Instructional Technology Services (ITS) Meeting Notes
Up to Minutes | IT Services

  ITS meeting on 11/29/01

Number of participants: 31
Time: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Eric Nathan: TTLC Administrator started the meeting by welcoming all the participants.

• There will not be an ITS Meeting in December due to the holidays. We will resume in January.
• Nick Bhatt was introduced as a new employee.
  Meeting minutes and agenda will be available on the web three to five business days after each
  meeting.
• Comment from Dr. Evans: Do we have a date for the next ITS meeting?
  Eric: probably the 3rd week of January. We are currently polling faculty for input. He will send out a notice
  Dr. Evans: 3rd Thursday in January is too soon. Faculty does not return until 1/14.
  http://www.uhd.edu../index.html

Hossein and Erin: updates on Information Technology Project Initiatives.
Hossein:

• Thank you for coming.
• We have finalized the list and are looking for input.
  
• Erin is the Planning Officer
  

Erin:

• A lot of things are put forth to the planning council from IT. Just because something is on the plan does not mean we will get it.
• We do a good job of defining need, but we need faculty support to get it passed
• Regular IT Initiative
  • Desktop Computing
    • Computers and software in the faculty offices
• Satellite Labs
  • Refreshing hardware in the department labs
• TTLC Equipment & Software
  • Upgrade to Classroom A and plans for additional Electronic Classroom
• Lab Equipment & Software
  • 8th floor south
• Network
  • Behind the scenes
• Online Course Development Support
  • Courses that are part of development items

 

• New Initiatives
• Wireless Pilot Project
  • Incorporates environment; would like to expand wireless campus wide
• Evening & Weekend Operations Support
  • Need more support
  • Growth of ITV
• Dedicated Support Staff Per College
  • Would like to have 1 person per college e(web support, ops support)
• Additional Department Based Software
  • Specific needs & the departments
• More Electronic Classrooms
  • Encouraging better scheduling
  • Rarely have openings
  • Classroom A is getting computers

Casburn: Do we have a timetable on the wireless roll out?
Erin: There is a specific order in development
Bill: 75-80% of the library is wireless; 90-100% of the TTLC is wireless; 100% of the ACL is wireless
Hossein: The wireless project started because of the student laptop project. There is a need for the wireless environment for those students. That is why certain classrooms have been selected.
Gail: Technology equipment in each of the classrooms… what should be standard equipment? Faculty expects to be able to do a PowerPoint presentation in every classroom.
Erin: That goes back to the wireless issue. Security wise, we have not had an open port concept. We need a discussion on the academic side.
Gail: I'm worried about it falling into the gray zone.
Erin: University Wide Initiatives… A lot of departments don't want classrooms turned into presentation classrooms because they are taken out of circulation.
Hossein: We are staying with a conservative approach, 1 or 2 classrooms per year. There is no funding this year.
Erin: It's a good discussion for this forum… "What is a standard classroom?"
Gail: Desktop computing has been a great project. As faculty moves toward telecommuting, there is an enormous advantage to laptops.
Hossein: Price tag issue. We would like to centralize the requests, and then go to the board with one request, rather than getting approval request by request.
Walsh: You wanted us to list the number of courses to be put online. Do you want names and titles?
Gail: As much information as you can give me. I'm watching the department plans to see what people are talking about with respect to distance.
Erin: We read them too, and they are helpful
Robinson: What did you say would happen with laptops?
Scott: I think it is universal. I was impressed at the satellite project meeting. Faculty should have the opportunity to pay out of pocket for laptops.
Hossein: Do you want that or do you want us to ask council for money to do this?
Gail: You lose real potential when it gets down to departmental.
Susan: I'm willing to sacrifice technology for more faculty positions. Aren't we already past the due date?
Erin: You can still go to your deans.
Hossein: The idea that technology groups ask for technology because they like technology is tough to overcome. We need faculty support. Talk to your representatives.
Gail: Faculty and laptops come out of different pools.
Hossein: In reality, dollars do compete with each other.
Gail: It's important to support dedicated support staff
Erin: It's on our list every year and never goes through. This was an expensive year. There won't be much money.
Hossein: If you don't ask, you don't get.
Ken: I do have faculty that want laptops, but I also have faculty that want bigger screens
Hossein: As a starting board, can we say $15,000 per department for laptops?
Bob: How much is a laptop?
Someone: $2000-2500
Ruth: Projectors
Hossein: We are trying for more carts and more projectors.
Erin: Also, come up with a solution to the security problem so presentation rooms are not taken out of circulation.
Hossein: There is a real need for more rooms equipped with a projector.
Hodgess: e-classroom more?
Erin: We will ask for more.

Faculty on the planning council include:

• Rob Jarrett
• Jeff Flossy
• Larry Spears
  
• Stanbury
  
• Provost
  
• Fairbanks

Brigman: If it doesn't come up from the VP level, planning council will not consider it.
Eric: Now we'll hear from Lucy

Said (Satellite Labs)

You have heard a couple times about satellite lab. I will distribute handouts that discuss the upgrade project and if you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.

.Dr. Evans

• I wanted to announce that registration is occurring.
  
• Online Courses are filling up.
  
• If anyone is complaining about the new fee, direct him or her to me. I'll be happy to explain. We are still a very low school, fee wise. We are one of the few schools in the state that are not charging per course fees.
  
• http://www.center.rpi.edu
  
• http://wiche.edu/telecom
  
• Proposals for WICHE due January - February
  
• Conference is in November
  
• I would like UHD represented
  
• I'm distributing a free reference book about teaching online.
  

ACL issues - Update by Lucy:

• There is a deadline tomorrow for WebCT final exams.
  o We are limiting synchronous testers to 100.
  o Real test will come during finals
  
• Software requests for Spring 2002, deadline approaching
  o If you want any software installed for student use, please tell us.
  o Please resubmit requests for existing software.
  
• Please make requests for e-classrooms. Priority is given to ITV and Pilot Classes.
  
• Print Control
  
  • Students are printing much more
    
  • Increases cost of toner
    
  • Increases man-hours for clean up
    
  • Increases cost of paper
    
  • Library and ACL are working on a solution
    
  • Students will get a print account with a quota.
    
  • If they go over, they'll have to pay for printing.
    
  • Grad students will get more money.
    

Steve (Library Update)

• Mary Helen Jones will be here Thursday at 10 am about Distance Education Module
  
• We added 20 new databases to off campus access
  
• Next semester we are adding library help pages.
  
• In August the library received a TIF grant.
  
• 4 new printers
  
• 15 new computers and 22 replacement computers
  
• Have requested that the instruction be wired for wireless

Joe (Security)

• Do you have any concerns? I want to focus on protection & security. If there are problems with access or security, we need to know.
• We are having a big meeting with the locking company December 12.
  
  • Dr. Jennings: 916 North keypad is out
    
  • Lucy: Some faculty codes are intermittent
    
  • Joe: Your code is only good for one classroom for a 4 hour period.
    
  • Hossein: Call Chris McCall
    
  • Dr. Evans: You should send out a weekly e-mail
    
  • Joe: If you decide to change rooms or extend class, contact Ms. Bowen
    
  • Ruth: So when you request a room in the TTLC, do you also need to request access?
    
  • Lucy: No, I take care of that.
    

Open Discussion