Faculty Senate University Computer and Electronic Communications Committee
Wednesday, Dec 10, 11:15 - 12:45 Room 903, Campus Center
DRAFT MINUTES

Attendees: 
George Avrunin (Math / NSM), Scott Bradley (Engineering ECS), Marilyn Billings 
(Library, secretary), Steve Brewer (Biology), John Dubach (CIO), Tad Jackson 
(ITS), Joe Kunkel (Biology, chair), Ernie May (Faculty Senate), Dave Powicki 
(OIT), Tim Randhir (Natural Resources), Chris Roberts (HTM), Richard Rogers 
(Provost Office), Ed Stanek (Public Health), Donna Zucker (Nursing)

I. Minutes
    A. Minutes of Oct 8, 2003(?)
    B. Minutes of Nov 5, 2003
    C. Minutes of Dec 10, 2003
      to be posted at http://people.umass.edu/fsucecc/
	
II. Introductions
    A. Scheduled Visitors
        1. Richard T. Rogers, Provost's SIS Liaison overseer
           http://www.umass.edu/resec/faculty/rogers/
        2. Chris Roberts, Chair, SIS Liaison Advisory Level I
           http://www.people.umass.edu/q4/

III. Announcements and Questions to:
    A. Chair 
    B. OIT 

OIT Update (John Dubach)

PeopleSoft: 
We're in the final testing of PeopleSoft version 8 that will go into effect in 
February. This is driven by Financial Aid Office schedule. This version will 
have 3 major impacts:
1. Previous version needed a client. In the new version, the client software 
   is not needed, it's going to the web.
2. SPIRE interface changing to the web; almost a portal solution; we'd still 
   need to customize
3. After version stabilizes, it will be 2 years before the next upgrade. 
   PeopleSoft programmers can address problems, customize features

Portal Discovery:
There is a UMass President's Office initiative to assess the campus needs for 
a portal, determine portal strategies. The President's Office is in the 
assessment phase and defining best practices. After this phase is completed, 
they will see where to go next. (This topic goes back to the directory issue 
where the solution was a federated model.)

    C. SIS Liaison Group 

IV. Old business
    A. SIS Liaison Group
      1. Oversight mechanism
      2. Adjustments to Senate Recommended Plans(?)
      3. Special Report to Senate in Spring '04

SIS issue - pervasive use of PeopleSoft software. A whole industry has built 
up in support of PeopleSoft. HUGE: Higher Education User Group of PeopleSoft 
customers in which UMass participates; includes a database of solutions. 
HR/Financials developed a liaison group to work through problems and achieve 
solutions.

Academic Liaison Group. 
Rich Rogers' job has changed dramatically, deals with Mobius and SPIRE; 
developed a tracking system for advising with PeopleSoft; talking with IBM 
about middleware for PeopleSoft with advising; chairs IT Task Force - top to 
bottom review of instructional technology - Information Commons as a project.
Chris Roberts is the chair of the level 1 SIS Focus Group. Staff representatives
from different areas of campus to share issues, system functionality, problems,
etc. with Rosio Alvarez and Elizabeth Pyle. Need more input from John Cunningham
and Rich Rogers are supposed to make this happen - for Levels 2 and 3. Level 2 
responsible for sorting through problems then work with PeopleSoft programmers 
or others who know that problems can be solved, then get bumped up to Level 3. 
Need to wait until PeopleSoft version 8

Trouble-ticket procedure
Different levels of people and concerns that their problems won't be addressed.
Level 1 didn't get set up until 6 months after approved by Faculty Senate. Now 
feels that problems won't get addressed.
Shifting in responsibilities due to PeopleSoft back to departments. Need to go 
to each department but the department can't fix it because don't have 
permission.
Level 1 - set priorities for problem resolution
Level 2 - help inform Level 1 as to which problems are solvable.
Level 3 - weekly drop-in sessions, a convenient way to see if something already 
          solved with Level 2 experts from each department.

Individual problems should be reported to the OIT helpdesk then would have 
trouble-ticket system to track it.
Most problems are policy issues, what's available to whom. For example, just 
finding out that this is the last semester that grades will be accepted in 
paper. More discussion of examples followed.

Future:
* Gradebook idea - work with WebCT
* Need to organize Level 2 with Registrar, with college departments, with Tech 
  folks.
* Need one-stop shopping and problem resolution for end user student rather than
  circular OIT / Registrar to departments
* Identify different types and categories of problems.
* Small problems - need to be able to flag when small problems reach a certain 
  point.

ACTION ITEMS: 
1) Richard, Chris, and John Dubach (who will coordinate) will talk to John 
   Cunningham about getting the Level 2 started.
2) The FSUC&ECC will continue to monitor and report to Faculty Senate and make 
   recommendation in the spring. Howard Stidham sits on Level 1 and this 
   committee and can be a communication channel.
3) Chris will provide minutes of SIS meetings.

Level 1 will have to set priorities such as "This waits until version 8.", 
    "This gets done this semester."
Some database of solutions needs to be established.

    B. Email List Subcommittee
Steve Brewer - email policy.
Steve, Scott Bradley, and Donna Zucker will decide whether or not to draft a 
resolution. Does current UMass email policy meet the 1st amendment - lawyer. 
Murray had more information that he will share with Steve. This is a more 
timely topic than ever. This group will come back to the Committee with that 
recommendation. If that recommendation is to draft a resolution, they may have 
suggested changes to make to the policy.

V. New business