APPROVED 11.14.06

Meeting minutes, October 13, 2006
2–3:30 p.m., IHETS boardroom

Present:  O’Neal Smitherman, Chair, Ball State University; Bob Barley, Indiana State University; Wayne Bohm, University of Southern Indiana; Mark Bruhn, Indiana University; Dan Burns, Purdue North Central; Marianne Chitwood, Indiana University; Lisa Fears, Franklin College; Dave Jent, Indiana University; Richard Miles, WFYI; Laura Larimer, Ivy Tech State College; Jeff Pittman, Ivy Tech State College; Carmin Schnarr, Vincennes University; Jeff Schwab, Purdue University; Michael Sherer, Goshen College; Charlie Sharp, IOT; Pat Smoker, Purdue University     

IHETS staff: Tim Fisher, Max Gordon. Justin Kamm, Kevin Siminski, Ed Stockey, Betty Hart

Smitherman opened the meeting and asked if everyone had viewed the updated version of the meeting minutes and moved to approve or amend the meeting minutes. Larimer moved to approve the updated version of the meeting minutes and they were unanimously approved.

Current network status

Jent and Chitwood will present jointly a status report on the deployment of the network. The northern ring of the map is complete along with the metro part of Indianapolis which is in full production. IHETS is already on with testing at production level to begin soon. Ball State will be connecting next Friday with Kokomo, Marion, Columbus, and Bloomington up at the end of the month and proceed to testing and production service. Clarification of “in production” means schools are ready to pass traffic, the connection has been tested and the operations center is ready to monitor the traffic and the trouble ticket process is accessible. Sections in the Kokomo, Marion, and Columbus are scheduled to be running at the end of the month. Construction issues exist with Greencastle, Terre Haute, Evansville, and Sellersburg.

Network expenditures and fiscal update

The RFP was awarded to Indiana Fiber Works. Fiber will be extended in to DePauw and will house a node; these sections should be online in January. A 23-mile construction piece of fiber from Vincennes to Carlisle we have contracted with IFW to get this completed. We have an agreement to use the fiber for long term but will not own the fiber.

The RFP will not be awarded until a funding model has been agreed upon, then we will continue. Terre Haute is not included in this piece. If anyone should have questions, you may contact Dave Jent. We have prepaid 10 years of maintenance on the fiber and 10 years of co-location costs and saved $lM to $750,000 by prepaying.

Smitherman asked if consideration had been given to draw from the funds paid by the IHETS consortium members to support this effort. Bruhn replied that is being considered.

Bruhn stated that a document will be written and sent to Senator Ford, Peggy Welch and other legislative folks in support of this effort. This information will be carried and shared at our next board meeting.

Siminski commented that Dr. Kramer, IHETS interim executive director, presented the biennial budget request at the commission meeting at Purdue this morning, noting “there is $5.5M sitting in a pot somewhere.”  Neil Pickett from governor’s office was in attendance.

Revenue projections for network

Jent commented on what Siminski did several years ago when he negotiated and executed the contract for fiber in the state. We have purchased four strands of fiber from IFW and we will use two strands, the value today is $400–$700K. We have received inquiries on the Fort Wayne to Gary and Kokomo to Sedalia. These two sections will deliver a one time cash amount of $400,000 and a 10-year assignment of the fiber we have from IFW.

The GTE fiber between Richmond and Muncie and Evansville and Vincennes is the oldest fiber in the state which we now own. It meets the minimum standards for our network and has been in the ground since 1985.

The process for selling these two strands would be a recommendation from the TOAC taken to the board. Larimer recommended that the finance committee be included in this process before proceeding to the board. Bruhn stated:

(l) The connection subsidy is under the control of TOAC and he envisions the operations money to be in an account managed by the IU-UITS Finance office, Lori Antolovic is on the Finance Committee. I recommend a discussion between the fiscal agent and the finance liaison. The requisitions being submitted will be processed through our office. Conversations need to occur between the finance office as the fiscal agent for the network and IHETS business office. Urgency exists in who will be doing the billing.

(2)You will receive two bills, one from IHETS for your services and one from IU for connectivity. The resolution is on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

Background information on technology services

Jent stated that some cash will be generated with minimal number of schools connected but we will need to establish some reserve for equipment replacement and renegotiate for fiber within 10 years.

Chitwood stated IHETS has been billed for November and December but beginning in January we would assume responsibility for those circuits. Sharp added that the state will be migrated off the AT&T network in January, and had anticipated no higher ed sites on his network as of September 30. Schools are asked to sign a two-year I-Light agreement that describes their connection and speed. Chitwood and Jent will present a short non-technical summary to Larimer offline to address her questions.

The options for last mile connections for schools would be dark fiber and leased circuits.

I-Light engineers have been working with Ivy Tech and each of the schools to resolve issues and provide access. I-Light pricing can be found at ilight.net.  

Smoker shared that they are signing a three-year contract with AT&T along with other options being considered for Purdue CES offices. Smoker asked if the department of health, county governments and other state agencies be the appropriate folks to join with to connect to I-Light. Bruhn responded that we would consider those circumstances and get a reaction from IOT.

The MOU requires us to connect higher education, and organizations with a significant network need into a relationship with universities and colleges. The MOU does allow us some flexibility but added that we would be required to defend these decisions.

Other business

Smitherman asked if there was any other business, hearing none, he moved to adjourn the meeting and it was seconded by Bruhn.

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 pm.