Standard Eight - Physical Infrastructure
DESCRIPTION
Physical Resources and Facilities
Cape Cod Community College is located on 116 acres in West Barnstable, MA. The original seven-building campus was constructed in 1970. The Tilden Arts Center was constructed in 1973, and the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Center opened in Fall 2006, increasing the number of buildings to nine and expanding the total assignable square footage to 201,602 sq. ft. A leased space satellite center is maintained in Hyannis, MA, consisting of 4,393 sq. ft.
The Office of Facilities Management (OFM) is responsible for all aspects of College facilities to include construction, repair, maintenance, and operation. OFM coordinates with state and local agencies and other appropriate organizations with regard to utility services, regulatory compliance, and sustainability issues. OFM employs 19 union and 2 non-union employees. The Facilities Director reports to the Vice President of Administration and Finance.
The Department of Public Safety has four fulltime Public Safety Officers and is responsible for safety programs and physical plant security. The Department provides an around-the-clock campus security presence. Emergencies are reported by dialing 4333 or 911 on campus. These calls are handled by a switchboard operator during business hours. Off hours these calls are forwarded to the Barnstable Police Department. There is no E911 service on campus to identify the origination point of emergency calls. The Chief of Public Safety reports to the Vice President of Administration and Finance.
There are 31 general-purpose classrooms, whose capacity ranges from 10 to 125 with a mean of 37 seats. An average of 55% of the seats are occupied when a classroom is in use. This is below the 67% target and reflects the fact that rooms, on average, have a capacity exceeding demand. On average, 84% of classrooms are in use during the day, well above the target rate of 67%, thus limiting daytime scheduling flexibility.
There are 35 specialized instructional spaces (e.g. computer labs). Room capacity ranges from 8 to 37 seats with a mean of 25 seats. An average of 66% of the specialized instructional space seats are occupied when a room is in use, which is below the 80% target. On average, 60% of the specialized instructional space is in use during the day, above the 50% target.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) and Board of Higher Education (BHE) Facilities Master Plan, currently in draft form, recommends several major new capital projects and renovations that will address space needs and aesthetics on campus. In addition, there is an unrelated feasibility study for on-campus housing.
Space is scheduled through the Director of Facilities Use. The Director reports to the Vice President of Administration and Finance.
There are 1200 parking spaces in 12 parking lots distributed in a circular pattern around the campus.
Technological Resources
Cape Cod Community College has improved its technological infrastructure significantly in the past 3 years in accordance with its 2003-2006 Information Technology Strategic Plan.
The College has expanded its inventory of modern computers to nearly 900. The inventory is standardized on Dell computers. Nearly all computers are leased through Dell Financial Services. Recently, a decision was made to use 5-year rather than 3-year leases. This decision was based on the increased capabilities and reliability of equipment. It also permitted the expansion of inventory at no additional cost. To ensure sustainability, lease costs are a continuing line item in the operational budget.
All campus computers are connected to the local area network and Internet. The College provides approximately 60 computers in the Open Lab, Library, and Cafeteria for general student use. Nine specialized instructional spaces have presentation capability and contain 160 student-use computers for hands-on computer enabled instruction. All of the presentation- configured specialized instructional spaces are equipped with presentation systems and Vision desktop control software. Twenty-eight additional classroom spaces have presentation capabilities that include overhead LCD projectors, lectern control stations, and DVD/VCR installations. Seven of these rooms have enhanced SMART capabilities, permitting stylus direct writing to the screen.
Several additional specific purpose spaces exist. The Writing Lab has 24 student-use computers. The Math Lab has 5 computers for assisting students with math. The Nursing Lab provides 9 student-use computers for instruction. The Office of Teaching and Learning Technologies provides assistance and instruction in a lab of 16 stations. There are several other multicomputer configured rooms for specific delivery of services to students, including the Tutoring Lab, the Assessment Center, and the O'Neill Center for Disability Services. During fiscal year 2007, major renovations were made to the nursing labs, totaling $347,757, made possible by a gift from the college's foundation. The labs are all equipped with modern simulation technology mannequins and equipment, including the most recent addition to the Center, a sophisticated Laerdal SimMan human patient simulator.
All students, faculty, and staff have accounts for network access and email. Students and faculty have access to the Blackboard learning management system and Campus-Web online registration accounts. Specific staff and faculty have accounts for the Jenzabar Student Information System (SIS). Network storage space is provided to all students, faculty, and staff.
