Meeting Minutes
Technology Fee Advisory Committee Meeting
Wednesday, December 8, 1999
IACC 204
Members Present:
Doug Boe, Richard Chenoweth (chair), Jeff Gerst, John Grosen,
Jonathon Guay, James Landrum, Linda Manikowske, Sudhir Mehta,
Dr.Craig Schnell, Jeff Schoenack, Deanne Sperling, Dustin
Rehkamp
Members absent:
Adam Dahl, Jamie Sebelius
The minutes from 11/17/99 were approved. TFAC members heard a brief update of the financial status of the tech fee funding account. There should be at the end of the fiscal year, allowing for some emergency funds (about $100,000), approximately $100,000 of unallocated funds. This led to a discussion of whether it should all be retained as "reserve" or using it to enhance projects which would improve campus technology for students and classrooms.
Technology in the Classroom:
VPAA Schnell addressed the TFAC committee with regard to
possibility of using tech fee funds to help upgrade classroom
technology. VPAA Schnell indicated that each year he would like to
pursue some classroom technology upgrades and this year his usual
source of funding for "regular" classroom technology was limited.
Previous years he attempted to bring five to ten classrooms up to
date. Last year he provided funds to augment Tech Fee for EML and
Morrill Hall special classrooms. It cost approximately $10,000 to
update technology for a regular classroom. He will try to leverage
any TF funds to obtain additional funding. Faculty members spoke of
the needs to access technology, especially as many are changing
pedagogical styles from a straight lecture style to more active
learning styles. If the committee would consider granting him funds
for this endeavor he would draft a proposal describing in more
detail classrooms to be upgraded. The Committee passed a motion to
recommend setting aside $50,000 for the updating of five classrooms
to be released upon receipt of general plans.
Internet Access in the Residence
Halls:
Deanne Sperling pointed out that the network in the residence
halls, as established, had exceeded its capacity and had failed
three times on the last three weekends. John Grosen specified that
ITS will make a temporary repair but that an intermediate repair
would cost approximately $50,000. Considerable discussion followed.
Some believed that Residence Halls installed the lines and now
should maintain them; there appears to be no planning beyond the
installation and it is not a tech fee obligation. Other believed
that 1) NDSU has a succeeded in bringing technology to the learning
process, even beyond it early plans and now needed to assist in
solving a problem, 2) residence hall students could flood the
cluster and thus create a bottleneck there, 3) they also could use
the modem system thus creating more problems there; and, 4)
although inaccurate, many students believe that their tech fee is
supporting the access in the hall and therefore the creating an
image problem. The Committee passed a motion to recommend setting
aside $50,000 for the emergency repairs necessary to maintain
service to the resident halls, which will be released upon receipt
of a plan.
Other thoughts regarding funding sources which might be considered for "match" dollars could be Bush Grant funding.
The Monitoring Committee reported that they had reviewed the reports received. Sudhir indicated that reminders would be going out to those who need to provide year-end reports next month.
The Public Information Committee has not met yet. TFAC members were reminded o provide Cathy with new schedules for next semester so meeting times can be setup.
No further business. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Cathy Hanson