University of Minnesota

Institute of Technology

Minutes of ITICC Meeting

November 12, 1998

3:30 p.m., 150 Physics

Present: Amesbury (CS/IT), Bance (ADCS), Berrada (ME), Carlson (ADCS), Chase (ME), Cooley (CSE), Duren (UC), Gao (Geol), Hudleston (IT Stud Aff), Kachelmyer (ADCS), Larson (ADCS), Lemay (CSSpec), Li (ECE), MacEwan (Chem), Martimbeau (Phys), Mein (CS/IT), Pirie (CEMS), Reisinger (Geol), Shield (AEM), Skillman (Astro), Sobelman (ECE), Swanson (ECE), Winckelman (Math)

Amendment of Oct. 13 meeting minutes.

The second paragraph of the first item on the agenda was amended to indicate that 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.

Because the distribution to departments has already been made, this adjustment cannot be done this year. Hudleston said he would transfer this amount to the public labs when the budget for 1999-2000 is prepared next spring.

1) Report from CSci and ADCS

Mein reported no problems with the workstations, except that on several occasions the number of ProE licenses in use at any one time reached the limit of 100. He said that there are plans to increase the number of licenses to 200. Also, he has added a script to identify and free up unused licenses each night.

A question was raised about the number of empty carrels in ME 308. This is a problem because of high demand in the lab. Hudleston said he had understood from MacDonald that the empty carrels were to be filled. This should have happened by now. Mein said he would look into it.

Berrada asked if the warnings from systems staff about the need to change vulnerable passwords or face account closure could be sent via the tc e-mail account. Warnings sent to the itlabs account were easily missed. Mein said that this would not be a problem. Amesbury explained that warnings were routinely given and commonly missed or ignored. He explained that in some cases, when a security breach is detected, accounts had to be closed without warning.

Larson said that card-swipe locks were to be put on the lab doors soon, improving security and access to staff.

2) Acceptable Use Policy

The Acceptable Use Policy was unanimously approved for adoption by ITICC, with the few changes made by Hudleston and with the removal of the item “Have Fun”, under the “Dos”. There was brief discussion of what constituted high priority and low priority use, and a recognition that although somewhat subjective, some indication of what these are should be given to users. Larson said that lab consultants were routinely informed about this at initial training and asked to watch for inappropriate use or low priority use during heavy-use periods.

3) Lab Opening Hours

Hudleston said that he had received a request from MSA to keep open one of the workstation labs 24 hours a day, at least during the last part of the quarter. There was a discussion about the need for this. Doubtless there are a few individuals who would like to work during the night hours. The problem of building security came up, as it did previously when extended lab hours were discussed. EE/CSci and ME close at midnight, so even if the lab were open, people would not be able to get in the building after midnight. Putting a few workstations in Lind 26 could provide 24-hour access, but Larson pointed out that the lab barely accommodated sufficient Macs and PCs to make viable classrooms, and replacing some machines there with workstations would create problems. Skillman suggested keeping a workstation lab open for an extra couple of hours for a few nights, which might address the need without going to 24 hours. Lemay pointed out the difficulties night schedules posed for lab consultants.

It was agreed that ITICC members would solicit input from students about the need for longer opening times, and MSA would be invited to come to the next meting and present their case.

4) Equipment Proposal

Following the last ITICC meeting, MacDonald with the help of the IT ICC Tech committee has prepared a list of computers that could be purchased with the excess carryover funds and savings from the initial modest budgeting of new equipment for 1998-99. The amount available is estimated at about $150,000. Mein handed out the list (which had been e-mailed to ITICC members earlier in the day). These machines are planned to replace computers in ME 308 (the SGIs), EECS 4-204 (Suns), EECS 3-170 (Dells), and Phys 130 (Macs). Several suggestions were offered about possibly getting additional savings on the prices listed, and Mein said he would look into these. Winckelman suggested it might be possible to trade in old Suns to get a better price yet.

The members present unanimously approved this proposal. Hudleston said he would get ballots out to ITICC members quickly so we could move ahead and purchase machines so that they could be installed during winter break.

5) Other Business

Chase asked if Hudleston needed any help from committee members in trying to leverage central funds with ITICC funds to get a computer classroom. Hudleston said that if central was receptive to the idea, he would ask for such help.

Handout: List of equipment proposed for purchase fall quarter 1998