Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC)

1:30-3 pm - I.G. Greer Room 224

1. Welcome and announcements
2. Review of Minutes - July 14, 2000
3. Computer Security Policy
4. Update on  Preferred Internet Service Provider / ASU Modem Use Policy
5. Update on Campus Pipeline
6. Update on Student Lab Printing
7. Other Advisory Groups - ITAC role?
8. Update on Human Resource System Search
9. Web for Faculty
10. Other Business

1:30-3pm - I.G. Greer Room 224

I. Welcome and announcements

Jeff Williams called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Members absent were Teresa Canton, Clayton Cooke, Jeff Craven, William Griffin, and Troy McHenry. Steve Breiner Jeff Church, Douglas Brantz, Greg Simmons, Charles Kesler, Charles Kreszock, and Laramie Combs were present as visitors.

II. Review of Minutes - September 8, 2000

Minutes of the last meeting (September 8, 2000) were reviewed and no amendments were offered. The minutes were approved.

III. Campus Security Policy

Laramie Combs (NSS) reported on the status of efforts to implement a Campus Computer Security policy in the wake of an earlier report by auditors from the NC Data Processing Division. Jeff Williams distributed copies of the proposed policy for discussion and comments. Williams suggested that the version being distributed was, it was hoped, a final draft of the proposed policy, and solicited questions about unclear or objectionable parts of the proposed policy. Peter Wachs (Stud. Dev.) suggested that some simple instructions for users on how to implement the policy would likely help with gaining compliance from those users. Further, he suggested that such instructions should be included as either an appendix or addendum to the policy once it is approved and distributed.

Williams then updated the group on ITS efforts to pursue a �single-authentication�, system-wide login solution. He stated that, although we are not ready to implement such a mechanism at present, there had been significant developments toward such a service.

IV. Update on Preferred Internet Service Provider / ASU Modem Use Policy

Combs reported that Wave Communications (formerly, Boone Online) had contracted for over 300 ISP accounts since their selection as the �Preferred ISP�. He also explained and clarified the sign-up options for new users and stated that existing Boone Online customers would need to contact Wave�s office by telephone to have their accounts converted to the new rubric. Kevin Howell (Technology) asked about access numbers outside of Watauga County, to which Combs replied that Wave is currently building a �southeastern, region-wide� system of Points of Presence (POPs). Len Johnson (HRS) expressed concern about whether there had been sufficient publicity about the program. Williams mentioned the links to information about the program on the Appalachian home page, but conceded that more publicity might be appropriate.

Williams provided an update on the new policies and procedures affecting use of the Appalachian modem pool. Essentially all current Appalachian faculty and staff will have access to PPP services from the modem pool, and will be authenticated as authorized users based on their Appalachian user IDs and passwords. Ed Pekarek (Computer Science) requested that there be extensive and unambiguous notification of users who might be affected by this change in procedure. Combs and Williams responded that there would be at least a 2-week notification sent to all users who currently have PPP access to the modem pool.

Richard Riedl (RCOE) requested that ITS work continually with Wave Communications to assure that similarly inexpensive packages be made available for access to emergent technologies in broadband Internet access as they become viable.

V. Update on Campus Pipeline

Doug May (ACS) reported on progress with the recent upgrade to Campus Pipeline (CP) 2.2. He stated that differences between the previous and newer versions were mostly cosmetic, from the viewers� standpoints. He noted that, despite the minimal user-view differences, there had been extensive reconfiguration of the product �under the covers�. May explained that there had been two unanticipated problems with the upgrade, the principal one being the temporary loss of users� address books, and that efforts were underway to recover the inaccessible information. He also stated that the anticipated move to a non-Pipeline IMAP engine had been postponed until the end of the semester (over the Fall-Spring break), in order to minimize the chances for inconvenience to CP users.

May also reported to the group on the results of an independent audit of information collected by or sent to CP corporate systems. The auditors concluded that CP was able to access only information to which users had explicitly granted permission to CP to collect. Charles Kesler (Distance Educ.) mentioned that CP is being positioned as a potential authentication engine to comply with copyright and fair-use requirements.

VI. Update on Student Lab Printing

May reported that his preliminary indications of a 50 - 60% decrease in number of pages printed had been born out by the beta test conducted by ACS of the Pharos system. ACS has received numerous queries about implementing the system in other areas. The beta test has convinced ACS to fully implement the system in ACS-managed computer labs. May state that the costs for implementation (software @ $35,000 + $7500/year maintenance; 2 servers @$15,000 and $2000-$3000 per onsite job spoolers) have the potential to radically reduce printing costs for various departments and areas.

Lynn Lysiak (Belk Library) questioned the reliability of the system, particularly as relates to redundancy. May replied that the current implementation was at least as reliable as the current Novell printing queue implementation. Kesler then asked how much of the job transmission process occurred over Internet Protocol (IP). May replied that the system was IP-based from the workstation requesting the print job to the in-lab print spooling computer, beyond which, the job proceeds by direct wire to the printer.

VII. Web for Faculty/ Web for Students (SCT�s Portal Services for Faculty and Students)

Don Rankins (Office of the Registrar) reported that implementation of Web for Faculty and Web for Students is proceeding and that he has been offering workshops to various departments to demonstrate the capabilities and potentials of these packages. He further reported that all new students went through orientation to learn the use of Campus Pipeline as a conduit to these services. Given the potential they see for benefit from the new software, the Registrar�s office supports moving all faculty toward the portal approach for services (e.g., reports, transcripts, schedules, advising tools, grade posting, etc.) that they need. The office is also moving toward a model where all students� records needed for advising or teaching purposes would be available via the Web for Faculty interface, and toward a single-login access model.

VIII. Other Advisory Groups � ITAC�s Role?

Williams requested a discussion of the mission of ITAC as a strategic advisory group and whether there should be subcommittees or representative groups selected from ITAC to address issues of less pervasive impact (than institutional). A case in point concerned the efforts of Student Services to establish a Web Standards Committee and the office�s adoption of the W3C standards for all of the division�s web resources. Williams related the history of this initiative and also mentioned that questions have arisen in various quarters about the �global� implications of such a decision and how it might affect the institution at large.

Williams was careful to note that his questions dealt only with whether and what type of role ITAC should have in such decisions. ITAC, as a strategic advisory committee, will need to be involved, at some point in such issues as technology implications of ADA compliance and other similar issues.

IX. Other Business

Williams also mentioned an ad hoc committee, called by the chancellor to evaluate Appalachian’s web image. This effort is spurred by a GA initiative to push for similarity across the UNC system in terms of web site look and feel to be coordinated in the GA’s proposed Prospective Student portal. Williams suggested that the ITAC membership should conduct an evaluation of Appalachian web presence, particularly the top few levels.

Teresa Canton (University Advancement) asked about the status of SCT’s Web for Alumni product (information available at http://www.sctcorp.com/industrysolutions/education/walumniS.htm) in the context of the GA’s UNC Shared Services Alliance (information available at http://www.northcarolina.edu/ir/alliance/alliance.cfm. ) Williams replied that the Web for Alumni issue was on the agenda for the next meeting of the “Alliance” and that he would report back to ITAC after that meeting.

IX. Other business

Williams suggested that the group meet next on October 20th rather that the traditional second Friday in the month, due to the attendance of many ITAC members at the EDUCAUSE conference in Nashville during the normal October meeting time. The meeting was then rescheduled with general agreement.

With no further business to discuss, the meeting adjourned at approximately 2:50 PM.