The College has a campus agreement for the Microsoft Office Professional Productivity Suite on all computers. Additional volume licenses are held for a variety of applications including Adobe Creative Suite CS3. Faculty and Staff take advantage of take home rights for the Office Suite and arrangements have been made for faculty and students to purchase the Creative Suite at heavily discounted prices.
Forty-one production servers provide network storage, email, print, student information, web, Blackboard, and other services. Faculty and staff are each provided 7Gb of data storage. Students are provided 3Gb of storage. Servers are purchased or acquired under a lease through Dell Financial Services. The College recently installed VMWare, a virtual server technology, and is in the process of implementing both production and disaster recovery storage area networks (SAN) in an ongoing effort to reduce the number of physical servers from over 40 to approximately 25 to ensure survivability.
The main campus network infrastructure consists of 50 micron fiber optics connecting all buildings. Active signal is provided by Cisco routing and switching, which was installed in the summer of 2006. Head-end services are provided from the Network Operations Center (NOC) in the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Center. Wireless network access is provided throughout the main campus using Cisco 54Mbps access points.
Security is provided through a layered defense. Physical security of facilities and rooms is provided by the Department of Public Safety and the Facilities Department. All students, staff, and faculty are provided network login accounts. A few group accounts remain for specific purposes, such as public use in the Library, but these accounts are strictly controlled and the Library staff logs in all patrons using the generic account.
Campus segregation is performed using virtual local area networks (VLAN) technology. Wireless users are completely isolated from the internal network and routed directly to the Internet. CISCO Client Access Server and Bradford Campus are being implemented to control every port on the network. In addition, the student information system is a client-server application. The client is installed only on computers that require access. There are additional unique login requirements for the student information system and other applications that rate higher security.
The College has between 10-26.5Mbps of Internet bandwidth. A range of speed more accurately reflects the performance. Two T-1 lines (1.5mbps) are at the main campus. Three Comcast Business Class cable modems augment the T-1s on the Main Campus and an additional Business Class modem was installed at Hyannis in Spring 2007. Routing is set up in such a way that Hyannis will shift over to the Main Campus using a point-to-point T-1 should their cable modem fail.
A bandwidth-load-balancing device is used to optimize the available bandwidth. The Fatpipe WARP device directs traffic to the appropriate path based on VLAN origination. In addition, a Packetshaper is used to shape the data traffic to and from the College. This device allows throttling of traffic such as peer-to-peer music protocols, thus ensuring that the bandwidth is not wasted on non-education-related activities.
A Mitel proprietary telephone and voice mail system has been in place for over 12 years. It underwent a voicemail upgrade to maintain its serviceability in 2006. The College has one fulltime and 2 part-time switchboard operators to direct calls. There is no E911 service.
The technology infrastructure is maintained by the Office of Information Technology (OIT), which consists of 17 full-time and 12 part-time employees. Most part-time employees operate the Help Desk that is available during all hours of College operation.
The Office of the State Auditor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts conducted an audit of Information Technology in the summer and fall of 2007.
APPRAISAL
Physical Resources and Facilities
The College has undergone a significant transformation in its instructional spaces as the result of new construction and the renovation of existing spaces to better serve student learning activities. The recent opening of the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Center, the Commonwealth's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified building, is a long anticipated accomplishment.
The expansion and upgrade of Nursing instructional space and the renovation of the Academy for Life Long Learning are examples of spaces that have been created or renovated to better meet current instructional needs.
The College participates in the Capital Asset Management Information System (CAMIS) program conducted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM). The CAMIS program provides for the analysis of work-order repairs, equipment condition, and preventative maintenance, as well as a review format for future equipment upgrades and major system replacement. Items identified as priorities through CAMIS are included in future expenditure analysis by DCAM. Recent DCAM-managed projects include an electrical upgrade and fire alarm enhancement.
The College has identified the following priority projects for environmental enhancement:
- Removal of asbestos flooring
- Repairs to building envelopes to stop chronic leaks and control moisture
- Mold removal and prevention
- HVAC improvements to improve air quality and control humidity
- Renovation of the Dental Hygiene Clinic
- Air conditioning in the Lecture Halls and Administration Building
- Renovation and environmental control enhancement in the Library's Nickerson Collection space
- Electrical infrastructure upgrades
- Wind turbine installation
- Enhanced wheelchair access to the Library
The College needs additional capital investment to increase and improve its facilities. In addition to inadequate gross square footage (gsf), the College needs to revamp its configuration and appearance. The campus has been described by architects involved in the state Master Plan study as internally oriented and fortress-like in feel. Rather than fostering a sense of community, the current layout appears to discourage social gathering or interaction.
