Northern Virginia Community College Action Plan                         
to Achieve the Chancellor's Technology Expectations for the 2006-2008 Biennium                        
and the College's Technology Goals                          
                                           
                                           
Action Plan Chancellor's Technology Expectations                        
                                           
Technology Goal I:                        
I. The VCCS will achieve national recognition among community colleges for its technology platforms, connectivity, data security, and information assurance.                        
Related Strategies                        
1 The VCCS Information Technology Services Office (ITS) shall provide system wide leadership and coordination in evaluating emerging technologies to provide the Colleges and the VCCS with the necessary information that will aid in technology decisions                        
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. ITS shall provide leadership in collaboration with the Colleges to research applicable technologies for potential deployment to ensure the effective delivery of enterprise services. Yes Improving Network Services - MPLS Project ITSS Staff will work with VCCS ITS staff on design, implementaion and monitoring of  network issues Ralph Lucia, ITS;  Allen Sinner, NVCC- ITSS Jan-06 Jun-07 0 3                        
    Yes My VCCS; VCCS Website Will promote use of My VCCS to faculty, staff and students. Ralph Lucia, ITS;  Allen Sinner, NVCC- ITSS Jul-05 Jun-08 0 4                        
      LDAP Authentication Will work with VCCS ITS staff to develop new applications for My VCCS. Ralph Lucia, ITS:  Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 0 4                        
B. ITS shall develop and maintain technology models, standards, and guidelines that clearly delineate the VCCS technology direction and related expectations for the colleges. No ITS Strategic Planning Session Vice President IIT will work with President to prepare him for strategic planning session and will work with Tech Council on strategic planning. Neil Matkin, VCCS;  Steven Sachs, VP Nov-05 Oct-06 0 2                        
Related Strategies                        
2. The Colleges and ITS shall maintain in accordance with the approved technology models, standards, and guidelines a robust voice, video, and data services that satisfy the administrative and instructional needs of faculty, staff, and students.                                                                      
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. All Colleges and ITS shall deploy a connection to the Internet/VCCS intranet following VCCS models, standards, and guidelines. Yes Network Virginia/MPLS Network NVCC will deploy Ralph Lucia, VCCS-ITS; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 Funded separately 1                        
B. Faculty, staff, and students shall have access to wireless network services from on-campus locations. Yes Campus Wireless NVCC will deploy approx 12 additional wireless access points on the campuses Campus IT staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Dec-06 1,800 4                        
C. The campus network and servers shall meet the following models, standards, and guidelines:                                        
a. Servers shall have appropriate security precautions as defined by  http://www.vccs.edu/its/security/index.htm.  College staff shall annually conduct the following risk assessment survey for each of its severs. http://www.vccs.edu/its/models/System_Server_Questionnarie.doc Yes Server Security NVCC will comply with security standard and conduct annual review. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jun-06 Jun-08 0 3                        
b. Colleges shall implement network security guidelines to secure the college IT infrastructure following the following http://www.vccs.edu/its/security/Security_Guideline_for_LAN.htm   The Technology Council shall develop and recommend best practices for network security. No Network Security NVCC will plan for segmenting academic and administrative networks. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Sep-06 Jun-08   4                        
c. The campus network shall meet guidelines for cabling and service levels. Retrofit of existing wire closets may require exceptions to the guidelines due to current wall, etc. structures. http://www.vccs.edu/its/guidelines/telcomxx.htm Yes Cabling NVCC will continue to follow guidelines. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Sep-06 Jun-08 0 3                        
d. Colleges shall use servers which have not reached their end of lifecycle support.    No Server Lifecycle NVCC will replace approx 28-50 old servers as part of annual server refresh and consolidation plans. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Oct-06 Jun-08 140,000 1                        
D. Colleges shall upgrade the campus network to accommodate video to the desktop and/or VoIP services as prescribed in VCCS approved models and guidelines by the end of the 2006-2008 Biennium. Yes Upgrades to Network for VoIP NVCC will maintain network to continue to meet standards. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 mainten. Funding included elsewhere 3                        
E. Each College shall provide the necessary facilities and resources to achieve system level connectivity standards established for the system-wide voice over IP network and related services
http://www.vccs.edu/its/models/VoIP_model.htm		 Yes VoIP NVCC will maintain network to continue to meet standards. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 mainten. Funding included elsewhere 3                        
