MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY

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Montclair State University UnpluggedReplacing
Landlines with a Cellular Information Device
Kathleen Ragan Associate Vice
President for Division Administration
Office of Student Development and Campus Life
Edward Chapel Vice President for
Information Technology
EDUCAUSE

Dallas,
Texas

October 11, 2006

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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About Montclair State University

• New Jerseys 2nd largest fastest growing
• 16,076 students enrolled rising to 18,000 by
  fall of 2008, MSUs centennial
• Mostly undergraduate with 3400 living in
  residence
• Carnegie II Comprehensive Master Degree
• 4 Doctoral Programs
• MSU offers 250 degree and certificate programs

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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The Challenge

• Leverage pervasive mobile phones to enrich the
  Montclair State University experience
• Upgrade traditional landline services
• Improve communication with students
• Create stronger sense of community
• Improve academic use of latest technologies
• Enhance public safety

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Decision Drivers

• Im paying a lot for landlines that my students
  dont use
• Ive lost my long distance revenue stream
• My phone system isnt useful for anything other
  than voice
• My students all have mobile phones, but I have no
  way to reach them
• My students use their personal phones, email and
  Facebook more than campus-provided services

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Evolution of the Program

• Student Development Campus Life wanted it in
  2002
• Not feasible originally
• No number portability
• E-911 not working
• Not enough coverage
• Complex issues to navigate - need for vendor
  management partner

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Solution Definition Process

• Requirements Gathering
• Student surveys Focus groups (students, faculty
  staff)
• Requirements Definition
• Complete on-campus coverage high-quality
  off-campus
• 911 emergency response must work
• Valued applications not just voice
• Capacity for over 5000 with high quality of
  service
• Controlled implementation
• Validate applications and value
• Validate performance of network (coverage and
  capacity)
• 100 students for a semester-long proof of concept

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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MSU Solution
Requirement
Solution

• 3 Temp towers on campus
• Permanent build-out in progress
• CDMA coming soon

• Complete campus coverage
• Landline quality service

Requirements
Solution
Infrastructure

• Nextel i870, i860, i850 -Samsung A900 Sanyo
  7500

Device

• Student focused phones

• Data, TXT, Pics, Voice
• Options for inexpensive thru high-end

• University Liable model
• Pooling and re-packaging into customized plans

Plans

• Low maintenance, easily extended
• Must meet admin, student, parent and faculty
  constituents

• University bought access to Rave hosted service
• Communication, Community, Academic and Safety
  applications

Applications

• On-campus service and support
• Outsourced billing
• Easy management of plans by students

• Rave managed services
• Use of existing billing partner
• Self-service web portal (Rave)

Service Support
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From Landline to Mobile Communicator
Landline Phone
Mobile Communicator
Voice Services Calling
Voice Services Calling Voicemail Conferencing
Academics Course Mgmt In-class assessment Podcasts
/MP3s
Safety E911 Broadcast SMS Alerts Location-Based
Safety
Safety E911
Student Services Campus Bus Location Dining
Menus NJ Transit, Admin svcs
Community Phone Directory Campus Events Group
Collaboration Entourage
Creating a mobile network that delivers community
and services anywhere.
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CampusConnect
Community
Academics
Safety
Transitions
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Connecting To Tools For Academic Success

• In-class Assessments
• What should be covered in more detail ?
• Blackboard Access
• Class announcement
• Grades
• Assignments
• Email Access
• Professor Access

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MobileGuardian
Safety Wellness Connections
Emergency Numbers
Panic Call
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Community Connections
Campus Groups
Stay connected to friends, recreation, study
groups, clubs campus events
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Connections To Help With Transition

• Whos Who? Whats What?
• University Directory
• How Do I Get There?
• Shuttle Bus Locator
• NJ Transit Schedule
• Whats Urgent?
• Alerts Notifications
• Whats My Mailbox?
• mail.montclair.edu

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Phased Implementation

• Pilot Test (Go or no go?)
• Students In Residence (fall 05)
• All Incoming Students (fall 06)

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Economics of Program

• University Liable Accounts
• Allows for pooling of minutes (bulk purchase
  power)
• Allows MSU to purchase fewer minutes than will be
  sold
• Enables all students to qualify for phone
  regardless of credit history or lack thereof
• Students Have Flexibility
• Basic plan included in MSU Telecom Fee students
  have option to upgrade phone and/or plan
• Can port in existing mobile number
• Can change plans at any time
• Can keep the phone when they graduate

