responsible role in their own education.

• Improved collaboration and communication among departments and offices

• With the linkage of existing technology-based systems, along with an interface for user communication, the portal will provide a variety of opportunities for campus constituencies to interact.

Portal Benefits• Increased access to services and information sources, on and off

campus• As students become engaged in more and more extracurricular activities and

faculty and staff take on larger workloads, they have less time to seek out information and resources around campus. By providing some intentional services via the portal, users will have continuous access to the things they need, whether in their residence hall rooms, in their offices, or off-campus, before or after administrative office hours. Additionally, technologically-proficient Millennial students pose greater demands for immediate services. By providing access to these services at all times, they view their issues and needs as valued by the institution. 6

• Increased operational efficiency through students’ use of self-help resources

• By providing information and services at students’ fingertips, faculty, staff, and administration will be able to dedicate more of their time to other duties, therefore increasing productivity. The information and resources provided will not be excessive as to eliminate student and staff contact, and the resulting interactions among these individuals will be more positive and personal.

• Enhanced student engagement• Recent research published by Thomas Nelson-Laird and George Kuh 7 suggests that

there is a strong relationship between using information technology for educational purposes and involvement in effective educational practices, including student-faculty interaction and collaborative learning. The portal would help enhance this engagement.

Portal Benefits• Improved institutional decision-making

• The planned assessment to aid in portal design will assist the university in making critical decisions regarding technology. Additionally, the portal will serve as a forum for online surveys and feedback from all users, a method which provides quicker analysis of collected data.

• Enhanced competitive advantage in recruiting students• As the efficiency of the university improves with the implementation of the portal,

we will be more capable of meeting the needs of prospective students. Additionally, with many resources redirected to the portal, the university’s web presence will be able to handle more web traffic and can be tailored as a marketing device. Prospective students are prone to investigate Ellingsburg University electronically before they contact us in a traditional manner. A portal will present the university as a cutting-edge institution attuned to the needs and technological abilities of Millennial students, who assume technology to be a natural part of the college environment. 8

• Personalization feature gives ownership and responsibility to students and meets their specific needs

• “Personalization features probably account for most of a portal’s ability to attract

and retain users.” 9 Customization allows users to define unique, personal views of the portal, tailoring the portal to their specific requirements. Typology theorists have indicated personalization as critical to student learning. 10 By having a choice in the information provided to them, the responsibility for staying informed rests on the students.

Portal TeamCurrent Portal Conceptual Development Team

Members

• Liaison to the Technology Director

• Director of Residential Life• This individual will represent the needs of the majority residential student

population. Additionally, the Director of Residential Life will serve as a representative of university staff in regards to campus communication, information management, and human resources.

• Representative from the Office of Communications• This representative will provide knowledge of university marketing and public

relations and ensure consistency with existing university brands.

• President of the Faculty Senate • As a representative of the entire university faculty, this individual can express the

needs of faculty in regards to course management, campus communication, technology implementation, and human resources information.

Portal TeamSuggested Additional Portal Conceptual

Development Team Members• Director of Student Life/Dean of Students

• This individual will provide information on student needs related to participation and involvement on campus including student activities, clubs and organizations, rules and regulations, campus traditions, and student trends and issues. Additionally, the Director of Student Life/Dean of Students will serve as a representative of university staff and administration in regards to campus communication, information management, and human resources.

• University Registrar• This individual will contribute his or her knowledge of student information and

course management, and will ensure appropriate levels of confidentiality and privacy on the portal.

• University Librarian• The University Librarian will provide information about campus needs regarding

library resources and increasing effectiveness and convenience of such resources.One of these individuals should be trained in assessment practices

Portal TeamSuggested Additional Portal Conceptual

Development Team Members• Students

• One student representing each graduating class

• The needs of students in the various stages of their college career vary. For example, seniors are more concerned with career and graduate school placement, while first-year students are concerned with transitioning into a new environment and integrating into the campus community. Therefore, the variety of students will ensure that the portal design suits all students’ needs.

