Eastern Oregon University

Tech-Fee Committee Meeting

February 8, 2007

Members Present:  Anna Cavinato, Janet Hume-Schwarz, Carolyn Bloyed, Steffany Long, Brian Sather, Frederick Pratter

Resource Members Present:  Karen Clay, Paul Rowan, Helen Moore

Guests Present:  Les Balsiger, Steve Clements

Minutes approved as submitted.

The EOU Region Center proposal was discussed.  It was agreed that the systems for student use in the outlying areas are woefully inadequate.  The last time computers were purchased for DDE student use at these sites was approximately six years ago and some of the systems are more than eight years old.  Similar computers on campus have been surplused.   It was also noted that the Roseburg Center has no equipment.

Several concerns/questions regarding the proposal were discussed, including:

• How are students using the computers?  Are they doing more than word processing and accessing the internet?
• Steve Clements expressed a reluctance to place notebooks in the outlying areas for several reasons.  Notebooks are less stable than desktops and there are also more security concerns with notebooks.
• Who will maintain the equipment in the outlying areas?  Would it make more sense to use new instead of refurbished equipment?  Should new equipment be placed at the more distant sites with refurbished used at the closer sites?
• Space restrictions at the sites were noted.

It was noted that a number of the systems on this proposal are actually replacing current Tech Fee equipment and can be purchased from the Replacement budget.  Helen stressed that this doesn’t make a difference in the budget available since the Replacement budget for this year has already been exhausted. 

A suggestion was made to fund the proposal at a certain level and allow the IT and DDE staff to determine what equipment to purchase and where to place it.  Several members wanted more clarification before approving the proposal at any level.

Les Balsiger agreed to use desktops instead of notebooks where ever possible.  Les and Steve will prepare spreadsheets with several different options for funding this proposal.  They will have the information available for the committee at the next meeting.  

It was also suggested that each site implement a student usage log to assist with determining how and how much the current equipment is being used.

Next meeting scheduled for 7:00am Thursday, February 15, 2007 in Lib 114.