Technology Committee
Meeting Minutes

MEETING DATE: 03/05/2025

1. Call to Order For information

• Meeting called to order by Drew Patterson at 1:33pm

 

2. Review & Approve Agenda

• Motion to approve agenda
• Agenda Approved by: Collin Thormoto and Howard Blumenfield
• Agenda Approved by Committee

 

3. Review & Approve Minutes

• Motion to approve November and December Minutes
• Minutes Approved by Committee
• We will review Minutes for February and March Meetings in May once we receive our new support.

 

4. Action Items

• None

 

5. Staff Reports

LPC: Computer/Network/Audio/Visual – Steve Gunderson

• AV Classroom Upgrades: All audiovisual classrooms in Building 1600 are being upgraded. Some movement may be seen, but the project will be completed by the next meeting.
• Phone Upgrade: A phone system upgrade is in progress, affecting backend systems like software, servers, and firmware for handsets. It hasn't caused any interruptions so far, and work will continue without disruption. There will be early-morning updates (like with gateways) that won't affect users directly.
• Computer Lifecycle: The first lifecycle of computers has ended, and preparations for the next cycle are underway. An update will be provided in the next meeting.

LPC: Instructional Technology – Kathleen King

• Canvas Updates
  • Canvas is working on improvements to the new quizzes and discussion checkpoints, but these features are expected to fully roll out in the summer.
  • There's a feature allowing instructors to set two due dates for discussions, which is active but still a bit glitchy, so it's being paused for improvements.
• California Virtual Campus (CVC) Transition
  • The college is transitioning from being a home college with the CVC to becoming a teaching college, a large ongoing project with weekly meetings involving various stakeholders.
  • A significant focus is on creating communication plans for students enrolled in online courses through the exchange (CVC students) and ensuring they can access both home college and teaching college services.
  • There’s a lot of backend work happening to ensure courses are correctly listed and accessible and that students from other community colleges can enroll in online courses seamlessly.
  • This transition has been delayed due to COVID, but the college is working to sync systems with other community colleges, which involves overcoming technical challenges.
• Canvas Accessibility
  • The college has been focusing on improving accessibility in Canvas, with positive results. The number of accessibility errors has decreased, thanks to efforts like accessibility training for instructors and working with those using blueprint courses.
  • There’s an April 2026 deadline to make all online content ADA-compliant, including Canvas, websites, and online services.
• Recognition:
  • Special recognition was given to Wanda Butterly, the instructional technology specialist, for her efforts in accessibility training.

LPC: Website/Home Page Analytics – Student Success Center

• Financial Aid Website Update
  • The Financial Aid website has been successfully updated to a new template after two years of work.
  • Special thanks were given to Anthony Hask, who helped streamline the content, reducing it from 80 pages to below 60, making it easier to integrate into the new template.
• New Email Solution
  • The president’s office has tasked the team with finding a new email solution for community marketing, and a new email system using Mailshake and a dedicated domain (lobpacetusol.org) has been set up.
  • This system is designed for quicker communication without the usual roadblocks associated with email configurations.
  • The HSI grant team may also use this new email solution to communicate with HSI students after issues with the previous email system.
• Upcoming Events:
  • Two events, a Run for Education and an Open House, are scheduled for the end of the month. The Open House is expected to have around 250 attendees, a smaller turnout compared to last year’s 600, due to staffing and enrollment adjustments.
• Other Projects:
  • There are various other projects ongoing, some not directly related to LPC, but the details were not specified.

District: ITS – Bruce Griffin

• Bruce is not here today.  He will report in May.

 

6. Old Business

My Portal Update

• See Agenda Item #5 – Staff Reports for more information.

 

7. New Business

CLPCCD Software Request Process

• On Hold

MyPortal SSO System

• Jin shared a presentation about the struggles students are facing with the new My Portal Single Sign-On (SSO) system. The main issue is that many students are experiencing login difficulties, especially with the transition from the old Class Web system. Around 30% of students have been having trouble logging in because they haven't received the necessary activation emails or are getting locked out due to incorrect passwords. There are also some technical barriers like issues with forgotten passwords and students being directed to the wrong pages.
• Jin used a metaphor involving a rental car to explain the confusing and frustrating experience for students. He also explained that even though the system works well for most students, those who face issues are often unable to resolve them easily, leading to frustration.
• Jin suggested that these login issues could contribute to widening equity gaps, especially for students who are already struggling. He proposed that these problems might impact the success of students who might give up on using resources like tutoring, as they are already overwhelmed.
• The tech support for the portal is available only during business hours, which creates challenges for students taking online or asynchronous classes.
• There were also suggestions about improving communication and the user experience, particularly for new students and those encountering login issues. This includes clarifying the instructions in emails and improving the help options available.
• Francis raised a point about the limited tech support hours (Monday to Thursday, 8:00am-5:00pm), which makes it difficult for students who need assistance outside those hours.
• The group discussed potential solutions, including setting up a task force involving people from different departments like tutoring and the library to address these issues and improve the My Portal user experience.
• The next step is for Jin to continue working with the IT team and possibly transition to a different system if the current issues are not resolved. The presentation and feedback will be shared with district leadership to get further support.
• See website for more information: http://tinyurl.com/myportalpenji

 

8. Updates

• None

 

9. Good of the Order

• None

 

10. Future Agenda Items

• None

 

Meeting adjourned at 2:10pm

Next meeting: May 5, 2025