ITAC minutes for 3/30/05


1. WebCT-Vista update: Lovely Lewis and Royce Hackett informed the
committee that there has been no change in the status of the upcoming
migration to the WebCT-Vista platform. This movement from WebCT to
WebCT-Vista is part of an effort to save money by centralizing services
at a few sites in the University System. The new system does not scale
well, which means that it slows down dramatically when additional users
are added. Lewis will be meeting with Doug Heisch later this week to
learn more about our migration plans. Lewis will pass this information
on to Gary Fisk, who will send it out to the ITAC committee and the
WebCT teaching circle via email.


2. Hackett updated the committee on the wireless plans for campus. The
plan for a comprehensive system is on hold at the moment. Carl Mueller
said that the wireless protocol should be uniform across campus. Vera
Weisskopf said that the library was considered the possibility of
wireless
connectivity to expand their service capabilities. Hackett emphasized
that a comprehensive wireless system will require fundamental changes in
our current network to maintain security. Issues that need to be
addressed include the protocol, security, personnel, and new servers for
implementing a wireless system. Our login system is currently open. This
would need to change to a login with authentication (Win2000 or WinXP
domain). We must identify funding for this new system by the end of the
year. Staffing and funding are the biggest obstacles to implementation.
Janice Cliett will advise the implementation of the wireless plan.


3. Student technology fee
a. Paul Shapiro expressed interest in requesting funding for SPSS
software to begin in the fall. Funding this project at the beginning of
the Fall semester is important because the current licenses will expire
in August. Updating the licenses can take several weeks. No paperwork
for this request was submitted, so funding was not considered.


b. Weisskopf requested approximately $2500 for a computer workstation
that is needed for the library to be complient with the government
documents system. Ginger Perrry said that there was less than $2000 left
in the fund, so this request could not be funded at the current time.
Curt Howell expressed reservations about approving funding from next
year's funds at this time. The committee recommended considering this
proposal in the Fall. Fisk suggested that both of these proposals could
be considered when ITAC meets during planning week in August.


4. Miscellaneous
a. Lee Everett asked if it would be possible to integrate WebCT, Banner,
and the campus email. This would make them easier to use. This is not
possible at the moment because all of these are separate systems.
b. Everett expressed interest in a technology called a "face book". This
is an online directory of students who can email and instant message
each other. The committee encouraged him to look into the
hardware/software requrements for this system and submit a proposal to
the committee in the fall.
c. Hackett stated that the faculty computer lab will receive new
computers that were funded with a $20,000 grant from Wachovia Bank.
These computers have been ordered and will be running soon.


This is the final meeting of ITAC for the 2004-2005 academic year,
unless additional money in the Student Technology Fee fund becomes
available.


Attendance: Royce Hackett, Vera Weisskopf, Carl Mueller, Stephanie
Harvey, Gary Fisk, Lovely Lewis, Lee Everett, Ginger Perry, Curt Howell,
Bryan Davis