Computer Committee

Meeting Minutes

Meeting: 10\9\98
LCC - 140A 1:30 p.m .

Present: Moran, Dorin, Scott, Gerzema, Hozo, Rosselli, Anderson, Higgins, DeLeon

Absent: Knapp

1. Welcomes exchanged and members introduced.
2. Spring 1999 laboratory build was discussed, and no major changes were proposed. A tentative schedule (see attached) was discussed and approved. To be published to the faculty immediately, and again around November 2 as a reminder.
3. Windows 98 will become the standard operating system for the campus laboratories and public machines beginning the Fall, 1999 semester.
4. Scott is to secure and provide to the members a list of the standard, campus-supported software in the current laboratory build. This list is to be reviewed for the Fall build. An early decision is necessary to assure hardware needs of the software can be met before Fall.
5. AVC Moran discussed the UITS Report on IUN Visitation. This report assesses the current status of computing technology on the campus, and the levels and types of support currently offered, their effectiveness, and what services/support is still needed. Several major issues are addressed in this report and are currently being reviewed by the campus administration. Some actions have already been taken. In summary:
   1. A new organizational structure for technology on the campus is proposed, and has been adopted, with minor modifications by the administration. It includes a Vice Chancellor for Technology who reports jointly to the Chancellor and the Vice President of University Information Technology Services in Bloomington (who will provide half of the salary), splitting current Computer & Communication Services into two separate groups, and maintaining the Instructional Media Center as it is (essentially). Thus, the VC for Technology would have three Directors reporting to him/her. In addition to the IMC, there would be a Director of Support Services, and a Director of Technical Services. The first group essentially provides software support, training, and user consulting. The latter group provides hardware repair and service support.
   2. A search and screen committee has been appointed for the VC of Technology position, and ads have been placed with a deadline of Nov. 15.
   3. Search and screen activities are nearing the screening process for two internal C&CS positions of Network Administrator, and Help Desk Manager.
   4. A strong recommendation concerning hardware acquisition was made. It says that IUN should be purchasing its computer needs A off-the-shelf @ from a major supplier, who warranties their machines, rather than our C&CS staff purchasing parts and constructing machines themselves. It was concluded that delays in servicing existing machines, and some resulting user complaints are the result of time spent on building new machines, rather than servicing existing machines. The Computer Committee has been asked to review and select a vendor for these A off-the-shelf @ purchases, and to determine the standard configuration for laboratory and public machines on the campus. (This does not affect the purchase of MacIntosh = s. They are and will be purchased directly from Apple or a major distributor). Scott is inquiring as to the details of this responsibility and what arrangements the University currently has for this.
6. Several questions were asked of the chair, to be investigated for the next meeting. Those questions included three questions from CIS concerning the laboratory build schedule, appropriate printing arrangements in the laboratories (numbers and types of printers), and the hard drive space in the D-333 laboratory. Answers concerning these questions are being sought by Chair, Scott. The chair announced that the SPSS statistical package has been moved from the UNIX server to an NT server. Any pc-user wishing access to this program should call the HELP DESK and the program will be installed on their individual machine. Hozo and De Leon inquired about availability for MacIntosh. Scott is verifying with Director Andree concerning this issue, and will report back to them directly. A final question was raised concerning the campus domain name, which for e-mail now requires a server name and the term A .iun @ in it to be complete. The request concerned whether or not it could be shortened. This issue has arisen before, but no resolution has occurred. Scott is investigating and will report back to the committee at the next meeting.
7. The next meeting of the committee will be at 1:30 p.m., Friday, November 13, 1998 in LCC-140A.

 Memorandum

To: All IUN Faculty and Staff
From: C. Scott (Computer Committee)
          R. Andree (Computer Services

RE: Spring Lab Build Schedule

Date: 23 Oct, 1997

The following schedule for installing software on Mac and PC lab computers has been agreed upon by the Computer Committee and Computer Services.  Please pay special attention to the November 16 deadline for submitting software and associated mount forms to Computer Services.

Lab Build Schedule,  Spring 1999