2013-14 Council on Libraries, Information Systems and Computing (LISC)
Minutes
February 3, 2014
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
AS-122
Attendance: Elizabeth Gaffney, Chair; Debra Dickerson; Mary Casserly; John
Delano; Dave Mamorella; Nancy Poehlmann; Christine Haile; Gary Rainstrom;
Evgeny Dikarev
Elizabeth welcomed Gary Rainstrom, LISC’s new graduate student member.
1. Approval of Minutes
The November 25, 2013 minutes were unanimously approved.
2. Committee Reports
Library Committee – The committee met on December 18, 2013. John
Delano, Chair, will give a full report at the next LISC meeting scheduled for
March 3, 2014.
IT Committee – Elizabeth reported that Eliot Rich is officially the Chair of the
IT Committee.
3. Report from Dean of Libraries – Mary Casserly
Special Collections receives grant from CLIR
Special Collections has received an $119,000 grant from the Council on
Library and Information Resources (CLIR) to support its project entitled
Building New Access Tools for the National Death Penalty Archives. These
funds will make it possible for the Libraries to hire a full-time project archivist
for two years.
Associate Director for Public Services
This position has been vacant since this summer when Mary Jane Brustman
retired. The search for Mary’s replacement has been successful. The position
has been offered to Debora Cheney from Penn State, and she has accepted.
Debora’s target start date is April 1st.
Facilities
We have been told by Campus Facilities that there is money to fund the first
phase or the pre-first phase of the renovations of the University Library. This
is the addition of data, electrical, lights and wireless, as well as new front
doors. Campus Facilities personnel will be doing the work, and are targeted to
begin after the spring semester.
LISC Meeting
February 3, 2014
4. Report from CIO– Christine Haile
ITS has completed wireless upgrades/additions to the following areas:
Campus Center Ballroom; Assembly Hall; Library Basement; Computer
Science Area; Empire Commons; Alumni House. The cabling has been
started in the University Administration Building. There is a possibility that
ITS will do a couple classrooms contingent on funding left over from a specific
legislative member item for classroom spaces. Looking at whether this
money could be used for the interior lecture center areas where there is the
most demand. These upgrades/additions should reduce the amount of
congestion at the peak times, which is 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ITS uses heat
maps which enables them to see which access points get the most utilization,
and at what times, and also helps forecast capacity and expansion. Chris
offered to distribute an example of a current “heat map” to the Committee.
Also, over intersession, ITS completed the rest of the Business Building’s
technology needs.
ITS has also extended the wired security safeguards to faculty and staff
wireless traffic. This was accomplished by segregating faculty/staff traffic
from student wireless traffic. Previously, ITS had not subjected wireless
traffic to the same security controls that wired traffic enjoyed. In recognition
of the fact that more faculty and staff are using wireless services, ITS has
created specific wireless subnets that faculty/staff are assigned to that are
subject to the same security controls that wired traffic is subject to.
Chris sought to clarify the perception that ITS limits enrollments in online
courses to 20 students. When faculty teach online for the first time, ITS
recommends not having more than 20-25 students in the section. This is to
foster a positive learning environment for faculty and students, and is based
on years of experience and research. Many UA faculty that have taught online
now have sections exceeding 25 students. ITS provides consultation, course
development and support for faculty teaching online.
Data Center Project is on schedule. The construction should wrap up within
two weeks, with two months of commissioning, i.e., testing, cleaning. The
target date for turning over the building to the campus is April 17, 2014. The
migration is scheduled to take place between commencement and July.
5. Suggestions for Future agenda Items
a. Chris agreed to invite Client Support Services to do a demo on BlackBoard
for a future meeting.
b. Mary Casserly will give an update on the Institutional Repository.
6. Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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