FTC Minutes, February 8, 2011

Item 1 - AV (David Corkum) comments on new arrangements for Gasson

Redo of all 20 classrooms; timetable

Printout with notes (see Appendix A below)– new design standards….

Will be the same as Stokes (34 classrooms).

“Digital capable” – VGA cable and/or HDMI/DVI True digital signal for a better image.

No more Black Boxes – podiums instead – freestanding rack; this is on the Fulton model with fixed podiums. Laptop sits on top of podium. Larger rooms at least will all have podiums – even small rooms

16 X 10 screens for computer output. DVD and VHS combos - many use videotape that will continue to be honored. As long as we can buy VHS machines…. Classroom capture and iClickers selectively. E-Control – global power shutdowns. Some troubleshooting can now be done remotely.

FTC Question. Screens obscuring the blackboards? New rooms and upgraded rooms will be offset on one side or the other, but some screens cannot be moved. AV is aware of faculty complaints about this.

C. Tiala observation about Theatre classes in Gasson. Fixed podiums do not work for theatre. M. Connolly – FMRC suggests/hopes/anticipates we will be moving to wireless – no cables, no wires.

Michael Restler question about computers in classrooms – classrooms will never have computers (there are now a few classrooms with computers (exceptions to rule); iPad etc. can all serve for this.

A. Peck question. Problem of adapters for Macs– there are 6-7 different Mac adapters, one for each new model. BYO. Such equipment always walks away. No solution in sight. Wireless is the answer, reaffirms M. Connolly.

Item 2 - BCCR options will include 11” Air and 13” Air – proposed Mac Book Air option:

MacBook Air 13 inch

256 GB Flash Storage

2.13 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

4 GB 1066 MHz SDRam

Keyboard (?)

Ethernet Adapter

External CD Drive (Air Super Drive)

3 Tear Warranty

Mac AIR are available for test drive in FMRC….

FMRC not going back into Gasson; Carney 403-404 for now.

Barry Schaudt on BCCR – plan to complete this cycle in spring, 2011 holds steady.

Item 3 - B. Schaudt on www2 upgrade – distributed handout; comments on January 9, 2011 upgrade: “Not so good news”. WWW2 upgrade did not go well.

Mistakes and problems:

1. Missing files – last minute decision to use a new script instead of Rsync.

2. Lack of communication within ITS and to the community.

3. Quotas issue – implemented without even Barry’s knowing. No quotas now.

4. Old links still work, but this is under discussion – old links/old users grandfathered – will not be soon. Up to the faculty to lobby to keep these forever. No policy decision made.

5. M. Connolly brought up the matter of the letter to faculty users – tone was “accusatory” from IT side. FTCs for review of the letter. Barry has already noted the problem. Letter was unsigned, too. “Prodserv” was the attribution - not an author (M. Connolly).

6. Question of switch to Webdav - has been adopted for security reasons – can be a drag-drop folder on the desktop.

B. Schaudt turned to M. Bourque presence at last meeting and ID Finder – the schedule for ID Finder on the Mac has been set back; still in testing stages.

Duket question. ID Finder will not extend to usernames.

Item 4 – Alteris SUITE MC’s “Spyware” (See Appendix B below, if obtained by FTC) – this software will have the capability of knowing how a computer is being used.

How is Altiris going to be used? 2 purposes – BCCR process to discover what is needed on machines (software profile).

IT manages 3000 machines – improves productivity.

Extensive fact sheet on Altiris handed out. (Appendix B) Under the heading “What’s gathered?” last item is “Username of who logs in most frequently”. Why is this being collected? Answer. Username of people logging in data is helpful.

B. Schaudt declaration - “What’s gathered and NOTHING ELSE”. – see ‘future expansion” on the Fact Sheet (“ITS will not extend further without consulting the BC community.” This project was mentioned as part of the BCCR process, but not mentioned ahead of time as something possibly very sensitive (i.e. announced, but not explained).

B. Schaudt. Very useful, for example, if departments buy their own software, but we can aggregate data in purchasing licenses.

Mi. Connolly. Can a chair ask for a record of what information IT has for a department? “Freedom of Information” will be honored. Barry S. will bring forward the question whether a faculty member can ask for what IT holds on a person. BCCR only machines at this point. Some pressure on IT to expand to all BC-owned computers.

Duket question. Answer. Contract negotiations with Google or Microsoft for email continue and advance…

Meeting adjourned shortly after six p.m. Next meeting March 2, 2011 (same time, same place). Compiled by T. Duket, scribe.

Appendix A:

Gasson - changes in AV after renovation, provided by David Corkum

Design

Total of 20 Rooms

This will be the first building that gets new design standards. Design is similar to what will be installed in Stokes.

The main change in standards concerns having the ability for digital inputs and wiring.

Rooms will be installed with either a Podium or freestanding rack depending upon the size of the room.

Rooms will have both digital (HDMI/DVI) and analog (VGA) inputs.

Dimension of Screens will be 16x10.

Projectors will be High Definition Capable – 1080i.

Equipment will include a DVD/VHS combination deck.

Rooms will have the same type of push-button controllers that are currently used in the majority of rooms on campus.

All rooms will be on the e-Control classroom monitoring software.

Select rooms may have Classroom Capture and i-Clickers.

Implementation

Due to Union construction contracts, the equipment cannot be installed until August 17^th.

All cabling and electrical work will be done prior to Aug 17^th, and the equipment housed in the Podiums/Racks will be pre-built by the installation company.

All faculty teaching in these rooms will be contacted by e-mail alerting them to the new equipment. They can contact Media Technology Services prior to the start of classes to obtain training on the new systems.

During the first week of classes, Media Technology Services will have staff in Gasson to assist faculty using the technology.

Appendix B:

Use of Altiris Client Management Suite at BC – Fact Sheet