Web Strategy  - Opportunities and Issues
						low		< $50,000
						medium		$50,000 - $200,000
						high		> $200,000
		Today		In 2 years				Ideal state
				Details	Cost	Impact
External
Graduate Student Recruitment		We are currently at the beginning stages.  Graduate student information does exist on the web and work has been done work to enable electronic receipt of applications through a third-party vendor. Many departments are updating their web presence.		On-line applications feed the Graduate Student Database for on-line review and admission. Attractive and accurate departmental websites with interesting and helpful information that encourage potential students to explore and apply. A complete updated Houston section.	high	high		Multimedia tour, and multimedia Houston section. Preplanned videoconferencing for students who cannot visit Rice.
Categorized - per audience views (internal site, external site).		Traditionally we have had a centralized Rice view (Riceinfo).  With the Fall 1999 redesign and increased focus on our external audience, some users are using the A-Z index (www.rice.edu/Internet/search.html) as their starting point.  Outside users are still using www.rice.edu.		Multiple views of static information in which content is arranged and presented by category (internal, external, alumni, prospective students).	medium	Unknown
Customized - user controlled views (like my.yahoo.com).		Various projects exist to experiment with this, but Rice does not currently have anything like this. An experimental core functionality is in place.  Work on improving look and feel is in progress.  A core authentication service is not in place.		A person could choose their "role" and be delivered a custom view, or they could personalize the entire thing. Some work with vertical per audience views would be required to accomplish this.	medium	Unknown
Personalized - personal and customized portals - matching of individuals with information in dymanic manner.		We have personal web pages which for many function as a personalized web portal.  The user maintains all aspects of it. It's not elegant, but it is individually flexible.  Used for internal personal use and for external sharing purposes as in "my web page."  A core authentication service is not in place.		Fully implemented and integrated on-line virtual office space for all Rice people.  my.rice.edu.  Category views for Alumni version, development, prospective grad students, prospective Undergrad students and parents, and select academics units (NSF).  Web based tools for helping individuals maintain and manage their portal space.  Sharing of portal space with other users (for collaboration, file sharing).	high	Unknown
Infrastructure
Migration of universal and frequently used applications to the web.  Also known as an application portal.		We have made initial progress in this area as an experiment.  Email (wing and twig) is available today.  Calendaring for staff and faculty and students forecast for Summer 2000.		Many more applications could be on the web.  Examples: File sharing, collaborative meeting spaces,	medium	high		Everything to the left and integrated videoconferencing.
Database interconnections (eg. Directory)		We currently have very loose database connectivity.  It consists of custom dump and load scripts on a myriad of systems.  Everything is handled in an ad-hoc manner.  No overall architecture is considered.		Clear APIs for interconnection between Banner, SIS, and the Campus Services Database.  Utilized dynamic views rather than dump and load.  Campus Services database provides back-end for integration applications like LDAP.	medium	high		View our databases as systems that must interact rather than systems we occasionally need data to pass between.
Core systems		We have an extensive, reliable information technology infrastructure.  Email accounts have been available to everyone for a long time.  We have ubiquitous, high-quality wiring (fiber and copper).  We have a rich educational and residential computing system known as Owlnet.  We currently have two Internet connections.  One goes to the commercial Internet.  The other goes to Internet2.  No significant peering is being done for reliability and redundancy.		We do not have extensive integration of heterogeneous sytems (Mac, PC, Unix) apart from basic network connectivity.  Network peering and higher bandwidth connections should be pursued.  Remote access problems solved via ubiquitous web tools and virtual private networking.  Ubiquitous high speed switched networks.	high	high		Integration of heterogeneous systems.  High speed network connections to Internet1 and Internet 2. Large data storage capablities for educational and operational needs.  Overall enterprise architecture for locating, sharing, and managing computing and networking resources.  Aggressive commmitment to improve infrastructure in specific areas.  Sufficient commitment in other areas.
Ecommerce (understand and avoid the existing banking relationships)		Some ecommerce is being done. Credit card information is stored locally and manually forwarded for payment processing.		Establish a relationship with a credit-card clearing house and use it for a host of applications. Obtain site validation, i.e. TrustE or approved VISA merchant to lessen chances of copycat sites.	low	high		Full integration of electronic commerce with Rice financial systems.
