NWACC Sponsors Workshop on Internet Portal Development

On December 13, 2000, a group of over 30 NWACC members attended a consortium-sponsored workshop on Internet portal development in higher education. The workshop was presented by Keiko Pitter, Chief Technology Officer at Whitman College, and Mark Sheehan, Executive Director for Information Services and Chief Information Officer at Montana State University — Bozeman.

The workshop stressed the need for development of a broadly supported institutional portal strategy. Through a combination of lectures and interactive breakout sessions, the presenters provided a forum for the lively discussion of the principal issues involved in Internet portal development. These included:

• Evaluating the institution's e-business needs
• Determining the value of portals for communication with constituent groups
• Assessing the utility of portals in recruitment and retention
• Evaluating the portal as an e-commerce venue
• Understanding the relationship of portals to existing Web pages
• Deciding when to encourage and when to resist portal projects
• Surveying the commercial portal marketplace
• Deciding whether to build or buy a portal product
• Understanding some of the technical issues portals raise

Issues such as brand control, advertising, and integration with existing administrative applications stimulated vigorous debate, with many participants contributing stories of their own early experiences with portal implementations.

As a time for learning, sharing experiences, and considering complex issues in a comfortable, collegial atmosphere, the workshop was judged a success.