Preview Sessions

 

A Contactless Case Study: Santa Clara University  

Speaker: Nirmal Palliyaguru - Santa Clara University  

Session Description:
Learn why Santa Clara University (SCU) chose to integrate its ACCESS card program with Blackboard's NFC-compatible contactless technology. This presentation will discuss SCU's decision to move towards a contactless campus, its evaluation of various contactless technologies, and its reasons for deploying Blackboard. Beyond its current implementation, SCU will provide a look forward to some potential applications that showcase the potential of an NFC solution.

Aim! Fire! Ready! Executing a Successful Migration to 3.5  

Speakers: Christian Sapp - University of Pennsylvania, Christopher Bradie - University of Pennsylvania  

Session Description:
The University of Pennsylvania had many hesitations about committing to migrate from our long-standing UNIX system to the Blackboard Transact Release 3 platform. For years, benefits were discussed but never implemented. Would it be worth the effort? The cost? The fear of the unfamiliar? We finally challenged ourselves to move from "why should we" to "how can we". In this session we will share how we secured support from a diverse group of senior stakeholders, obtained funding approval during an economic downturn and worked seamlessly with Blackboard from pre-start to post-implementation to embrace this massive change. Join us to hear about our experience and lessons learned.

 
Campus-Wide Initiative for Tracking Attendance  
 
Speakers: Dennis Sigur - Xavier University of Louisiana, Kenneth Kirk - Xavier University of Louisiana  

Session Description:
With the proposed federal guidelines for disbursing federal financial aid finalized and auditable, Xavier University of Louisiana took another look at how to measure student retention. This presentation will outline the decision-making process and experience of implementing AT3000 readers campus-wide to track classroom attendance. We will share our success story and the lessons we learned. Discussion topics include: the purpose of tracking attendance, software installation, network configuration, creating an event, and reporting.

Door Access Implementation and What NOT to Do!  
 
Speakers: Alex Miller - Mansfield University of PA, Curt Tofts - Mansfield University  

Session Description:
In less than 6 weeks, Mansfield University recently installed door access and video surveillance in 4 residence halls with 54 wireless controlled doors and 28 monitored doors. In accomplishing this feat, we gained a few insights that we will share in this session. We will talk about our decision-making process as well as recommend the discussions and assessments you should engage in at your institution before your installation. We will address topics including: determining to use wired versus wireless door access, pre-testing for wireless connectivity, finding network switch closet locations and lengths of runs, controlled versus monitored doors, determining traffic flows of pedestrians, affirming accessibility, audible alarms, camera locations, state and local codes (egress and electrical requirements), and the pre-planning needed for students, staff, faculty, vendors, camps and conferences.

Football Attendance - Moving the Masses  

Speakers: Donald Smith - BuzzCard Center, Durward Brooks - BuzzCard Center - Georgia Tech  

Session Description:
Can you accommodate the demand for student tickets at athletic events while eliminating the paper ticket? Yes you can! Join us to learn how the BuzzCard Center at Georgia Tech worked with the Georgia Tech Athletic Association and the Student Government Association to change ticketing and admittance to major sporting events using an online ticket ordering system, the student ID and wireless turnstiles.

Hard Times: How to Plan and Execute an Efficient and Cost-Effective Implementation During a Tight Budget Year  

Speakers: Jeffrey Richter - DeSales University  

Session Description:
DeSales University recently embarked on a very successful migration to Blackboard Transact Release 3.5. This presentation will focus on educating attendees on the planning and execution of a migration from UE 2.x to UE 3.5. The presentation will cover the entire implementation process and include discussion on the topics of planning, budgeting, developing a timeline, execution, working with Blackboard Consulting, cost saving techniques and opportunities to maximize value. Attendees will leave this presentation with the information and confidence to begin evaluating migration opportunities on their own campuses.

Implementing an Off Campus Program with Little Staff Impact  
 
Speakers: Terri Austin - Roanoke College  

Session Description:
Many colleges have the desire to respond to student demand for an off-campus program, but have limited funds and staff time available to make it happen. By using BbOne, Roanoke College has been able to provide an off-campus program to our students with little impact on staffing and budget. In this session you will learn how your institution can get started with a service students want even if there are no funds or staff time available to invest in a new program. And, you will see how an off-campus program can fund itself, support itself and grow itself.

Improving Your Operations When Moving from UNIX to UE 3.5.  
 
Speakers: David Halbach - University of Wisconsin-Whitewater  

Session Description:
As the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater transitioned from UNIX to Universal, the process presented an opportunity to change some operations, especially how we received and managed student, faculty and staff data. The amount and type of data was changed significantly and automated. In addition, non-board plan privileges and accounts had to be rethought and configured differently in the UE 3.5 edition. In this session, you will learn about the solutions we utilized for each problem and the results that occurred 2 months after implementation.

Mobile Applications in the Campus Card World  

Speakers: Matthew Drummond - Duke University  

Session Description:
Thi The use of mobile devices is becoming more pervasive everyday and campuses are striving to keep up. In this presentation we will highlight the use of Mobile Applications in the campus card environment and, through a demonstration of DukeMobile, we will show how Duke University is meeting the needs of the ever changing cardholder. We will also highlight the use of the Dukecard section of the application which allows cardholders to manage their accounts on the go. Additionally, we will discuss the use of cellular technology for processing real-time transactions and the impact on how offices will provide services in the future.

Policies and Procedures  

Speakers: Mary Goff - Seton Hall University, Sheryl Puckett - Arkansas State University  

Session Description:
When an institution converts to Universal from UNIX, there are some policies and procedures that need to be revamped, but there are also ones that survive the conversion. Join us to see what endured and what didn't through our own conversions. Learn how the conversion changed the office and how we handled procedures. We will also discuss the alterations we made for auditors in order to accommodate the conversion.

Southern Migration: Preparing for Transact  
Speakers: Jeanine Brooks - The University of Alabama, Norman Grizzle - Clayton State University  

Session Description:
How do you prepare for the feat of a successful migration of an enterprise level campus transaction system that runs 24/7/365? This is the current challenge that the University of Alabama and Clayton State University must address as we initiate preparations for migration to Blackboard Transact 3 in 2010. Together we will discuss our project management strategies, define project team membership and responsibilities, review timelines, discuss operational enhancements, as well as challenges, and outline our campus communication plans.

Universal 3.X One Year Later  

Speakers: Ken Boyer - Mercer University, Ben Andrews - Mercer University, Jay Bonney - Mercer University  

Session Description:
In this session we will take a look at the Universal implementation at Mercer University one year later. As a follow-up to our presentation at BbWorld Transact '09, "Universal 3.X it's a destination," we will examine the peaks and valleys we have experienced during our migration from Unix to the Universal platform.

Where Are My Reports and Why Don't They Look Like They Used to in Unix?  
 
Speakers: Sheryl Puckett - Arkansas State University, Mary Goff - Seton Hall University  

Session Description:
Having trouble obtaining the same information that you were so accustomed to in Unix? Don't give up, it is still there. In this session, Arkansas State University and Seton Hall University will share our experiences with the Reporting System after converting to UE and how we overcame the difficulties. Take an illustrated journey with us from Unix to UE 3.2, to UE 3.5 and end with UE 3.6.