Notes from the Thursday, June 29, 2017, ITS: Division Meeting

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Linda

Rebecca Tucker, Museum Director at the Fine Arts Center (FAC), shared information about the FAC’s history and upcoming exhibits.

Kristin Love from the Advancement Office spoke about the faculty and staff giving campaign.  Brian issued a challenge and will make an additional contribution to the campaign if 100% of ITS: staff participate.

Linda gave an update on the revised ITS: budget codes to be used after July 1, 2017.  She sent a follow-up email to the division with the new codes list.

Linda announced that both Mel and Stuart passed their Certified Technology Specialist exams earlier in the month and Angie will be moving to the Solutions Center Analyst position on July 24.

Vish spoke about the CC mobile app.  The college is changing from the current provide to Modo Labs.  If anyone wants to be more involved with the app development, please contact Manuel or Jim Schulz.

Katharina announced a new endpoint protection provider, Carbon Black, has been selected.  Implementation is scheduled to begin next month.

Submitted by
Administrative Assistant
Angie Bardsley

Thank you, Angie!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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Notes from the Thursday, May 11, 2017, ITS: Division Meeting

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Linda

Laurie Mozingo from Human Resources attended today’s meeting and provided information about benefits and the current open enrollment period.

Tulio spoke on behalf of Staff Council and stated that the lunch box program at Rastall is undergoing changes due to some people taking advantage of it.  The to-go lunch boxes will no longer be available, and if people continue to take copious amounts of food, the discount program may be eliminated as well.  Please remember that food cannot be taken out of Rastall unless you’re in the process of eating it.  Tulio also reported that if you bring your dog to campus, please remember that the dog policy states that all dogs must be on a leash all of the time, even when the dog is in an office.

Vish introduced Jeff Hinshaw, the new applications programmer analyst.

Weston shared his ITS: team member interview with Linda.

Chad spoke about New Student Orientation and the plan this year for weekend ITS: coverage across campus.  Instead of staffing the dorms, this year there will be staff in the Solutions Center and the Worner Center, as well as a couple of people walking around campus.  ITS: will still have a presence and offer assistance with fewer people having to work the weekend.

Weston encouraged everyone to attend the next Tech Tuesday on May 16 in the WES room at 3:00 pm.  President Jill, Danna, Chad, and a couple of librarians will be presenting.

Submitted by
Angie Bardsley
Administrative Assistant

Thank you, Angie!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Posted on May 5, 2017 by Linda

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!

To find out more about the holiday, click here.

Happy Weekend, too!

ITS:Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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TED O’clock – Frustration can lead to more creative solutions – April 28, 2017

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Linda

In Friday’s TED O’clock, the ITS: Team watched Tim Harford’s discussion on “How Frustration Can Make Us More Creative.”  Throughout his talk, Mr. Harford provides several examples of how a messy situation created a unique solution, one that may not have arisen if the mess had not been in place.  The group then discussed how being comfortable in a situation can differ from complacency…while comfortable may not be a bad thing, complacency might blind us to different creative ideas.  We also talked about how diversity plays a big part in creating solutions and that it is better to have a diverse group to find the best solutions.

So next time you’re stuck and can’t find a solution, add a little mess into the mix.  It might be just what you need!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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ITS: Survey Action Items for 2017

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Linda

The following action items came from the ITS: Survey Team of Angie Bardsley, Weston Taylor, Dan Raney, Janet Martino, and Jim Grey and are based on the survey the ITS: Division took in September 2016.

Quarterly Annual Review Meetings

Supervisors and their direct reports meet quarterly to touch base on annual goals, opportunities for professional development, accomplishments and/or challenges.

  • Begin during the current review process.
  • At the evaluation meeting this spring, the direct report and supervisor pick a date and time for their first quarterly touch base meeting.
  • The direct report sends the meeting invites for each quarterly meeting.
  • Prior to these touch base meetings, the direct report sends her/his supervisor an update email that includes accomplishments, project updates, goal updates, opportunities for professional development, etc.
  • At each touch base meeting, the direct report and supervisor schedule the next quarterly meeting.

