REPORT OF THE ACADEMIC COMPUTING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Five meetings of Academic Computing Advisory Committee (ACAC) were held
during the 1995-96 academic year. Topics included:
1. 1995-96 Computer-related equipment allocation.
2. CWIS (Campus-Wide Information Services)
3. Computer-Lab Hours
4. Unix Support
5. Limited time on the Dial-up Lines
6. 1996-97 Academic Computing Budget Request
7. IAT Satellite Broadcasts
1. The computer-related resource allocation for 1995-96 was $278,700.00.
The 95-96 request was $170,700 but the Computer Policy Committee received
an additional $108,000 to upgrade the Byerly Lab in addition to the
recommended upgrades to the McComsey Macintosh Lab ($113,600). In
addition, funds were allocated for projectors for the Ganser Terminal Lab
($11,100), a portable projection system and PC for campus-wide training
($9,000), and ad-hoc upgrades to keep existing labs not funded this year
in a usable condition ($20,000). As a result of these lab upgrades, some
used equipment becomes available. ACAC recommended that this equipment be
reserved to support summer programs such as the Governors' School and
Forward Leap.
2. The President's Advisory Council approved the CWIS project on December
12, 1995 and implemented on April 15, 1996. The 1995-96 allocation for
CWIS development was $40,875. The main Millersville page was developed by
students in the Art Department (Mr. Ryan Hoch design was selected) and
incorporates ten buttons for navigation to: Academic Programs,
Admissions, Alumni Interests, Athletics, Calendars, Campus Info,
Services, Student Organizations, Jewels, Quick Index and Starting Points
for Internet access. Departments are being asked to designate an
Information Provider who will be responsible for information accuracy,
and to develop homepages. Five students have been hired to do the html
coding. The web page can be accessed via Netscape, Mosaic, or other
browsers using the URL location: http://muweb.millersville.edu
3. With the new equipment in McComsey and Byerly Labs, the demand for
extended open hours is inevitable. However, the budget for student hours
for 1995-96 has been reduced by $4,000. In order to remain within the
allocated budget, ACAC approved a recommendation to reduce open hours for
all labs campus-wide by one hour per day during the Spring 1996 semester.
4. Anticipated movement toward a distributed computing environment drives
the need for more Unix support. A position description for a Scientific
Computing Applications Specialist has been developed and is pending.
Marauder, a Unix-based server from SUN Microsystems, will need to be
upgraded as usage continues to increase.
5. An ongoing problem for all users attempting to access Marauder through
a modem is the budy signal. ACAC approved a motion to limit the time for
"no-response" (i.e. no keystrokes) to 15 minutes at which time an
auto-cutoff would disconnect that user. This was later changed to 20
minutes. Implementation should occur over the summer 1996.
6. The 1996-97 budget request from Academic Computing Services addresses
the following campus-wide needs in the following recommended priority:
Ad-hoc upgrades to existing labs ($20,000); Projectors for the ITEC Mac
Lab ($17,500); Network Printers for Wickersham, Ganser, and Byerly
($20,000); upgrades from BT-220 terminals to networked PCs in the Ganser
Terminal Lab ($89,200); Upgrades to the Art Lab to replace 68000-based
Macintosh computer with advanced systems to handle curricular needs
($144,600); Replacement of the obsoltet computers in the McComsey IBM Lab
($56,200). The total budget request for 1996-97 is $347,500.
7. Millersville has subscribed to two educational satellite broadcasts
during the academic year. The first dealt with "Alternatives to Lectures"
and was broadcast in November 1995 at Stayer. A second satellite
broadcast, Mapping the Future: New Routes to Learning Productivity
will be broadcast on Thursday, May 9, 1996 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. in the
Multi-purpose Room of Stayer Hall. Anyone can attend.