Wright State University University Technology Committee

University Technology Committee Meeting Minutes
June 10, 1999

Attendance: Perry Moore, Paul Hernandez, Vicki Montavon, Bonnie Mathies, Dan DeStephen, Donna Hamilton, Chuck Taylor

I. Funding Opportunities - Provost Moore

  • Faculty Computing Initiative
    This will happen again in the coming year with the same 50/50 match from each college and the Provost's office totaling a combined figure of $200,000.

  • Technology Fee
    If the Board of Trustees approves the proposed recommendations at their meeting on June 11, there will be another $ .5 million, resulting in a total of approximately $1 million dedicated to technology. This will guarantee the proposed 3-year replacement cycle for labs.

  • Non-computing R & R funds
    The Provost's office will begin the process of building up funds for instructional and research equipment outside of computing. The colleges will need to begin putting aside matching funds for this project.

II. College of Engineering & Computer Science Technology Plan
Dr. Misra was unable to attend the meeting. The presentation will be made at next month's UTC meeting.

III. Policy Recommendations of the Distributed Learning Committee
Dan DeStephen discussed the seven recommendations made by the 1998-1999 Distributed Learning Committee for development of distance learning programs at WSU. Vicki Montavon suggested adding a statement regarding the availability of resources and support for these student services. Dan will review and revise the list of recommendations for endorsement at the next UTC meeting. He will also forward the recommendations to the Provost's office for approval.

Bonnie Mathies introduced a tentative policy being proposed by the College of Education & Human Services beginning the Fall, 2000 requiring all students to certify that they have access to a computer and the Internet (and the necessary adaptive equipment, if needed) before they will be admitted into the college. Further discussion will take place on this issue.

IV. Center for Teaching & Learning Report on Electronic Classrooms
Dan DeStephen discussed the three priority items in the report: 1) Set up the technological standards for classrooms at the university; 2) Construct a timetable to complete the standards set; 3) By-building analysis of upgrade, maintenance and replacement costs for all classrooms. Dan asked for endorsement of the report by the UTC members. However, due to the small number of faculty representatives at this meeting, Paul Hernandez requested postponement of the endorsement until further discussion with additional faculty can take place at the July meeting. Paul further suggested discussing funding this project with capital renovation money.

V. CaTS Updates

  • When on a multi-user system, a user can type in the word "finger" which enables that person to pinpoint who and where another user is located. This command will be disabled in the near future.

  • Microsoft License Agreement
    Verne Smith, CaTS, discussed the implementation of Office 2000 at Wright State University. Due to current problems with this version of the Office productivity suite, CaTS recommends postponing distribution of this product until Spring Quarter, 2000. In the near future, CaTS will distribute a list of the products covered under the Microsoft Office license agreement. The Microsoft Office CD will be available to all students and can be checked out from the University Library in the same process as books are checked out. WSU is the only university in Ohio that will not charge students a fee for this service. The funds will come out of the technology fee.

  • Y2K Update
    Vicki Montavon reported that a meeting yesterday with Peter Cheng, Jeff Ulliman, Terry Anderson, Kitty Friedman, Vicki Montavon and the University auditors was held to discuss Y2K readiness of non-centrally supported items. The meeting proved to be very positive with an announced completion date of October 31 or sooner.

  • Firewall Discussion
    On agreement with the Faculty Affairs Sub-committee, CaTS is in the process of posting signs in all CaTS-managed labs indicating that use of the equipment authorizes CaTS to log all activity on the machines. Notices will be posted on all central multi-user machines, possibly as the "message of the day" on the monitor screen. Paul will be sending a letter to answer several more questions put forth by the Faculty Affairs Committee, along with an explanation that all procedures are in affect temporarily due to future changes required by the auditors. Paul also noted the response from the Attorney General's office regarding the "Sunshine Law" and how it might affect firewalls. Their opinion was that "those records would probably be considered public record, as is anything else the university does".

VI. Digital Millenium Copyright Act
Vicki Montavon reported the DMCA teleconference took place, and as a result, a meeting has been scheduled for June 23rd & 24th with the sub-committee and the attorneys to answer some of the questions resulting from the teleconference. Vicki will report the results of this meeting to the UTC in July.

The next scheduled UTC meeting will be Thursday, July 8, 1999 from 3 - 5p.m. in E157 Student Union.