INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE MEETING

February 1, 2002

9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

 

Attendance:     Matthew Christian, Jody Perry, Dr. Jim Hooper, Dr. Frances Hensley, Dr. Jan Fox, Karen McComas, Arnold Miller, David Johnson, Barbara Winters, Gary Anderson, Gary Weis, Don Combs, Dr. Dennis Prisk and Dr. Tom Hankins

 

Minutes:          Approved.

 

b                      Jan introduces the issue of an Internet 2 connection at Marshall University.  Sponsored Educational Group Participants (SEGP) is an option for Internet2. Networked aggregates of educational institutions (including non-profit and for-profit K – 20, technical, and trade schools) which may also include museums, art galleries, libraries, or hospitals that require routine collaboration on instructional, clinical, and/or research projects, services, and content with Primary participants or with other Sponsored participants. Internet2 will charge the Connector for the Sponsored Educational Group Participant an annual fee of $30,000 per connector per state, plus a variable fee of $2,000 times the current number of Congressional representatives for that state. Sponsored Educational Group Participants may pay fees to the Connector and/or to the sponsoring Internet2 member, where these fees apply to the specific conditions of connection. No fees are assessed directly of the Sponsored Educational Group Participant itself by Internet2. This fee structure will be assessed on an annual basis. Sponsored Educational Group Participants or NOT considered members of Internet2. Real Membership currently is only available to institutions of higher education located in the United States are eligible to apply for Regular Membership. Applicants must be making a definitive, substantial and continuing commitment to the development, evolution and use of advanced networking facilities and applications in the conduct of research and education. Internet2 members have estimated that they will spend at a minimum $500,000 per year in order to be able to participate in Internet2 activities. The currently established annual fee for Regular Membership is $25,000. Develop and demonstrate advanced network-based applications for the purposes of research and/or education and create a project team within the organization to support the development of such applications. Grant dollars can not be used for membership dues.  The Real Membership option is not feasible to sustain at this time.  It may be a matter to revisit in the future with a possible collaboration with other institutions in West Virginia or through KineticPark.  The sponsored option may be an option to obtain sponsorship through an existing member such as AEL.

 

                       

David Johnson:  The updates for distance learning are finished.  Three faculty members have had training and the remaining faculty members are in the process of training now.

 

Barbara Winters:  She and Frances O’Brien are to speak to the House Finance Committee next week regarding the Digital Library and possible funding problems.

 

Gary Anderson:  The legislature is considering increasing PEIA payments in the next few years.  The legislature is also looking at an alternative for the TIAA system.  Salary issues continue to be addressed.

 

Jim Hooper:    EPSCOR meeting was held Monday and Tuesday.  Dr. Paul Hill, a Marshall University alumnus was the leader of this strategic conference.  The state has been given a 9 million-dollar grant for the next 3 years.  Marshall University will receive 1 million each year and the governor has pledged to match that money.

 

Dennis Prisk: Institutions need to address issues resulting from the Patriot Bill There which was passed after the September 11 attacks.

 

                        Put on agenda for next month:  discuss policy addressed on the Cornell List Serve.

 

Jan Fox:           Attorney David Barnett of Jackson & Kelly will be here on February 11, 2002 to discuss the Copyright Issue.  The original version is posted on the web site.

 

                        The Lead User Conference will be held on February 25, 2002 to introduce ideas and future plans for KineticPark.  Carl Taylor and David Balsch, experts in using telemedicine to fight bioterrorism, will be among the speakers.  West Virginia and KineticPark are the prime candidates for 1.  Medical Testing; 2.  Telemedicine; and 3. Bioinfomatics.  The American Foundation for the Blind has already signed on as a tenant and will be testing new products.   The conference will be held in Drinko Library with public access.

 

Arnold Miller:  There is an issue of the problems of ongoing support for workstations.  Every new station brings in new versions of software. There needs to be a supportable way to keep products on the system updated and current and to have a schedule for dropping off old versions.  We are currently reviewing the Microsoft Agreement for fees involved with using the latest versions on all MU systems.  Under the Microsoft Agreement the university owned PCs would be covered and individually owned PCs would possibly be covered under the extended license. There are two versions in the handout that outline the coverages and fees. Arnold will e-mail breakdown to the group. If the cost of funding is allocated each department, the cost could be a problem for smaller areas and could result in the closing of smaller labs.

 

                        Need to meet with Herb Karlett to review costs for Microsoft Agreement.

 

Jan Fox:           There needs to be a policy established to deal with computers that leave the campus, such as those sold in the “yard sale”.  There have been instances where memos and student records have not been purged from the system prior to putting them in the sale. 

 

A fee schedule needs to be established for user name changes in the system.

 

Arnold – cont.-  General Policy Issues for Computing Services   - 

There have been complaints regarding inadequate notice for events affecting computer service.  A policy needs to be in place for notification of key people when service is to be down.  Jan suggested using the portal for shared responsibility of notification.   Would use of the portal push notification enough?  Who are the key people to notify?

 

Also, there needs to be a university wide policy requiring all departments to notify Computing Services of any and all changes within the department.

 

A formal Disaster Recovery Plan  needs to be developed, however, there is a question as to how encompassing the plan should be.  Arnold suggests that the plan should be split into 4 areas: 1) Business Operations; 2) Data Operations/Network; 3) Voice/Data; 4) Crisis Management.

 

The Y2K plan may be used as a “good start” for the Disaster Plan.  Barbara Tarter will be consulted on this project.  An outside consultant may need to be brought in.

 

There has been some problem with certain areas of campus and certain professors expecting Computing Services to be staffed 24 hours a day.  Staffing issues need to be reviewed to determine the actual hours staffing should be expected.  There needs to be some expectation for down-time.

 

Matt Christian:  The university web page is currently being  revamped to keep a cohesive

look for the university.  Content Management vendors are being reviewed to oversee the content of the site, maintain current versions of information and and monitor any changes changes made.

 

Jody Perry:      Update to Support Levels Policy

                        Will call for vote at next meeting.

A suggested fee schedule for services was distributed.  A formal fee schedule for services should provide incentive for users to keep the current versions of software on their systems.