IUN Information Technology Plan

2002 to 2005

I. Vision Statement for Information Technologies
II. Management of Information Technologies
III. Overview of Current Computing Activities
IV. Current Status of Information Technologies
V. Goals from the Indiana University Information Technology Strategic Plan
VI. Goals for Information Technologies
VII. Timeline

I. Vision Statement for Information Technologies (back to top)

IUN is committed to establishing and maintaining excellence in information technologies, including instructional technology, in order to serve students, faculty and staff needs to create a quality teaching and learning environment. This commitment has several implications. As a regional campus, IUN is clearly an integral part of the Indiana University system, having its own catchment area as well as its own linkages to the wider system. This creates an important dimension of IT, the special linkages to the larger IU system. Increasingly, information technologies are viewed as a single telecommunications system that merges data, voice, and video capabilities.

The entire IU system is in the midst of a major transformation concerning the use of information technologies for teaching, research and professional service. IUN seeks to take a proactive approach to supporting the use of technology during this dramatic transition. IUN intends to provide facilities and support for an expanding role of information technologies to faculty, students, and staff who have significantly different needs and experience in the use of technology. This support includes not only technical support of hardware and software but also what is equally important, training to serve the instructional and curricular needs of faculty and students and to provide the most up-to-date system for Internet access to enhance teaching and learning, research and professional service.

Context

As Annette Kolodny writes, "there is no substitute for the inspiration, rigor, and focus of direct contact between a teacher and her students." [Quoted in Indiana University Information Technology Strategic Plan: Architecture for the 21st Century, May 1998, p. 2.] Nor is technology a substitute for the accumulated knowledge, wisdom, experience, and judgment of a faculty member. But information technology is a tool -- as powerful in its way as the discovery of fire. It adds extraordinary new dimensions to the learning strategies, research methodologies, and service models that are available to colleges and universities today. It brings the world to their campuses and takes their campuses out into the world. As pointed out in Indiana University's strategic plan for information technology, the new capacities for information management and telecommunications will have direct and specific impact on its campuses.

These new technologies can be expected to:

• enhance the teaching learning process and create new modalities for instructional delivery;
• enable campuses to meet rapidly rising student demand for lifelong learning, continuing professional development, and interactive learning environments;
• change research tools and approaches and dramatically alter the possibilities for the dissemination of research;
• change patterns of scholarly collaboration and access to knowledge; and
• break down the current boundaries between campus, community, and business site.
• Additionally, the use of modern information systems will over time transform the business and administrative processes, enabling them to generate savings and to function more effectively on behalf of the academic community and its students. [Indiana University Information Technology Strategic Plan: Architecture for the 21st Century, May 1998, p. 4, p. 8.]

President Myles Brand's goal to have "Indiana University rise to a position of absolute leadership among institutions of public higher education in the creative use and application of information technology" creates many exciting possibilities for regional campuses. Physical distance and limitations no longer prevent them from becoming full partners in the progress of the university.

The full development of information technology as an integral part of the academic and administrative functioning of their campuses does, however, present some issues for the regional universities. Faculty and staff need to be moved along the ever-accelerating, ever rising learning curve associated with the new information technologies. But the resources of time and money needed to facilitate faculty and staff development are hard to find on small and moderate-sized campuses with heavy teaching loads and relatively limited budgetary resources.

Student access to computing also raises questions for a commuting student body, which tends to have demanding home and work schedules. Late-night, off-hour access to computing centers is problematic for students such as these, who may also face financial difficulties in purchasing personal computers of their own. As the Indiana University strategic plan for information technology points out, students will need asynchronous access to learning and information materials while away from campus and will become increasingly dependent on the World Wide Web and Internet as sources of information. How to provide computing access presents a series of practical challenges that need to be resolved.

