eLearning Technologies launched the opening of our newest Digital Studio in the Center for Health Sciences room 411d. More information about the CHS studio can be seen in this video. Promotion for all three studios was expanded through the production of a new overall promotional video.  Additional information about all three of our Digital Studios can be found on our digital studio website and faculty can request consultations through the service portal. Finally, our five Digital Studio student technicians are being trained in creating personalized interactive learning modules for GVSU faculty and staff. An example of these modules can be found here.

To better serve our faculty, the eLearning Technologies team is now spread out across our three campuses and each member has been assigned to a specific department to serve as a liaison.  Communication is sent regularly to the various colleges and departments from their assigned liaisons and faculty are encouraged to schedule appointments and invite team members to their departmental meetings. In each eLearning Technologies newsletter, faculty/staff are encouraged to meet our various team members and explore their liaison assignments on our support by the college/department website.   Having dedicated eLearning staff assigned to specific colleges and departments is building ongoing relationships, trust, and exciting opportunities to collaborate with our faculty. 

With excitement, the first Laker eSports Center was opened.  IT supported the configuration and installation of network equipment and deployed the Windows environment including applications and games to support the Esports gaming stations. Additionally, the Project Management Office coordinated the installation of 25 gaming computers and 5 large TV displays for the presentation of competitions. 

An emergency loaner laptop program for faculty and staff was implemented, providing PCs and MacBooks for employees whose primary computers needed repair or upgrade. This was necessary due to major supply chain issues in 2021. 

Created the IT Service Status page to provide a real-time view of the status of several IT systems. This system also provides updated information about system maintenance and provides historical data about system outages and maintenance.

Technology Acquisition: Implementation of Team Dynamix in technology supply, rewrite of technology acquisition ordering software, and review of technology acquisition policy.  

Telecommunications: Redevelopment of telecommunications work orders from web forms to Team Dynamix. 

IT partnered with Student Senate to review public printer locations on campus for student use. Two additional print release stations with print and copy capabilities were placed in The Blue Connection and Kleiner Commons,

Support for Action Item Processing in Banner Registration. This requires students to review and provides an opportunity to update their personal information, cell phone, personal email, address (permanent and local) as well as emergency contact.  All this needs to be reviewed before registration.

Supported implementation of Concur travel & expense system. This involved creating several online applications to allow departments to manage users and approval hierarchies. Also developed integration jobs to sync data between Banner, Concur, and OnBase.

In partnership with the Institutional Analysis office, started identifying and documenting the University Data Systems Inventory

Created data stewardship definitions and responsibilities, data classifications, and data domain documentation

Participation in university initiatives: Inclusive Data collection, Strategic Enrollment Management Plan (SEMP), Moonshot Broadband initiative

Creation of Data Strategy Framework

IT deployed Duo Multi-Factor Authentication to 65% of faculty/staff-facing applications. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), commonly referred to as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) provides an additional layer of security for users logging in to a secure environment. GVSU uses Duo Security as its MFA solution. Duo makes authentication easy by allowing individuals to verify their identity using a mobile device - either through an app or using a code sent via text.

Resident Halls Wi-Fi Access Point Upgrades. Replaced 1700 Wi-Fi access points.

HPC/PCEC/IT – Standardization of Computing Environments. Collaborated to move all HPC/PCEC-supported Windows, Mac, Linux computing environments to GVSU central userid. Standardized all lab environments to GVSU IT Windows 10 lab image.

Virtualization Disk Environment. Worked with multiple vendors to evaluate next-generation disk platforms to support a virtualization environment. Selected next-gen platform to provide modern storage with additional capacity and speed to support campus server infrastructure. Implementation to begin Quarter 1 - 2022.

Data Center Air Containment Project Installed air containment throughout the data center. Met required 10-degree temperature goals of the project – awarded full cash incentive to fund the purchase of containment infrastructure. Annual cost savings and lower energy consumption within the data center.

Reviewed and selected a partner for Identity and Access Management(IAM)

Created a Security Operations Center (SOC).  Security Intern and Endpoint specialist in permanent residence.

Deployed a DLP product for onsite DLP detection called Varonis

Increased GVSU's threat-hunting ability by implementing Microsoft Cloud Application Security (MCAS) and integrating Microsoft logs in Azure Sentinel. 

Reviewed and selected a new IT Service Management (ITSM) solution for ticketing, knowledge base documentation, and project management. Everyone in IT is now part of our ITSM to serve the GVSU community more effectively. Our new self-service portal can be found at https://services.gvsu.edu/. 

Phase 1 of the IT Service Management project was successfully launched, with iPaaS integrations and a new Service Portal. Team Dynamix said it was the fastest launch ever, finishing in 4 months. Phase two is wrapping up soon with the Project and Portfolio Management solution and Phase 3 is just starting.

Met an aggressive 9-month timeline to implement Slate and launch the undergraduate application in August for Fall 2022 prospective students. The next phase of the project will be the launch of the graduate application.

IT worked with MOS (Michigan Office Solutions) over the summer to facilitate a massive refresh of Xerox printers across campus. 148 printers were replaced across GVSU campuses and regional centers over approximately 2 months.

Completed migration of 1300 users to Zoom Phone and implemented six call centers with Five9 including the 20/20 desk, Admissions, Records, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and IT Services.

Partnered with Facilities Services, Office of the Provost, Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center, and the Registrar's Office to establish 3 state-of-the-art active learning classrooms that also support dual mode or hybrid delivery. This Presidential Initiative involved the design and implementation of 3 new Active Learning Classrooms: 2 in Allendale (MAK B-1-110 & MAK A-1-111) and 1 on the Pew campus (DEV 121E). These state-of-the-art classrooms incorporate flexible furniture, improved audio capabilities, automated camera tracking technology, and additional presentation screens allowing faculty and students to engage, learn, and collaborate in new ways in person and online.

DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health (DCIH) AV Installation: The creation of DCIH encompassed 5 years of planning and construction. The results of these efforts from the PMO included the design and installation of 19 classrooms (including 6 active learning classrooms), 121 large TV displays (including 34 meeting spaces), and 288 computers.

Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences (CHS) 3^rd-floor Simulation Center AV installation and integration with DCIH After 3 years of collaborative meetings with the Simulation Center, the result is 4 renovated classrooms, 20 large TV displays for classrooms and meeting spaces, and 90 computers to facilitate instruction.

In February of 2021, a brand new unit within the Information Technology Division was established. The new IT Innovation and Research group was born out of a desire to “reach higher” by leading, coordinating, and facilitating the discovery and exploration of emerging technologies and innovative solutions that lead to digital transformation (DX) across Information Technology at Grand Valley State University.

2021 I+R 2021 Highlights