Team Building Activities for Individual Departments

  • Beginning this summer, instead of the July Lunchtime Lunacy, departments will hold their first activity.
  • Together team members choose and plan the event. While the activity ideas are generated by the team members, supervisors, as part of the team, are invited to the event.
  • Departments hold activities two or three times a year.
  • A p-card should be used to pay for the activities.
  • Teams are encouraged to submit a group photo to be shared on the ITS: blog or internal update.
  • Please see one of the survey team members for activity suggestions.

Thanks to Survey Team for their efforts!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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Notes from the Thursday, April 13, 2017, ITS: Division Meeting

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Linda
  1. Jake shared information about the Quad Innovative Partnership program involving Colorado College, the Air Force Academy, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and Pikes Peak Community College.  He also spoke about the microfinance work he is doing in Uganda.
  2. West and Angie spoke about the two action items from the ITS: survey team which are: 1) quarterly meetings where supervisors and direct reports discuss progress toward annual goals and updates on projects, and 2) small team building events in lieu of some division-wide events.  Details about the action items will be posted on this blog and shared via email.
  3. Brian spoke about CC’s upcoming reaccreditation.  The process involves providing the appropriate documentation to an outside group through the Higher Learning Commission that details information about the college in general and how it goes about educating students.  Many in ITS: will be involved in the process and the outside group can meet with anyone across campus during their visit.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.
  4. Brian provided the top three themes that came from his one-on-ones with ITS: teammates.  They are improving recognition, scheduling more one-on-one meeting opportunities with him, and student passwords.  Brian has charged ITS: to look at the student password challenge and determine what we need to do in order to change it so that students, alumni, and retirees can keep their passwords for one year (instead of the current six-month time frame).
  5. At Communication’s request, we will add a space between the colon in ITS: and any words that follow.
  6. Vish announced that Jeff Hinshaw will join the Banner team as the new applications programmer and start on April 26.  He will be located in Spencer 267.  Jim Grey has relocated to Spencer 265 and Jim Schulz relocated to Spencer 262.
  7. Tulio announced that Leo will be leaving in June.
  8. Brian shared that Matt Gottfried and Chad are serving on the search committee for the library operations manager position.
  9. Noah shared his ITS: team member interview about Weston.

Submitted by
Angie Bardsley
Administrative Assistant

Thank you, Angie!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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TED O’clock – Extend Your Life by 10 Years! – March 31, 2017

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Linda

Angie Bardsley, our amazing administrative assistant, shared one of her favorite TED talks with the group, showing Jane McGonigal’s “The Game That Can Give You 10 Extra Years of Life.”  Her talk begins by discussing the five most common regrets of the dying and making the case for the importance of how play, including playing games, can address those regrets.

She goes on to discuss a traumatic brain injury she incurred, and the idea she came up with for how to get better.  She incorporated the information she already knew (the five most common regrets of the dying) with additional research, including looking into post-traumatic growth (when a person experiences happiness after a trauma), into a game she created.  This game, Super Better, can help those suffering from a traumatic injury, as well as those who are looking to increase their overall physical, mental, emotional, and social resilience.  By increasing resilience in these areas, a person can lengthen their lives.

