Academic Computing Committee

Meeting Minutes

February 9, 2004

 

Members Present:

University Senate Representatives: J. Gaynor, M. Heller

 

Faculty Representatives: A. Adarkar (CHSS), A. Koeller (CSAM), A.  Pemberton (SART), M. Davidson (CEHS), S. Shapiro (Library), R. Xing (SBUS)

 

Administrative Representatives (Academic Deans or Alternate): AJ Kelton [CHSS Administrative Rep.], M. Mallery [Library Dean Administrative Rep.],  R. Salomon [Proxy for Dean Alan Oppenheim], L.  Jenkins [CEHS Administrative Rep.], R. Julian Robinson [SART Administrative Rep.], J. Youn [proxy for M. Kruge, CSAM Administrative Rep.]

 

Student Representatives: D. Stevens (undergraduate)

 

Non-voting Members Present: E. Chapel, Associate Vice president for Information Technology; T. Dvelin, Academic Coordinator of Education Computing Network; . Klajman, Local 1904

 Observer

 

Members Absent: K. Cohen [Graduate School Administrative Rep], VACANT, Associate Director of Information Technology, Student Representatives: VACANT (undergraduate), VACANT (graduate)

 

Guests:  J. Minier, R. Sharps, K. Tighe

  

Presiding: M. Heller, Chair Pro Tem;

Reporting: M. Mallery, Secretary

Distribution: ACC Web

Convened: 4:07 p.m. [Library Special Collections  Room]

Adjourned: 6:00 p.m.

 

  1. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 4:07 p.m.

 

  2. Minutes: The minutes of the January 26 meeting were approved unanimously and will be posted to the ACC Web page.

 

  3. Announcements:

     · Feb 25: NJEdge Faculty Showcase: "Empowering Faculty and Staff with Rich Media" at Brookdale Community College.

     · Feb. 26: PBS Satellite Downlink of "The Real Cost of Online Courses" 2:30-4pm in College Hall Room 310.

     · The 5th Annual NJEdge Faculty Best Practices Showcase on March 26th at Raritan Valley Community College.

     · "Roadmap to Redesign" (R2R), a three-year, FIPSE-funded initiative whose goal is to establish an efficient means of spreading the ideas and practices of the Program in Course Redesign to additional institutions, applications due 4/1/04.  See Web site at:   http://www.center.rpi.edu/R2R/R2R.html  

 

  4. Reports

    · Chair's Report: Chair Pro Tem Heller reported that he sent out an email on January 27th to the Registrar regarding the question of Social Security numbers on class lists and posted the response to the ACC listserv. Adarkar noted that Social Security numbers have been removed from the class lists, and Koeller affirmed this.

 

    · OIT Report: As requested at the January meeting, Chapel reviewed the following list of major IT accomplishments over the past year and IT agenda items for next year.

 

 OIT Accomplishments:

  1) Operational data store (ODS) and data warehousing project is working in administrative computing (e.g., by Financial Aid office, institutional research reports, and beginning populating Blackboard off ODS) for timely reporting and review of data.

  2) Rebuilt entire network (QOS and VLAN builds with NJEdge.net connectivity).

  3) Blackboard 6.0 upgrade is complete.

  4) Access Control RFP completed.  Vendors are sending clarifying questions.

  5) Digital printing running "by request".  Discontinuing printing boxes of FRS.

  6) Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan - Chapel started.

  7) Laptop Life-Cycle Replacement Plan where every user in the community will have a laptop or desktop at their fingertips with

 36-month replacement plan: 80% in place.

  8) Student Telephone Services: ACUS consortium with AT&T plan for resident students in place.

  9) Establishing Digital Photo Lab in Calcia.

 

 Next Year OIT Plans/Goals: 

  1) Forming committee groups to begin the process of preparing specifications and plans for move to new administrative system,

 which could be an ERP system

 or, possibly, a mix of best of breed alternatives.

  2) Establish Administrative Computing Committee.

  3) Finish Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan.

  4) Research alternative to MSU ISP, which is currently under-utilized; cellular network is a possible solution.

  5) Complete Computer Life-Cycle Replacement Plan (including media devices planned in the 55 mediated classrooms in the New Academic Building).

  6) Continue Campus Wide Infrastructure Plan (e.g., hired an engineering firm to investigate ways to replace as much copper wiring as possible with fiber and engineering a conduit and wire plan).

  7) Improve Student Telephone Service: exploring student cellular phone plan that is flexible.

  8) Total adoption of MSU NetID: ending P-User accounts. 

  9) Researching Enterprise model for print management for all campus.

  10) Continue Novell Zenworks deployment (e.g., needs hardware and programming work)

  11) First implementation of Information Access Portal using BlackBoard.

 

 Heller thanked Chapel for the thorough report and congratulated OIT on their recent and forthcoming accomplishments.

 

    · Ad Hoc Committee Reports:

 

   a) Laptop Ownership Requirement: Salomon (Chair)presented the final report of the Committee, including perceived advantages and disadvantages of this proposed program.  During discussion of the report, Chapel noted the SUNY Morrisville has an academic review of laptop computing plan that is pedagogically driven and run by the academic community. The full Committee report will be posted on the ACC Web site.

 

   b) Mandatory MSU NetID Registration and Use: Youn and Heller (Co-Chairs) will present the Committee's report at the March 8th ACC meeting.

 

   c) Physical Security of Facilities and Hardware: Koeller and Youn (Co-Chairs) presented the final report with procedural and technological recommendations to improve physical security of facilities and hardware at MSU.  The report will be posted on the ACC Web site.

 

   d) Wireless Implementation at MSU: Pemberton (Chair)presented the summary of the Feb. 4th Wireless Committee Meeting. The ACC recommended that the "Wireless Implementation at MSU" Ad Hoc Committee proceed by surveying the faculty on the potential for wireless transforming teaching and learning and will report back at our October, 2004 meeting.

 

   e) Leveraging Middleware Application Services: Davidson (Chair) suggested and Youn moved to table this issue; Stevens seconded, and the motion was passed. The Leveraging Middleware Committee will reconvene during Fall 2004, when more information is available on a potential unified portal structure that OIT is beginning to consider. 

 

  Heller thanked the Committee Chairs for their hard work and fruitful reports.

 

  5. Ongoing Business

 

   a. EDUCAUSE Representation: Kelton (Chair) reported that he has solicited comment via email on MSU EDUCAUSE representation.  He will convene a meeting of interested parties and report at the March 8th ACC meeting.

 

   b. Technology Initiatives for Persons with Disabilities Ad Hoc Committee: Shapiro (Chair) reported that on Feb. 3rd, the Committee met with Professor Amy Dell, Director The College of New Jersey's Adaptive Technology Center and outlined the white paper.  Elizabeth Mayfield has established a listserv for the Committee. The next Committee meeting will be Feb. 17th.   The final report from the Committee will be presented at the ACC April 12th meeting.

 

  7. Adjournment: Motion to adjourn was made by Jenkins; seconded by Koeller. The meeting was adjourned at 6:00PM.