The available assignable space is inadequate for the College's enrollment, according to a Space Utilization Study conducted in 2006. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) and Board of Higher Education (BHE) Facilities Master Plan study determined that the College requires an additional 19,000 gsf of classroom space, 6,500 gsf of laboratory space, and 4,000 gsf of office space to accommodate current students and projected growth.
All classroom and instructional spaces should provide an environment conducive to instruction and learning. The campus physical environment requires repair and investment to ensure that proper climate control, comfortable seating, good acoustics, good air quality, and an inviting appearance are achieved and maintained.
The College maintains its existing physical plant well, but the bulk of its facilities are more than 30 years old. There is significant need to refurbish and renovate spaces throughout the campus in a process of continuous renewal. The College has made instructional space renovation a priority, as demonstrated in its summer renovation projects of 2006 and 2007 that overhauled 15 instructional spaces.
The Facilities Department strives to support students and faculty by working closely with faculty leaders, the Student Senate and Student Services Department in the prioritization and development of projects. The Director of Facilities is a frequent participant in Student Senate meetings. The Facilities Department maintains a collegial working relationship with regulatory agencies and public safety professionals, ensuring a safe campus environment. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has served as a review and consultation partner on matters of health and environment.
The organization and staffing of the Facilities Department may not be optimized to the growing technology-centric systems on campus. The introduction of technical control and database systems related to all aspects of facilities management necessitates a review of staffing and skill sets within the Facilities Department.
The campus is safe, according to annual security reports. Student surveys indicate that they perceive the campus as safe. However, a comprehensive approach to crisis prevention and mitigation is needed. The campus lacks a public address system to make announcements throughout its buildings and grounds; it lacks a video remote-monitoring capability for times of crisis; it lacks a traffic-control mechanism and external display system for announcements; it lacks a modern telephone system with E911; and it lacks a networked access-control system. A comprehensive improvement in campus communication systems is needed to ensure the ability to assess crisis situations, communicate with the whole campus, and effectively direct action.
The campus is compliant with Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements according to a 2006 Civil Rights Audit conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Education. The Audit identified a handful of minor issues, largely related to signage.
According to survey data, parking was perceived by students in Spring 2006 as an issue for the College. That response was in part the result of limited parking during the construction of the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Center in 2005-2006 that removed parking spaces in Lots 10 and 11. The College has addressed student concern with the addition of over 200 temporary parking spaces during the early weeks of each semester, but this temporary fix is not viewed as adequate to address the overall need for parking during peak periods. Funding for additional parking is being secured through the Commonwealth's Master Planning Process. Handicapped-accessible spaces are distributed around the campus and have been determined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety Inspector to exceed the number required for ADA compliance.
The College's long-term commitment to environmentally sustainable practices has brought honors from a number of sources, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the 2006 Community College Futures Assembly Bellwether Award. The sustainability efforts on campus cross over into all areas of College life from purchasing and maintenance procedures to student instruction and community leadership. The President is a leader in the American College & University President's Climate Commitment.
A comprehensive Emergency Preparedness Plan is needed to replace several documents that address emergency preparedness, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
Technological Resources
The computer inventory on campus is appropriate to the educational and administrative needs of the College in number and quality. The 5- year leasing program and the operational budget line item to support it ensure that the College can sustain an appropriate and current computer inventory over time. Some faculty express the desire for the introduction of Apple computers. Past requests for Apple computers have been denied by the Academic Technology Committee for lack of a compelling academic need, and the inability to meet the resource and staffing requirements of a dual platform environment. Any significant growth or change in inventory will be driven by the introduction of new programs, compelling academic need, and capital expansions. The College has a top quality local area network that will meet the College's needs for at least 5-years.
Instructional-space technology is much improved, and a continuing effort to increase the number of digital presentation spaces and standardize configurations is evident. There is high demand from faculty for presentation technology. The implementation of 15 new fixed presentation systems in the summers of 2006 and 2007 is reflective of the College's commitment to meet that demand. The expansion to 40 presentation systems in 2007 is nearly sufficient to accommodate faculty needs and provide greater flexibility in scheduling.
