Technology Fee

Anatomage Diagnostic Anatomy Table

The Anatomage Table is the most technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool for anatomy and physiology education. Three of these tables have been purchased by the department of Sports Medicine using Tech Fee funds. Students benefit from these devices by being able to visualize anatomy exactly as they would on a fresh cadaver. Individual structures are reconstructed in accurate 3D, resulting in an unprecedented level of real accurate anatomy, dissectible in 3D. 

Functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy - Psychology

The functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment supplied through Tech Fee funding has supported the setup of a training lab for students. This lab, led by Dr. Farzin Irani, provides training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in cutting edge functional neuroimaging technology. The fNIRS device provides information about brain activation at rest and while performing a cognitive task. So far, students participating in PSY 410 and PSY 510 research experience classes have participated in manufacturer led training sessions to get familiar with how to set up the equipment, design a fNIRS study, collect and analyze the data. One of the trainings was video recorded for future training opportunities. A couple of Masters students are currently developing thesis project ideas that will use the fNIRS technology over the next year. We are also planning a grant submission that will include additional student and faculty opportunities using fNIRS technology. Overall, this device will provide exciting new opportunities to learn about the brain and study its functional networks.

Gas Chromotagraph, Chemistry

A new Agilent 7890A gas chromatograph with a 5975C Series GC/MSD was purchased for the chemistry department. This instrument is regularly used by students in classes such as Organic Chemistry labs, Advanced Analytical Chemistry labs and Forensic and Toxicology Labs. In addition to that, it is used by faculty and students for a variety of research projects.

After the purchase and installation, Agilent Technologies donated additional parts that allowed us to modify the configuration of the instrument so that it had a two inlet/two column system. This allowed greater flexibility for its use in both research and teaching. They also donated an automatic liquid sampler tower and a 100-sample tray which has increased productivity and made it much easier to complete research projects which must be scheduled around class usage.

Since the installation, many successful research projects have been completed by various faculty members. One such project involved the analysis of pesticide residues on apple samples. This project was included in the Agilent Technologies Food Safety Application Booklet.

Birthing Simulator

Simulation has come to the nursing lab at West Chester University in full force! The "invasion" of high-fidelity Human Patient Simulation (HPS) models started with SimMan® (Laerdal) in 2009 and continues with the addition of addition of Noelle® and Newborn Hal® (Gaumard).

Simulation is the latest in technology in nursing education. It is the use of Human Patient Stimulation (HPS) models, in carefully planned "real-life" scenarios where the nursing students can sharpen their hands-on nursing skills, enhance critical thinking skills, and learn communication with other members of the health care team. These "high fidelity" HPS models can talk and move; they have programmed vital signs, blood pressure, and pulse detection points. They can have IV's inserted, Foley catheters inserted, NG tubes and monitors placed, as well a full-blown CPR codes. This is all done in a realistic, safe environment for the students to learn. Simulation is fast becoming an acclaimed modality for educating health care providers, especially nurses.

Noelle® and Newborn Hal® HPS models, purchased with Tech Fee funds, provide students with a full range of authentic obstetric scenarios, from normal birth and newborn care to critical obstetrical emergencies and neonatal resuscitation. Noelle actually "births" a baby, and while most births are natural, Noelle® can also be delivered via cesarean section. Babies can be delivered either in the normal head first position, or breech. Newborn Hal® has realistic cord pulses; he/she cries, moves, turns colors and even can become limp and blue if the appropriate newborn care is not given. During the simulation process, the students perform as part of the health care team within the scenario, and then a debriefing session is done where the student evaluates performance outcomes, communication processes, and team work. In this way, the nursing student gets to learn essential nursing skills and hands-on care first on the HPM, and gain the confidence to move on to real live patients. In other words, the student can make mistakes on the HPS model before progressing to the bedside, improving the quality of care, patient safety, and confidence as the nursing student moves to the hospital, community or home setting with "live" patients.

Astronomy Camera - Physics

Image of the Ring Nebula (Messier 57) taken from the WCU observatory with the ST-8XME Camera provided with Tech Fee funds. The ring is a shell of ionized gas that was expelled from a red giant star and is expanding, leaving a white dwarf at the center. The image is a composite of three 60-second exposures in B, V, and R Johnson filters, and has been low-pass filtered. The image was acquired by Physics majors Nicolas Legall and Trevor Davis, and, and later processed by Brittany Johnstone and Brett Sheriff. The project was supervised by Dr. Thornton of the Department of Physics.

Water Quality Data Logging - Geology, Ecology, Geography

Several academic departments, disciplines and courses across WCU use water quality data on a regular basis to enhance the teaching of students in environmental health, ecology, geology and geography. Students gain valuable insight and understanding of environmental systems through hands-on experience with the operation and maintenance of stations dedicated to the collection of water quality data with equipment purchased through Tech Fee.

Noldus Animal Behavior Tracking System - Psychology

Purchased with funds provided from Tech Fee, the installation of the Noldus video tracking system in the Animal Behavior Lab in Peoples building provides students with a tool that automates acquisition of large amounts of data on animal movements and interactions. The system can track a single or multiple test subjects. Because this system is also used professionally, students can gain valuable experience on its implementation while still in school, leading to better opportunities after graduation.

Mediasite Recording System - Communicative Disorders

A digital upgrade to the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Speech and Hearing Clinic analog video recording system was performed over the summer 2014 with Tech Fee funding. The clinic offers full diagnostic evaluations for children and adults who are suspected of having speech, language, or hearing disorders. Ten therapy booths are equipped to simultaneously video record the department therapy sessions provided by the graduate students and supervised remotely by speech-language pathologists and audiologists (faculty). These recordings are then saved to a secure server for video-on-demand playback.

The new system enhances students’ educational experiences by providing high-definition video via user-controlled pan/tilt/zoom cameras for clearer session viewing as well as Bluetooth headsets for two-way communication between instructors and students for real-time feedback. Other features of the system include real-time session viewing capability on dedicated monitors (located in each faculty office as well as on 3 computers in the control room) and multiple session streaming by viewing output directly from the Mediasite recorders, and cataloging of videos for faster retrieval. Students have the opportunity to view their therapy sessions for self-analysis and data collection and faculty use the recordings for instruction in didactic courses.

For additional information, visit the Speech and Hearing Clinic website.

GreenScreen - Digital Media Center

In the past year, the Digital Media Center video production studio has recorded more and more productions each day, specifically using the green screen. The DMC used to live life with an old, small, fabric green screen. It was hard to work with, and frequently inconvenient. Then DMC received a new, Pro Cyc green screen provided through Tech Fee funding, and everything changed. Students love the new green screen. It allows for a better and cleaner key which in turn heightens the production value of each video segment. The Video Production classes have incorporated the green screen into the course. The new green screen is being used 5 days a week to record segments like weather, election updates, sports updates and many more.

"It's incredible, and we couldn't live without it!" –Sarah Renee Henry

What is RamPrint?

RamPrint is a new system that permits you to use your personally owned computers and mobile devices to send documents to select university printers.

Documents are kept in a personal print queue for you to retrieve when you want, and where you want with just a swipe of your WCU ID card.

Key Benefits

• Send documents to university printers using your own devices from anywhere on campus
• Swipe to print one, or all queued documents at once from any printer that has a card
  reader.
• Swipe to make photo copies, or to scan and email documents.
• No more lines at the printer waiting for someone else's document to finish.
• No more sifting through mounds of paper searching for your document.
• No more hassle of other students accidentally discarding your work.

Step 1:  Authenticate your WCU ID card for Swipe-to-Print.

Step 2: Configure devices to sync the RamPrint Queue. Computers in WCU labs are already configured.

Step 3: Add documents to the RamPrint Queue. Documents stay in queue for 24 hours or until printer.

Step 4: Swipe your WCU ID card to retrieve queued documents.

Get Started!

To retrieve a document from the RamPrint Queue, you must first authenticate your WCUID card with the PaperCut server. You can do so from any multifunction printer with a card reader.

1. With the printer on, swipe your WCUID card via the card reader on the side of the printer.
2. Press "Next" on the touchscreen to continue.
3. Enter your WCU username and password.
4. Press "Associate"
5. Press "OK"to return to start screen.

Need Help?

Call the IT Help Desk at 610-436-3350.

To learn how to configure computers and mobile devices, visit the Help Desk website.

Download RamPrint flyer

College of Business and Public Management Building

Early in January, faculty and staff moved into the new 90,000-square-foot Business and Public Management (BPM) Center.

Settling into their new spaces are the departments of accounting, criminal justice, economics and finance, geography and planning, management, marketing, and public policy and administration.

The first three floors are classrooms and meeting spaces while faculty offices occupy the fourth and fifth floors. The building also houses the Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center, the Center for GIS and Spatial Analysis, and the Center for Social and Economic Policy Research.

See this report on the new facility that was aired on Philadelphia's CBS channel 3.

Object Design, 3D Printing, and Clay

Technology plays an important role in the ceramics curriculum at WCU. Digital modeling and 3D printing has been part of the ceramics curriculum for several years. Andrew Snyder, Assistant Professor of Ceramics explains, “Three years ago I introduced digital modeling and 3D printing to upper level ceramics students. One of my favorite aspects of digital modeling is its relationship to traditional materials and processes. In that respect, the first project I had students working on with this technology began with digitally modeling a cup using the design program Rhino 5. Rhino afforded students the opportunity to use their existing knowledge of cup design from my previous classes. I like to start with cup design in a number of my classes, because cups are objects that everyone is familiar with and everyone has a favorite cup they can use as inspiration for their first model.

After students digitally modeled their cups in Rhino we brought them into reality by printing on our Makerbot2 3D printer, supplied to us (through Technology Fee funding). The Makerbot uses PLA (polylactide), a biodegradable, recyclable, corn-based thermoplastic to print digital models. This printer works very similar to a CNC hot glue gun. In the next step we used traditional mold making techniques to slip cast our finished products in clay. The entire process took nearly half the semester involving 5 projects rolled into one; model, print, mold, slip, and production. In the fall of 2017 I plan on teaching this same project again, but to teach cup design and mold design in Rhino which will allow students to go straight from Rhino to the finished mold and hopefully take a little less time.

 My current work investigates ancient Greek ceramics and how their vase painting informs us (2500 years later) regarding their culture. The content of the vase painting usually depicts ancient Greek life and mythology. For the past year I have been documenting our culture’s contemporary mythology on my interpretation of ancient Greek vessels. This series depicts everyone from Andre the Giant to Margaret Sanger. With this concept in mind, the next step will be to combine my interest in technology. 

 In January I received the Potterbot 3D, (again, via Technology Fee funding), which will allow me to further incorporate technology in the concept of my work and ceramics curriculum. The Potterbot is a CNC clay extruder which works on the same principle as the Makerbot, but instead of plastic, it extrudes clay. In December I was approved by the U Penn Archeology Museum to 3D scan a number of their Ancient Greek vessels which I will then print on the Potterbot and then depict contemporary mythology on these pieces. I am very excited to begin this work and to use the Potterbot Extruder to help students bring their 3D project ideas to life.”

A Hitachi 5100 Atomic Force Microscope was purchased for the Physics Department with Tech Fee funding. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has quickly become a standard technique for probing nanoscale structures, Several of WCU’s students will be presenting, utilizing AFM data, at a regional meeting of the American Physical Society this semester. Acquisition of this instrument, in conjunction with the availability of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), has allowed many successful undergraduate research projects. It is also allows nano-metrology to be brought into the intermediate lab curriculum.

WCU Community Mental Health Services is the primary training site for graduate students in the Psychology Department’s Psy.D. program. The clinic has 12 therapy/testing rooms and 2 group rooms. The clinic provides individual, group, and family therapy to children, adolescents and adults of the greater West Chester community, as well as psychoeducational assessments to children, adolescents and adults. The Haivision/Crestron video equipment provided by tech fee is installed in all of the therapy/testing rooms so that all therapy sessions may be recorded.  This allows licensed psychologists and faculty in the Psychology Department to provide close supervision to graduate students with specific feedback about their delivery of mental health care to the clinic’s clients, which insures that clients receive high quality mental health care. In addition, observation of therapy sessions is required for accreditation of the Psy.D. program and the video equipment provides an efficient way for the program to meet this requirement.

Tech Fee installed two digital signage touchscreen panels in the Business and Public Management Center. One displays information from the building’s environmental systems, and the other displays LEED information and provides visitors with wayfinding services. Upon selecting wayfinding, the user is given the option to find directions to several locations on North Campus.  Once selected, an animated map shows the way to the desired destination.

Anderson Hall Renovation

Anderson Hall is a beautiful historic building located right in the heart of the north campus. Originally built in 1938, Anderson Hall underwent a complete renovation in 2018; the first complete life-cycle renovation in over 20 years.

