Approved

June 14, 2000

IHETS Board Room
714 N. Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN

Present: Ellen Watson, ISU, Chair; Elaine Bennington, Ivy Tech; Wayne Bohm, USI; Carl Koenig, VU; Fred Nay and Vern Draper, BSU; Brian Stone, Indianapolis Marion County Public Library; Neal Vines, PU; Jason Whitaker, Ivy Tech; Barrie Zimmerman, IPBS; Tim Fisher, Betty Hart, Dave Kaufman, Dave King, Nancy Millichap, Susan Scott, Ed Stockey, and Ed Tully, IHETS staff.

Watson called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.

Fall 2000 Project Report
Stockey reported that staff is aggressively ordering circuits and equipment to complete video and long-standing data orders requested for the opening of fall semester 2000. With 358 circuits in the queue, installations will be outsourced, and vendor negotiations are nearly complete. The target completion date for video connections is August 14 for all work, including user training, though staff expects that orders placed earlier will be done by the end of July. Tully added that this work is in addition to an intensive effort to stabilize ATM video with Ivy Tech. Watson asked Stockey to update the ITC every two weeks on progress of the whole project.

Video Switch Issues
Although there continue to be occasional problems with connections for Ivy Tech ATM video sites, Tully reported that failure rates for First Virtual video switches continue to be high. Substituting Cisco LS1010 switches seems to resolve most of the hardware problems, and that equipment will be used with new video installations. Staff will continue to work with First Virtual to replace NIC cards on faulty FVC equipment.

Appropriation Request
King stated that staff is working to flesh out detail for the 2001-03 appropriation request following Board of Directors approval of strategic directions for the request. The Board also approved priorities recommended by the Management Committee, and Watson noted how the priorities underscore the continuing importance of IHETS' traditional technology services.

Committee Effectiveness Issues
King reported that in May BSU President Worthen raised several questions about the effectiveness of IHETS committees in conducting their business. Scott distributed a summary of those concerns, noting that the primary issues can be summarized as whether committees are dealing with the right issues and what actions are being taken, with corollary concerns about effectiveness of staff communication with and support of committees. She added that this document had also been discussed by the Working Group, which has formed a subcommittee to review the role of the Working Group and its associated committees and report recommendations back to the full group in July. Watson noted that lack of follow-through has been a problem for the ITC in the past. Nay voiced concern about discontinuation of the video, voice, and data task groups, adding that members have not been sufficiently informed about staff R&D projects. Tully pointed out the lack of response from previous task groups and inability to get sufficient attendance to conduct meetings. Watson suggested that we may not have had the right appointments to committees, resulting in lack of interest in consortium projects, and Bennington also called attention to the need for institutions to communicate to their representatives the importance of service on those committees. Draper added that interinstitutional communication on technology issues is important, and IHETS should play a significant role in enabling such communication. Tully also called attention to the new need for guidance from higher education for the Access Indiana State Network. Watson summarized the discussion and offered to convene a subcommittee to review these questions; Watson, Nay, and Whitaker volunteered to serve on the subcommittee.

Next Meeting
Watson announced that, having served for two years, she intends to step down as chair of the ITC at the next meeting. She will confer with King and expect a transition at the July ITC meeting. Nay added that the committee needs to catch up with approval of meeting minutes. Responding to interest from several members, staff agreed to arrange a demonstration of Packeteer at the July 11 meeting if vendors are available.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.