Technical support personnel are dedicated and capable. With changing technology there is a need for greater flexibility in Information Technology organization and staffing. The past emphasis on hardware repair technicians and systems analysts is no longer valid, particularly with leased equipment that is reliable and supported under next-day on-site service agreements. The organizational support structure has matured significantly. The traditional reliance on part-time staff in Information Technology ended in the summer of 2007 as the College eliminated ten part-time positions and created two full-time technician positions. In addition, the College hired a full-time Information Security Specialist to focus on securing systems and data that are vital to operations. The organizational structure was modified to create a Level II technical support.
Web and database technologies are the primary growth area for Information Technology. The College has implemented the Jenzabar SIS. The College web presence was brought in-house in 2007. An open-source portal is being implemented and a full-time Web Developer was hired in 2006. An Application Developer was hired in the summer of 2007 to further increase the capacity for a major transformation of the College's web presence in the coming years.
Internet bandwidth is currently inadequate for the needs of the College, particularly "up" bandwidth. The College has taken steps to increase bandwidth and optimize that which is available, but it is still insufficient. There are limited options available on Cape Cod to expand bandwidth. The College has taken the initiative to create an additional option through its OpenCape project. This is a tremendous project that may result in ten times the bandwidth now available to the College with major implications for the entire Southeastern Massachusetts region.
The existing phone system is old and inflexible. The phone system should be replaced in the future, probably in conjunction with any new capital expansion. The College is preparing to upgrade its current phone system with E911 and a public address system. A network access control system is currently under review and may be implemented.
INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
Cape Cod Community College has made tremendous strides in recent years to improve its physical and technological resources. The opening of the Lyndon P. Lorusso Applied Technology Center, with its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, represents a major achievement in the capital expansion of the College. A continuing commitment to renovating and upgrading existing spaces to integrate them into the best possible instructional environment is strong and visible.
The technological resources available on campus have made a quantum leap in quantity and quality over the past five years. The commitment to sustainable hardware in the operational budget through leasing has resulted in an inventory of nearly 900 modern computers on campus. The top-quality local area network infrastructure meets or exceeds all of the College's existing needs. The greatest challenge for the College is to address the inadequate Internet bandwidth available.
Projections - Standard Eight - Physical & Technological Resources
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Projections Continue to participate in the development of the DCAM and BHE Facilities Master Plan | Responsible Staff VP Admin. and Finance | Completion Date FY 2008 |
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| Conduct an assessment of the impact of scheduling on space utilization and parking to determine if scheduling could be adjusted to optimize instructional space utilization and parking availability at peak periods. Online and Hybrid Course alternatives should be included in the analysis. | VP Academic Affairs and Student Services | FY 2008 |
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| Supplement the Facilities Master Plan with a comprehensive campus Facilities Improvement Plan that identifies the priority and cost of all needed physical plant infrastructure improvements, using the DCAM list of required maintenance and any additional requirements identified. | VP Admin. and Finance | FY 2008 |
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| Create, execute, and complete a plan to address all 504/ADA issues identified in the January 20, 2007 letter from the DOE. | VP Admin. and Finance | FY 2008 |
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| Conduct a study of Facilities personnel positions to determine their appropriateness to the current and projected College physical plant, and make recommendations for position creation, alteration, elimination, consolidation, and outsourcing. | VP Admin. and Finance | FY 2008 |
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| Formally establish a Campus Utilization Advisory Committee (CUAC), which exists only informally now. | VP Admin. and Finance | FY 2008 |
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| Conduct an analysis of student general use computer resources for adequate numbers and placement and plan for any needed changes. | Executive Director of Information Technology | FY 2008 |
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| Exercise a leadership role through the OpenCape concept to expand available Internet bandwidth. If OpenCape does not prove successful the College will look to alternatives to create more available bandwidth. | Executive Director of Information Technology | FY 2008 |
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| Plan and seek funding for a comprehensive telephone (with E911), public address, access-control, remote video-monitoring, and emergency notification system implementation. | VP Admin. and Finance | FY 2008 |
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| Prepare and complete a Technology Strategic Plan update. | Executive Dir. IT | FY 2008 |
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| Prepare an Information Technology Tactical Plan each June. | Executive Dir. IT | FY 2008 |
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| Prepare and complete an Information Security Plan and submit updates annually for approval to the Administrative Council each June. | Executive Director of Information Technology | FY 2008 |
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| Conduct an annual technology satisfaction survey for use in the development of technology strategic and tactical plans. | Executive Director of Information Technology | FY 2008 |
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| Address any discrepancies identified in the Information Technology Audit being conducted by the Office of the State Auditor when its report is completed. | Executive Director of Information Technology | FY 2008 |
