29-NOV-2005 Meeting Summary
Attendance: Art Acton, Yasser Ayad, Sarah Bower, Joe Bodziock, Paul Bylaska, Marilyn Harhai, Terry Latour, Sam Puleio, Debbie Sobina, Harry Tripp
Approval of Prior Minutes
The 27-SEP-2005 Meeting Summary was approved.
Web Authoring Tool Discussion
The committee reviewed highlights of the November meeting of the UTAC Web Authoring Tool Subcommittee where the subcommittee discussed current practices for web page maintenance at the university. Numerous web authoring tools are currently used including (but not limited to) Netscape Composer, Microsoft Word, Microsoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and Macromedia Contribute. Highlights and costs of each package were reviewed. Based on existing usage patterns, software cost, and general market presence, the subcommittee identified FrontPage as the preferred web authoring tool for consideration by UTAC.
As discussed at the September UTAC Meeting, with the identification of a single preferred web authoring tool, Computing Services will develop a set of support resources (training, web reference sites, etc.) for the web authoring tool. Other web authoring tools can continue to be used, but tools other than the preferred tool would not have additional support resources available.
On the topic of web maintenance, questions were raised about the status of the webmaster position. H. Tripp reported that the webmaster position has been cut. However, if funding can be identified a web marketing position is under consideration. A group is being formed by the Provost/Deans to evaluate options and issues with this position and the web site management needs of the university.
Action:
- UTAC approved FrontPage as the preferred web authoring tool for the university.
Technology Fee Status
With the Tech Fee status report noted at the September UTAC Meeting, several projects were still under review by SSHE. SSHE did provide a final decision for those projects and confirmed that funding was not approved for the Science Building, Personnel, Student Voice Research Technology, and ILLIAD InterLibrary Loan projects. For the projects that were approved (see Approved Projects List), notifications will be sent, budgets will be allocated, and a Computing Services' project manager will be identified to initiate and coordinate the implementation. Notices will also be sent to anyone that submitted a proposal that was not funded. With those steps, the 05-06 proposal process will be at closure. The Provost is identifying the approach that will be used to identify what will be done for projects to replace the items that were not approved by SSHE.
Informational Items
- Microsoft Campus Agreement: The Microsoft Campus Agreement implementation has started with the pricing and licensing adjustment on new PC purchases. For the Home Install option, the vendor recently informed us that special CD's will be required for home installs (along with the acceptance form and associated procedures reviewed at the last meeting). Procedures need to be defined to provide interested employees with the option to purchase the CD's for home use of MS-Office. Test copies of the CD's have been ordered. A suggestion was made to work with the Book Store to distribute the CD's.
- Facilities Planning: Y. Ayad raised questions about the implications of facility plans for technology on campus. P. Bylaska provided the following updates: Haskell House and Alumni House have been approved for demolition as soon as funding is available; Chandler Dining Hall is expected to be demolished in late 07; Ralston is to be taken off-line as a residence hall in fall'06 and used as an E&G building for a few years prior to its scheduled demolition. The committee agreed to have Facility Updates as a standing agenda item for future UTAC meetings.
- Computer Disposal Charge: P. Bylaska discussed disposal costs with hazardous electronic waste from computers and monitors that are identified as surplus. He reported that a $20 disposal fee was going to be added to the purchase price of future computers and allocated to a cost center that will cover the costs to properly dispose of computer equipment at the end of its useful life. UTAC endorsed the need for this item. Questions were raised about donating this equipment to developing countries. Past efforts on this front were cost prohibitive due to shipping costs, but P. Bylaska indicated that he would consider any such requests on a case by case basis as long as the option is tax payer neutral.
- Survey Standard: A question was raised about the existence of a standard tool for web surveys on campus. No such standard currently exists, but committee discussions indicated that several areas on campus had options for survey services from a number of tools or on-line services. UTAC will create a subcommittee to review web survey options and suggest a preferred approach for UTAC consideration.
