Faculty Senate University Computer and Electronic Communications Committee
Tuesday, Mar 9, 10:00 - 11:30 Room 905-9, Campus Center
MINUTES

Attendees: 
Scott Bradley (Engineering ECS), Marilyn Billings (Library, secretary),
Steve Brewer (Biology), John Dubach (CIO), Joe Kunkel (Biology, chair),
Dave Powicki (OIT), Howard Stidham (Chemistry), Donna Zucker (Nursing)

I. Minutes of Dec 10, 2003 approved

II. Announcements and Question period:
    A. FSCUECC Chair (Joe Kunkel) 
    B. OIT 
Library update: Marilyn announced that the library, as part of the Five
College consortium, is going through a process to select a new vendor
for an integrated library system. This software provides the online
catalog, circulation, and back office functionality for the Five College
libraries (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges in
addition to the university). The plan is to have the new software in
place for July 2005.

III. Old business
    A. SIS (John Dubach)
The upgrade schedule has been delayed back to the original schedule to
late March, early April. Financial Aid has the key to the timeline.
Level 1 : Rosio Alvarez is the coordinator
Level 2 : support information is online, virtual support. This will
happen shortly after Go Live, April 15
Level 3 : people go to the helpline to get support rather than write a
complaint. These are 'can not get through the day' problems. There is
supposed to be a ticket number assigned, spreadsheet of items with
resolution. OIT is currently working on streamlining this

FSUCECC wants to see an action flow: Level 1 working on high level items
such as degree audit; Level 3 is triage, or daily problem help.

The original thinking had been that the Liaison Group would be a
committee. This is more the design type of work rather than "3 hour
programming and it is fixed" type of job.
Identity of issues and complaints to get to Level 2: The web page will
have information about the structure (Level 1,2,3), state the list of
items being worked on, include a suggestion box. People should not
expect a response to every message. There are so many issues that
it is impossible to address everything. Where is triage? This is a
Level 1 topic and then decide priorities.
Communication: 
SIS workshops were to familiarize faculty and staff with the system. 
An issue: Faculty in departments have to do some yearly tasks,
can not figure out how to do them, and get less information. Is
there access to the information?
OIT - Faculty - Registrar  a three-way
conversation to be held. Policy issues are the Registrar's.
Two points to emphasize as we move forward:
1. The web version of the system will provide access to lots more
information than was available with old client.
2. There will be a two year period before the next upgrade so
programmers will have time to address the big issues.

Level 1 is doing Level 1 and Level 2 business. We need to encourage the
Level 2 virtual solution

   B. Email lists (Steve Brewer)
Steve needs to convene the group. He had questions for Dave Powicki that
he needs to follow up on.
Recent problem with email from Provost Office: The Provost list had a
hole that has been closed.
Current virus problem: Virus definitions are updated a couple of times a
day. Viruses can get in to campus between updates.
Linux - is this a possibility instead of Windows?

IV. New business
A. OIT printing policy
OIT's printing budget stayed the same for years. Three things
have happened to change this.
1. Some places on campus have started to charge for printing: Library,
ISOM, LARP
2. More course material is available on the web that students have to
print out
3. Electronic reserves and adherence to copyright laws
The burden of printing has shifted from departments to the students;
from coursepacks to online web pages. The campus also went from off-set
printing to the most expensive type of printing, using PCs with
printers.
Therefore OIT went back to its old policy that had never been
enforced of only allowing students to print their own unique materials.
Solutions:
Some departments are looking into a print quota system: Biology, ECS
UCard is the solution, with a reliable directory service

Next meeting agenda item: Make a recommendation to the Faculty Senate
about this issue

B. Proposal for an Information Technology Standards and Policies Council
(ITSPC) from John Dubach.
The original thinking for a council such as this was for an OIT Advisory
Council. John wants to have a representative from this Faculty Senate
Committee on the ITSPC. He is looking for people who know what the
business aspects are, not the technical end. He needs people who
represent the 'users'. If there are technical issues, he
will get a group of technical staff together to provide a
recommendation.
Steve Brewer is the official representative from this group.

Adjourned at 11:20 am