Authentication		Currently we authenticate users to a subset of our computer systems.  Web authentication is at a very rudimentary stage.		Fully integrated systems authentication system across all applications, not just web.  Includes internal and remote access.	medium	high		Fully integrated systems authentication system across all applications, not just web.  Includes internal and remote access.
Financial		Currently we use capital budgets to pay for large infrastructure components and equipment despite the fact that they have exceptionally short life-cycles.  Software and Staff are paid for out of operating budgets.		Maintenance and replacement/upgrades should be done with the knowledge that this is not capital that can be depreciated over 30+ years. This is operating expense.	n/a	high
Internal
Consistent look and feel with flexibility		First tier and most second-tier sites are consistent. Templates will be posted to PA’s Web Communications site. Variations will be added to pool of potential designs.		Better organization of information to provide easier navigation. Portal system will make this less important. All faculty in all departments have on-line CV.	medium	low		More involvement from Fondren in overall information layout and architecture. Train faculty or appointee for ongoing maintenance. Offer annual faculty page update process as part of directory or GA updates.
Content maintenance pushed to individual/organization		Most content is managed on a best-effort basis.		Better tools for authoring made available to entire campus.	low	high		Better tools for individuals and clear avenue for more complex solutions and custom applications.
Need to encourage content creation and maintenance on the web.		Need to review entire current site and send out notifications that all content must be reviewed annually and updated or links will be deleted.  Allow for exceptions for policies and non-changing content.			low
Need to foster quality in all areas (need creative solution here, incentives).		Nothing currently in place apart from encouragement and assistance.		Award (public recognition) or incentives for quality sites and for sites that are maintained regularly.	medium	medium
Applications, architecture handled by core groups (IT, DacNet, Public Affairs).		Currently IT, DACnet, and Public Affairs take care of core infrastructure.		Better integration of IT, DACnet, and Public Affairs.  Clearly define relationships and respnsibilities.  Need to resolve DACnet's financial situation and systems support.	low	high
Actively promote appropriate technologies to efficiently deliver information (email vs. web pages vs. paper) - provide guidelines and policies.		Done on a case-by-case basis when the need can be handled by yamform or someone is hired to develop the tools (typically DACnet).		Eliminate paper forms for parking, PAF.  On-line purchasing tools and financial management systems.	low	medium		Green planet.  Safe living downstream.
Update directory publishing policies to account for current needs, audiences, and database interconnections.		Campus directories are very fragmented at this point.  Mostly this is caused by the distributed data authorities (HR, SIS, Cashier's, IT, Telecom, DACnet, etc).		Pull together these databases.  Establish clear data ownership and authority.	low	medium		Full integration of directory services.
Improve identification and authentication systems (idcards, iButtons, facebook).		Diebold system is limited in scope.  It simply provides picture id and door opening systems.  Food service point-of-sale capabilites are clunky at best.		Replace Diebold with newer, integratable system.  Perhaps iButton or smart-cards.	high	high		Ubiquitous access and identification system that includes physical, computer, and web systems.
Web librarian		Fondren has participated in the past in the organization of Riceinfo.  Fondren was not involved in Fall redesign of top two tiers of site.		Unknown	low	medium		Full integration of look-and-feel, infrastructure, information organization, and maintenance efforts.
Educational
Campus wide web solution for course support (testing, syllabi, interaction, grading) WebCT, Blackboard		Owlnet has course account tools.  Have WebCT on Owlnet.  Looking at Blackboard's system.  DACnet currently fills many course needs.  On-line course evaluations provided by DACnet. Blackboard's CourseInfo is under review.		Integrated course authoring systems that allow all instructors to easily publish course content and use the intneret for course adminstrative duties. Continued development of staff resources to bridge the gap between users and the technology.	medium	medium
Other issues
Lifecycles (how long do things last?)
How should we pay for and account for these things?
How much do others invest in their web strategies?
How do our priorities map to others?
If  it's too big, it's too hard to manage.