The balance between centralization and decentralization of computer services and educational delivery is a national issue that particularly impacts the regional campuses. They stand to benefit greatly from the ability to access faculty, courseware, and information sources electronically. At the same time, it is important that they retain their own independent role both as initiators of courseware and as "forwarding" or "relay" stations for courseware from other institutions. The same arguments made for the primacy of face-to-face teaching over technology must also be made in this regard. It is important that physically accessible faculty be directly involved in the delivery of course work, whatever its origin; that faculty be encouraged to use technology on their own for pedagogic and research purposes; and that close community relationships not give way to a purely centralized approach. The vision of Indiana University as a premiere institution for informational technology depends upon seeking and implementing this balance.

II. Management of Information Technologies (back to top)

It is crucial for the management of information technologies to create an appropriate organizational structure. This structure has been initiated in the creation of the Cabinet-level position of Vice Chancellor for Information Technology. This position reports directly to the IUN Chancellor and is responsible for all aspects of information technologies.

The Vice Chancellor for Information Technology is responsible for implementing the Indiana University Information Technology Strategic Plan Architecture for the 21st Century: An Information Technology Strategic Plan for Indiana University on the IUN campus. This position represents IUN at meetings with Vice President and CIO, Michael McRobbie and works directly with centralized IT staff. The Vice Chancellor works with the Shared Vision Coordinating Committee to plan and implement specific Shared Vision outcomes as stated in the Shared Vision documents

Information Technologies consists of the following operating units: the Office of the Vice Chancellor; the Department of Microcomputer Support Services which provides desktop support and student computer support; the Department of Instructional Technologies which provides audio-visual services, distance learning, and faculty development; and the Department of Technical Services which provides network administration, server administration, centralized printing, test grading, and telecommunications. Other functions include microcomputer applications instruction, and web management. This structure must be complemented by a planning, staffing, and budgeting process for IT that can be integrated into the overall IUN planning and budgeting process.

IUN has implemented a series of line items in the annual budget that will satisfy new technological needs as well as the maintenance, repair and replacement of existing technology. To date these line items address the life-cycle replacement funding of faculty, staff and computer lab desktops and networked printers. They also include servers and the telecommunication system. 

In addition to the budgeted funds, outside funding resources should be solicited jointly with the faculty and Director of Sponsored Projects to meet emerging information technology needs.

The Vice Chancellor has initiated a Technology Council and Student Technology Fee Committee to provide advice on various aspects of information technologies. Among its other charges, the Technology Council will periodically review this Technology Plan. In consultation with the Academic Council and the Chancellor's Cabinet, the results of that review will be communicated to the entire IUN community.

IUN Technology Council

The Technology Council is a representative body appointed by the Chancellor and charged to review and advise on all policy issues pertaining to information and instructional technology at IUN. The Technology Council for the 2001-2003 academic years include the following members:

The purpose of the Technology Council is to serve in an advisory capacity to the IUN Vice Chancellor for Information Technology. In addition, the committee's mission is to:

• Assist in the preparation and updating of the IUN Technology Plan;
• Help establish policies for IUN's computing standards, including the development of a Computer User's Policy statement;
• Assist in formulating policy related to information and instructional technologies;
• Help establish policies and strategies for computer support and training in classrooms and laboratories;
• Serve as an advisory committee for the use of information technologies in teaching, for research, and in professional service; and
• Provide inputs to the information technology planning and budgeting process.

IUN Student Technology Fee Committee

Student Technology Fee Committee is an appointed body of five students and five faculty or academic staff charged to advise and review issues pertaining to the use of technology fees collected from IUN students. The Student Technology Fee Committee for the 2001-2003 academic years include the following members:

The purpose of the committee is to serve in an advisory capacity to the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology. In addition, the committee's mission is to solicit, review, and select proposals for one-time funding from unallocated Student Technology fees.

IUN Faculty Organization Computer Committee

Primarily advise on operating issues as they relate to the academic mission of the campus.

III. Overview of Current Computing Activities (back to top)

Current Instructional Computing Activities

On the one hand, the current use of computers in instruction at IUN is diverse and extensive. For a number of years there have been classes taught using multimedia in the classroom. For a longer period there have been classes taught in computer classroom/labs. Several distributed-learning courses are taught using compressed video. A number of classes now use web-enhanced teaching methods. Library instruction is taught with hands-on computer time using electronic resources. Electronic discussion-groups and e-mail are integral to many courses.