• Resident Advisor

• As an essential player in Residential Life, this student has day-to-day interaction with his or her residents and will be able to ensure the needs of residential students are met.

• In addition, if possible…• Commuter Student

• Students who do not spend a majority of their time on campus have less accessibility to campus resources and services and will ensure that the portal system offers the necessary information to meet their unique needs.

Portal DesignThe main page of the Ellingsburg University portal will offer the

following information and links. Users must log on at this site to access their personalized information.

• Welcome Message• This will serve to welcome users to the portal and give them directions for

customizing the portal to their liking. It will also display information regarding portal updates and new personalization features.

• Today at Ellingsburg• ‘Today at Ellingsburg’ will allow users to browse through a variety of events on

campus. The first five events will be displayed, with an optional link to more events occurring on that date.

• Help• Users who are not familiar with the portal can access the help feature for step-by-

step instructions for using the portal, frequently asked questions, and a guided tutorial.

• University Directory• This feature will allow users to search for contact information for members of the

Ellingsburg University community.• University Links

• Links include the Ellingsburg University homepage, athletics, library, and campus map.

• Feedback• Users can submit feedback about the portal, its channels, design, and navigation

ability. Additionally links to university surveys can be posted when applicable.

Portal DesignPortal customization and personalization is an attractive element

of the portal design. Customization allows users to define unique, personal views of the portal, tailoring the portal to the users’ specific needs and preferences.

The portal will be comprised of three major sections:

• “My Page”• “Personal”

• Student• Faculty, Staff, and Administration

• “Resources”

Upon logging on, users are directed to “My Page” to view their personalized portal. The “Personal” and “Resources” pages are accessed using tabs at the side of the page.

Portal Design

Portal Design“My Page”

The following portal channels will be available for users to customize:

• Living at Ellingsburg University• My Bookmarks• Jobs & Career Track• E-Portfolio• Weekly Menu for Campus Dining Facilities• Classified Section• Search engine• Weather • News• Notifications and Deadlines• Virus & Hoax Messages• For Graduate Students

Portal Design“My Page” Channel Descriptions

• Living at Ellingsburg University• Residential students can access this channel to find announcements on a variety of

living and learning topics such as roommate matching, programming opportunities, resident advisor selection, etc.

• My Bookmarks• Users can create a customizable list of websites of interest to them.

• Jobs & Career Track• Users can view announcements about part-time work, on-campus jobs, internship

opportunities, job fairs, and other career opportunities. Students can also find information about resume development and interviewing skills.

• E-Portfolio• The E-Portfolio serves as storage for personal and academic documents and

achievements. It can include academic papers, presentations, dissertations, works of art, lab reports, career goals, and other interests.

Portal Design“My Page” Channel Descriptions

• Weekly Menu for Campus Dining Facilities• Due to the residential nature of Ellingsburg University, all residential students must

have a meal plan. This channel provides information about dining options for the week.

• Classified Section• This bulletin board feature will allow users to post and answer campus community

advertisements, including lost and found notices and books for sale.

• Search Engine• For information searches, users have immediate access to an internet search

engine, as well as one that specifically searches Ellingsburg University sites.

• Weather• With the unpredictable weather of New England, Ellingsburg University portal users

will have access to the most up-to-date local weather information. The university can also utilize this channel to post weather related announcements such as snow days.

Portal Design“My Page” Channel Descriptions

• News• Users can select from various global news providers and specify the section of news

they wish to receive. In addition, Ellingsburg University can post relevant campus news.

• Notifications and Deadlines• Various campus offices and organizations can post weekly notifications and

deadlines such as application due dates and student government elections.

• Virus and Hoax Messages • Users can opt to receive information about current circulating virus or hoax

messages, access internet patches, and download university virus protection.

• For Graduate Students• Those enrolled at Ellingsburg University for post-undergraduate work can access

information about graduate student services and seminars.

