The UMBC Albin O. Kuhn Library recently partnered with the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) to solve the challenge of accessing information for all. There is a need for rapid and high-quality transcriptions. An automatic transcription is an AI-powered process that converts audio or video recordings into text in minutes. The library wanted to find a way to automate the transcription of recorded meetings, lectures, and other forms of audio media that are not already transcribed. An automated service would be beneficial for providing immediate transcripts, eliminating the need to wait for someone to manually transcribe each recording. This type of service would ideally allow a user to upload a recording of a lecture or talk and receive a transcript as a PDF or Word document. Another use case would be helping to differentiate multiple speakers in a recording by identifying "Speaker 1", "Speaker 2", and so on.
During one of his Internet2 Cloud meetings, DoIT's own Associate Director of Research and Enterprise Computing, Tim Champ, learned of an open-source transcription program from Indiana University (IU) that was shared for testing at other institutions. Tim, having heard of the library's problem a year prior, decided to experiment with the program as a possible solution. Tim's coordination with the technical setup and creating an AWS account for the library has offered a successful process for transcripts. Additionally, there is no regular maintenance needed for this application as it uses AWS-managed services.
The collaboration has since proved successful with the library transcribing media in their archives and on UMBCScholarworks, as well as with two weekly podcasts, I Hate Politics and I Hate the News, created by UMBC Shady Grove Political Science Faculty Member Sunil Dasgupta. At the moment, this tool is only available to the library; however, Tim sees this as a tool that could be implemented in other departments at UMBC to support increased accessibility.
For any department or researcher interested in learning more about accessing and using this tool, you can Request Help under AI tools.
Improving accessibility at UMBC is a major priority, both towards UMBC's mission and recent federal accessibility standards. Everyone has different needs, and it is our responsibility to adjust and adapt our existing methods to meet the needs of our community, whether in lecture halls or virtual environments. This ongoing commitment is strengthened by the collaboration between faculty and staff to improve tools and resources.
Learn about the Indiana University Automated Transcription Service.
It can be both! The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) and the Undergraduate Admissions & Orientation (UGAO) team collaborated to understand a problem and a solution. A solution that improved the experience for both staff and future UMBC Retrievers.
Working in university admissions means answering a constant flow of questions from prospective students. For years, UMBC's Undergraduate Admissions & Orientation team managed this tidal wave of calls and emails using a combination of two different systems: Google Sheets for call logs and a separate Request Tracker (RT) queue for emails. This approach created a fragmented picture of each student's journey, leading to frustration for both staff and students.
Imagine a prospective student calls with a question, and a few days later, emails with a follow-up. In the past, the staff member answering the email wouldn't have had any record of the previous phone call. This forced them to piece together the student's story from multiple sources, slowing down the process and creating a disjointed experience. It was clear there had to be a better way.
This is where a collaborative spirit and a little "magical wizardry" came in. A few members of the DoIT and the UGAO team realized that if they could connect these two systems, they could create a single, comprehensive view of every student interaction. They spent an afternoon figuring out how to connect the systems using an API, proving that the idea was possible. This initial proof of concept was followed by a year of hard work, development, and user testing by a dedicated team.
The result is a new, integrated system that automatically creates a Salesforce Case whenever an email or call comes in. This brings all student interactions—calls, emails, campus visits, application status—into one central location. For the student "Grit Guides" who answer calls, this means they can instantly see a student's full history, providing better, more efficient support.
The new system also gives UGAO a powerful new tool for managing their operations. They can now easily see call and email volumes, allowing them to staff their team more effectively and balance workloads. This shift from two separate systems to a single, unified one is more than just a tech upgrade; it's a commitment to a better user experience for both staff and students. It's a testament to the power of partnership, proving that when DoIT and campus partners work together, they can solve seemingly complex problems and make a real difference.
]]>Behind every student is an educator wielding technology tools that can help make success happen! The Academic Success Center (ASC) and the Division of Information Technology (DoIT) have collaborated on a comprehensive initiative to streamline academic support services, making it easier for undergraduate students, faculty, and staff to connect, refer, and track student success. This effort, which involves new software integrations and custom-built systems, aims to enhance academic advocacy, academic support appointment scheduling, and early academic alert notifications.
