Bellingham State College-Athletic Department Belling State College is a higher learning institution governed by university and state mandated

budgetary guidelines. The university is composed of several colleges along with an interscholastic athletic program with 18 sports. The program is fully funded and has a donor base that provides significant funding for much expenditure. The staff is comprised of the office of the Athletic Director, academic support staff, medical support staff, equipment and strength training staff. These staffs need to regularly communicate and often interact in a number of ways. The staff also includes a technology office comprised of one individual who is in charge of everything from networking, to purchasing cell phone plans for the department.

Administrative:
Policy Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a strong order of policies in place that place an emphasis on utilizing technology to efficiently take care of day-to-day activities such as reporting recruiting activities and practice logs. Staff and coaches are encouraged to utilize technological aids, but no formal policy is in place and non-technological resources are still made an available to the department. Planning Behavioral: Islands Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated Planning happens at an individual sport and functional area level and then is sent through the athletic director for department review. If okd the area in question will begin to implement their plan without much connection or communication to other departments. Budget Behavioral: Integrated Resource/Infrastructure: Integrated The budgeting process for technology is carried out on a year-to-year basis, again at the individual sport level. Budgeting normally takes a back seat role to logistical services and is therefore seen as a secondary measure to be planned for on an as needed basis, rather than a proactive approach. There is a line item for technology needs in the yearly budget. Administrative Information Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure Most administration and staff members have access to the information drive that contains compliance paperwork along with NCAA legislation. Information is commonly issued via nonpaper formats along with the traditional paper formats. Updates to information or rules generally take a semester to be included onto the document drive for immediate access.

Curricular:
Electronic Information Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated Staff and athletes alike have a great amount of access to technology particularly computers and associated peripheral with a number of staffed computer labs and services They are generally of one brand and are carbon copies in terms of software and hardware.

Assessment Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated Staff and athletes commonly use technology to participate in end of year surveys, sign of on practice logs, and sign NCAA compliance paperwork at the beginning and end of information sessions. There are only select assessments options available to most of the staff and athletes and therefore center on rudimentary functions and such do not require a large investment into technological resources. Curriculum Integration Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated Many of the staff and all of the athletes in the department depend very much upon technology as a primary means of interacting with given course curriculum. Be it through the posting of syllabi, information, coursework, and other course resources. Students have access to this information via computer labs in their respective sports offices or the common study hall area. Professors individually have differing levels of integration, but the department can cater to most students. Teacher Use Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Intelligent Faculty as the ability to effectively communicate information to their students, subordinates, and staff via technology. They have access to relevant technology in their given area, however, the quality of that material varies in wide arrays. Some teachers in particular have access to smarter classrooms than other and there for have newer equipment. Student Use Background: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Intelligent Technology use for students is paramount and students routinely have access to technology while on campus. Fewer have home computers and thus, only have limited to the technology, or higher levels of technology while on campus. Students would find themselves in somewhat dire straights without the aid of technology and probably would not be able to enroll in classes without the use of technology.

Support:
Stakeholder Involvement Background: Islands Resources/Infrastructure: Islands Many of outside stakeholders, booster, presidents office, a/p, alumni are aware that planning takes place in terms of budgeting and preparing for the advent of technology into the daily operations of the department. Many of them are not involved in that process but rather review information before the purchase is made, or view the technology in releases sent out from the department. Administrative Support Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a constant conversation between the staff and administration centered on the implementation, acquisition and updating of technological aids in the department. The administration provides no formal assistance into the program but will aide in individual queries

and will assist with the acquiring of information for help with implementation and outside support. Training Behavioral: Islands Resources/Infrastructure: Islands Training occurs at very micro levels, within individual areas. Training on a variety of matters is carried out generally by outside instructors with usually few representatives from the department required to attend. That training is then slowly phased in and used sporadically by certain members of a given staff. Technical & Infrastructure Support Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Intelligent There is a one-man support team, used to assist with many matters concerning data storage, communication, computing and even satellite television. Support is generally available but is often slow. Outside assistance is provided with contracted equipment with an associated cost.

Connectivity:
Local Area Networking Behavioral: Intelligent Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated There is a sophisticated network available for staff use, requiring a password for access. Wireless communication is pretty widely available throughout the department and is extensively used for teleconferencing and of course mailing. At times the system can be overrun and some of the older offices have slower connection speeds and lag. District Area Networking Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated WAN networking is available to the staff but only in terms of accessing data. The staff has the ability to access university wide documents and releases but does not have access to any other devices. The speed of the network is relatively fast and is constantly maintained by a dedicated staff. Internet Access Behavioral: Intelligent Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated Internet access is widespread with access available via wireless or wired options. The Internet is a vital tool used in all process of staff and student projects. Communication Systems Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Intelligent Email is readily available to all faculty and staff. Email is commonly used and is the primary source of communication throughout the department.

Innovation:

New Technologies Behavioral: Island Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated New technologies are utilized by the staff but at a personal level. That is, the staff is not actively provided with new technology or even information about new technology. Some of the staff members do not wish for an increase in technology as they feel it will complicate their daily workload. However when new technology is implemented, support is generally provided which helps the acceptance level. Comprehensive Technologies Behavioral: Integrated Resources/Infrastructure: Integrated Steps are being taken to advance the department as a whole in terms of technology, however, time is needed to bring systems and devices up to the standards achieved in other areas. The department has to advance past data and voice capabilities and begin to become more intricate.

Conclusion:
Based on the departments lack of a firm commitment to the long term planning involved in creating a technological forward workplace, lack of consistent funding required to regularly improve technological features, and the lack of support for early adopters of technology I would have to classify my institution as an integrated environment in the Technological Maturity ratings. I do signs of growth and promise, with an effort being made to a have a large sample of technology even if it is not diverse or the most relevant to a given department.