Academic Technology Steering Committee
Minutes of the November 14, 2003 Meeting

Members present: John Baky, Sabrina DeTurk, Joan Frizzell, Pingjun Jiang, Steve Longo, Dave Munchak, Ed Nickerson, Cesar Ruiz, Jo Anne Snarponis, Jack Sweeder

The meeting was called to order at 3:30.

Information on the charge for this ad hoc committee (see below) was distributed and discussed.

Charge to the committee:
The Academic Technology Steering Committee reports through the Provost to the Computer Governance Committee. The ATSC is charged with setting an academic technology agenda for the University, particularly by setting priorities for projects, evaluating new systems and software, and determining which technologies can most appropriately address the teaching and learning goals of the institution. The ATSC will also assist in setting a faculty development agenda relative to academic technology. The ATSC is expected to collaborate as necessary with other groups in determining how academic technology can help to advance any University projects that impact teaching and learning.

The chair reviewed some of the recent initiatives and developments in the area of academic technology at La Salle, including the creation of the Office of Distributed Education, the implementation of the WebCT course management system, initial implementation of wireless networks, the mylasalle portal implementation and increased integration of the Banner SIS into academic practice, such as with course registration and grade submission.

Members of the committee were then asked for their initial thoughts on items or issues that should be part of the agenda for the committee. Responses may be summarized as follows:

The committee should assist in identifying areas where there is a critical mass of faculty support or need for a particular technology in order to facilitate resource planning and allocation for academic technology.

The committee should facilitate better use of those technologies already in place but not widely adopted by the faculty.

The committee should play a role in increasing both internal and external promotion of La Salle’s successes with academic technology implementation and innovation.

There is a perceived need for a sort of information “clearinghouse” – one place where students and faculty can go for information and support relative to academic technology and the committee might work to facilitate the creation of such a “clearinghouse.”

The committee could address the way in which the university communicates recommendations/requirements about computing equipment to students – how do we answer students’ question about what to purchase or bring to campus?

The committee might consider and make recommendations on the question of whether to mandate the use of the La Salle email system for university-related communications. Or, in a different approach, might work with faculty to encourage them to use that system and to insist that their students to the same (an individual rather than institutionally mandated approach – the idea being that we should entice users to our technology if we believe it to be effective and preferable to others).

The committee might investigate the development of mobile, wireless computing labs to facilitate use of technology in classes that don’t meet in actual computer labs.

The committee should consider ways to ensure adequate technology support for students and faculty in evening, weekend, and other non-traditional programs – and at our remote locations.

The committee might look at the creation of an online resource for information about academic technology resources, practices, and standards – and also to facilitate routine tasks such as the reservation of computer labs.

The committee might investigate the feasibility of offering specially discounted computer packages, customized to La Salle requirements, for students, faculty and staff.

The committee might investigate the possibility of the University becoming its own ISP or entering into a partnership to provide online service with a respected provider.

The committee should consider where the University wants to head in regard to distance education/online learning.

The committee should consider the question of whether we should do more to share technology resources (including personnel resources) across schools and departments and how we might effectively manage shared resources. Related questions of staffing needs, cost vs. revenue for technology-intensive programs, and other resource questions should also be considered.

Members were requested to discuss these and other possible agenda items with their colleagues, so that the committee could begin to compile and prioritize a more formal agenda at the December meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45.