How do we streamline student academic support at UMBC? We listen to the students and understand what they need to thrive in an academic environment like UMBC. From tutoring to tailored advice from a trusted Academic Advocate, the Academic Success Center has become the center of academic support for undergraduate students, staff, and faculty. With the ASC's centralized and highly visible hub on the 1st floor of the AOK Library, students know where to look for support, and staff and faculty staff are easily able to refer a student for assistance. Since its opening in 2019, the Academic Success Center staff and peer educators have played a role in over 16,000 individual students' experiences at UMBC.
The Division of Information Technology worked with the ASC team behind the scenes to establish three support systems:
Together, the ASC and DoIT have integrated an outside vendor's web application, TracCloud, to simplify appointment scheduling for academic support. All of the ASC's academic peer support options are scheduled through TracCloud, including course tutoring, SI PASS, Writing Center, and Academic Skills Meetings. Students can easily search for support and manage their appointments online.
The new system is integrated directly with the university's PeopleSoft SA (Student Administration), a Student Information System, ensuring that students are easily connected to relevant academic support resources for the specific courses they are currently enrolled in. Furthermore, the use of single sign-on (SSO) through myUMBC provides a convenient and secure user experience.
Early Academic Alerts are proactive notifications that instructors send directly to students through myUMBC. Academic Alerts are intended as an early intervention to notify students who are at risk of earning a D or F grade in a currently enrolled course, to provide them with the necessary support and resources to succeed.
By alerting students early in the semester, students have the ability to utilize the various supports available, make the necessary changes to improve their grade before the end of the term, and achieve their highest potential.
This alert system is integrated with PeopleSoft SA, the software suite managing student records and
course information. This integration provides a platform for instructors to
efficiently access class rosters and provide timely notifications to
students and their advisors when concerns arise regarding student academic
progress. Formerly the First-Year Intervention Program, UMBC rebranded the
alerts system in 2020, from focusing solely on students in their first year to
include all undergraduate students, with approximately 65% of faculty sections
reporting over 4,000 alerts each semester.
A third key component is the launch of a unique and custom-built system dedicated to Academic Advocacy. This platform provides Academic Advocates with critical information about student success metrics. Academic Advocates are dedicated to serving undergraduate degree-seeking students to assist them in resolving academic and institutional challenges that may adversely affect persistence, progression, and timely completion of degree.
Undergraduate students identified, or those referred, who may be experiencing barriers to graduation will receive direct outreach from an Academic Advocate to address issues in a timely manner. No matter how complex the concerns (i.e., personal, academic, or financial), Academic Advocates will work together with students to review their progress, present options toward graduation, map out a plan for success, and facilitate communication and connections with the appropriate resources.
Crucially, the system allows any member of the campus community—faculty, staff, or students—to easily refer a student to an Academic Advocate. Once a referral is made, the Academic Advocate will connect with the student to provide timely and necessary support, seamlessly coordinating resources across various campus departments to address the student's needs. Students can easily identify who their assigned Academic Advocate is starting on the first day of class, as the information is front and center on each student's myUMBC profile, another DoIT provided platform.
"By streamlining these three student support systems,
students, faculty, and staff can easily access resources. Additionally, UMBC
can track and assess the usage and impact of these initiatives, allowing for
data-informed decision-making."
~ Delana Gregg, Assistant Vice Provost, UG
Academic Affairs
In 2024-2025, the ASC recorded significant engagement from students. The total number of visits to the center was 26,303, with 12,002 of those being tutoring visits. There were also 12,441 Supplemental Instruction/Peer-Assisted Study Sessions (SI PASS) visits. In total, the center supported 4,150 individual students. The ASC also noted a positive trend, with 915 more visits to its services in Fall 2024 compared to Fall 2023. The center connected with 1,689 students through Academic Advocates and worked on 872 student petitions.
For more detailed information, please check out the Academic Success Center's Annual Report.
The success of these initiatives is due in part to the collaborations between the Academic Success Center and the Division of Information Technology, but most importantly, the work of these two groups has facilitated all UMBC community members' contributions to student success! The Academic Success Center and DoIT's clear alignment with UMBC's strategic plan and campus collaborations helps each student achieve their academic goals!
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