a. Provide an additional VoIP engineer (for a total of 2) Yes VoIP Staffing Continue support for second VoIP engineer to improve coverage Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-07 89,661 1                        
b. Provide a communications consultant to help revise business practices to better utilize functionality of VoIP system. No Communications Consultant Hire consultant to work with campus and unit managers Steven Sachs, VP IIT Jul-06 Jun-07 30,000 4                        
Related Strategies                        
3. Each College and ITS shall maintain in accordance with the approved technology models, standards, and guidelines a computer infrastructure that satisfies the administrative and instructional needs of faculty, staff, and students.                                                                                                                                                                                 
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. Each College shall maintain adequate personal computers that meet hardware and software technical or useful life definitions as defined by VCCS models, standards, and guidelines (http://www.vccs.edu/its/guidelines/DesktopGuidleLine.htm) for the following: Yes Personal Computer Requirements Will purchase and install approx. 1,375 PCs annually to meet requirement. Steven Sachs, VP IIT Oct-06 Jun-07 1,454,040 1                        
a. Each full-time faculty member and part and full-time staff members shall have their own personal computer at their workstation with the most appropriate configuration for their use level.  These computers shall be on a four year replacement cycle. Yes Computer Configuration and Lifecycle All PCs will have a configuration appropriate to the work required by the position and be replaced on a four year lifecycle. Steven Sachs, VP IIT Oct-06 Jun-07 included above 1                        
b. Colleges will provide personal computers on campus for adjunct faculty in a ratio of 1 personal computer for every 20 full-time equivalent adjunct.  Colleges shall ensure that all adjunct faculty members have access to a computer and the Internet either on campus or at the instructor’s home.  The College shall also provide Microsoft Office software and anti-virus software to all adjunct instructors for home use at no charge.  Yes Computer Configuration and Lifecycle All PCs will have a configuration appropriate to the work required by the position and be replaced on a four year lifecycle. Steven Sachs, VP IIT Oct-06 Jun-07 included above 1                        
c. Computers for student use in classrooms, labs, or other student accessible locations shall be in a ratio of 1 personal computer for every 7 full-time equivalent students (FTES).  These computers shall be on a four year replacement cycle. Yes Computer Configuration and Lifecycle All PCs will have a configuration appropriate to the student use requirements and sufficient number will be replaced on a four year lifecycle to meet standards. Steven Sachs, VP IIT Oct-06 Jun-07 included above 1                        
d. Computers meeting the minimum resource requirements to run specified software shall be provided for functions such as library and student information kiosks. Yes Computer Configuration and Lifecycle All PCs will have a configuration appropriate to the  use requirements and sufficient number will be replaced on a  lifecycle to meet standards. Steven Sachs, VP IIT Oct-06 Jun-07 included above 1                        
e.   Colleges shall use the currently supported Operating System for their Windows and Macintosh computers.  Operating systems which have reached the end of their life cycle should be upgraded to a current version. Yes Computer Operating Systems Will maintain all operating systems to meet lifecycle requirement. Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 87,635 3                        
i. All Windows computers shall use Windows XP for  operating system.  Colleges shall migrate all computers running Windows ME or 98 to Windows XP by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium.  Colleges shall develop a plan to migrate all computers running Windows 2000 to using Windows XP by the end of the 2006-2008 Biennium.   No Windows XP OS Will convert all Windows 2000 Windows XP. Campus IT staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Sep-06 Jun-08 included above 1                        
ii Macintosh computers shall use Mac OS X as its operating system.  Colleges should plan to migrate all Macintosh computers running Mac OS 9 or Mac OS 8 to Mac OS X by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium. No Mac OS X Will convert approx. 29 remaining  Mac OS to Mac OS X. Campus IT Staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Sep-06 Jun-08 1,800 1                        
iii Computers running unsupported Operating Systems in order to run obsolete instructional software shall not be connected to the college network. Yes Out of Date OS Will insure no obsolete OS are connected to network. Campus IT staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 included elsewhere 1                        
f. A. General office software shall be kept current. All college Windows computers for students, faculty and staff shall have Office XP or 2003.  College Mac computers should have either Mac Office 2004 or Mac Office X.   Colleges shall develop and implement a plan to upgrade to current office software versions by the end of the first year of the 2006-2008 Biennium.  Yes Microsoft Office 2003 Will keep Office version current Campus IT staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jun-06 Jul-07 included above 1                        
B. Colleges shall maintain at least one Commonwealth Classroom and one Commonwealth Conference Room per campus following the VCCS models, standards, and guidelines.  (See definition in Appendix A.)
