Elevate the Customer Experience

On August 21, 2023, U-M launched U-M GPT. At the time of its launch, thanks to the work of the ITS Accessibility team, U-M GPT was believed to be the first accessible web chat interface of its kind designed to send prompts to GPT-4 and other large language models.

U-M GPT incorporates several accessibility features, including:

high contrast between text and background
keyboard navigability for all interactive elements
clear visual keyboard focus indicators
descriptive label text
optimized usability with screen readers
ARIA implementation for dynamic content management
content and controls that reflow appropriately.

A dedicated team of the university's accessibility experts and web developers engineered the platform to meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards and seamlessly integrate with assistive technologies to serve users with disabilities. The teams engaged in an intensive iterative process, with each release triggering an accessibility review. The identified improvements from the review were then applied and checked in the subsequent iteration. Accessibility experts and developers often worked together in real-time sessions to address and confirm solutions to accessibility issues. Recognizing the significance of the product, accessibility team members conducted separate final evaluations, then jointly analyzed their findings, shared insights, and consolidated feedback for the developers.

The team completed the secure, equitable, and inclusive platform in an impressive two-month period, aligning its debut with the start of the new academic year. U-M GPT sets itself apart by eliminating prevalent accessibility obstacles, showcasing the university's commitment to offering innovative solutions that encompass the needs of its entire academic community.

Assistive Technology Tools Enhance Digital Accessibility

In FY2024, U-M prioritized improving digital accessibility, acknowledging its wide-reaching benefits for the entire campus community. For blind and low-vision users, assistive technology tools including JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion are invaluable. Last year, ITS acquired new licenses from Vispero to enhance access to JAWS (screen reader), ZoomText (magnifier), and Fusion (a combination of both tools). ITS’ licensing agreement allows the university to make these tools available at no additional cost to current U-M students, faculty, and staff.

The Vispero license affords several additional benefits, including:

Broad Access: Permits limitless installations on U-M-owned and personal Windows computers for all current students, faculty, and staff, across all four campuses under ITS’ license.
Cybersecurity: Ensures access to the latest software updates and critical security patches.
Cost Savings: The licensing model maintains consistent pricing throughout U-M and allows the use of ITS' license without additional charges.

Additional Accessibility Trainings in FY2024

Starting in FY2024, the ITS Accessibility team began offering a suite of Digital Accessibility training courses tailored to help individuals in the university community incorporate accessibility into their daily tasks. These resources are designed for everyone, emphasizing that each person has a role in fostering an accessible digital environment at U-M. The offerings include practical “How-To” guides for quick reference, expert advice on best practices, concise courses to enhance understanding and skill application, thorough explanations of university procedures and policies, creative workarounds to meet diverse access needs, and foundational learning on central accessibility concepts. Through these trainings, the U-M community can collectively enhance the accessibility of its digital landscape.

In FY2024, the ITS Accessibility team released 10 new digital accessibility training modules and conducted 3 synchronous “Introduction to Digital Accessibility” sessions in collaboration with U-M Organizational Learning.
350+ learners attended synchronous introduction to digital accessibility course

Making ITS Services Accessible

ITS has greatly enhanced its services by embedding accessibility within its core operations. This improvement includes new accessibility-focused internal training and updated procedures. Additionally, ITS has introduced accessibility details in its internal Service Catalog, allowing the organization to track and improve accessibility for its 80+ user-facing services, and marking a commitment to inclusivity and better service for all.

Security Enhancements

In FY2024, the EAS Time and Labor team enhanced security across campuses by reconfiguring the network for the time clock system. New processes for Friend Account access were implemented, and EAS optimized its ability to apply security patches rapidly, minimizing vulnerabilities. Throughout this period, crucial operations, including payroll and benefits, remained uninterrupted, showcasing its commitment to maintaining both security and operational continuity. As an additional measure, and in collaboration with ITS IAM, all staff and enterprise administrator passwords were reset.

Advancements in MCard

The EAS DART/MCard development team expanded its support personnel to enhance system functionality last year. They successfully phased out Cosign in favor of more secure https protocols, overhauled the MS Access Orientation database, and launched MCardConnect, for online photo submissions, replacing the previous MyPhoto vendor. Additionally, they streamlined MCard client installations compatible with MiWorkspace and fully integrated MCard into ITS service operations. The team established clear responsibilities across various university departments, improved user access protocols, and transferred vital database management duties. An ITS dedicated website for MCard further supported the project, coupled with detailed knowledge articles in TeamDynamix. In addition, a robust Disaster Recovery Plan for MCard has been crafted in collaboration with Information Assurance.