Portal Design“Personal” - Student

The Personal section is composed of three subsections – Academic, Financial, and Administrative

Financial:• Account balance• Optional university

fees• Pay bills• Financial Aid awards• FAFSA form and

status• Link to Financial Aid

website• Meal plan balance• Student flex account

deposit• W-4 withholding form• I-9 form• Direct deposit form• Give to the

Ellingsburg University Foundation

Administrative:• Change of name and

social security number form

• Change of address form

• Change portal password

• Permission to release student records

• Residence Life maintenance request form

• Computer Services request form

• Library material due dates

Academic:• Academic calendar and

exam schedule• University course listings

and course registration• Online learning system

(such as Blackboard)• Semester class schedule

with link to class information

• Add/drop and withdrawal forms

• Pass/Fail form• Semester final grade report• Advisor information• Change of major form• Program of study guide• University catalog• Degree audit/unofficial

transcript• Request official transcript

Portal Design“Personal” – Faculty, Staff, and Administration

The Personal section is composed of three subsections – Academic, Financial, and Administrative

Financial:• Meal plan balance• Flex account deposit• W-4 withholding form• I-9 form• Direct deposit form• Check request

voucher• Travel authorization• Travel reimbursement• Give to the

Ellingsburg University Foundation

Benefits:• Link to employee

benefits• Dental claim form• Reimbursement form• 401-K status and

information

Administrative:• Student information

system• Change of name and

social security number form

• Change of address form

• Change portal password

• Computer Services request form

• Record of leave form• Dual employment form• University credit card

application• Equal Employment

Opportunity Statement• Non-Discrimination/

Non-Harrassment Statement

• Workplace Violence Policy

Academic:• Academic calendar and

exam schedule• University course listings• Online learning system

(such as Blackboard)• Semester class schedule

with link to class information

• See class rolls with student photos

• Advisee information• Program of study guide• Faculty Handbook• Research proposal form• Tenure process information

Portal Design“Resources”

• Email• University email, in addition to customizable outside email service providers

• Campus life• Organization listing and announcements, customizable to user’s membership(s)

• Reference• University library and subscribed research databases

• Schedules• University cable provider, university and local radio stations, local entertainment,

and religious life

• Offices• Listing of university centers, resources, and buildings; hours of operation, location,

and contact information; form to make an appointment with Counseling Services, Career Services, Health Services, and Chaplain

Portal DesignExcluded Channels

For the purposes of preserving meaningful interactions among members of the university community, several channels have been intentionally excluded from the portal in keeping with the university mission statement.

“…promoting meaningful interactions among all members of the university community.”

• Parking Services

• Health Services

• Advising Services

• Residence Life forms, such as housing applications and room signups

Security

One of the key components of this portal is to provide a single entry, with a single log-on, that allows access to all the necessary services and resources for all types of users (students, faculty, staff, and administration).

However, by minimizing the number of points of user authentication, the portal must take extra measures to ensure secure access to sensitive information.

SecuritySecurity Features

• Account creation authentication• Individuals must register for an account and validate their relationship with

Ellingsburg University, whether student, faculty, staff, or administration.

• “User authentication” • Upon log-on, a security ticket (in the form of a “cookie”) will be created that will be

referenced at the access point of each page, and removed after log-off.

• “Credential mapping”• Each user type (student, faculty, staff, administration) will only have access to the

data and channels that they are approved to see by the university.

• “Data encryption”

• For sensitive data traveling between technology-based systems (such as student transcripts), information will be encrypted to prevent external parties from viewing the information.

• “Time out”/Log-off• After 10 minutes of inactivity in the portal, the system will automatically log-off the

user, preventing access to sensitive information when the portal has been abandoned by the account owner.

SystemsTechnology-Based Systems

To allow for the single log-on element to function properly and efficiently, the university’s current technology-based systems must be able to communicate with each other and with the portal. These systems include:

• Student information systems (such as those employed by the Registrar’s Office and Admissions Office for student record management and the Bursar’s Office for bill management)

• University email

• Online learning system (such as Blackboard)

• University library search databases (all systems that require user authentication for access)

• University information databases (storing submitted forms)

AssessmentThe portal design is to be led by the end user – students, faculty,

staff, and administration. Therefore a thorough and extensive assessment is required to meet this goal.

Portal Assessment MissionCreate a portal that can be customized to meet each user’s specific

needs.