http://www.vccs.edu/its/models/commclas.htm http://www.vccs.edu/its/models/Commonwealth_Conference_Room.htm		 Yes  Commonwealth Conference Room Will continue to meet standard and keep maintenance agreements current Campus IT staff; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Jun-08 10,587 3                        
Related Strategies                        
4. ITS, in conjunction with the Colleges, shall establish security plans and procedures in accordance with the approved COV and VCCS technology models, standards, and guidelines.                        
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. ITS shall define, implement and maintain an information technology security organization necessary to comply with all federal, state, and local security regulations.  This must include a description of the information technology security roles and responsibilities at the enterprise level as well as on the college campuses. Yes-in progress Security Roles Will work with VCCS ITS staff to implement and coordinate security functions. James Davis, VCCS-ITS; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jul-06 Dec-06 0 2                        
B. ITS, in collaboration with the Colleges shall define security personnel staffing requirements and appropriate role access for the enterprise and campuses as it relates to Commonwealth ITRM Standard SEC501-01. Yes Security Staffing Will review current security staffing; currently have 1 1/2 security positions (Maintain 1 funded from technology funds) Neil Matkin, VCCS; Steven Sachs, VP, IIT  Jul-06 Jun-07 89,624 1                        
C. ITS shall evaluate and procure an enterprise patch management solution and each College shall implement patch management software to help mitigate malicious attacks on servers and personal computers No Patch Management Will implement VCCS patch management solution when specified by ITS. Ralph Lucia, VCCS-ITS; Allen Sinner, NVCC-ITSS Jun-06 Jun-08 TBD 3                        
Related Strategies                        
5. Colleges and ITS shall participate in national surveys designed to measure IT staffing, budget, planning, and spending and gather comparison data with peer institutions.                        
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. Each College shall complete annually the Educause Core Data Service survey (http://www.educause.edu/apps/coredata/) Yes Educause Core Data Survey Continue to complete annual survey and maintain  membership Steven Sachs, VP IIT Jan-07 Apr-07 2,020 4                        
B. Each College shall participate in an annual ranking survey, such as the Center for Digital Education (http://www.centerdigitaled.com/comcolleges.php), to achieve a national ranking for its information technology   Yes Participation in Annual Ranking and Awards Programs Continue to apply Steven Sachs, VP IIT Jul-06 Jun-08 0 4                        
Related Strategies                        
6. ITS, in conjunction with College representatives and AS&R, shall develop and maintain an effective and comprehensive communications strategy for promoting VCCS technology achievements and keeping the students, faculty, staff, and interested constituents informed of VCCS advancements in technology.                        
Operational Requirements: Requirement Met Yes/No Project Name Action Responsible Person Time Line
Start Date		 Time Line
End Date		 Expected Costs  Priority                        
A. Each College shall maintain a college website that provides current and prospective students with information about the college’s programs, news, and upcoming events, access to class schedule, registration information for both in person and online, tuition and fees.  The college website shall include links to My VCCS, login instructions, and username and password information in order to link students to VCCS enterprise applications including the Student Information System, Blackboard, and student email. Yes College Website Re-design Will work with outside firm to re-design website to improve functionality Jenifer Sager, VCCS; Cathy Simpson, NVCC-Tech Appl Cntr.  Aug-06 Jun-08 Funded separately 1                        
B. Web sites shall conform to accessibility standards and be coded using technical web standards, so that they are accessible both for section 508 reasons, but also technically appropriate for as wide an audience as possible.