Implementation of New Services

In this past fiscal year, EAS significantly expanded the suite of services available to the university community by launching several key initiatives:

Among these was the adoption of MiCORES and InfoReady, which are administrative research systems designed to expedite and organize research administration workflows. These platforms have been integrated to enhance the research experience across the campus by providing streamlined processes and improved access to research-related resources.
The EAS team launched Phase I of Enterprise Health, a robust system for centralizing immunization data collection. This important initiative allows various university units with distinct business needs to access and use immunization data effectively. The successful establishment of this centralized system has also led to the phasing out of ResponsiBLUE, the previous health tracking application.
In the realm of digital communications and asset management, new offerings were rolled out for Social Media Management with Sprout Social and the university’s in-progress Digital Asset Collaborative. These services align with the university's objectives to optimize its digital engagement and resource utilization.
Additionally, the EAS team has developed and introduced a Student Recruitment offering within Salesforce. This tool harnesses the capabilities of a leading customer relationship management platform.

Enhancement of Financial Aid Processes

EAS' Student Administration team undertook the challenging task of implementing the new FAFSA Simplification regulatory changes, the driver in determining college financial aid packages. Even with significant delays from the Department of Education, they successfully operationalized federal mandates and were able to provide estimated FAFSA financial aid package notifications to U-M students vastly ahead of many peer institutions, showcasing the team’s exceptional ability to adapt to significant regulatory and timeline changes, and to collaborate with the Office of Financial Aid in their unwavering commitment to student support.

Major Version Upgrades

Demonstrating their continued commitment to operational excellence, EAS enhanced functionality and implemented upgrades to a host of enterprise services this year, including My LINC, research systems for Animal and Proposal Management and PeopleSoft/Oracle FIN, HCM, and Student Administration systems.

Strategic Partnerships and Cloud Transition Planning

Along with Business and Finance, UHR, and Michigan Medicine, EAS participated in a Ross Performance Excellence program to discuss initial strategy and collaboration opportunities in anticipation of the ERP Cloud effort. A small leadership working group continues to meet to coordinate any work that can be accomplished in this pre pre-planning phase. Learning sessions with peer institutions to learn and roadmap both ERP Cloud and Research Administration occurred at multiple meetings and events including the BTAA Academic Alliance, Alliance/HEUG, and the Huron User Group conference. These initiatives aim to modernize the university’s administrative systems, showcasing U-M's forward-thinking approach and commitment to operational excellence.

ITS and EAS Staff Engagement and Collaboration

EAS leadership and managers actively cultivated a positive culture throughout FY2024 by utilizing pulse surveys, MHealthy initiatives, and comprehensive staff meetings. This collaborative spirit extends across EAS and ITS, demonstrated by EAS staff members’ dedication to service excellence, mentorship of ITS interns, and volunteerism at pivotal campus events like Power-Up and the IT Showcase, where they offer critical coordination support.

ITS Teaching & Learning By the Numbers in FY2024

While Canvas and MiVideo are regular parts of the T&L technology portfolio, here are some highlights to illustrate the scope of T&L’s efforts in FY2024:

Canvas for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

11,817 published Canvas courses
6,708,862 discussion postings
5,207,136 quizzes submitted
4,372,361 assignments submitted

MiVideo for the 2023-2024 Academic Year

1.6 million minutes of video viewed

Operational Excellence in Academic Administration

Teaching & Learning's commitment to improving administrative processes was evidenced last year by the following:

Canvas - Placement Exams

The introduction of automated scoring and submission of placement exams via Canvas represented a leap forward in administrative efficiency, eliminating countless hours of manual effort and logistical hurdles. This innovation has significantly freed up resources and time, providing faculty and staff with a streamlined and accurate system for placement evaluations.

