Minutes - April 19, 2002
2 - 3:30 pm - Belk Library - 119
Persons Present:
Ex officio members: Jeff Williams (Chair), Doug May (ACS)
Voting members: Matthew McNaney (for Brian Brown, Student Services), Clayton Cooke (Systems & Special Projects), Beth Davison (Arts & Sciences), Gabe Fankhauser (School of Music), Al Harris (College of Business), Kevin Howell (Fine & Applied Arts), Greg Lovins (Business Affairs) Thomas Bennett (for Lynne Lysiak, Belk Library), Ed Pekarek (Arts & Sciences), Richard Riedl (Education), Wilber Ward (Academic Affairs).
Guests Attending: Steve Levin (Electronic Student Services), Tom Leonard (University Advancement), Steve Hopper (Information Technology Services - Applications Group), Tom Van Gilder (Arts & Sciences), Ray Pittman (Systems & Special Projects), Terry Combs (Information Technology Services - Systems), Steve Breiner (Information Technology Services - Instructional Computing, recorder)
1) Welcome
The meeting was called to order and the membership greeted by Jeff Williams at 2:04 PM.
2) Review of February 8, 2002 minutes
Having been no quorum present at the last meeting, attendees were informed that, rather than formal minutes, notes about the informational session were posted on the ITAC web site.
3) Announcement and notification system status and direction
Williams reported on the progress that was made over the past year with PANS (Personal Announcement and Notification System) and discussed the ability of the system to target announcements to specific categories of users. Further, he asked that ITAC begin to consider a mechanism for deciding who and what organizations would be authorized to use the targeted system. He then showed the profile options available to users to set preferences for subscribed message types and for preferences to save or e-mail announcements. He mentioned also that ITS was considering whether to reset all PANS profiles on a regular basis. Beth Davison suggested that it would be prudent, by default, to save messages rather than to let them disappear. Dick Riedl mentioned that, as currently configured, one could not get to his or her profile unless there was a pending announcement. Williams replied that the current iteration was, in effect, a demonstration of concept and that that option could be included in the eventually released user interface to the system. Al Harris suggested that faculty profiles not be regularly reset. Ed Pekarek suggested that an archive mechanism and associated search interface would be a valuable addition to the system, and Harris endorsed that suggestion. A discussion of other system capabilities and options ensued.
4) How the budget could affect services and progress
Williams mentioned to the group that four positions in ITS (two application programmers, one technical support person and a system operator) had been lost to the current budget difficulties and that some consequences as regards response time to requests for features and problems were inevitable. He mentioned that the flexible shifting of resources should minimize potential problems, but that users should be aware that ITS is affected by the budget just as are other divisions on campus.
5) Strategic Statement of Intent (move to Banner?)
Williams reported that Appalachian (via the Chancellor) had signed a “letter of intent” filed with the UNC Shared Services Alliance (a collaborative IT alliance sponsored by the UNC Office of the President) that Appalachian would move toward full implementation of the Banner (by SCT Corporation) Financial Reporting System. He noted that the transition would likely occur toward the end of a four to five year transition period. Pekarek urged that current users of FRS be given opportunities to influence the design and deployment of reports and formats in the new system. In reply, Clayton Cooke cautioned that the product itself will probably require specific formats and would likely limit the customizations Appalachian might make.
6) Update on Banner Human Resources implementation
Cooke reported that roughly 25 personnel participated in four (of six planned) completed training sessions on the new Banner Human Resources Services system. He noted that we (Appalachian) were still in “learning mode” as regards the new system and that payroll tests would be continuing.
7) Update on the ASU Portal (Luminis release of Campus Pipeline)
Williams reported that the new Campus Pipeline intranet product, Luminis, would soon be tested for use at Appalachian. He mentioned that testing and implementation teaching teams would be formed in the very near future. As part of the migration to the new system, he noted that an integral part of Luminis, the iPlanet e-mail system, would be deployed for students before fall semester. He also mentioned that pre-release design and product specifications indicate that we will be able to deploy the system in a highly customized form, to meet best our needs.
Update on e-mail migration to iPlanet server
Terry Combs report to ITAC that the migration to iPlanet e-mail services would require a complex and lengthy conversion of existing e-mail to the new system. He further noted that the implementation of iPlanet, an enterprise-class, heavy duty e-mail system would position Appalachian to begin consolidating the diverse “wildcat” e-mail systems on campus. Such consolidation would allow for higher security, via centralized virus and “spam” filtering. He also mentioned that Appalachian would soon need to implement policies for dealing with “acceptable” e-mail and with users who overfill their storage quotas with e-mail. He suggested that ITAC should propose policy that would deal with such problems, noting that many other campuses have begun to restrict delivery of e-mail to “overquota” users, returning e-mail to senders if space is not made available after three days holding time. Thomas Van Gilder queried whether there was a reasonable archiving procedure in place for storing emails. May responded that he was looking into that issue.
9) Update on disaster recovery (Raley and Belk sites)
Williams reported that the machine room in Raley Hall (AKA computer systems center) had been renovated and made substantially more physically secure. Machine cabinets are now mostly standardized and all machines have been rewired for reliability. ITS is currently looking into replacement on the current, 30-minute UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) capability to a more robust and fully redundant system. The current plans for disaster recovery envision a system where all critical servers are duplicated to prevent loss of any critical services.
10) Discussion of IT policies and guidelines
Williams reported that required password resets and renewals would be in place very shortly as a result of IT auditors findings at Appalachian; the recommendations in auditors’ reports have been changed from “shoulds” to “musts” and will be implemented within weeks. He further mentioned that the ITS Applications and Systems groups were in the process of building a mechanism for resetting users’ passwords as painlessly as possible. The complexity and diversity of the systems and their respective password requirements dictate a slow and deliberate approach that is currently being undertaken.
11) Adjournment
There being no further business, Williams adjourned the meeting at 3:12 PM.
