This is really a question for those at universities and colleges, the
rest of you can ignore and I apologize for using the bandwidth.
 
We getting in a bind with staffing issues and a growing backlog.
I'd appreciate some general input on staffing levels and
organizational forms at other University computer centers.
But also, more specifcally, some perspective on software
development. We support in-house administrative systems on
our HP3000/967 and Internet (mostly academic) servcies on a
HP9000/K400.
 
Our Office of Development is asking to move off of a powerhouse
application on the HP3000 and on to an NT based client-server system
(using MS SQL server as the database).
 
Some help and perspective from others would be appreciated (feel
free to skip any questions you can't or won't answer):
1. How large is your University (headcount, total annual student
semester hours or total annual unduplicated student FTE,
faculty FTE, whatever)?
2. How is computing support organized at your university?
3. What are the staffing levels of each area of responsibility
in computing?
4. Do you do in-house administrative software, or use purchased?
Is there pressure or a move to change directions on this?
5. What does your University use for fund rasing/development or
alumni software?
6. What platform does in run on?
7. Is it in-house or purchased?
8. How integrated is it with other database systems (GL, Aid,
Student records, etc.)? What data is shared, etc. Do
administrators from outside development have on-line
access to donation and alumni records?
9. How satisfied, would you say, your development office is with
the solution?
 
Thanks! Any comments or suggestions would also be appreciated.
Please send replies back to me directly, since I'm sure a lot
of folks on the list would not be interested. If your interested,
I'll compile answers and post them to you or to the list.
 
Richard (email: [log in to unmask])
Mgr. of Technical Services
Xavier Univeristy of Louisiana
New Orlenas, LA 70125
Phone: 1-504-483-7454
Fax: 1-504-482-1561