On the other hand, instruction in the use of computers and computer applications is also extensive. The Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems at IUN is a four-year undergraduate program that involves the study of computers and their application to business. CIS majors must complete a 45 credit hour curriculum that includes courses in application development, problem solving, programming, systems analysis, database management systems, networking, and Web page development using state-of-the-art hardware and software. The capstone course investigates current directions in information systems. CIS students are required to complete an internship or independent study project. The CIS program draws from both CSCI and DPIS course offerings. In addition to general computing facilities, the CIS department recently acquired space to build a networking and hardware lab, where students can gain hands-on experience in assembling networks or building computers. The CIS department also offers joint bachelor degrees with Fine Arts and Mathematics. These joint degrees allow students to pursue multiple areas of interest. Students are required to complete specific courses, which include the senior capstone course in one of the major areas. To enhance opportunities for professional advancement of those who have already completed a baccalaureate degree, IUN also offers a post-baccalaureate certificate program in Computer Information Systems. The certificate program requires a minimum of 30 credit hours and provides a foundation of knowledge in information systems drawing from courses offered in the CIS major. Undergraduate students pursuing other majors, may minor in Computer Information Systems. Students seeking a minor or a PBC may choose an area of concentration in Networking, Programming, Application Development, Systems Analysis, or Web Development.

In addition to the CIS programs and courses, instruction in the use of computers and computer applications is provided in areas such as Business, Education, and Arts and Sciences.

Shared Vision Conducive Classroom Committee

Indiana University has developed a common set of Model Classroom Descriptions and Requirements (Attachment A) to guide the renovation of existing classrooms and aid in the design of new classrooms.

IUN's Shared Vision Conducive Classroom Coordinating Committee inventoried all classrooms and placed them within the Model types and rated them according to their actual conduciveness to learning (Attachment B). An Equipment Functionality Matrix by Room Type (Attachment C) has also been developed to aid in improving all the classrooms. This committee will advise the administration on bring all classroom spaces into full compliance with the conducive classroom objectives as stated in the Shared Vision document. Specific actions to take and timelines will be developed and forwarded to the Shared Vision Steering Committee for implementation.

Student Technology Centers

There are two Student Technology Centers (STC's) at IUN. Marram Hall 103 is the main STC with the manager's office located there. This STC has adjacent bathrooms, a secure entry, special equipment for our blind students, a graphics PC with scanner and color laser printer, and is open extended hours. The other STC is located in the new Savannah Center room 227. The Marram Hall STC supports Macintosh and IBM compatible Personal Computers and both STC's have multiple high capacity HP laser printers. Funding for the STC's come from Student Technology Fees.

Computer Classrooms

IUN's microcomputer classrooms (IU's Type V Classrooms) are located in Marram Hall, Raintree Hall, Hawthorn Hall, the Library, and at the off-campus Portage Commons site. Each computer classroom has one or more networked HP Laser printers. Each computer classroom has an overhead large display video/data LCD projector, which displays the video signal from the teacher's station on a pull-down screen at the front of the room. Funding for all computer classrooms comes from Student Technology Fees.

Mobile Multimedia Presentation Systems

At present, IUN has 18 mobile multimedia presentation systems that are available for use in the 56 classrooms on campus. There are 15 PC carts and 3 Apple Macintosh carts with the following makeup:

The carts are customized before delivery. Speakers can be added as well as VCRs and/or video copy stands. There are ten LCD data/video projectors available to be combined with the above carts as needed.

We expect the demand for these mobile systems to continue to increase.

Classroom Technologies

The following computer classrooms have LCD data/video projectors and stereo speakers installed: Hawthorn Hall 428 and 454, Raintree Hall 202 (two projectors), 211 and 212. Hawthorn Hall 333 will be similarly equipped during the summer of 2002.

