Web-based GUI interface, personalized homepage like the 1995 Crayon service.  Mocked up whole EIS just with HTML forms for Provost and Senior VP.  JM gets release time to work on project.   
  
IR already has access to unit record reports for official student census files.  Need to get human resources involved in aggregate use of HRS data and budget office involved in web use of FRS data.  

Idea for personalized homepages of performance indicators and special reports for each executive council member. 

1995: Cold Fusion 1.5, middleware product works in conjunction with HTML forms via CGI and ODBC to perform SQL queries against server-side databases. Output to the web client is formatted and manipulated with HTML and Java.  

Windows NT Workstation 3.51 
Process Purveyor Web Server 

Runs on 66 MHz Intel 486 w/ 32 MB RAM  

1997: Cold Fusion 3.11 Application Server (has been connected to the web server via API calls since version 2.0.  Functions and capabilities have been greatly expanded.) 

Windows NT Workstation 4.0 
Netscape Enterprise Server 2.01 
SSL, Digital certificate 
Site access controlled using Cold Fusion templates 
Java and Javascript  

Runs on dual 200 MHz Intel Pentium Pro w/ 128 MB RAM  
Keep second development server. 
Maintain individual CF installations for personal development. 

Current Upgrade: New Dell server 
Cold Fusion 3.1.1 Application Server 
Windows NT Server 4.0 
Netscape Enterprise Server 3.5.1 or Internet Information Server 4.0 
SSL, Digital certificate 
Java and Javascript 

Runs on dual 333 MHz Intel Pentium II w/ 256 MB RAM, three 4.5 GB Ultra-Wide SCSI HD's, hot swappable, RAID 5 
Redundant power supplies and cooling systems 

(1) Work with Controller's Office to produce performance indicator of Current Funds Revenue by Category, rolled up from unit record report.   

(2) Receive process improvement grant $ awarded to controller.  
  
(3) Expand use of finance data to create daily reports with drill down to the object code level.  Spurred development of web-based administrative systems for standard monthly FRS reports (still does it better, not account driven). 

(4) Receive process improvement grant $ awarded to budget office.  Hire 1/2 time student (DS) to work with JM. 

(5) Expand to student (daily), course (semester), HR (annual), and space (annual) data.   Hire second 1/2 time (SB) student to work with JM. 

(6) Develop cost of instruction model, with component based on ICLM 

(7) Develop Intranet apps for chat and forum 

(8) Test features, such as Java graphlets, joins, complicated queries.  Hire third 1/2 time student (GB). 

Pilot Products: 
GMU Intranet Model 
Performance indicator 
Java Applet for Pie Chart 

(1) Evaluate pilot.  

(2) Approval to make operational and share with limited central staff, deans, and directors.  

(3) JM changes roles.  Hire Institutional Research Coordinator (MW) to help develop Data Warehouse, with focus on HR and faculty workload apps. 

(4) Question about project being maintained by IR or IT with new VP for IT.  Decision to keep with IR. 

(5) Hire full-time Senior Programmer (GB) to maintain project.  Keep SB. Special training with CF for all programming staff. 
  
(6) Suzanne Swope takes the DW on the road to deans and directors.  Training and support roles kick in. 

(7) Develop other web projects, including budget request/workflow; assessment surveys; faculty equity database; university awards system 

Data Warehouse Frontend  

(1) Course Data (ICLM, faculty workload, SCH and FTE; census and daily data during enrollment targets; 20 semesters worth of data up) 

(2) Finance Data (revenue, expenditure, comparisons; daily and end of month data since June 1995) 

(3) Student Data (various enrollment summaries; census and daily during enrollment targets; 20 semesters worth of data up) 

(4) HR Data (equity, salary, workload, etc.; biweekly/census for 3 years) 

(5) Special pages:  
Performance Indicators 
Environmental Scanning 

Options in DW Model: 
Drill down queries 
Choose levels of aggregation  
Choose data type and semesters  
Choose basic report type  
Save results as spreadsheet 
Java graphlets 

Set up new server  
Expand users to department chairs and their reps (100+ more) 
Add space data back 
Add sponsored research data 
Add Foundation data 
Online data dictionary 
Online training materials 
Pass SQL queries from users 
Maintain software upgrade paths 
Schedule production of static pages 

Develop EIS w/ specialized queries, project status database, individualized homepages, specialized performance indicators, and secure web document search and storage.  Use visual concept maps based on the ERIC thesaurus of descriptors to help users locate resources. 

Phone (703) 993-8837 (John Milam) 
or (703) 992-8840 (Mike Wood)  
Fax (703 993-8835   
Email: jmilam@gmu.edu 
or wwood@gmu.edu