IT/PR team receives 2002 Innovation Award

The 2002 Innovation Award was given to a team involved in the development of four Internet-based projects that significantly increase UD's ability to communicate with various online audiences, while also meeting the needs of those who require quality images of UD.

The group includes staff from the Office of Public Relations and staff and student contributors from Management Information Services/Information Technologies.

The four sites are UDaily, Ask Francis Alison, UDigital and UD Postcards.

The new sites also help to foster a sense of community by promoting the beauty and spirit of the campus to Internet users.

In addition, Information Technologies will be able to share programming elements and features developed for these sites with the web sites of other campus units.

Innovation Award honorees are from Management Information Services/ Information Technologies:

Carl Jacobson, director; Liang Jin, programmer/analyst I; Joy Lynam, associate director; Maria Mullin, project leader I; Bruce Raker, manager; Paul Salindong, manager; and Jane Wise, supervisor. Student contributors included Ryan Gillespie, a May graduate, and Luis Mendes, Isaac Parker and Steve Rann, all seniors in arts and science; and from the Office of Public Relations: John Brennan, associate director; Jack Buxbaum, image resource coordinator; Monroe Givens, assistant director; David Gregory, CITA II; Mary Hempel, assistant to the president and director; Jeanine McGann, assistant editor; Ed Okonowicz, editor; Karen Pyle, coordinator of photographic services; Barbara Stein, graphic designer II; Sheri Sutton, staff assistant; Neil Thomas, senior editorial coordinator, and Carol Nichols, miscellaneous wage employee.

Established in 1995, the award recognizes employees who have been involved in team building and cooperation across campus units, innovative uses of technology and effective community outreach.

JERRY RHODES

Award winners!

UDailyHomeB/W

UDaily [www.udel.edu/udaily] continues to develop into a daily online campus newspaper that keeps users abreast of the latest breaking news, including information on athletics and notices of upcoming events. The new web tool also gives public relations staff the ability to manage the content of the UDaily page and to post links in the news section of the UD home page and customer entry pages for UD students, faculty, staff, alumni and other constituencies. Special features include focus areas for significant news stories, upcoming events and athletics information, as well as features on traditions, giving and student achievements. Additional informational resources include "In Memoriam," jobs, bulletin board, UD in the news and a listing of on/off campus media, as well as selected special stories.

Ask Francis Alison [www.udel.edu/askfrancisalison] is a new question-and-answer site that serves as a clearinghouse for information about UD. Answers to questions, which may be submitted anonymously, are placed in the Ask Francis Alison database and are available for viewing by the general public.

UDigital Portfolio [www.udel.edu/udportfolio], a photo delivery site, will eventually make available thousands of high-quality images of UD for downloading. The site will allow users to order low-, medium- and high-resolution photos. Viewers will be able to browse the photo collection of the Office of Public Relations and choose images for use on web pages, in Power Point presentations and in publications.

UD Postcards [www.udel.edu/postcards], using images from UDigital Portfolio, is an attractive and up-to-date way to communicate electronically through a selection of images that showcase the beauty of UD's campus. A recipient will receive an e-mail with a link to a web site that displays the final card that also may be accompanied with an audio or video file of the UD alma mater, The Fight Song or the ringing of the carillon.