Changes and advances in technology allow McGill to continuously improve services to the university community while delivering efficiency and sustainable value. Whether it be to implement a new product, integrate systems, or develop in-house functionality, IT Services is proud to have collaborated on many of the university's major projects.
As the year draws to a close, we take stock of the activities we pursued and what we achieved. Here are the top initiatives IT Services worked on with you in 2017.
Delivered
ITS Strategic Plan
IT Services developed and published a 3-year strategic plan, which includes our planning process, objectives and priorities and aligns our unit's goals with McGill's needs through the delivery of our 5-year IT roadmap.
Find out more at ITS Strategic Plan
STM - OPUS Card
Students can now validate their full-time enrolment status and purchase reduce-fare OPUS cards online, without leaving their home and waiting in long lines.
Find details at: Reduced-fare public transit card
eTranscripts
Students can now obtain both printed and electronic versions of their official transcripts online through Minerva. The digital PDF version is certified by the National Student Clearinghouse for guaranteed authenticity.
Find more at: Transcripts
myCourses upgrade
Last summer, myCourses received a new look and feel. The new design is visually appealing and provides a user experience consistent across multiple devices, including tablets and smartphones.
WMS (Web Management System), new features
From Hero blocks to the new Channels Events Search, 2017 was a year we delivered on features that had been popularly requested by WMS community members. Read about the Top 10 WMS updates released in 2017.
D2 - Document Management Solution
D2 replaced CenterStage as the university's recommended solution for storage and sharing of files containing "Institutional Data" (see Cloud Data Directive). All CenterStage spaces were migrated to D2 this year.
Read about it on the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) blog
Wireless upgrade in student housing
As a first phase in the Network and IT Security Upgrade (see “In Progress” section below) the wireless network infrastructure was upgraded over the summer 2017, giving residents faster connection speed and greater coverage.
For details see Network and Infomration Security Upgrade
Copyright Infringement Notification System
A new system to automate the university's legal obligations regarding copyright infringement claims that involve illegal downloading and sharing of copyright-protected files. Read the FAQs for details.
EVA (Enrolment Verification Application)
An administrative application used by the Scholarships & Student Aid Office (SSAO) to manage the confirmation of students’ eligibility for government financial aid from different jurisdictions. EVA allows SSAO to efficiently and effectively support the timely release of $39.5 million in annual aid to Quebec students.
In Progress
Recruitment to Retirement (R2R) Program
A new tool, Workday, will replace the Human Resources Information System (HRIS) portion of Banner, and the Payroll One-time Payment System (POPS). It will provide many of the features employees currently access through Minerva with a modern, user-friendly interface.
Stay abreast of project developments at the R2R website.
Network and Information Security Upgrade
The university's network is one of the keys to our success as a top-rated institution. This upgrade to infrastructure - core technologies and hardware - will give us increased performance to manage the ever-growing need for data exchange, resulting in improved quality of service, security, and reliability.
Learn more on the Network and Information Security Upgrade website.
myProgress (Graduate Milestones Management)
This web-based tool, sponsored by Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, allows thesis and non-thesis graduate students and their supervisors to track the completion of milestones for their degrees. myProgress is being piloted in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, but will soon be available to grad students across all faculties. Check for announcements in the new year.
Capital Funds Management
This project will implement an Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (EPPM) process for McGill's construction projects. The selected tool, Unifier/Primavera, will allow Facilities Management and Ancillary Services (FMAS) to better align the prioritization of construction projects with cross-organizational priorities, and more accurately estimate McGill's capacity to undertake new strategic initiatives.
Stay tuned for announcements in WhatsNew@McGill as we move closer toward deployment of these in-progress initiatives.
