Creating Connectivity with a Portal

1

• Creating Connectivity with a Portal

James Sell Director of Portal Communications Octob
er 19, 2005
2
Overview of this Session

• To provide a perspective of the cradle to grave
  approach to portal development.
• Demonstrate how the portal can contribute to and
  enhance sense a of community on a college campus.
• To recognize the reality of assumptions that you
  may make regarding your user base.
• To describe methods by which La Salle has
  encouraged and - in some cases mandated portal
  use.

3
La Salle University, Philadelphia PA

• La Salle is an independent, coeducational
  university founded in 1863 by the De La Salle
  Christian Brothers, a Catholic order dedicated to
  teaching and career preparation.
• The University's population now totals over 6,221
  students
• 3,358 full-time undergraduates (two-thirds are
  resident students)
• 983 part-time undergraduates
• 1,880 graduate students. About two-thirds of the
  full-time undergraduates.

4
Characteristics of a Portal

• Dynamic and Functional
• Secure Password Protected
• Integrates Services (SSO)
• Personalized and Customizable

5
Vision for Portal Development

• mylasalle will be the cyberpoint of entry for
  dynamic information and online services.

6
Evolution of mylasalle
7
Integrating Services in mylasalle
UP NEXT My Library (Open Source)
UP NEXT My Library (Open Source)
8
Cradle - Prospective Student Role

• Prospects create their own temporary portal
  accounts to gain access to portal.
• PSP provides opportunity to target information
  based on student interests.
• Students can complete the Admissions process
• Initiate web application
• Monitor Application status
• Complete institutional data form

9
What Prospects/Applicants Are Saying

• I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!! I check it every day.  I
  don't see any way you can improve it at this
  point, because everything is there.
• mylasalle helps me get the information I want
  without a problem.  Its faster than having to
  call and easier.  Also, you can go on at
  anytime.
• I really like My La Salle. I find it very user
  friendly, which is important to me since, I am
  not very computer friendly myself.

10
Transition Prospect to Student

• Once an application is filed (and pushed) ,
  permanent portal accounts are assigned. (Remains
  in PSP Role)
• Once a student is accepted and has been
  confirmed, the students La Salle e-mail account
  is established and is available for use. (Moves
  to Student Role)
• Students are sent information on how to use the
  portal to register for their Freshman Orientation
  Program

11
Educating the Studentfrom Day ONE!

• Importance of the portal is introduced to
  students from the point of application.
• Portal use is encouraged for swift access to
  freshman orientation materials and dates.
• mylasalle is featured prominently at each Day One
  orientation program.
• Students learn the the portal is their primary
  communication tool.

12
What Students Are Saying

• I think the portal is great!.The connection to
  the student organization is great.
• I am a sophomore here at La Salle and I think
  the homepage of our website is boring.  Incoming
  students cannot see all the cool digital effects
  that we have once you log into mylasalle.
• I am just beginning to use the portal, checking
  financial aid, etc. Easy to use, so farI am
  looking forward to using mylasalle to keep
  informed.
• I love the portal its been very helpful for my
  freshman year.

13
Transition from Student to Alumni

• Welcome to the Explorer Connection
• Provides an avenue for remaining connected to the
  University with a tool that is convenient and
  familiar
• Role Based Services include
• Find a classmate (Banner Web)
• Career Networking with other alums (Banner Web)
• Access to Class groups
• Make a gift
• La Salle e-mail for life (alumname05_at_lasalle.edu)
  
• Refer a Future Explorer!
• Alumni Board of Directors Election Balloting
• Win A Trip to the Super Bowl!

14
Faculty and Staff

• Similar layouts/Access to Informational
  Community Building channels
• Sample of Services available
• View personal information and pay stubs
• Post grades (faculty)
• View course schedules (faculty)
• Access to EARS (early alert retention system)
• Soup of the Day!
• Access to Minutes/News Repositories
• Directories and e-forms.

15
What Faculty and Staff Are Saying

• Congrats to you and photographer Matthew V for
  the graduation pictorial on the portal. A job
  well done.  (VP of University Communications.)
• By the way, mylasalle has been wonderful for
  program promotion!  Thanks for all you do to keep
  it going and adding new features! (University
  Ministry and Service)
• It's amazing how much you were able to do on the
  portal in such a short time.   I want to pass on
  thanks from the winning composers, too, who are
  very happy that people will be able to hear their
  work online.  The whole thing seems magical!   (
  Faculty Member)
• Thanks so much for posting our news on the
  portal.  This will help us with our self-study
  and re-accreditation in other words, you may not
  know how far reaching your efforts go.  (Faculty
  Member)

16
Keys to Success for mylasalle!

• 1 Key to SuccessBring Your Portal to Life!
• Maintain a dynamic and functional environment
  Something to do and something new to see.
• Users who are used to accessing portals
  anticipate seeing change
• Internal Application Development (php/mySQL)
• Add third party products that are only accessible
  by portal.
• Get Form Happy!
• Identify Quick Easy cost-effective tools
• Web Pasties (Scrollers, Trackers, Slides, Polls)
• Macromedia Captivate (Good for How Tos)
• Import for fun applications (Dictionary,
  Weather, Horoscope

17
Keys to Success (Continued)

• Campus Commitment Create a Winning
  Infrastructure
• Portal Director
• Portal Tech Group IT based
• Portal Steering Group representatives from all
  areas of the University, meet to discuss needs.
• Malleable Reporting Structure
• Lobby to make the portal the center of the
  Universe for your school.
• Make recommendations for portal use that will
  force constituents to become involved with the
  portal.

18
Current Challenges

• Assuming that All Understand the Portal Concept
• How exactly does it differ from a web site?
• Content How Much is Enough?
• Deciding upon how much is more than you can chew.
• How to Get Folks to Think Portal First - Changing
  a Campus Culture.
• Tracking Portal Usage.

19
Forcing the Issue at La Salle

• Students and faculty will communicate using La
  Salle e-mail.
• Employees will access the Campus News (weekly
  publication) through the portal.
• Faculty/Staff will make requests for information
  using the forms in the portal.
• Academic information (Registrars Office)
• Students will access mylasalle for
• Housing (if they want a good room/roommate!)
• Course Selection (if they want an optimal
  schedule.)
• Grade Reports (No longer mailed to UG Students
• Alumni will enter Super Bowl Contest through the
  portal.

20
Thank you.

• Contact Information
• James Sell
• Director of Portal Communications
• La Salle University
• jsell_at_lasalle.edu
• www.lasalle.edu/go-portal
• 215-991-3615

21
(No Transcript)
22
Student
23
My courses
24
Student Services
25
My Tab
26
(No Transcript)
27
Alumni
28
(No Transcript)
29
La Salle Insider
30
PROSPECT
31
My Brother LUWIS
32
Interact w/ La Salle
33
Employee
34
Staff Services
35
Academic Services