Portal Assessment Goals

• Educate users of the opportunities a portal offers• Find out what options users would like to have in the portal• Find out how users would like to have the portal organized• Determine portal marketing strategy

AssessmentPortal Assessment Outcomes

• Users will use the portal• Users will gain satisfaction from using the portal• Users will find the portal user-friendly and easy to navigate• Users will be able to easily select channels that suit their

needs• Users will make the portal their home page

AssessmentPortal Assessment Evaluation Methods

• Before Portal Launch • Conduct a needs assessment through focus groups and

surveys.

• After Portal Launch• Address clientele satisfaction through focus groups and

surveys.

• Continual tracking of usage and user satisfaction through

feedback link on the portal and yearly assessment evaluation.

AssessmentPortal Assessment Implementation

• Have a member of the Portal Conceptual Development Team, trained in assessment, conduct two focus groups, one with students and another with faculty, staff, and administrators.

• Create and distribute a survey based on data taken from focus groups.

• Use survey and focus group data to decide on content, organization, and layout of the portal.

• Continually track usage of the portal after being launched, utilizing site counter and feedback link.

• After six months, review the tracking information and conduct two focus groups (one with students and the other with faculty, staff, and administrators) and distribute surveys via the portal to measure if goals and outcomes have been met.

AssessmentPortal Assessment Implementation Flow Chart

Identify Portal ConceptualDevelopment Team member

to administerPortal Assessment

Gather focus groupparticipants and

conduct interviews

Create and distributesurvey to constituents

Compile survey info.Finalize portal

channels and designLaunch portal

Track portal usage and and user comments via portal link and counter

Conduct post launch focus group

Create and distributesecond survey to

constituents

Six months

post launch

Repeat assessm

ent annually

AssessmentPortal Assessment Focus Group Protocol

Prior to Launch

1. Tell me what you know about web portals.2. What type of additional information would you like to know

about web portals?3. What web sites do you like to visit? What about those sites do

you like?4. Describe your ability to navigate these sites.5. What is your home page? Why?6. What type of options/features would you use on Ellingsburg

University’s portal?

AssessmentPortal Assessment Focus Group Protocol

Post Launch

1. Tell me about your experience using Ellingsburg University’s portal.

2. What options/features do you use? Are there any features you wish were on the portal?

3. What is your home page? Why?4. Do you like how the portal is organized? Why or why not? 5. Describe your ability to navigate the portal.6. Are you satisfied with Ellingsburg University’s portal? Why or

why not?

FutureFuture Plans for Portal Development

• Maintain Portal Conceptual Development Team for on-going assessment and development of portal.

• In several years, expand portal to incorporate additional users, including alumni, prospective students, and parents.

ConclusionConclusion

In keeping with the mission of Ellingsburg University, we have proposed a plan for creating and developing an interactive, customizable, educational portal. This portal will serve to integrate current university resources and provide continuous access for all users, increase student retention, satisfaction, and engagement. Collaboration among departments and offices will improve, along with institutional decision-making, and the university’s competitive advantage for recruiting students will be enhanced.

Developing the portal will move Ellingsburg University into the technological future, meeting the demands of the current Millennial student population. Through this initiative, Ellingsburg University will continue to excel as a leader in higher education.

Conclusion

Questions

& Answers

Portal ExamplesSuggested Portal Development Resources

• Amherst College – The New Anthenian - http://note.amherst.edu

• Emerson College – The Emerson College eCampus – http://www.emerson.edu/ecampus/

• University of Buffalo – My UB – http://myub.buffalo.edu

• University of Central Florida – My UCF – https://my.ucf.edu

• University of Delaware – UD & Me – http://uportal.udel.edu

• Virginia Tech – My VT – https://my.vt.edu

Footnotes1 Sausner, R. (2005 January). Taming the web infrastructure beast. University Business, 8(1), pp.

45-48. Retrieved February 18, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.

