PRESENT:
John Huie, Chair, PU;
Dale Dowden, VU;
Lou Jensen, ISU;
Ed Jones for Dick Schmidt, USI;
Dennis Kramer, BSU;
Bill Kramer, Ivy Tech;
Michael McRobbie, IU;
T.K. Olson, Independent Colleges;

IHETS staff
Tim Fisher,
Dave King,
Susan Scott,
Ed Stockey,
and Ed Tully.

Chairman Huie called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes from the June and July meetings were accepted unanimously as distributed.

CHAIR’S REPORT

Huie announced formation of a committee to review the case for creating IHETS as a not-for-profit corporation. T.K. Olson will chair the group, with Judith Roepke of Ball State and one other member to be determined. Huie also reminded staff to review unfunded needs to be ready in case the budget is re-opened in the next legislative session.

IMPORTANT PENDING ISSUES

King reviewed discussions with President Moore and Huie after negotiations with the leading Executive Director candidate broke down, leading to a revisiting of basic premises for the position requirements. Senior staff had identified five options for Management Committee consideration: (1) reopen or continue the search for a full-time executive director; (2) revert to the status quo of a part-time position on release time from a member institution; (3) annual rotation of a full-time position on leave of absence from a member institution; (4) split IHETS to simplify finding one or two candidates with needed abilities; (5) co-executive directors from existing staff with more active oversight by the Management Committee. Active discussion by all committee members concluded that the most viable option is to continue the search, with the possibility added for a minimum-two-year commitment from someone on leave from a member institution. Huie will reconvene the search committee to revise the job description and notice of continuing search for circulation.

INTEGRATED TECHNOLOGIES COMMITTEE

Tully reported for Watson that the primary current technology initiative is extensive testing of IP video bridges and gateways. Stockey described plans to work with member institutions to test three bridges side by side during the next six weeks. A thorough report and recommendations will be prepared by the first of October. King added that a significant reason for the test is not only to prepare a production service but to assure that the IP and ATM video will interoperate effectively as the network is not abandoning ATM. Bill Kramer noted seemingly frequent problems at Ivy Tech with the ATM service; Tully responded that in most cases the problems result from improper circuit installation or from insufficiently trained support staff rather than from the ATM bridge itself. IHETS continues to work with telcos around the state on circuit issues, and Tully and Scott will pursue training solutions with Ivy Tech.

IPSE WORKING GROUP REPORT

Jensen highlighted progress on a September meeting to address cross-institutional student support services. He reported that two new members have joined the committee to represent public libraries and K12 education and that the Working Group will address and issues agenda for the year as well as new programming opportunities.

STAFF REPORTS

Tully reported that IHETS would be working with a new State-funded project to increase technology support for schools and students/parents at home, initially providing dial-up service for eight local schools. To better match county government and Cooperative Extension Service budget cycles and needs, Intelenet has agreed to allocate funds that will compress into one year the CES county connections originally planned over this biennium. Also, IHETS staff will meet with representatives of the Midwest Research and Education Network (MREN) to explore interconnection for conducting some new applications testing in partnership with IBM. Discussions with state government representatives have proceeded to the point where IHETS and Intelenet will begin talks with the Family and Social Services Administration to be the initial agency migrated to the Access Indiana State Network.

Scott reported increasing dialogue with a variety of projects in the elementary/secondary education community, including a joint project with the Corporation for Educational Communications to publish print and electronic information about the variety of programming available from all sources for teachers and other K12 professionals. She added that appointments to IHETS committees from the new partner communities are nearing completion, and she reminded Management Committee members to make any changes in their own committee appointments in time for people to participate fully in the new academic year.

Fisher stated that staff will provide financial statements at the September Management Committee meeting.

With a reminder that the next meeting is scheduled for September 21, Huie adjourned the meeting at 11:30 a.m.