Outcomes 2022 cover–students with VR headsets interacting

IT Outcomes 2022


Raymond Lefebvre

Vice Chancellor and CIO 

Welcome!

Welcome to fourth edition of IT Outcomes—an annual publication dedicated to highlighting the many partnerships between IT and members of the UMass Boston community with a focus on opportunities, collaborations, and results. Each year we seek to share IT success stories and this year, 2022, we continue the tradition.

We closed out 2021 with tangible results as described in last year’s IT Outcomes, and 2022 turned out to be just as productive thanks to our focus on “SimplicITy”— a continuous improvement theme throughout 2022.

This publication captures the essence of “SimplicITy” experienced in 2022 and every story makes me beam with pride. From improving the recruitment and admissions process, to streamlining access to software for students and setting up the first-ever network & security operations center at UMass Boston, 2022 IT accomplishments are impressive when considering the new normal of hybrid teaching, learning, and working.

As we look back on 2022 fondly, and ahead to 2023 and beyond, our sights are set on “One IT”. One IT that uses all available IT resources collaboratively with the goal of IT becoming a trusted partner in providing secure, transformative, and innovative Information Technology services to advance teaching, learning, research, and administrative practices through dynamic and adaptive customer service.

You will see in the pages that follow the ways in which people, process, and technology intersected to improve the lives of students, faculty, and staff. I truly hope that you enjoy every story as much as the UMass Boston IT team has enjoyed—through “SimplicITy”—being a trusted partner in advancing the UMass Boston mission.

We are committed to achieving even greater alignment in 2023 as we strive to achieve our vision of “One IT” so that together we can improve the lives of students, faculty, staff, and all related constituent groups at UMass Boston through Opportunities, Collaborations, and Results.

Enjoy!

Group photo of half of IT Department staff on Campus Center staircase while the other half is remote. Some are wearing blue IT jackets and baseball hats.

In Memoriam
We would like to dedicate the 2022 edition of IT Outcomes to the memory of our colleague Jim Wyse, who passed away this year. You are missed by all your friends in the IT Department.

Enriching Student Learning

An illustrated student tossing away expensive textbooks and running down a path to a laptop labeled ''OER."

Open Educational Resources—Making Education More Affordable

Over the past few years a fabulous innovation in higher education has given college students the best news they’ve heard in a long time. It’s called Open Educational Resources (OER) and it’s a real game changer.

A staff member points to the screen to discuss network upgrade

Network & Security Operations Center—A First of its Kind at UMass Boston

Cybersecurity—the state of being protected against criminal or unauthorized use of electronic data and the measures taken to achieve a protected state—requires tremendous time, effort, and resources (staff).

An instructor is presenting and pointing to the screen as students participate in BeaconFlex classroom.

BeaconFlex Here to Stay

The last time we checked in on BeaconFlex—a hybrid teaching/learning modality—we described how this innovative educational system came to UMass Boston’s rescue at the height of the pandemic, when the university had to unexpectedly hold courses remotely in Spring 2020.

An illustrated student catching computer files falling from a cloud above them

Microsoft OneDrive: Cloud Storage for All

What do you do when you realize that you have run out of file storage space and need more? Well, at UMass Boston you don’t even have to worry about it because of the recent adoption of Microsoft OneDrive, which provides up to a terabyte (TB) of storage in the cloud. 

A boat labeled Columbia Point, with trees, a dock, and a building in the background.

Increasing Efficiencies

A boat labeled Columbia Point, with trees, a dock, and a building in the background.

Audio Visual Upgrades: AV Sets Sail on the Columbia Point

The last time we checked in on BeaconFlex—a hybrid teaching/learning modality—we described how this innovative educational system came to UMass Boston’s rescue at the height of the pandemic, when the university had to unexpectedly hold courses remotely in Spring 2020. 

A close-up of connected server cables.

Network Upgrade: Future Ready Internet Access

Connecting to the internet for students, faculty, and staff at UMass Boston has never been more important. Before the pandemic, campus internet access was used for teaching, learning, and work, but now there’s so much more.

