Custom Web Application for the Science Learning Resource Center

The Science Learning Resource Center (SLRC) provides students with a space dedicated to the study of science. With resources like science kits, models, and tutoring, it’s not surprising that many students visit the center every day to study, research and collaborate. When the SLRC came to the Office of Technology looking for a solution to help them more efficiently track student use of the lab, Technology designed an in-house application to enhance their operations.

Senior Applications Developer, Ward Durossette, and Application Developer I, Peter Dougherty, created a new online check-in and resource management tool after discovering that students were lining up to check in at the SLRC. The application, Lab Manager, allows students to easily check in and out of SLRC with the swipe of their TWU ID. It also provides SLRC staff with an administrative panel that supports manual student lookup by name, Student ID, and courses (in case students forget their ID); item check-in and check-out; and lab worker organization.

Although Lab Manager is currently utilized only by the SLRC, this technology could have institution-wide benefits.

This application could support scheduling and space utilization with a focus on student opportunity.

Custom Course Evaluation System Updates

Since the inception of TWU’s new, custom Student Course Evaluation System in Fall 2016, there has been an increase in both the number of students that completed evaluations and the total number of evaluations completed.

To continue building on past success, the Office of Technology updated marketing materials and created a unified, branded communications campaign encouraging students to complete course evaluations. Students who completed an evaluation were automatically entered into a drawing to win one of sixteen prizes (an increase from ten prizes in previous semesters).

Additionally, Technology listened to faculty needs and made three adjustments to the Student Course Evaluation System. First, courses taught by more than one faculty were separated, giving each faculty an individual evaluation, rather than one co-taught evaluation. This change also allows students to provide specific feedback per instructor.

Second, faculty can view the percent of completed evaluations per course at any time, even after the end of an evaluation period. This provides faculty with the opportunity to compare completion rates across terms.

The Office of Technology completed a third adjustment that will launch in Fall 2018. This enables sections to be combined (e.g., cross-listed sections). In doing so, sections that have previously been ineligible for evaluation will be open for evaluation beginning this fall.

A standard evaluation system is a valuable feedback mechanism for students, who will be the focus of new, innovative programs.

Network Upgrade

To sustain a reliable and functional network, equipment must be replaced periodically on campus. These upgrades give our network significant performance benefits. Over the past year, network switches were replaced in various buildings across the University: Admissions, Woodcock Hall, Pioneer Hall, Dance and Gymnastics Laboratory, Institutional Advancement, Art, Old Main, Classroom Faculty Office, and the Dallas campus. The new switches allow 1G connectivity to each desktop and 10G speeds between wiring closets.

In addition to replacing network equipment, there is also a need to replace aging multi-mode fiber optic cable with new single-mode fiber optic cable. With this improvement, TWU can benefit from the increased speed of new network switches. Single-mode fiber was installed in Admissions, Bralley, Classroom Faculty Office, Old Main, Music, Dance Gymnastics Laboratory, Pioneer Hall, and Woodcock Hall. Other buildings across Texas Woman’s will be upgraded in the next academic year.

A reliable high-speed network that allows for secure external connections through VPN is critical to optimizing connections between campuses and expansions to other geographic areas.

VPN Upgrade

TWU’s virtual private network (VPN) was upgraded to enhance security and encryption. Pioneers may now access TWU VPN using the new Cisco AnyConnect Client available for download at vpn.twu.edu. AnyConnect Clients are available for PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android, although mobile users will need to download the Cisco AnyConnect app from their respective app stores. Faculty and staff who do not currently have access to VPN may request access.

This upgrade prepares TWU for a new security feature coming in Fall 2018 — Duo Security dual authentication. Duo Security is a two-factor authentication service that easily allows users to protect their VPN sign-on experience by providing a second layer of protection when accessing VPN — authorizing their login via a trusted device (phone, tablet, etc.).