Venue: BK0.09
Present: Jim Briggs (Chair), Steve Broadbent, Cheryl Johnson, Ed Kopinski, Dean Ledger, Mike McCabe, Robert Topp, Alison White
Trisha Kelly – taking the minutes
Apologies: Gary Bown, Les Black, Frank Margrave, Andrew Little
| Agenda |
Notes |
Action |
Status |
Minutes of last meeting |
The minutes of the meeting on 24th June 2003 were approved. |
|
|
Matters arising |
|||
Student login monitoring |
EK reported this had been put forward as an MSc student project (as per minutes of 14 March) but it had not been taken up by a student. He has graphs with some of the information required and will send them to JSB. EK agreed to provide reports on CAM student logins in each of the 3 locations. |
EK |
|
| JSB to write to Julian Lintell-Smith to request information about application usage. | JSB |
Done. JLS replied that ISO had never managed to get application usage stats to work, but would have another look at it. | |
Pending purchasing decisions |
JSB contacted Mel Richardson and a joint purchase of a DVD duplicator was made. JSB reported that expenditure for 2002-2003 was estimated at £296,871 (figure taken from university accounts system) which was some £62,000 less than the final budget figure. The underspend arose because much equipment had been bought more cheaply than expected. |
|
|
Software moves |
Problems are still occurring with timetabling. Information is available on what equipment is in which rooms and which classes need that equipment but it does not appear always to be acted upon by the timetablers. JSB to arrange a meeting to talk informally with the timetablers to see how problems could be resolved. |
JSB |
Done. |
Summer activities |
EK reported that installations during the summer had all gone well. Anglesea open access area is due to open 26 November for all students including network, laptop, printer and photocopying facilities. To be publicised to students. |
|
|
Strategy |
|
||
Computing Developmental Engagement |
The final report from the DLE had not yet been received - only a draft. One point made in the draft report related to a perceived communication problem between CAM, Faculty and ISO. It was reported that Faculty Operational Executive had set up a working party chaired by Peter Hicks to address this and one meeting had been held to date. Concern was expressed that this Committee had not been approached on this matter. JSB agreed to contact Peter Hicks to express this concern. |
JSB |
Done |
Capital expenditure plans for 2003-2004 |
JSB reported that he had been notified that the total budget for hardware and software for this academic year is £145k (last year we spent £297k). This amount will barely cover half of the planned laboratory replacement. The amount budgeted for software is £74k - last year we spent £89k. The budget for hardware is £71k - last year we spent almost £200k. The Committee expressed alarm about the impact this would have on our ability to sustain our computing facilities, and would inevitably affect the student experience and the ability of staff to innovate in teaching. JSB to pass this on to ECAM. JSB announced that as long as the budget was so low, he would be imposing stringent measures to restrict expenditure. This would include no further purchases of LCD monitors, no further equipment purchases to support administration, and no spur-of-the-moment requests. It was agreed that the processes and procedures for major
bids used in 2002-2003 had gone successfully, and should be repeated in
2003-2004. The deadline for bids would be at the end of February with
a meeting in March to make decisions. |
JSB |
Done. ECAM has asked that it be raised with the Faculty Manager. |
Any other business |
|
EK |
|
| EK reported that the replacement of consumables will be funded by ISO rather than Faculty in future. |
|
|
|
The issue of membership of the Faculty IT Committees (full and operational) was raised. Disquiet was expressed that the changes to membership that had been implemented did not accurately reflect what most people had expected, and what had been previously discussed at Faculty level. The Committee was of the view that to discuss policy matters without the participation of academic members and the Faculty's site support manager was inappropriate. JSB agreed to express this Committee's deep concern on this matter and regret that proper procedures for changing the terms of reference were not followed. |
JSB |
Done | |
| RT had a draft of a new University IT Strategy dated 11 November which required comments by 12 November and which only Heads of Departments had received. Comments should be sent to Mike Bateman. | |||
Date of next meeting |
To be fixed. It was agreed that there should be two committee meetings between Christmas and Easter. |
Last updated by Dr Jim Briggs of the School of Computing at the University of Portsmouth.