SIUC Computing Advisory Committee

 

Meeting Minutes of 5 December 2000

 

Those present: Ruth Bernhardt, Philip Chu, James Duggan (recorder), JP

Dunn, James Fox, Duke Koch, Andrew Lumpe, Don Olson (ex-officio), Don Rice,

Larry Schilling, Richard Steffen, Chih-Fang Wang.

 

The minutes of the 7 November 2000 meeting were approved with one

correction: Duke Koch was in attendance.

 

Don Olson reported for IT that 1) SIUC is now a member of Internet2, and IT

representatives are talking to IT departments at other Internet2 members at

the University of Illinois, Washington University in St. Louis, and several

research labs in Chicago about additional potential Internet2 initiatives;

and 2) IT has outlined two possible approaches for PC Replacement plans on

campus in a memo the University Administration. The plans are being

discussed by various groups, including the CAC and Dean's Council.

 

Larry Schilling re-introduced discussion on a proposed amendment to the CAC

Constitution that would add a Chancellor's representative to the CAC.

Several members pointed out that the group was already a large

constituent-representative body, and, as an advisory committee to the

Provost and Vice Chancellor for Administration, the CAC could effectively

report on its activities to the Chancellor through the CAC Chair. The

amendment remained tabled.

 

A second proposed amendment that would add a second undergraduate student

representative remained tabled in the absence of the member making the

proposal.

 

Discussion turned to Andrew Lumpe's concerns about the Undergraduate

Technology Fee Funding Procedures. It was reported that the College of

Education had received a

letter on July 31, 2000 indicating that the College was allocated $52,222

from the undergraduate Technology Fee funds. When the College started

working with IT to purchase the items, the proposed prices were less due to

price fluctuations (typical with tech-related items). The College was told

that they would not receive the difference (about $11,000) essentially

leaving the College with $41,000 instead of the original $52,222. The

original letter to the College indicated a dollar amount, not just the

purchase of the proposed items. Don Olson suggested that the Undergraduate

Student Tech Fee Committee would probably be looking at a number of issues

next year, including membership, award letter wording, and allocation based

on student populations (an issue raised by some departments and colleges).

Questions were also raised about what happens to the money awarded to

individual colleges but not spent, and the status of unfunded proposals.

Because committee members were unclear as to how the Undergraduate Fee

Committee was formed, James Duggan volunteered to contact Geoff Nathan (an

Undergraduate Fee Committee member) to find out specifics, and Andrew Lumpe

will draft a letter to the Undergraduate Fee Committee that the CAC will

consider at its next meeting.

 

The next topic, PC Replacement plan options for SIUC, was introduced by

Larry Schilling, who serves as a representative of the Chancellor's

Planning and Budget Council's Technology Subcommittee, and sought input

from the CAC. Copies of the proposals were distributed to the CAC members.

Don Olson, who made the original proposal, summarized the two pc

replacement options that he had identified, and discussion centered on what

colleges and departments are currently doing, the potential costs and where

funding might have to come from to make the plan a success. Larry

indicated that the Vice Chancellor was hoping to make a decision by May

2001; CAC members agreed to look over the proposals and bring them back for

discussion at the January 2001 meeting.

 

The final topic, updating the Long-Range Plan for Academic Computing at

SIUC, was discussed. It was mentioned that many of the proposals in the

May 1998 plan had been accomplished, and thus Don Olson asked that the plan

be updated. With the consent of the CAC membership, a Long-Range Plan

subcommittee was formed, with Don Olson as chair. Subcommittee members

include Ruth Bernhardt, Phillip Chu, J.P. Dunn, and Dick Steffen. James

Duggan will draft a charge for the committee.

 

The next regularly scheduled meeting will be Tuesday, January 23, 2001, at

8:30 a.m. in Morris Library's American Heritage Room (306).