Thank you, Angie, for doing a wonderful job with this edition of TED O’clock!  If anyone else has an idea for a talk we should watch or better yet, would like to present a talk, please contact Linda to find a time to do so!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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Notes from the Thursday, March 9, 2017, ITS: Division Meeting

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Linda
  1. Jan Edwards gave an overview of the students that Accessibility Resources serves as well as universal design points to consider when creating any campus space or computer-related activity. One way ITS: can help Accessibility Resources is to assist in making CC’s different web pages accessible, which includes details such as tagging photos.
  2. Kudos were shared.
  3. Brian provided highlights from the recent board meeting. The budget passed, and the budget committee will finalize specific elements over the next couple of months. The campaign’s public phase will launch at homecoming weekend this fall. A new strategic-focused board committee will be formed. This committee will concentrate on the student experience as students move from graduation to their next stage of life and will most likely involve alumni serving as mentors.
  4. Angie shared a brief update from the ITS: survey review team (Janet, Jim Grey, Dan Raney, Weston, and Angie). The team reviewed the survey results and came up with two action items, both of which have been shared with Special Ops and are being developed. One idea is to have supervisors touch base quarterly with their direct reports regarding their annual review.
  5. Jim Schulz reported that there were 18 applicants for the application programmer analyst position. The committee has conducted five Skype interviews with one more being held today. They will invite three candidates to on-campus interviews.
  6. Linda shared the Brocade and phone upgrade updates on behalf of David Ziemba and Vish.  Last year, Broadcom purchased Brocade and now there are talks that another company may be purchasing Broadcom.  CC’s Brocade equipment and service will continue to be covered no matter who owns them.
    Also, David Z. and Vish met with Venture Technologies and Cisco regarding the phone system. The quotes will be reviewed soon, with campus-wide implementation planned for this summer.

Submitted by
Angie Bardsley
Administrative Assistant

As always, thank you, Angie, for these notes!

ITS: Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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TED O’clock – How Great Leaders Inspire Action – February 24, 2017

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Linda

Danna Duncan, instructional technologist extraordinaire, presented this edition of TED O’clock and showed Simon Sinek’s “How Great Leaders Inspire Action.”  In his talk, Mr. Sinek discusses the premise of how people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.  This is applicable whether you are marketing a product (like Apple) or a cause (like civil rights…think Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr.).  People follow leaders that give a “why” to what they are doing and what the organization they lead is doing more than leaders who simply say what the organization is doing.

Afterward, conversation focused on topics such as why teammates felt more connected to some supervisors over others, how we might incorporate this information into what we do within and outside of ITS:, and how we might change our communications to include more about why we are doing something.

Thank you, Danna, for doing a great job with this edition of TED O’clock!  If anyone else has an idea for a talk we should watch or better yet, would like to present a talk, please contact Linda to find a time to do so!

ITS:Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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Notes from the Thursday, February 9, 2017, ITS:Division Meeting

Posted on February 25, 2017 by Linda

Below are the notes from the Thursday, February 9, 2017, ITS:Division meeting:

Kudos were shared.

Katharina announced that Drew Bodker will join the Server Applications and Security team soon as a part-time/on-call employee. He will be helping KRCC with applications and hardware as they move from their current location to 720 N. Tejon.

Jeff M. shared his interview about Noah. Noah will present his employee interview at the next division meeting.

Jeff M. shared the results of a security ratings report. The report was based on publically observable data and allows us to benchmark against our peers as well as ourselves. CC’s rating is 720 on a scale of 250-900. The data is based on three factors: diligence, user behavior, and events.

Brian gave a Fine Arts Center update. David Z.’s and Tulio’s teams have completed stage one of the transition. Stage two, headed by Vish, will include data and applications. Things are still on track for a July 1 transition. And, a southwest curator and an additional Campus Safety officer are being hired.

Vish shared that the Applications Analyst position posting will close on February 10. Jim Schulz is leading the search committee, which includes Mel, Leo, and Jeff M.

Brian and Sandi Wong are leading the Library Director search. They are utilizing a recruiting firm and met with representatives on February 8. Brian is also working on a job description for a library operations manager, a new position being created to oversee the new library’s offerings and building operations.

Weston reminded everyone that Linda and he can create a user account for anyone who is interested in taking classes on Lynda.com.

Submitted by
Angie Bardsley
Administrative Assistant

Thank you, Angie, for providing the notes for this meeting!

ITS:Always fun, never boring
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Petro

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