Information Technology Advisory Committee
TO:
Information Technology Advisory Committee
[Jim Brown (Chair), Kay Clouse, Ian Dees, John Dixon, Jean Donham, Matt Johnson, Scott
Olinger, Dee Ann Rexroat, Todd White, Andy Wildenberg]
FR:
Jim Brown, Chair
RE:
Minutes of meeting of 8 February, 2005
I. Brief updates
1. Spam management tools – Andy described an alternative network-based strategy for
managing spam, based on single-purpose hardware. Cost and benefits compared to the
previously proposed windows server solution were discussed. This system has been installed
at Grinnell, and Mike Cerveny was to be in touch to gather information for further
evaluation.
2. Publicizing outage response expectations and contact strategies – John reported that IT was
close to completing training materials necessary for using security personnel as screeners for
filtering after hours inquiries and outage reports and had developed a response strategy for
his division. An announcement should be out soon.
II. Review of upgrade proposals for information technology
We had extensive discussion of the list of classrooms recommended for technology upgrades by
the classroom technology group. Since the budget approved by the trustees included
funding for the request for 10 rooms, a final recommendation was made in order to begin
preparations for room retrofitting. ITAC supported the technology group proposal with
one exception, substituting an additional room in South Hall/ West Science in place of a
second room in Norton Geology this year. The recommendation: CH 118, 308; Commons
Hedges, Stockholm; Lytle 200; Norton 208; SH 17, 300; WS 100, 118, 319 [Hedges and WS
100 count as one upgrade].
III. Policy on headers for student organizations on the college’s web site – Deferred until the March
meeting.
IV. Discussion of access to computers when labs are closed.
We had a preliminary discussion of how we might improve access to computers, primarily for
writing papers and other course-oriented tasks, when student-access labs in academic
buildings and the library are closed. Since the tasks themselves require only modest power,
computers withdrawn from service in the current upgrade round would be adequate, but
there are significant problems to be settled: hardware security, maintenance, software
ownership, virus/ parasite protection, network access, physical location, physical safety of
users at odd hours, printing, etc. It is clear that solutions requiring substantial, ongoing,
active support from IT are not appropriate, given current workload. Student support, either
based in residence halls or other group membership, was raised for consideration.
Conversation to be continued.
V. Support for on-line term table and catalogue.
John reported that Mike Plagge had begun to look at the term table software, written and
maintained by Jim Freeman, with an eye towards reprogramming it in a manner easier for
the college to support as a mission-critical item. IT hopes to have a proposal for catalogue
software for the next round of upgrades.