MyEU: A Customized Portal Implementation Proposal MyEU promotes interconnectedness within the campus community and will be a reflection of institutional objectives, building campus community and better accessibility of services for all.

What is a Portal? A portal represents a website that provides a single point of access to applications and information that can be personalized for the specific needs and characteristics of the person visiting the site. ( The emphasis [on student learning] will shift from providing resources in a campus environment to linking the learner with those resources wherever the learner is located and whenever those resources are needed (Barr, 2000, p. 219).

Arthur Chickerings identity vector of moving through autonomy toward interdependence –Awareness of students fit in the community in relation to others –Creation of a portal will link the student to all other areas and people at the institution –Environmental influences such as community characteristics, friendships, student communities, and student development programs and services allows the portal to help shape the student experience Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Linking Portal Use to Student Development

Nancy Schlossbergs transition theory uses the framework of the four Ss, situation, self, support and strategy, to explain how students transition into, through, and out of situations and environments. –Institutional portal for students can be utilized for various transitional periods during college careers (New students and graduating seniors) –Provides a centralized information system and a stable support while students become accustomed to their new environments and seek new experiences in an institution –The development of an action plan and coping strategies will result in successful transitions and the portal provides a location for students to seek assistance and interaction with others Linking Portal Use to Student Development Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Pros and Cons: Portal v. Standard Web Presence Standard Web Presence Relevant information spread over several web pages Less continuity among departmental websites and tools Impersonal Less opportunity for interaction No option to personalize Connection for new students limited Portal One Stop Shop Standard set of tools (ease of use and adaptation) Global access Personalized and customized information Promotes life-long connection with EU Serves as a valuable recruiting tool Promotion of data sharing between departments

…student affairs must develop new ways to promote educational goals and effectiveness that take into account the technological reality of todays campuses and student life (Barr, 2000, p, 221).

Planning and Implementation Team Members Team Members –Student Services Orientation Director Admissions Director Student Activities Director Career Services Director Alumni Director –Academic Services Registrar Director Advising Director –Faculty members Human Resources Director –Student Representative Each Director will be responsible for developing teams within their departments and collecting research and recommendations for their section of the portal and bringing the information back to the Planning Team.

Focus Groups Student/Faculty/Staff Focus Groups –Initial information gathering What is important to you? What offices/services do you use the most? –Prototype portal analysis What do you think of the information we have included? Is this site user friendly? Do you see anything that should be included that isnt, or information that should be excluded? –Trouble shooting What are the errors, what should we fix? Faculty/Staff have access to all student pages for assessment purposes, the security settings will be added when the portal goes live Technology consultants will be brought in for analysis

Organization Recommendations We recommend these channels based on perceived student and staff needs and ease of use. Consulting a variety of university websites, both large and small, public and private, we found that the links provided to students were consistently the same services. We also took into account that the university is nearly 100% residential and we felt that services specific to the needs of these students should be easily accessible, such as technology support, maintenance, and food plans. Considering the small size of this institution we found online submission of application materials and maintenance requests would provide a more personal and efficient delivery of services to students.

Organization Recommendations

Accessibility and Communication Students –Single sign-on for student general information –Access to all services with the option of customizing individual database according to needs and interests, including and excluding options and features –Access to additional services such as calendars, news items, chat rooms, online discussions, and interest groups Parents –Parental access to account details and grade information may be granted by the student with a waiver of confidentiality rights Faculty and staff –Customized access according to department Example: an employee in Facilities Operations will need access to all staff information links as well as maintenance requests, disability support details, and related information

Portal Examples University of Washington –An example of portal prototypes: including an example of a current student, an admitted student/recruit, a faculty member, alumni, and an extension student. University of California-Los Angeles –An example of a portal in use at a university.

References Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. University Web Design (2002). My University Portals FAQ. Retrieved on February 19, 2005 from Barr, M. J., Desler, M. K., & Associates (2000). The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Indiana State University: MyISU Portal Information (2005). MyISU Portal Information Website. Retrieved on February 19, 2005 from

Submitted for review by: Christy Bear Jenna Braun Ashley Hattaway Western Illinois University