Committee Minutes - 2003-09-19

CASNR Student Technology Fee Committee

Meeting Minutes

September 19, 2003

102 AGH

Students:  Matthew Stockman, Yancy Wright

Faculty:    Tracy Boyer, Andrew Mort, Harsha DeSilva for Doug Needham, Shelly Sitton, Craig Trible, Don Turton, Ed Miller, Paul Weckler

Not attending:  Kenton Dashell, Joe Emenheiser, Summer Farr, Gerald Fitch, Darrell Kletke, Daniel Mosburg, Rachel Oller, Trent Roberts

AGENDA

1.      Status of CASNR Computer Lab renovations – Dr. Miller informed the committee that all three labs are up and running with the exception of additional AC/ventilation issues in the ANSI 126 lab. Physical Plant is addressing the heating and cooling of that lab. The ANSI lab will be closed when ANSI building is locked nightly by security.  The lockup situation with the ANSI lab is due to the building set up. There is no way to secure other labs and offices in that building, therefore, it will be necessary to close the computer lab when the building is locked.  If students are working in the lab during the evening they may continue to work but once they leave they will not be able to get back in the building. We expect more traffic in the AG labs due to the renovations and new student housing behind Cowboy Mall. 

Members of the committee asked what the AGH weekend hours are. Dr. Miller stated that recently we expanded hours. However, if a student comes to AGH on a weekend and the building is locked they will not be admitted.  If this occurs faculty and or students should report this to the Academic Programs area.  Current hours are Saturday 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.  If students are working in the labs they will not be asked to leave when the building is locked.  We do not support the AGH labs on weekends students should be aware there are three 24-7 labs on campus that are monitored and can provide technical support if necessary.  They are Willham Mezzanine, Bennett hall B-19 and Math Science 108.

2.      Financial Report for Laboratory – Dr. Miller provided a copy of the current budget overview and told the committee what they wouldn’t see on the budget is any encumbrances for lab monitors, supplies, or salary and benefits for a new technical support person.  Dwayne Hunter is in the process of hiring a new technical support staff person that will be supported 50% from the Student Tech Fee account.  There are also three multi media classrooms that will have expenditures charged against this account.  The multi media classrooms are AGH 201 and 202 and ANSI 101.

Lab Monitors - We have two lab monitors.  Tonya requested that the committee be vigilant about identifying AG students in the spring term to work the following fall.  This will allow our labs to be up and running the first day of classes and we would like to support AG students by providing jobs when possible.  There were no AG students that

Meeting Minutes – September 19, 2003

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applied whose class schedule and or work hours would fit the positions of lab monitors until the positions had been filled.  Cassie Latino is a freshman majoring in ENG and Swathie Nandakumar is a Grad student majoring in Computer Science.  Both have been hired until December and could work the spring term if their job performance meets the needs of the labs. 

3.      Departmental Request – Horticulture & L. A. proposed a special request for funding of their departmental computer lab.  Harsha DeSilva gave the committee a broad overview of the current Hort. & L.A. lab situation.  The department has in place a structure whereby students are charged for their printing.  The special request includes additional funding for security needs, which would increase the number of students that can access the lab.  The committee asked if the lab is open to all students.  Harsha stated that currently it is not open to all students but that it is available to students who take Hort. or L. A. classes.

The committee agreed to support the current budget request of $10, 263 with the caveat that Hort. & L. A. make the lab assessable to all students between 8:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m Monday through Friday and that they be informed that any former agreements and or obligations for their lab situation has now been formally addressed. 

That being said the committee stated that there needs to be a budget request structure in place so that other departments with specialized needs and or new teaching labs can request support for their labs.  There has to be some sort of equity in place so departments do not continue to do their own thing and expect the Tech Fee to cover the expense.  The committee also would like to investigate the possibility of a color printer and plotter area for students to utilize.  The thought is to have an area that would be overseen by a staff member and managed like a printing service i.e. Kinko’s.  Students continue to request color printing be available for final projects.

Dr. Miller informed the committee that printing is still a major expense for the labs both paper waste and toner usage.  Students become inpatient for print jobs and because we are not sure of how computer savvy our students are we find Power Point slides printed one to each page.  Faculty need to be aware this is happening so they can change their printing projects and or let students know to be patient for their print jobs.    

Miller asked those attending representatives if Fridays at 2:30 were a convenient meeting time and day.  All present indicated their schedule would allow this date and time.  Dr. Miller would like to have three meetings this semester.  Academic Programs will schedule the meetings and inform committee members. 

Meeting adjourned.