Communications and Outreach Strategy

To align technology support with the mission of the university, Teaching & Learning introduced an expansive new resource for faculty and instructors in FY2024:

Academic Technology@Michigan Site

T&L launched the Academic Technology@Michigan website, a single, user-friendly instructional support hub to benefit new and seasoned faculty and instructors at U-M. It was inspired by the desire to create one cohesive digital location where U-M educators could easily find tools, resources and training opportunities related to their teaching needs. It symbolized a pivotal step in centralizing and disseminating information on academic technology. Regular updates, spotlight features, and the collation of resources have made this site a cornerstone for university tech engagement, reflected in its high usage statistics and commendations from faculty and staff.

Cultivating Digital Scholarship and Community

Teaching & Learning's contributions to digital scholarship have been multifaceted:

Enriching Scholarship Conference

Active participation in and significant impact on the Enriching Scholarship Conference, a haven for sharing knowledge and resources on technology-enhanced learning and teaching. The sessions provided practical examples, engaged attendees in meaningful discourse on pedagogy, and offered useful insights and resources, thus enriching the scholarly fabric of the university.

Honorable Mentions and Curated Successes

Beyond these core achievements, in the past year, Teaching & Learning has also been acknowledged for:

Various Support Initiatives

From sponsoring the MHacks event to conducting a comprehensive evaluation of NameCoach's impact on classroom inclusivity, T&L has engaged in diverse initiatives that bolster the academic community's adoption of innovative technologies and sow the seeds for future advancements.

Strengthening Foundations for Digital Accessibility at U-M

Over the past year, U-M has made considerable strides in enhancing digital accessibility, and the ITS Support Services team has been a vital part of that work. The establishment of the university’s Digital Accessibility Liaison (DAL) Network in FY2024 marks a significant achievement in promoting the university's accessibility policy and ensuring comprehensive support across all units, colleges, and campuses. This growing network empowers liaisons to effectively lead digital accessibility efforts within their respective units and serve as the first point of contact for inquiries while also providing a channel to escalate complex issues.

Support Services also initiated a large-scale accessibility monitoring system for applications, using a custom TeamDynamix database, collecting key data to inform our strategies and meet reporting requirements. Additionally, the team has successfully introduced accessibility metadata for 86 ITS services and launched new internal training and process integration, setting a benchmark for including accessibility in service management.

Service Expansion in FY2024

One of the most exciting aspects of FY2024 has been the launch of the U-M Gen AI Services, including U-M GPT and U-M Maizey, which were able to be created by the ITS Emerging Technology team thanks in large part due to the organizational and technical support provided by ITS Support Services.

In addition, several other ITS services - managed by Support Services - have continued sustained growth this past year. Here are some highlights:

TeamDynamix (TDX) onboarded 9 new groups to their own TDX applications, bringing the number of individual applications to over 40 across UM-Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn, as well as some Michigan Medicine teams. Since the service launched in May 2020, TDX has helped U-M manage over 6 million tickets.
The Zoom Rooms service has continued to expand quickly this past year, adding 20% more sign-ins since July 1, 2023. There are approximately 350 Zoom Rooms installed at the moment.
Central Campus’ MCard ID station transitioned to Support Service’s Tech Help from Student Life in January 2024 and served more than 2,000 customers in the first two months.
The Campus Computing Sites poster printing service volume has increased almost 400% since before the pandemic and is on pace to print over 40,000 linear feet this past fiscal year. Large-format full-color posters are a popular tool to summarize research and the results of academic projects.
The ITS Accessibility team purchased a new license for leading screen reader and magnification programs &emdash; JAWS (screen reader), ZoomText (magnifier), and Fusion (both tools combined in one). These programs are now available to any active faculty, staff, and students across U-M's four campuses via MiWorkspace Software Center or folders on U-M Google Drive.

Supporting Service Excellence

The Support Services team developed and launched Service Excellence training for new ITS staff in FY2024, releasing self-paced TDX ticket training as well as implementing training for new Service Owners and Managers, of whom 13 were onboarded this fiscal year.

The Service Roadmap team was founded and put in place the Service Roadmap process to systematically evaluate ITS services for updates, retirements, or replacements. The Service Governance Group, sponsored and facilitated by Support Services, launched 6 new services and retired 8 services last year. A new model for managing service data was developed, which allows teams to manage data related to their areas of responsibility in one central ITS service catalog managed in TDX. Teams onboarded to this collaborative model include: PMO Ops Team, Digital UX team, Disaster Recovery Planning Team, and the Accessibility Team.

Laser Focus on Customer Service in FY2024