UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS
INFORMATION RESOURCES COUNCIL
February 18, 2003
VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: PHILIP TURNER, Chair, JIM CURRY, BRIDGETTE CARTER (for DONNA ASHER), CENGIZ CAPAN, WIL CLARK (for JOHN PRICE), PAUL HONS (for JUDITH ADKISON), CAROLYN WHITLOCK, LOU ANN BRADLEY, PAM HIGHT (for DON GROSE), COY HOGGARD (for JONEEL HARRIS), CRAIG BERRY, JON NELSON, PHILIP BACZEWSKI (for ELIZABETH HINKLE-TURNER), RAMU MUTHIAH, KENN MOFFITT
NON-VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: RICHARD HARRIS, PATRICK PLUSCHT, JUDY HUNTER, JOE ADAMO, MAURICE LEATHERBURY, SUE ELLEN RICHEY (Recording Secretary)
MEMBERS ABSENT: DOUG MAINS, VIRGINIA WHEELESS, ROBERT NIMOCKS, CHRISTY CRUTSINGER, TOM JACOB, ARMIN MIKLER, BOBBY CARTER, ABRAHAM JOHN, JENNY JOPLING, DUNCAN ENGLER
The minutes of the January 28, 2003 meeting were approved as distributed.
The Chair reported that the President’s Staff meeting was held last week, and the Web Accessibility Policy was brought to their attention. The Chair is checking with Paula King to see if that policy has been approved and to make sure it goes on to the next step of getting into the Policy Manual.
Maurice Leatherbury reported that at the last DCSMT meeting there was a discussion of security issues and the responsibilities of end-users and support personnel to maintain secure environments on their servers and desktop machines. It was stressed that everyone on the campus needs to understand that their desktop machines are vulnerable and that it is important for each end-user to be responsible for as much security as possible, because a single unprotected machine can bring the whole network down.
The group also heard a briefing from Joe Adamo on plans for wireless network roll-out on campus. They are gathering user input at this time and plan the roll-out of some of the access points in March.
Maurice also reported that the deadline for Teaching With Technology Grant proposals was February 14th. Originally there was $150,000 available, but due to the budget cuts, there will now only be $100,000. Fourteen proposals have been received, totaling $167,000.00. An evaluation committee has been formed to review the proposals and award the grant funds.
It was noted that the Instruction Planning Group had not met, so there was no report.
Lou Ann Bradley reported for the Communications Planning Group that they had met and discussed the wiring of the Research Park; and Joe Adamo reported on the Premium Access accounts. A summary of that report was distributed to the Council members (Attachment #1). Adamo recommended that, since the Premium Remote Access lines were not heavily subscribed, and the ratio of users to lines is very low, these lines should be discontinued. It was pointed out that when these subscriber lines were offered to the staff, faculty, and students, there were very few internet service providers in the Denton area. That is no longer the case, and users are now able to obtain better service outside of UNT. Lou Ann Bradley moved that the Premium Remote Access dial-up lines be discontinued effective August 31, 2003. Craig Berry seconded the motion and the motion passed with the Dallas System Center representative abstaining.
There was further discussion about the possibility of discontinuing the free dial-up lines, as well, with some questions raised as to whether this would be a hardship to students or anyone else. Cengiz Capan moved to terminate the free dial-up lines effective August 31, 2003 also. Craig Berry seconded the motion and the motion carried with one vote against, and one abstention by the Dallas System Center. When asked if the equipment used for these dial-up lines could be re-deployed after they are discontinued, Joe Adamo replied that the free dial-ups use such slow-speed modems that it is doubtful they could be used anywhere else.
Coy Hoggard reported that there have not been any significant changes in the progress of the EIS project. He announced that there are two rooms in the E-Bay of the Research Park that will be used as training labs; one of those is up and running and the other will be by March 1st. Both will be used for in-house training during the PeopleSoft implementation.
Maurice Leatherbury commented that the DCSMT is planning its next meeting at the Research Park, and invited the other Planning Groups to come out there for a tour of the facilities if they are interested.
It was reported that the Research Planning Group will meet Thursday, February 20, at 4:00 p.m.
It was reported that the Standards & Policy Planning Group has not met.
It was reported that the Student Computing Planning Group has not met.
Patrick Pluscht reported for the Distributed Learning Team that they will meet Thursday of this week. It is still a goal of this group to establish a testing facility on campus with proctors available for students who enroll in on-line courses to take tests. The DLT will bring this issue back to the Council when they have come up with an idea or plan to reach this goal.
The Chair reported that 34.2% of graduate credit hours are delivered on line now, which he noted is more reason to set up a testing facility on campus.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 2:40 p.m.