Technology operations is facing an active year. Many faculty and staff will receive new PCs this year with the Windows 10 operating system. Significant testing occurred over the summer to minimize potential issues for TWU employees. As machines in the computer labs reach the end of their lifecycles, they will be replaced with Windows 10 as well.

Responding to student feedback, color printing will be available at the Denton Library and at the Dallas and Houston Center main computer labs this fall.

The Write Site has a new home in the Denton Library, and we were proud to have participated in that transformational project. The space that was previously used by the Write Site will be the home of an innovative computer classroom that focuses on collaborative learning—using tablets instead of the standard computer desktop. We are also exploring more bring your own device (BYOD) areas on campus that include power and work areas for students who bring laptops and tablets to campus. To further enhance remote teaching and learning, we are exploring the use of Skype for Business in the classroom.

Technology changes rapidly. We will continue eagerly to embrace the changes and challenges that come our way.

The TWU Technology Infrastructure teams are entering an exciting year focused on collaboration, expansion, and sustainability. We will fully implement OnBase, a new imaging application that centralizes content management and reduces the need for paper documentation. Not only will OnBase replace older infrastructure and increase efficiency in multiple departments on campus, it will align with TWU’s mission of investing in technology that helps reduce the University’s environmental impact.

Furthermore, the new Faculty Performance Review System will allow faculty to create and submit their annual performance evaluations and promotion and tenure portfolios online. This custom application provides faculty and administrators the ease and flexibility of accessing review documents from their desktop or mobile devices. The Faculty Performance Review System will assist with accessibility, and it will also replace a fully paper process; therefore, another University procedure will be more sustainable.

In addition to reducing environmental impact, we are also focused on improving current infrastructure. During the next year, we will increase the speed of our networks, the processing power of our servers, and the number of wireless access points across TWU campuses. Technology is always expanding, and we are committed to improving productivity as TWU grows.

In adapting to change and working with new leadership, the enterprise applications teams will focus our energy on transforming business at Texas Woman's University. While aligning with the University's strategic plan, we will also re-architect and re-develop our enterprise systems to ensure mobility, scalability, ease of use, and universal access. To ensure the integrity and security of data within enterprise systems, we will work to meet privacy and protection initiatives, security concerns, legislative changes, and federal/state compliance. In adapting to change, learning new technologies, and aligning with our business partners, we will achieve a healthier future for TWU’s enterprise systems.

Specifically, projects like Oracle iAssets will streamline inventory control across the institution while allowing individuals to easily update and maintain their assets. We will continue to develop Student Self-Service to add the financial aid and student finance modules. By doing so, students will be able to manage their degree plans, search and register for classes, and handle the financial aspects of their enrollment in one place.