A close-up of a phone screen featuring the UMass Boston Campus Map

Updated Campus Map: A New Way to Get Around

SimplicITy—a continuous improvement theme for UMass Boston IT in 2022—produced some interesting results when Web Services Senior Web Designer Lisa Link realized that the UMass Boston campus map was in dire need of an upgrade.

A photo montage featuring a 3D printed sign labeled ''Technovator'', Boston’s Old North Church, a student using VR equipment, and a 3D printed version of the Old North Church.
People standing at the top of Old North Church

Technovation: Supporting Student Success

What happens when you combine technology and innovation at UMass Boston with an earnest interest in helping students, faculty, and staff be as successful as possible? The answer is “Technovation”—a unique approach to leveraging technology in innovative ways to address complex, real-world student success challenges.

  • Two UMass Boston students proudly displaying the new Technovator sign.
  • Student using VR headset and hand controllers
  • 3D model of Old North Church

Simplicity

A close-up of two folded signs labeled ''MFA Is Coming Your Way!''

Secure IT A More Cyber Safe UMass Boston

Cybersecurity threats around the globe and at UMass Boston are relentless and evolving, so the university’s cybersecurity operation must be as well.

A close-up of a laptop screen displaying several software options.

Software Made Simple umb.OnTheHub.com

Acquiring extra software at UMass Boston was tedious and time-consuming before Software Support Specialist Rocky Haggard of the IT Service Desk took it upon himself to simplify the process.

Partnerships

An illustrated mechanical arm labeled ''X25'' crossing off dates on an illustrated calendar.

Improved Scheduling
X25 Analytics

Acquiring extra software at UMass Boston was tedious and time-consuming before Software Support Specialist Rocky Haggard of the IT Service Desk took it upon himself to simplify the process.

A crowd of students walking outside during the afternoon.
A crowd of students walking outside during the afternoon.

Slate: Streamlining Recruitment & Admissions

Recruiting students to enroll in college is no easy feat nowadays given the demographic decline in college age students in New England and across the nation. UMass Boston’s Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management John Drew knew that for the university to meet today’s student recruitment challenges, he had to find a better recruitment and admissions business system than the Salesforce TargetX platform his department was using.

IT Cares

A close-up of a laptop screen featuring an email newsletter titled ''Digital Access & Inclusion."

Digital Access & Inclusion: Access for Everyone

Acquiring extra software at UMass Boston was tedious and time-consuming before Software Support Specialist Rocky Haggard of the IT Service Desk took it upon himself to simplify the process.

IT Briefs

An illustrated student using a laptop.

Inclusive Identity and LearnIT

UMass Boston is working to cultivate an inclusive campus community and healthy social environment, and this includes allowing our students to identify themselves as they desire. 

Information Technology (IT) is a rapidly evolving career field, a fact not lost on Ray Lefebvre, Vice Chancellor & Chief Information Officer, at UMass Boston. Lefebvre established an IT professional development program in 2019—aptly titled “Learn IT”—which provides all IT personnel the opportunity to seek and receive professional development on an annual basis. 

Star Performers

IT Student Photo Project—Eight Years and Going Strong

Eight years have passed since the start of the UMass Boston IT Student Photo project and the program is still going strong thanks to Lisa Link, Senior Web Designer/Developer, who spearheaded and continues to oversee this student-success focused program.

A row of illustrated stars.
A row of illustrated stars.

Workforce Development—IT Student Employees

Student employees have always played a vital role in the work of UMass Boston’s Information Technology (IT) division and the 2021-22 school year was no exception. As we do every year, we would like to recognize all our IT student employees and highlight some of our 2022 IT Student Leadership Award winners and other top performers this year.

A smiling woman wearing glasses standing next to an illustrated caricature of herself labeled ''Happy Retirement Salina'

Salina Allen-Sharpp—34 Years of Dedicated Service

Even the greatest careers can start inauspiciously. But “inauspicious” may be an understatement when describing Salina Allen-Sharpp’s debut as a computer operator in what was known as the Computing Services department at UMass Boston in May 1988.