Projects & Initiatives
Highlights of Major ISC Projects & Initiatives for 2007
Learn how ISC works and partners with others at Penn to
make the institution work more efficiently and effectively.
Listed below are descriptions of and links to some of the projects and
initiatives underway at ISC. To read
about a project, select a topic to the right or scroll through
the page:
The Advancement Project
The Advancement Project is a joint effort of Development and Alumni Relations,
the Treasurer's Office, and ISC to replace the University's systems that
support fundraising and gift processing, which date from the 1980s.
The project's goal is to integrate and improve
the processes, systems, and tools that will allow increased fundraising
and support Penn's alumni, donor, and membership programs. Learn more by
visiting the The
Advancement Project web site.
PennERA
PennERA is the University's Electronic Research Administration project,
a multiyear initiative to develop streamlined processes and more
efficient tools for handling pre- and post-award administrative
tasks related to the sponsored projects of Penn's academic research
community. Ultimately, the project will implement a "cradle-to-grave" web-based
system for research project development, support, and management.
Projects under the PennERA umbrella are being developed jointly by
the Office of Research Services, the Office of Regulatory Affairs
and ISC. Learn more by visiting the PennERA
web site.
Student Borrowing Management System
ISC is working with Student Registration & Financial Services (SRFS)
to design and develop a custom, web-based system that will not only facilitate
the processing of student loan applications, but will also provide interactive
features that will assist students and their families in planning
and
implementing various student loan options. Based on a flexible rules-based
and workflow-based infrastructure, the new Student Borrowing Management
System will provide
SRFS with greater long-term flexibility, both for adapting to regulatory
changes and for introducing new programs, and will also position
SRFS for the evolutionary implementation of the next generation of student
systems.
Learn more by contacting Tess Bocage, Project Leader, bocage@isc.upenn.edu.

Admissions
ISC and the Admissions
Office are leading the effort to replace Penn’s existing undergraduate
admissions system. The project will also examine potential synergies
with graduate admissions
as well as seamless integration with other student systems at Penn.
The new system
will include innovative new tools and solutions that include real-time
information and personalized communications for all those involved
in the admissions process, from prospective students, parents, alumni,
and secondary
school counselors to Penn Admissions Officers, faculty, and staff.
Project goals are to meet the growing needs and service goals for
the admissions process by
increasing productivity and exceeding high customer service expectations
and to position Penn admissions for the future. Learn more about
the project and current status by contacting Amy Schott, Project
Leader, schott@isc.upenn.edu.
Faculty Database
In conjunction with representatives from the Provost's Office, Institutional
Research, and the schools, ISC will begin development of new application
to provide a consistent, cohesive view of faculty data across the
University.
The Faculty
Database system will allow both schools and central administration
to achieve fundamental operational and reporting gains in support
of faculty affairs administration. Anticipated benefits of this
new system include improved data quality and consistency and university-wide
historical analysis of faculty data. Learn more about the Faculty
Database by contacting Amy Miller, Project Leader, millera@isc.upenn.edu.
Voice over IP - Integrated Communications
ISC is taking the
first step in providing the next generation of integrated communication
services to the University community. Voice over IP (VoIP) communications
will be the first service offered as part of an integrated
communication strategy.
VoIP will allow for integrated email and voice mail services.
A pilot for VoIP services to various departments
within the University community will begin fall
2005. Learn more
about the VoIP pilot by visiting the Penn
Voice Services web site
and clicking the link "Penn iPhone."
Mobile Computing
Over the past several years there have been significant
advances in portable computing devices. Included in this category
are laptop computers as well as handheld Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs). Likewise, wireless networks
have matured and also enjoyed rapid, broadly distributed deployment.
Together, these two trends have resulted in the growth of mobile
computing. This new computing model is prompting changes in
user expectations, and has implications for application and
infrastructure
service providers. ISC has undertaken an effort to assess the
mobile computing needs of the campus community through a collaborative
effort. As a new strategy emerges, the impact
of mobile computing in multiple dimensions including online
applications and services, user and device support, and information
security practices will be considered. Learn more about mobile
computing at Penn by contacting James
Choate, IT Technical Director, choate@isc.upenn.edu.
 Wireless PennNet Program
ISC deploys wireless service using a class of technologies designed to serve
large organizations. Benefits to Penn's mobile web users include a robust set
of features such as improved signal strength and stability as well as long-term,
reliable customer support. In addition, ISC is refining and strengthening wireless
network security, utilizing a common authentication mechanism. The final outcome
is a secure, scalable, and cost-effective wireless infrastructure for the University
which focuses on increased shared bandwidth and greater load capacity to provide
higher quality service levels to the Penn community. Adoption of these strategies
is based on Penn's current research in new technologies and best practices
for wireless technologies and is part of the overall continuing research necessary
to ensure an ever updated delivery of network services. To learn more about
service offerings, activities, and future plans, see Wireless
at Penn.
Budget Planning
Working with the Budget and Comptroller's Offices, as well as
school and center representatives, ISC will embark on the design
and implementation of a new budget planning system for the University.
This system not only replaces Penn's outgrown budgeting software
(Pillar), but will also give the university financial community
more powerful tools to move forward with
integrated budget planning, forecasting, and financial analysis.
To learn more
about
the new budget planning system, contact
Amy Miller, Project Leader, millera@isc.upenn.edu.

PennConnect CD
The PennConnect CD makes it easy for students, faculty, and staff to
install and configure Penn's supported networking and anti-virus software.
The CD significantly reduces support costs by providing users with
current software that has been licensed and customized for use at Penn.
ISC works closely with vendors and with IT staff on campus to ensure
that the CD supports the full range of systems on campus. To
pick up a copy of the CD or to learn more, see PennConnect
CD.
IT Orientation
One of ISC's primary missions within Penn's distributed
model for computing is to provide services for IT staff on campus.
The IT
Orientation
program is an important foundation for these efforts, ensuring that
new IT staff have a basic understanding of computing at Penn and
know where to turn for help when they have questions or problems. An
initial
half-day session provides an overview of Penn's decentralized environment,
an introduction to various resources developed specifically for IT
staff, a discussion of PennNet, and a summary of information security
policies and practices. Follow up sessions are offered monthly and
cover a range of topics of interest to IT staff on campus (Internet2,
Penn's Data Universe, Network Operations, Videoconferencing and Webcasting,
etc.). Many of the presenters provide central services for IT staff
on campus, so the sessions are also an important opportunity to meet
colleagues who will serve as a second-tier support network. Learn
more about IT Orientation.
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