There are three classrooms equipped with LCD data/video projectors. They are Raintree Hall 102, Marram 119 and 123 And three classrooms equipped with the older style CRT type projectors. They are Marram 115, Hawthorn 107 and 460.

During the summer of 2002, twenty classrooms will be equipped with an instructor's console consisting of a networked computer (Mac or PC), video copy stand and VCR. This console will be connected to an LCD data/video projector and stereo speakers. Each room will be secured with a keypad entry locking system.

Raintree 102 remains our most advanced technology classroom which has an AMX touch pad to control lights, curtains, sound, instructor access to a rack of equipment including computer, VCR, video disc, video copy stand and other equipment as needed.

Distributive Education by Video Teleconferencing

We have three rooms equipped for video teleconferencing. Hawthorn Hall 338 is the smallest holding a maximum of eight people and is equipped with IP Polycom equipment including a video copy stand and scan converter for Mac or PC computers.

Hawthorn 318, with a seating capacity of 20, is our most sophisticated of the three with three robotically controlled cameras and instructor controlled video copy stand, VCR and a networked Macintosh computer capable of running both Mac and PC operating systems (Virtual PC) and application programs. Advanced technologies including chromakey are available through video staff assistance in the adjacent control room. This DE room can connect via IP Polycom, fiber through Ameritech Advanced Video System (AAVS) as well as ISDN and other routes through IUPUI and IU Bloomington MCU's.

Hawthorn 105 has the largest capacity of the three rooms with 39 seats. It has two 54" monitors in the front of the room with instructor controlled networked computer, video copy stand and VCR. An adjacent control room allows our video staff to make connections via IP Polycom or AAVS and control cameras.

Current Research Computing Activities

Electronic communication and exchange of information is essential for IUN faculty to keep pace with their colleagues in their respective fields of research. IUN faculty use electronic resources to communicate with colleagues, exchange information and data, and to gain access to essential information related to their research activities. A major research activity using computers for IUN faculty involves access to libraries throughout the world through the Internet. These same library-based resources provide access to research materials (databases, etc.) in the natural and social sciences. Faculty also use subscription-based CD-ROM databases in the library, and have network access to Internet databases in their offices.

More specifically, IUN faculty use resources on the web to write grant proposals, to purchase scientific equipment, and to become aware of new regulations and safety issues (e.g. EPA regulations in environmental research, NIH regulations for blood borne pathogens). IUN faculty access databases on the web and download software for research activities. Several journals (e.g. Nature, Science) are now available on-line and articles can be downloaded. In addition, IUN faculty do word processing on office computers, maintain e-mail contact with colleagues and co-authors, and employ statistical packages for testing hypotheses. IUN faculty also use electronic resources to get more information about scholarly meetings and to register for those meetings.

Through the library, faculty have access in their offices to the a broad range of electronic information sources. These include the IU online catalog (IUCAT), worldwide bibliographic databases, indexing and abstracting services, full text of several thousand journals, 600 electronic journals, and encyclopedic, demographic, and statistical databases.

Current Administrative Computing Activities

IUN uses computers as an integral element of all administrative activities, including in the Office of Academic Affairs, The Office of Administration and Finance,and the Office of Information Technology. In Academic Affairs, computers are essential to the scheduling of instructional facilities, to maintain student records including admissions information, grades, student fees and tuition, and placement data. In Administration and Finance, computers facilitate maintaining financial records, human resources records, physical plant records and work schedules. In Information Technology, computers are used to keep track of Help Desk service requests, maintain web pages, and provide microcomputer applications training.

IV. Current Status of Information Technologies (back to top)

At present, IUN has the highest percentage of Apple Macintosh computers of any IU system campus. Each full-time faculty and staff member has their choice of a networked Apple Macintosh or PC desktop computer with printing services, e-mail services, and access to the Internet via Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. As already noted, there are networked computer classrooms in Marram Hall, Raintree Hall, Hawthorn Hall, the Library, and Portage Commons off-campus site. There are Student Technology Centers in Marram Hall and Savannah Center. The Library has a computer reference area on the first floor and an 8 station Cyber cafe. E-mail kiosks are placed in Hawthorn Hall on the first floor, Morain Student Center, and are planned for the Library first floor. IUN creates and maintains web pages and list servers for both administrative and instructional use. Through list serve software and e-mail, faculty and staff have the ability to communicate with each other, between departments, within the university, and beyond the university.

