Office of Information Technology

Technology Advisory Board (TAB)
Minutes of Meeting of September 17, 2003

Location: 4th Floor Conference Room, Andy Holt Tower
Time: 3:30 - 4:30PM

Attendance:

Members: Steve Dolgner, Stephen Esposito, Marcel Grubert, Jim Gehlhar, Matt Johnson (Co-chair), Sara Keeton, Julie Little, Mike McNeil, John Mount, Faye Muly(Co-chair), Stan Pinkleton, James Price (for Ray Hamilton), Patrick Schuneman, and Luther Wilhelm. Others: Nancy Gnilka, Robin McNeil, Judy Travis

Mr. Matt Johnson opened the meeting and called for discussion of the first agenda item:

New TAB Meeting Time for Fall Semester

Due to several members having conflicts, it was suggested a more convenient time be established for the October and November TAB meetings. It was unanimous that the meetings be moved to the third Monday of the month, at 8:30 AM. Ms. Judy Travis is to find an appropriate meeting room and Ms. Nancy Gnilka will inform the committee members. (Editor's note: The October meeting will be held Monday, October 20, 2003, 8:30AM in the Stokely Management Center conference room, Room 207, and Monday, November 19, 2003, 8:30AM in the University Center, Room 237)

Tech Fee Funding Request Process - New Schedule and Procedures

Due to the time required to process the departmental requests, many changes in purchasing requirements, and the ever extending length of time it takes to process software contracts, Ms. Gnilka indicated there would be a change in the submission period for tech fee funding requests. It will be moved to November-December instead of the old period of December-February. The TAB committee would meet in January rather than February to review and approve requests. This will allow the requests to be processed in a timely manner for equipment and/or software to be available by summer or at the beginning of the Fall semester. This will allow us to work more closely with the colleges and their budgets since they begin budget planning in January or early February. They need to know what will be awarded and what they will need to include in their budgets. This change in scheduling will also avoid interference with personnel working on year-end closing.

This year TAB will be able to reivew the actual proposals submitted. An abbreviated online spreadsheet will reflect the college requests with html references which can be clicked on if one wishes to read an actual proposal. Ms. Gnilka said she hoped to get all of the requests available online for review soon after they are submitted. Since the priority list submitted by the deans of each college is not due until a week after the final submission date, the actual priority within a college will not be known until after the December 19 deadline. If this schedule does not prove workable, we can always adjust it next year.

The technology fee funding process this year will also include the award of DLABS support. Ms. Robin McNeil gave a brief synopsis of the DLABS program which will be included in the online request process. The DLABS request may be submitted in the "on-going support section" of the online request form. Ms. McNeil explained OIT Lab Services would be a resource for a departmental lab in providing their services. This will help leverage the investment of the tech fee in the departmental labs. The DLABS program may be reviewed at DLABS-writeup.html .

Also this year, there is a new form which will need to be filled out for all software requests. In order to avoid lengthy delays due to setting up new contracts as well as trying to determine those that already exist, and a myriad of other complexities in software processing, we shall ask for more information up front regarding software which is not available from the OIT online catalog. Information such as: vendor name, vendor sales contact, contract numbers already in place, etc. More information will allow for better cost estimates. Everyone applying for funding this year should review the new academic software support program before making requests for software. The Academic Software Support Program can be found at ASSP-writeup.html .

Dr. Julie Little gave a brief synopsis of the START program. The main goal is to have student assistants proficient in various programs matched to specific needs of professors who do not have the skills necessary to develop a particular project. These students will be supplied with a laptop and pager and they will be out in buildings with technology-enhanced classrooms. Working in collaboration with Smiley Clapp and the IT Engineering Services, they will serve as technical support for the IT enhanced classroom. This will be an excellent opportunity for students to get real project development, additional training and skill development in areas they might not have expertise, interact with faculty in a real production environment and build skills. Complete information on the START program can be found at START-writeup.html.

Payment Processing Problems in Departmental Awards

Due to stricter fiscal policy enforcement, bills will not be processed or paid without a packing slip. Ms. Gnilka indicated there are too many departments NOT turning them in without repeated requests for them. A suggestion was made to remind the colleges of this in the award letter. However, one problem is the person who receives the equipment doesn’t necessarily receive a copy of the award letter. Better procedures need to be developed to ensure all those receiving awards return their packing slips to the OIT Business Office soon after receipt of shipment. Members of TAB were encouraged to spread the word in their colleges and/or departments.

Other Discussion

Concerns about Pay for Print issues were brought up again. No new issues were presented at this time, but there was much interest in the status of the project. Currently a committee formed to look at the rising cost of printing in the Libraries and the Public Labs has produced a financial analysis of costs for these areas which should be presented to staff in the Chancellor’s Office next week. If funding can be secured, a broad based project will move forward, and the committees formed to write the RFP and to address the public relations aspect will proceed. Representatives from the PR Group charged with informing the campus as well as providing participation in the process will report back to TAB in next month’s meeting.

With no other business, the meeting was adjourned.

Minutes Prepared by: Judy Travis