Council on Academic Computing
Meeting Summary
HIGH PERFORMANCE
NETWORK ATTACHMENT INITIATIVE (HPNAI)
Dr. Rose Constantino discussed the results of her HPNAI
project, “Delivery of Digital Media in Teaching and Research.” Dr. Constantino developed four three-credit
courses, each of which used Blackboard teaching software and webcasting technology.
The courses are part of a certificate program in forensic nursing. Another component of the project extended
counseling services to abused women. Dr.
Constantino collaborated with Pittsburgh Action Against
Rape to use e-mail as a form of short-term, emergency counseling.
REPORT FROM
COMPUTING SERVICES AND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT
Computing Services and Systems Development (CSSD) will be
updating the software in the student computer labs. The last day that people can request new
software for the fall semester is May 1.
CSSD requires a significant lead time so that they can resolve all
licensing and compatibility issues. The
Linux lab in the basement of Alumni Hall and the student and faculty portals
were also discussed.
SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
Faculty Portal
The faculty portal should be completed by the end of May,
although the regional campuses initially will not be connected to the
portal. Members of the subcommittee
discussed the relationship between the Health Sciences portal and the planned
faculty portal. Parts of the Health
Sciences portal could be “gadgetized” and
incorporated into the faculty portal.
Faculty Training
The regional campuses do not lack electronic teaching
resources, and the presidents of these campuses do not foresee a shortfall in
these resources. However, the budgets of
regional campuses currently do not fund instructional technology personnel;
these positions are funded through foundation grants. The subcommittee recommends that funds be
allocated to the
Future of Academic
Computing
The subcommittee did not meet.
High Performance
Computing Initiative (HPCI)
The subcommittee is reviewing proposals.
MISCELLANEOUS
Several other issues and events were addressed: