March LMS Project Update

Dear CUNY Faculty

The LMS transition project has reached some important accessibility milestones as we approach implementing Brightspace as the primary LMS for our initial two transition groups this summer. Details and updates from the project are provided below. Please visit the LMS Transition website for further updates, resources, and archived communications.

Significant Milestones:

• ALLY is fully integrated and available in Brightspace.
• CUNYFirst will begin bringing over real-time information, including course shells on April 3, moving Brightspace into a production state.
• Optional Usability Testing kicked off and nine out of 14 colleges in the initial transition groups are participating.
• Our LMS governance Core Strategy Group has developed a proposal for colleges to request additional courses that are migrated through an automated process, beyond what is already planned.
• Two new student training pieces will be released in April, a “Getting Started in Brightspace” module available to all colleges via Brightspace and a “Getting Started in Brightspace Student Guide” (with thanks to City Tech for the foundational document).

Again, I value your involvement in this important initiative, the guidance of the LMS Transition Team, the backing of the UFS, and the efforts of campus teams to guarantee a smooth transition.

Best, Kim (Kim L. Siegenthaler, Ph.D.), Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Innovation, City University of New York (CUNY)