Eastern Oregon University

Tech-Fee Committee Minutes

January 26, 2006

Members Present:  Frederick Pratter, Bob Larison, Anna Cavinato, Linda Fratzke, Steffany Long, Bryan Pearson, Darren Hendrickson

Resource Members Present:  Paul Rowan, Shirley Roberts, Mike Sirrine

Guest:  Provost Miller

Tech Fee Committee met on this date at 7:00 am in Pierce Library.

The minutes from January 19, 2006  were approved as submitted.

Discussion continued from last meeting.

Composition of the Committee

• Students
• Should DDE student representation on the committee be based proportionally on the number of DDE students?  Several ideas were discussed including requiring  two  DDE and two on campus student members;  two DDE and three on campus student members ; and two DDE,  two on campus and one student member from the student body at large. 
• Concerns were raised regarding EOU Tech Fee being used to support Resident Campuses such as Chemeketa, Coos Bay and Hermiston. 
• Concerns were raised regarding how to incorporate DDE students into committee meetings.  Several solutions were discussed including use of a speakerphone or a polycom system.  Linda also mentioned that there are many DDE students that live in the local area and could attend the meetings in person.
• Faculty
• A suggestion was made to add an additional faculty member to the committee if an additional student is added.  Linda and Helen will research ideas and prepare a recommendation (i.e., how many faculty members?, length of term? Should membership be staggered?  If so, how?)

New discussion included questions about the history of the Tech Fee committee.  Bob Larison stated that the committee had originally been charged not only with making recommendation for funding of Tech Fee proposals, but also with “charting the direction of technology on campus”.  There was consensus that the committee should continue to work under this charge. 

Dr. Pratter asked if the committee charge included offering assistance in finding other means of funding proposals.   Dr. Cavinato stressed that there also needs to be clear feedback from the committee regarding whether or not a proposal met the criteria for Tech Fee funding. 

Mike Sirrine stressed that it is assumed all proposals presented for Tech Fee funding represent a need and his office is available to help facilitate funding from many different sources.  He suggested that proposals should be presented to his office before they are brought to the Tech Fee Committee.  Mike also stressed that proposals with matching funds should be given highest priority by the Tech Fee Committee.

The possibility of a survey asking the EOU student body what they want to see their Tech Fee funds used for was suggested.   The idea will be discussed further at a later meeting.

The following “homework” was assigned and will be discussed at the next meeting.

• Linda will research the percentage of on-campus, off-campus and off-campus resident students.
• Steffany will contact ASEOU for more suggestions on the student membership on the committee.
• Helen and Linda will prepare a suggestion(s) for faculty membership on the committee. (i.e., how many?, length of term?, staggering membership?)
• Helen will meet with Admin and Finance folks to clarify how Tech Fee funds can be used and whether or not funds can carry over from year to year.
• Shirley will research other OUS campuses and how their Tech Fee funds are handled.
• Anna and Mike will prepare a draft addressing requirements for matching funds and/or pursuit of other funding before proposals are submitted to the Tech Fee Committee.
• All committee members will think about student employees and continuing maintenance of Tech Fee equipment and how policies could be developed and/or revised to move responsibility for both from the Tech Fee to individual departments and/or the University as a whole.

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 9 at 7:00am.  The committee will continue to meet every other Thursday as needed.

Minutes submitted by Helen Moore.