Desktops

Faculty and staff members have the ability to use word processing, e-mail, and the Internet through their Apple Macintosh or IBM compatible desktop computers. Some departments have purchased additional computers that are not on life-cycle funding. The following chart summarizes current life-cycle funded desktop systems.

Printers

IUN provides access to networked printers for all faculty and staff. There are 66 of these HP LaserJet printers, plus 16 HP Laser printers for students in both STC's and computer classrooms. The faculty and some staff have 140 individual inkjet printers for confidential printing. Life-cycle funding provides most faculty and staff printing needs. Some departments have purchased additional printers that are not on life-cycle funding.

File Servers

IUN has a small number of applications and file servers located in the machine room. These servers, the associated automated tape librarian backup system, uninteruptable power supplies, and operating software are under life-cycle funding. IUN servers currently provide networking services, Cold Fusion, WebCT,and other applications. Some departments have chosen to purchase and support department-specific file servers.

Networking

The general impression of the network in 1999 was that the existing infrastructure would not be able to support any demanding requirements such as IP-TV or IP multicasting without significant upgrading and modernization.

The wiring supplied to the faculty and staff desktops is Category-3 twisted pair cable capable of 10 MBps speed. In many cases the wiring is not dressed neatly and may not pass stringent testing. The computer labs in most cases are wired with Category-5 wiring and may not meet stringent testing at 100MBps. Patch cords are solid wire, not stranded as recommended. There are no cable records maintained for the approximate 1,000 network connections and the general health of the twisted pair cable plant is poor to fair. An estimate to replace the current wiring with an all Category-5E system would cost a minimum of $180,000, if IUN staff performed most of the labor.

Ethernet hubs were a mix of non-buffered Allied Telesyn or Synoptics equipment. The hubs began to fail from old age and because some of the hubs are placed in unventilated spaces and overheat. In some cases hubs are cascaded off hubs causing a potential for hop count problems. There was no clear plan for the network because the budget was only slightly above $6,000 for capital replacement or expansion. Previously,there were problems crossing IP subnets. IUN does not have enterprise quality network test equipment such as a protocol analyzer or network sniffer on campus. This lack of test tools makes diagnosing a network trouble a hit and miss proposition. Telecommunications developed a migration plan including a planned backbone upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet and replacement of all existing Ethernet hubs with HP 4000 switched Ethernet hubs. The project was completed in January 2002.

The main buildings on campus are connected by fiber optic cable in conduits. There is a small amount of multi-mode and single mode optic fiber cable placed between buildings. While this cable is adequate now, there are not sufficient spare fibers in place for any unplanned growth, to provide redundancy, or diverse routing across the campus. An estimated cost for modest single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic expansion for future needs is between $80,000 to $220,000. Again, there is no optic fiber test equipment.

The coaxial cable distribution is largely undocumented. Three .500 (1/2" diameter) hard coaxial cables are placed from Hawthorn to each campus building. These hard coaxial cables are converted to RG-59 or RG-6 inside the buildings for risers and TV drops. The system has never been aligned or balanced. IUN does not have the required spectrum analyzer or signal injector. The current use of these three cables is to provide distribution of the local Cable Company (AT&T Broadband) signal, to provide an origination capability for each building to the control room in Hawthorn Hall, and to provide baseband video signals on an adhoc basis between buildings. This video distribution system is in very poor shape. None (or few) of the cable drops are terminated when not in use. This system needs to be reengineered to provide a broadband signal with the proper alignment and amplification. New riser cabling and self-terminating connectors need to be installed. A good estimate for this rehabilitation must wait on determining what the faculty needs are for video distribution. An estimate for a complete rehabilitation of the cable plant to commercial standards including alignment and F.C.C. certification would cost about $125,000 - $200,000.