Post-renovation, Anderson Hall remains one of the University’s largest classroom facilities. It houses 24 classroom spaces including 2 large 105-seat tiered classrooms, 8 general purpose traditional classrooms, 1 collaborative classroom, 6 active learning/flexible classrooms, 4 teaching computer labs, an open computer lab, an Anthropology lab and a Seminar Room.

The newly renovated offices are home to the Vice President for Information Services & Technology, the IT Help Desk, Ed Tech & User Services and Distance Education. Academic departments include Philosophy, Political Science, Graduate Social Work, Undergraduate Social Work, Professional Education and the Dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

A building renovation project like Anderson requires cross-divisional effort and teamwork and is a significant undertaking for the Information Services & Technology Division. Upon a successful opening for classes on January 22, 2019, Vice President Deke Kassabian thanked the Division saying “our Division stepped up with expertise, professionalism and dedication to make the opening of Anderson Hall for the Spring semester possible.  We worked together within the Division, and we partnered with our campus colleagues, to deliver for our students.”

The IS&T Anderson Hall Renovation Project Team executive sponsor JT Singh as well as Teresa Hudson, Yuki Yamamoto, Kevin Partridge, Dan Brader and Sandi Unger worked closely with Academic Affairs Joseph Santivasci to plan the building technology requirements and coordinated construction and furniture needs to support the technology with the Facilities Design & Construction team. Assisting the project team, an independent audiovisual consultant, Tom Edge of Shen Milsom & Wilke designed and supported the execution of the $1.9 M audiovisual installation bid which was awarded to Applied Video Technologies in June 2018.

Throughout the project, the IT Infrastructure team worked closely with the low-voltage contractor regarding cabling pathways, proprietary equipment specifications, IDF and MDF layout, and installation of wireless access points. Switches and routers were assembled and provisioned in advance and ready to roll as soon as the closets were completed, working over the Christmas holiday break in preparation for Network Go Live.

All instructional spaces in Anderson Hall feature RamCast wireless presentation technology accommodating both MAC and PC platforms as well as mobile devices. This has become a new standard. The renovated Anderson Hall classrooms no longer provide VGA connectivity since Lenovo and Apple have removed this technology from their laptops.

Collaborative learning spaces are outfitted with multiple flat screen displays with switching technology which allows each display to operate independently or alternatively links all displays to one source. There are 5 technology-rich classrooms which provide video conferencing and lecture capture and 2 conference rooms equipped with full Codec Video Conferencing. Faculty training on classroom presentation technology was held prior to start of spring semester classes.

Ed Tech and User Services team members were involved in many aspects of preparing Anderson Hall for classes. The multimedia team performed system checks on classroom and conference room technology and worked closely with Applied Video Technologies on system testing. Tech Fee staff and their talented team of interns, imaged computers in advance and then worked on the heels of the furniture installers over the MLK holiday weekend to set up equipment in the computer labs as well as provision 6 digital signage locations. During occupant move in, it was “all hands on deck” as Ed Tech & User Services staff supported the connection of over 75 office computers and telephones as well as several department multi-function printers while IT Infrastructure and the web team made updates to Global Address Book, Emergency Response Location and department web page contact information for building occupants.

In addition, Anderson Hall has 6 RamPrint locations which use PaperCut software for reporting and management purposes. Tech Fee staff can monitor the printer status remotely which is useful for troubleshooting, as it provides the status on printer activity, paper jams, toner level, and if the paper tray is empty.

Also as part of the renovation, Anderson Hall is the first building implementation in a 3-year campus card system upgrade project. This is the first major upgrade of the WCU Campus ID Card System in well over a decade. HID SeoS Card Readers were installed at both perimeter and interior card access locations. Employees with office space in Anderson Hall as well as key support staff such as custodial and facilities with building access needs were the first employees to be issued the new Ram Card.

The Anderson Hall Renovation construction included something new to West Chester University – a construction solution called DIRTT.  DIRTT stands for – Doing it Right This Time – and is a responsive, sustainable and flexible interior construction option.  DIRTT isn’t a wall; it’s a complete system or building process that is totally customizable. DIRTT was installed in the IT Help Desk area, Lounge 400 and the south wing of the third floor (Rooms 301-308) and features built-in flat panel displays secured behind a glass panel, DIRTT millwork, plenty of writeable surface, attractive translucent glass panels, glass walls and doors.