2 Green, K. (2004, October). The Campus Computing Project. Retrieved on February 18, 2005, from http://www.campuscomputing.net/summaries/2004/index.html

3 Cowley, S. (2003, February 14). Study: Oracle leads nascent portal software market. Network World Fusion. Retrieved February 18, 2005, from http://www.nwfusion.com, from Google.

4 Harr, G. L. (2002, December 16). A comprehensive student portal: Concept paper and proposal. pp. 2-40. Retrieved February 15, 2005, from ERIC database.

5 Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

6 Lowery, J. W. (2004). Student affairs for a new generation. New Directions for Student Services, 106, pp.87-99.

7 Nelson-Laird, T. F. & Kuh, G. (2005). Students experiences with information technology and their relationship to other aspects of student engagement. Research in Higher Education, 46(2), pp. 211-234.

8 Oblinger, D. (2003, July/August). Boomers, Gen-Xers & Millennials: Understanding the new students. Educause Review. Retrieved October 1, 2004, at the SCCPA Fall Drive-in Conference.

9 Boling, E. & Zazelenchuk, T. (2003). Considering user satisfaction in designing web-based portals. Educause Quarterly. 24(1). pp. 35-40.

10 Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

References• Boling, E. & Zazelenchuk, T. (2003). Considering user satisfaction in designing web-based

portals. Educause Quarterly. 24(1). pp. 35-40.*

• Bresciani, M. J., Zelna, C. L., & Anderson, J. A. (2004). Assessing student learning and development: A handbook for practitioners. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.*

• Cowley, S. (2003, February 14). Study: Oracle leads nascent portal software market. Network World Fusion. Retrieved February 18, 2005, from http://www.nwfusion.com, from Google.

• Eisler, D. (2000, September). The portal’s progress: A gateway for access, information, and learning communities. Syllabus Magazine, 14(1). Retrieved on February 18, 2005, from http://myub.buffalo.edu.*

• Ethridge, R. R., Hadden, C. M., & Smith, M. P. (2000). Building a personalized education portal: Get a behind-the-scenes look at LSU’s awad-winning system. Educause Quarterly, 23(3), pp. 12-19. Retrieved February 15, 2005, from ERIC database.*

• Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.*

• Gilbert, S. (2000, August 17). Portal decisions demand collaboration—Can portals support it? The TLT Group. Retrieved on February 18, 2005, from http://www.studentaffairs.com.*

References• Green, K. (2004, October). The Campus Computing Project. Retrieved on February 18,

2005, from http://www.campuscomputing.net/summaries/2004/index.html

• Harr, G. L. (2002, December 16). A comprehensive student portal: Concept paper and proposal. pp. 2-40. Retrieved February 15, 2005, from ERIC database.*

• Krueger, R. A. (1994). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

• Looney, M. & Lyman, P. (2000). Portals in higher education. Educause Review, 35(4), pp. 29-36. Retrieved February 20, 2005, from http://www.studentaffairs.com

• Lowery, J. W. (2004). Student affairs for a new generation. New Directions for Student Services, 106, pp. 87-99.

• Nelson-Laird, T. F. & Kuh, G. (2005). Students experiences with information technology and their relationship to other aspects of student engagement. Research in Higher Education, 46(2), pp. 211-234.

• Oblinger, D. (2003, July/August). Boomers, Gen-Xers & Millennials: Understanding the new students. Educause Review. Retrieved October 1, 2004, at the SCCPA Fall Drive-in Conference.*

• Olsen, F. (2002, August 9). The power of portals. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved on February 18, 2005, from http://chronicle.com/free/v48/i48/48a03201.htm

References• Pickett, R. A. & Hamre, W. B. (2002). Building portals for higher education. New

Directions for Institutional Research, 113, pp. 37-55.*

• Sausner, R. (2005 January). Taming the web infrastructure beast. University Business, 8(1), pp. 45-48. Retrieved February 18, 2005, from Academic Search Premier database.

• Upcraft, M. L., & Schuh, J. H. (1996). Assessment in student affairs: A guide for practitioners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Upcraft, M. L., Schuh, J. H., & Associates. (2001). Assessment practice in student affairs: An applications manual. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

* indicates literature pertinent to this initiative.