University of Minnesota

Institute of Technology

Minutes of ITICC Meeting

October 13, 1998

3:30 p.m., 150 Physics

Present: Bance (ADCS), Barnes (CE), Bie (Chem), Carlson (ADCS), Chase (ME), Derby (CEMS), Duren (UC), Gao (Geol), Garrett (Math), Haker (Math), Hudleston (IT Stud Aff), Larson (ADCS), Li (ECE), MacDonald (CSE), MacEwan (Chem), Mann (Chem), Moshier (CSciE), Osborne (ITSB), Pirie (CEMS), Reisinger (Geol), Rusack (Phys), Safonov (CSE), Shield (AEM), Sobelman (ECE), Speakman (Phys), Swanson (ECE), Tripathi (CSciE)

1) Report on lab status and actions since spring quarter

Hudleston handed out a revised budget for 1998-99, and reported that the amount of instructional equipment funds contributed by the college to ITICC had been reduced to $250,000 this year, because the carryover funds in the account were substantial and the need in the departments for instructional equipment was significantly increased due to the switch to semesters. He emphasized that no money was being lost overall to instructional equipment - it was all benefiting students in IT, although less will be available to ITICC for the computer labs. The carryover has been growing over the past few years because a number of budgeted items have not been charged, or have resulted in lower costs than budgeted for. These include the bursar’s fee, funds for adaptive equipment, and unspent contingency funds. The net effect was a carryforward into FY99 of about $310,000 of otherwise non-committed funds. Hudleston said he will get a proper reconciliation of the account so that we know precisely what is available and avoid future carryover buildups.

An objection was made to the placing of the carryforward as ‘income’ (75% of which goes to the public labs and 25% to the departments), and Hudleston conceded it should not be so listed and would have it changed. The carryforward funds should be attributed only to the public labs. The distribution of ITICC funds to departments for 1998-99 was based on a projected total income that was $250,000 more than it should have been. To correct this, $62,500 should be transferred from departmental funds to the public labs.

The point was made that although the budget approved for 1998-99 was relatively modest, the budget next year will be much higher because there are a large number of computers scheduled to be replaced (about 40 SUNs, 28 SGIs, and 55 NT machines are due for retirement). Hudleston said that he would argue for extra funds from instructional equipment next year if the reduced amount this year caused a problem for next year’s planning.

MacDonald handed out a revised statement of purchases from the approved list of 1998-99 proposals. There is a net savings of $23,609, despite an additional cost of $24,340 on carpeting in 4-204.

Hudleston said he would send out soon the list of equipment retired last summer. This consists of 10 SUNs and 14 SGI workstations. MacDonald said that 4 of the SUNs had been sent to the student computer lab in North Hennepin Community college, which is part of the ITICC system (students there pay the IT fee). Student organizations will get first priority in making use of the rest of the retired equipment.

Regarding the proposal for a new computer classroom, Hudleston said that he had not been successful in identifying a room for this. He did say, however, that an arrangement has been agreed to between IT and ADCS which will result, in effect, in a classroom/lab that Math will be able to use. ADCS will be transforming Lind 24 (opposite Lind 26) into a computer lab that can also be used as a classroom, for use while Walter Library (and the ADCS lab there) is being remodeled. When the remodeling of Walter is done, ADCS will leave the Lind 24 lab to IT, and Math will be given first priority for its use. Of the two computer classrooms included in the 1998-99 ITICC budgets - one in ‘upper division’ and one in lower division for use by Math - one (Lind 24) will in effect be created by this means.

Regarding the second classroom, Hudleston said that the administration is making a pitch to upgrade a number of classrooms into computer classrooms of various types, and that these could help serve the needs of IT. It was suggested that IT might use the funds it has budgeted for an IT classroom to leverage central funds to get a classroom for which IT would have priority use. Hudleston said he would explore this.

The labs are running smoothly this fall. One problem occurred in the first week when ME 302 was not opened in time to allow use by an early morning class that had reserved the room. Larson said that steps have been taken to prevent this from reoccurring.

2) Acceptable Use Policy

MacDonald has had the Acceptable Use Policy developed by ADCS modified for use by IT. Copies of this were distributed. With expanded use of computers on campus, and an extensive networked environment, it seems prudent to have such a policy in place. Hudleston asked committee members to review this policy and forward any suggestions for changes to him. He will then make any further modifications and bring it to the next ITICC meeting for approval.

3) Issues for 1998-99

Thinking ahead to 1999-2000 for equipment needs, MacDonald suggested that ITICC start planning now for replacing additional computers, to make use of the additional funds available because of carryover and because of the modest equipment purchase in 1998-99. This has the added advantage of avoiding doing all the replacement of equipment next summer, which will be short because of the switch to semesters.

4) Report on Lower Division Computing

Rusack and Mann reported on progress in implementing the introduction of computers into introductory Physics and Chemistry labs. Rusack said that a technical person had been hired and that things are on track. Chemistry is about to open a search for their technical person.

Handouts:

Revised budget for 1998-99

List of items purchased with contingency funds

Revised costing of purchased items for 1998-99

Acceptable Use Policy