Staffing Information Technology Departments

Unfortunately, IT staffing levels are at a critical juncture. Budget reductions, while not unusual at regional campuses, have forced the permanent loss of four IT positions that are essential in providing and maintaining a high quality of customer service. IUN has consistently been unable to attract and retain qualified technical help at salary levels IUN can afford. IUN pays about two-thirds of the comparable regional salary for qualified technical help. As a result, most of the staff do not have a formal degree in the IT field and appear to lack sufficient formal training on the equipment and software they are responsible for maintaining. Turnover of the microcomputer technicians approaches 100%.

IT needs to fill staff positions for a competent system administrator, two PC technicians, two Apple Macintosh technicians, and faces the loss of the A/V manager. This is the primary factor in outsourcing E-mail and web hosting. IT has a small core of new employees and a few dedicated longtime employees that have the potential to make IT a shining star at IUN. As IT moves forward into new technologies, it is very important to train the staff in those technologies.

Student Technology Fee

The Student Technology Fee was created and approved to provide special funds for student-centered IT needs not addressed by the base campus budget. The Student Technology Fee is assessed each student in accordance with a formula that is tied to their credit hour load. Full-time students pay $80.00 each semester. Part-time students pay a graduated portion of the full-time amount. Fees are collected into a general fund account (06-614-05) earmarked for student technology use only. These funds purchase computing equipment in classrooms and Student Technology Centers, mathematical and statistical software, and other miscellaneous student technology related expenses, such as laser toners and paper. The Student Technology Fee also pays salaries for support technicians, the microcomputer applications trainer,and other persons. Funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year are to be retained in the account for future use. Some remaining funds are used for one-time technology requests from the faculty or academic departments. In the past, this funding has been approved for use in creating the two Student Technology Centers, a Geographic Information Systems lab, the Graphics lab, a Modern Languages lab, and in modernizing various computer classrooms.

Some concern has been expressed about maintaining the Student Technology Fees in a general account rather than a restricted account such as Student Activity Fees. The consensus of the Technology Fee Committee is that it must be restricted or resources will be lost to student-identified needs.

V. Goals from the Indiana University Information Technology Strategic Plan (back to top)

The following action items found in the recommendations section of the IT Strategic Plan have direct actions to be taken by the faculty and staff on the IUN campus. Other recommendations also have implications for faculty on the IUN campus, however these action items listed below and the IUN responses are the primary action items affecting IUN IT directly.

ACTION 1: The University should build life-cycle replacement funding into its planning at every level of investment in information technology (including personal, departmental, and central systems, and network hardware and software); and UITS should develop a life-cycle replacement model to use where needed in conjunction with its investments in information technology. Implementation should begin immediately, with full funding of life-cycle replacement phased in over a fixed number of years.

The Vice Chancellor for Information Technology has responded to this Action Item by working with the OVPIT(Office of the Vice President for Information Technology) staff to develop a methodology for periodic replacement of desktop systems, printers, and centralized file servers with essential ancillary components. Each component of this plan has a discrete life cycle. Initial funding for this plan was split 75% IUN and 25% OVPIT. Any additional equipment will be wholly funded by IUN. This plan was put in effect in time to remediate any Y2K problems. The plan's original funding model is shown below:

Component	Quantity	Cost	Life-Cycle	Reserve Amount
Intel PC	372	$386,268	3 years	$128,756
Apple Macintosh	100	$188,400	4 years	$47,100
HP Laser printer	27	$$37,180	5 years	$7,436
HP Inkjet printer	132	$19,800	3 years	$4,950
File servers	7	$64,000	5 years	$16,000
Peripherals/Software	N/A	$19,000	N/A	$4,750

ACTION 2: The University should budget a standard amount per year, per FTE to support life-cycle replacement of faculty and staff desktop computers, and to cover the cost of providing local support to that desktop.

This Activity Based Costing model is not implemented at IUN.

ACTION 3: The University's stock of computers should be systematically modernized so that they are all capable of supporting current releases of widely-used software, Web access, and other basic tasks of computation and communication.

This has been accomplished under Action 1.

ACTION 4: The University should review the market compensation levels for qualified IT professionals at each campus and in their surrounding communities, and seek to make compensation competitive with employment alternatives, within the context of overall University salary goals.

This Market Basket competitive analysis and subsequent compensation adjustment of IT staff has not been accomplished at IUN.

ACTION 5: The University should provide students, faculty and staff with reliable access to computing, data storage, information and network services, on the campuses and off.

This Action is not fully accomplished at IUN. Access on campus is reliable and robust. Off-campus access is limited to a small number of modems. Most students, faculty, and staff use a personal Internet Service Provider (ISP) for access to campus computing resources. IUN continues to look for an ISP that will offer special pricing to students, faculty, and staff across our service area.

ACTION 8: Schools across the University should be encouraged to provide more resources for maintenance and training for departmental and school computing environments. They should work creatively and in collaboration with UITS to train, retain and distribute knowledgeable individuals to maintain distributed server and desktop systems (UNIX, NT, MacOS, etc.).

This action is up to individual IUN departments and schools to accomplish. Currently there are five departments or schools providing some computing resources to their students.

ACTION 10: The University should continue to support the efforts to educate and certify IT professionals in needed functional areas of the profession. These programs should be expanded to reach a wider University audience, especially on the IUPUI and regional campuses.

An attempt to train and certify IT staff technicians was begun, but resulted in every newly certified technician leaving IUN for other employment.

ACTION 11: The Teaching and Learning Technology Lab and the Center for Teaching & Learning should be expanded, and new services developed where needed, to offer a standard level of teaching support services for all faculty at IUB, IUPUI, and the regional campuses.

The Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs has begun a development program to assist faculty in improving their technology skills.

ACTION 21: Beginning immediately, all planning and renovation of classrooms and other teaching spaces should evaluate and incorporate information technology needs. The costs of information technology identified in prior planning efforts as well as future efforts, should be fully base funded to provide for acquiring and installing equipment, as well as for maintenance, repair, life-cycle replacement, and support.

The Shared Vision Conducive Classroom Committee has included information technology in their planning for classroom renewal. The cost to provide classroom technology equipment under a life-cycle concept has not been fully explored with the Senior Staff. Funding discussions for this Action Item have not taken place.

ACTION 47: The University as a whole and the campuses individually should establish base funding for the life-cycle replacement and ongoing development of telecommunications services and infrastructure.

The telephone system is managed as an auxiliary enterprise. The replacement cost for the telephone switch, call accounting system, voice mail system, wiring, and telephones are included in monthly telephone charges. The data communication network has recently been provided $75,000 per year in life-cycle funds from the IUN budget. The budget model for network life-cycle funding is:

VI. Goals for Information Technologies (back to top)

Networking Goals

1. The IUN campus backbone will be upgraded to 1 Gigabit Ethernet between buildings (completed Jan 2002);

2. Desktop wiring will be upgraded to Category 5E and patch cables replaced with stranded patch cables;

3. Ethernet subnets will be cleaned up and balanced;

4. The IUN campus will have proper wiring closets that are used exclusively for wiring;

5. The IUN campus will have fiber optic cable running between wiring closets, i.e. between floors;

6. IT staff will be "involved in a review and advisory capacity" in all new construction and renovation projects on campus to ensure they are brought to successful completion in terms of telecommunications and computing technologies. This involvement will include the project planning phase, where the linkages shall be made through the project architect, and the construction phase, where the linkages shall be made through the general contractor.

7. Proxy server off-campus access to library electronic resources will be established by February, 2002. The Faculty Organization Library Committee passed a resolution in favor of this in April, 2001, because off-campus access is the most frequently requested library upgrade from faculty and students, because off-campus access is the next step in the movement toward the Faculty Organization approved Library Vision, and because this access is the number one priority in the library's 2001/2002 development priorities. The project is readily achievable since the library will pay whatever remaining hardware and software costs are required for the project.

Faculty and Staff Goals

1. IUN will provide each full-time faculty member with at least the minimum information technology needed to accomplish her/his research, instructional, and service goals. A principal feature of this goal is to maintain faculty desktops at a level of processor speed and RAM to permit access to the Internet and to run all software recommended by the IUN Faculty Organization Computer Committee for campuswide support in all computer classrooms and STC's. Those with special additional needs, e.g., Information Systems faculty, will be provided with additional technology as need is demonstrated on a case-by-case basis;

2. IUN will ensure that each staff member has the necessary hardware and software to fulfill the needs of programs, departments and individual faculty members;

3. IUN will develop and provide training as necessary for faculty and staff to fully utilize the information technologies available to them.

Administrative Goals

1. The IUN administration will have the necessary information technology to assure the most up-to-date system for financial transactions and for monitoring curriculum scheduling and student information;

2. The IUN administration, faculty and staff will work with information technology toward becoming a more paperless operation;

3. All IUN departmental and administrative offices will make voice mail available at hours other than normal office hours;

4. The IUN administration will make a concerted effort to properly staff and compensate the Information Technology Staff.

Shared Vision Conducive Classroom Committee Goals

1. The IUN administration will acquire the necessary internal and external funding for appropriate instructional technology and seminar type seating to make all classrooms fully conducive for learning;

2. The IUN administration will work with the IU administration to ensure an action plan is developed and implemented for proper HVAC and switchable lighting systems to make all classroom physical facilities fully conducive to learning.

 VII. Timeline (back to top)

Networking

By February 2002, the campus network will be upgraded to 1 Gigabit Ethernet backbone speed. Completed January 2002

Computer Hardware and Software

By December 31, 2001, all life-cycle funded networked computers at IUN will be either Pentium-based PCs with 128 MB or more of RAM running Windows 2000 and Microsoft Office 2000 or Apple Macintosh G3 or G4 with 128MB or more of RAM running Mac OS9.x and Microsoft Office. This will be accomplished through the Microsoft site licenses and direct purchases by the Office of Information Technologies. Completed January 2002

One third of all life-cycle funded networked desktop computers at IUN will be replaced every year to satisfy evolving need as they change. This replacement cycle will be funded out of the Desktop Replacement Fund (life-cycle funding). The Office of Information Technologies will assume responsibility for this replacement cycle, as well as maintaining an inventory of all desktop computers on the IUN campus, in consultation with the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Administration and Finance. Additional desktop computers or printers may be added to the Desktop Replacement Fund after being recommended by the appropriate Vice Chancellor and upon approval of the Senior Staff.

Computer Classrooms and Student Technology Centers

One quarter of the workstations in computer classrooms at IUN will be replaced every year. This replacement cycle will be funded out of the Student Technology Fee.

Type IV Technology Classrooms (video teleconferencing)

Two more Type IV Technology Classrooms will be installed on the IUN campus before classes start in Fall 2002. These classrooms are to be determined at a later date.

Technology and Teaching

1. Beginning Fall 2002, the Technology Council will begin discussions to develop action plans with departments regarding the regular use of instructional technology in classes, supported by IUN initiatives;

2. Beginning in Spring 2002, the Technology Council will begin discussions to develop contingency plans for ongoing use and support of Apple products with departments who use Apple Macintosh computers for instruction on a significant scale;

3. Beginning in Spring 2002, the Technology Council will begin discussions to develop action plans with departments which are likely to use web-based instruction on a significant scale;

Computers and Research

The hardware and software goals described above will bring faculty desktops into conformity with that necessary for access to the resources available though the Internet to perform quality research and publishing.

Technology Planning

The IUN Technology Advisory Committee will continue to be actively involved in the refinement of the campus Technology Plan soliciting input from students, faculty, staff, and our external constituents.