How IT Fee Dollars Work for You
Your IT Fee dollars provide the digital services you need at Penn State, whether
you're attending classes at University Park or one of the University's 23 other
campus locations.
Internet access, e-mail, computer security, IT help, cutting-edge
software, computer labs, extensive library resources, WebMail and wireless
technologies are just some of the services supported by Penn State’s
IT Fee.
See details below for a breakdown on how your IT
Fee dollars are distributed.
Teaching and Learning Support Services [top]
The IT Fee has made the following educational initiatives
possible this year:
- Penn State’s new Testing Center, a one-stop location for testing services,
information and resources.
- Digital Commons, an initiative to help enrich
students’ education by creating digital content for their coursework -
now available at 15 campus locations.
- e-Learning Support Specialists, who
assist faculty at four Penn State campuses with new technologies in the
classroom, such as blogs, e-portfolios, Podcasts at Penn State and Web
2.0.
- WebLion technologies offers a way for student organizations to manage
and update Web sites using easy-to-use tools that require little or no
experience.
- Educational Gaming Commons, an initiative that is investigating
the pedagogical potential of digital games.
Help Services and Collaborative Tools [top]
The IT Fee has enabled the University to provide students
with numerous help resources and collaborative tools this year, such as the
following:
- E-mail distribution services processed over four million e-mails per
day last year, enabling students to communicate with instructors and collaborate
with peers remotely and locally.
- A combined total of 65,171 questions were
answered by the ITS Help Desks on a wide range of topics, including ANGEL,
dial-up connections, account issues, wireless, WebMail, disk recoveries
and viruses.
- ITS administered 30 unique software contracts, representing
hundreds of products and saving the University approximately $5 million.
- The Accounts
Services Office handled 31,191 e-mails and approximately
9,000 phone and walk-in communications for accounts-related issues in support
of students, faculty and staff.
- A new version of the online University
Bulletin (Penn
State’s Degree Programs)
was created, providing quick access to online course information for students
throughout the University.
- ITS provided
technical "back end" support for the Student Organizations Web Service,
a collaborative project with the Division of Student Affairs.
University Library Services [top]
The IT Fee has provided a digital gateway to Penn State’s
worldwide library resources:
Network and Security Services [top]
The IT Fee has helped to build Penn State’s IT superhighway
and ensure that students use the Internet safely:
- The University’s network (Integrated Backbone) supported interconnectivity
at over 1,000 local networks, making voice, video, and data transmissions
possible at University Park and 22 Penn State campus locations across the
state.
- A 50/50 fund-matching program helped significantly increase wireless
coverage, enabling students to use laptops in classes, libraries, cafes,
and buildings throughout their campuses.
- An upgrade to the University’s
Virtual Private Network (VPN) service allowed Penn State to support a
substantial increase in wireless use among students returning in the fall.
- A
pilot of next-generation wireless equipment in several University Park
buildings will pave the way for the use of advanced-wireless video and
audio capabilities at Penn State.
- Anti-virus
software can be downloaded at no cost to students, faculty, and staff.
- Desktop security and awareness
programs.
- Immersive Environments
Lab, an enhanced architectural visualization system for students.
- Management of virus incidents and
other security threats.
- PSUTXT, a text messaging service
designed primarily for emergency announcements.
- Take Control, a security
Web resource for students.
- University mobile
ports, Ethernet jacks around campus that provide a high-speed connection.
General IT Services Provided at
All Locations [top]
The IT Fee supports IT solutions to meet academic needs:
- The Penn State
Access Account provides each individual with a unique digital identity.
- ANGEL, Penn State's
course management system.
- blogs.psu.edu, a pilot project exploring
the use of blogs in higher education.
- Clickers in
the classroom for quick, anonymous feedback during classes.
- Digital Commons, an initiative
to help enrich students’ education by creating digital content for their
coursework.
- eLion, secure access to academic
and financial records.
- University e-mail distribution
services.
- Assistive technologies to
meet the needs of people with disabilities.
- Expanded student outreach,
to increase student awareness of information technology services.
- Faculty support for integrating
technology into teaching and learning.
- Free software for e-mail,
file transfer, virus detection, anti-spyware, and Web browsers.
- Help Desk consultants offer
technical support at numerous locations.
- Collaborative learning
spaces for student team projects, meetings, and studying.
- Penn State’s Google Search Engine.
- The Penn State Portal.
- Podcasts at Penn State offers
convenient, on-demand, portable digital content.
- PSUThesi thesis
template software for graduate students.
- A variety of teaching technologies.
- Technology classrooms at
all locations.
- Testing Center, a one-stop
location for testing services, information and resources.
- WebAccess single sign-on
to many University applications.
- Penn State WebMail.
- Web storage space: up to five
gigabytes of personal space on PASS.
IT Services Provided at Specific Campus
Locations [top]
The IT Fee provides for designated resources that support
student computing needs at each of Penn State’s individual campuses, such
as:
