11-DEC-2007 Meeting Summary ** DRAFT **
Note: This meeting summary includes business conducted at the 11-DEC-2007 meeting and related follow-up items that the committee agreed to complete via e-mail during the period 1/2008 - 2/2008).
Attendance: Art Acton, Jerry Belloit, Paul Bylaska, Dave Hartley, Mike Phillips, Sam Puleio, Edna Reid, Steve Selker, Debbie Sobina, Bill Trimble (for Terry Latour), Harry Tripp. Guests: David Love, Ron Wilshire
Approval of Prior Minutes
The 23-OCT-2007 Meeting Summary was approved
Misc. Items
The UTAC subcommittee assignments reviewed via e-mail after the October meeting were confirmed. Edna Reid was confirmed as the UTAC representative for the Information Protection Committee. The committee confirmed spring meeting dates of 3/18/2008 and 4/29/2008.
David Love and Ron Wilshire from University Relations provided the committee with an overview of the current brand marketing effort and the pending related activity for a redesign of the university's web site that is to be implemented with a new web content management system.
Tech Fee Updates
- 2007-08 Project Notes: With the final confirmations from PASSHE, the committee reviewed the approved list of 2007-08 projects. 2007-08 allocations include renewals of Blackboard, Microsoft Campus Agreement, Replacement Escrow, Operational Maintenance, JSTOR, Webfeat/Article Linker, Support (staff, student), and Bandwidth items; Phase 2 of the Smart Classroom and Wireless Network initiatives; and new projects for Financial Trading Floor (second phase), OPAC Electronic Content, Digital Information Resources, RefWorks Research Support Software, Google/Yahoo Library Links, XRefererPlus ReadyReference Database, Cartography Lab, ITV Services for Montgomery 415-416, ITV Services for Carlson 215, Media Kits for Student Field Experiences, Laptops for Science Departments, Laptops for Montgomery, and a Geospatial Technologies Lab. With the 2007-08 approvals, it was also noted that PASSHE has made some changes to the Tech Fee process. With these changes, the core model with the Tech Fee policy remains the same but the procedure with the final approval point for projects has changed from PASSHE to the University President. This is expected to accelerate final Tech Fee approval timelines in 2008-09.
- Equipment Redistributions: UTAC reviewed the Tech Fee Renewal Subcommittee report from the fall call for requests for former tech fee equipment that was replaced with the last set of renewal projects. 117 computer systems of varying configurations were available. 51 proposals were received with requests for 291 units. The committee reviewed a summary report of the requests and the recommended allocations from the subcommittee. The subcommittee recommendations were approved by UTAC and will be routed to the Provost and the President's Executive Council (PEC). In approving the recommendations, UTAC suggested a number of process adjustments for next year's redistribution of 'repalced' tech fee equipment including a clearer rubric for the subcommittee deliberations (accounting for instructional orientation, level of need, and historical allocations) and an accelerated timeline for the call for the requests and the request review process.
- 2008-09 Notes: The committee reviewed and approved draft timelines the 2008-09 Tech Fee processes. The new proposal process will follow the same general model as 07-08. The call for proposals will be released to Deans and Vice Presidents on 2/29/08 and UTAC will complete the proposal review process before the end of the spring semester (see the Tech Fee proposal web site for more info).
- Summer 2008 Renewals: The committee reviewed a report from the Tech Fee Renewal Subcommittee. Former Tech Fee projects (in this case primarily from 2004) were reviewed based on the renewal process previously established by UTAC. UTAC approved the recommended renewal projects which included life cycle replacements for 7 smart classrooms and two ITV rooms, 3 PC replacements and 1 PC upgrade, software licenses for Nanotech and NCLEX, and maintenance extensions for a Microfilm Digital Scanner, ITV equipment, and the Radio Transmitter. Renewal actions on two other projects were deferred pending additional discussion with the Deans. The renewal project recommendations will be escalated to the Provost and the President's Executive Council. Approved projects will be implemented summer 2008. Another cycle of prior Tech Fee project reviews will be completed next year.
Project Updates
- Office 2007 / 2008: Efforts with the Office 2007 projects are continuing. The committee reviewed concerns about file format compatibility issues, particularly with the Mac environment. The Mac interoperability issues have been further magnified with delayed timelines for Office 2008 for the Mac (released February 2008) and the minimum system requirements for both Office 2008 and the Mac Office compatibility pack. Expanded efforts will made to communicate file compatibility issues to students. The Office 2007 training initiative is advancing. Training guides will be posted on the Clarion web site and employee training courses will begin in the spring semester (note: see Computing Services' Microsoft Office web page for more info).
- Wireless Projects: Wiring for the access points in Stevens and Special Ed, Frame, Davis, Founder, Hart, and Keeling will be completed during the March breaks, with installation of the access point hardware and software and activation of the wireless coverage to follow.
- Classroom Response System: The smart classroom subcommittee is still working through some feature issues related to new releases of the response systems under consideration. A report and recommendation from the subcommittee is expected in time for the March UTAC meeting.