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Base Phone Included in MSU Telecom Fee
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Base Plan Included in MSU Telecom Fee
Rave Wireless helps each client select the
optimal mix of plans and devices to meet student
needs
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Student Can Upgrade Phone
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Student Can Upgrade Plan
Students can upgrade/downgrade at will, anytime
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Students Register via Web
Rave Wireless provides custom, university-branded
online ordering and CRM system
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Students Choose Phone and Plan
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Campus Connect Student Web View

• Manage profile
• Update personal status
• View groups
• Choose applications and content for your mobile
  phone

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Campus Connect Student Phone View
Broadcast Alerts
Home Page
Groups messaging
Campus Directory
Email
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Academic Course Alerts

• Blackboard LMS Integration
• Alerts for class cancellations, homework updates,
  etc.
• Mobile access to assignments, grades, course
  schedules

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Rave Guardian Student View

• Students activate Rave Guardian from their phone
  when uncomfortable, or have special needs
  requirements
• Important to note this is student-activated only

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Transportation Student View

• Shuttle bus tracker based on GPS-enabled handsets

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MSU Administration Console

• Send broadcast alerts
• Publish content
• Designate applications
• Manage admin permissions
• View usage reports

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Guardian Campus Police View

• Campus police are able to immediately investigate
  cases with location and profile information

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Operations and Management

• Plan packaging and optimization
• Hardware selection (Rave certification of
  handsets)
• Activation / Distribution
• Billing
• Customer support
• Bill reconciliation
• Upgrades, downgrades, other plan changes
• Hardware replacements
• Application set-up and support
• Online and in-person support
• Retail store management

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Results to Date

• 1,400 University liable subscribers in first year
• 2,030 additional mandatory, and 300 voluntary
  activations in second year (this year)
• CNS build-out with 4-year commitment
• MSU wins Clery Award for Campus Safety

"We wanted to take this generation's preferred
use of technology to enhance the learning
environment and students' sense of community," -
Susan A. Cole, President of Montclair State
quoted in Chronicle of Higher Education, 11/11/05
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Typical Student Usage

• Morning
• Plan day Blackboard, meals, events
• Afternoon
• Utilities Bus, Email, Blackboard
• Evening
• Entertainment, catch up on news, check group
  notices

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MSU Next Steps

• WiFi dual mode devices (disruptive technology)
• Rave Extender development toolkit
• CDMA rich media
• Student services
• 612 capability for account monitoring
• Couponing
• Campus-related advertising for revenue streams

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Additional Features Functions

• Additional Applications
• Goal Quest for student engagement
• Lecture 123
• Pod casting
• Real time classroom assessment
• Cell phone as access control, ID card one card
• Administrative Applications Development

MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY
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Lessons Learned and Useful Tips
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Tips Choosing a Carrier

• Need coverage and capacity across campus
• Need commitment to build out coverage and
  capacity if necessary
• MSU wanted Location Based Services (LBS)
  capabilities for Rave Guardian
• Consider where your students will be using the
  phones off-campus
• Rave Wireless provides negotiating leverage and
  vendor management

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Choose a Carrier Who Will Commit to Coverage and
Capacity
T-1
Great coverage and capacity for users on campus

• In-building signal enhancement

Seamless operation for users off campus
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Tips Mandatory or Voluntary?

• MSU Chose to Make Campus Connect Program
  Mandatory for 3 Reasons
• Common tools ensure universal learning experience
  for all students
• Certified handsets required for Rave Guardian
  safety application
• Economies of scale provide deeper discounts to
  students

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Tips Get Started Early

• Coverage build-out (if necessary) takes time
• Allow time to include key constituents (e.g.,
  student affairs, housing, academic computing)
• Market program to students early in matriculation
  process
• Ensure support processes are solid (recommend
  premium turnkey solution based on MSU experience)

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Tips Pitch It Right to Key Constituents

• Parents Its not just a phone, its a mobile
  device helping to educate, keep students safe,
  and improve the college experience
• Students Compelling applications and
  financially acceptable programs
• Faculty and Administration Improve the ability
  to communicate with students, make mobile phone
  useful inside and outside the classroom, forego
  unnecessary telecom expenses

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Questions?
Kathleen Ragan Associate Vice President for
Division Administration Student Development
Campus Life Montclair State University ragank_at_mail
.montclair.edu w 973.655.3450

• Edward Chapel, Ph.D.
• Vice President for Information Technology
• Montclair State University
• chapele_at_mail.montclair.edu
• w 973-655-7026