Council
on Academic Computing (CAC)
Dr.
George E. Klinzing, Chair
Meeting
Summary –
The
meeting was called to order at
Klinzing
introduced David Brown, who was invited to give a videoconference to the
Council on Academic Computing and the Advisory Council on Instructional
Excellence relating his experiences using laptop computers in the
classroom. Dr. Brown is editor of Teaching
with Technology, Professor of Economics, Dean of
the
Brown’s
presentation focused on how the ubiquity of laptop computers can change the way
faculty teach and explained the Wake Forest plan for using laptops in the
classroom. His talk is summarized in the
slides presented on the attached handout.
The presentation was also videotaped for those who were unable to attend
the meeting. Please feel free to contact
Klinzing’s secretary (624-0784) to borrow the
videotape.
No changes were requested to the minutes of the
Klinzing requested subcommittee chairs to report their
progress to the Council. The Bandwidth
Subcommittee has not yet met. Ellen Cohn
presented the Systems Failure Subcommittee’s report, which is attached.
Peter Draus
reported for the Security Subcommittee.
The Subcommittee identified four principal reasons for the need for security.
1) The University bears an additional
expense through the unauthorized use of its limited resources.
2) Unsecured computers can attack
other computers throughout the world.
3) Unsecured computers can result in
file and program disruption within the University.
4) The need for security is crucial
in maintaining the confidentiality of patient records, research data, etc.,
particularly in the health sciences area.
The Subcommittee determined the
best way to address these concerns was to:
1) Review existing University
policies and procedures ensuring that they address at least the minimum level
of security for servers throughout the individual schools as well as
University-wide.
2) Emphasize education and awareness
throughout the University regarding the need for security.
Klinzing suggested that the
subcommittee benchmark peer institutions as to how they address these issues.
Walton
reported that Computer Services & Systems Development is in the midst of
upgrading the University modem pool. The
replacement of a large number of outdated and defective modems within the next
few weeks should significantly enhance the performance of CourseInfo. Computer Services is also considering
implementing limitations on concurrent remote log-ins and/or log-in time during
peak use periods.
The
acquisition of additional bandwidth is top priority. Negotiations are underway for prompt delivery
if a bandwidth upgrade is needed in the future.
No new
business was discussed.
The
meeting adjourned at