Current Issues Roundtables

Directory Services and Single-Sign-On Environments

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI06

Michael R. Gettes, Senior Consulting Technical Architect, MIT

Directories are fundamental to almost all middleware services, containing key institutional and personal data for use by many campus applications. In designing, developing, and operating directory services on our individual campuses, we encounter technical issues, policy issues, and funding issues. But we also have an opportunity to configure and populate campus directories in ways that will foster a more cohesive approach throughout higher education. Share your challenges and solutions at this roundtable discussion and learn about national initiatives in this area on which Internet2 and EDUCAUSE are collaborating. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Administrative Systems and Online Student Services

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI15

Eugene L. Spencer, Consultant, Gene Spencer Consulting

Today's students assume the Internet is the place to turn for all of their needs. Integration of online student services into the overall institutional e-business strategy of our institutions is critical. Can we define online services that match the campus service culture? Can we really put this power in the hands of the students, who might not know or agree with our data standards? How will we balance access with security? Who will get to define the ideal state? What relationships and partnerships will be required to develop these services? What does it mean for our organizations and who will lead the charge? Finally, will portals get us where we need to be? This roundtable discussion will address these and other issues related to the challenge of moving from managing transactions to directly serving students in an online environment. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Advanced Networking for the Rest of Us

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI05

Bonita M. Neas, Vice President for Information Technology, North Dakota State University

Advanced networks have been deployed by many institutions, including some of the larger doctoral or research institutions that are in or close to an NFL (National Football League) city. What can be learned from those who have succeeded? For those still in need of advanced networking services, what are the internal or external roadblocks, and what can be done about them? What effect is the current telecommunications economy having on the ability to acquire advanced networking services? Come to this roundtable discussion to focus on the very important issues associated with deploying an effective advanced networking infrastructure to support education and research programs. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Bandwidth Management

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI09

Alan McCord, Executive Director, eLearning Services, Lawrence Technological University

This Current Issues roundtable session will focus on how colleges and universities manage their Internet bandwidth in today's environment of peer-to-peer applications, advanced network applications, and limited bandwidth availability. How are we monitoring and tracking the use of Internet bandwidth by constituent groups or by application? What tools and techniques do we use to measure, monitor, or allocate our Internet bandwidth? What usage policies or chargeback systems are we using to help shape the demand for bandwidth and ensure appropriate use of network resources? What emerging technologies and usage patterns do we see on the horizon that will further stress our networks and challenge today's bandwidth management practices? Come share questions, success stories, and challenges with our colleagues. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Coping with HIPAA

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI14

Clair W. Goldsmith, Senior Advisor for Information Technology, University of Texas System

HIPAA is a complex set of regulations aimed at making health insurance both more portable and cost effective. It contains stringent security, privacy, identifier, and EDI stipulations. How does it relate to your HR organization that files employee insurance claims? To your institutional self-insurance program? To student health records and FERPA? To research involving patient care and the IRB? And, if you have a hospital or medical school, dental school, or other clinics, what then? Any chance it is going to just go away? What should the relationship be between HIPAA and the protection of other personally identifiable information? (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Creating Inclusive Learning Environments

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI04

Jutta Treviranus, Director, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto

Making the educational experience inclusive of people with disabilities has benefits for all learners. Modifications and enhancements intended for learners with sensory, physical, or learning disabilities often make the learning environment more flexible, engaging, and usable for students without disabilities. Many educational institutions are compelled by law to offer barrier-free education. What tools and strategies are available to achieve this? What design decisions can prevent costly retrofitting? What emerging technologies support the flexibility and learner customization needed to accommodate the full range of learner needs and skills? This session will provide an opportunity to share experiences, information sources, expertise, and best practices. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

ERP: Is it Getting Any Better?

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI17

Larry D. Conrad, Vice Chancellor and CIO, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

We have all heard or read horror stories about the eye-popping price tags associated with enterprise systems implementations during the past few years. Much of this was likely caused by Y2K pressures to rush products to market and implement them before the design and the code base were solid. So how do things look today? There is a perception that the vendors have "gotten it together" and that the number of successful implementations is growing. Come share your experiences with today's ERP systems. We would especially like to hear what implementation strategies are working (or not) and how satisfied your institutions are with their enterprise solutions. We would also like to hear from early adopters about how well their systems are working today. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Faculty Development Partnerships: IT and Teaching Centers Working Together

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI01

Dorothy Frayer, Associate Academic Vice President, Duquesne University

As the 2001 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey found, faculty development and support in the use of technology for teaching and learning are seen as crucial to the strategic success of our campuses. Success in this area requires significant expenditure of human and financial institutional resources. What organizational structures might make existing resources more easily available to faculty? How can faculty be supported to leverage the impact of technology on learning? How can the technology learning curve be lessened to enable faculty to implement their ideas? If faculty choose to create a Web site for a course, use asynchronous discussion, or provide online assessment with immediate feedback, how can we best ensure that these tools are used in an optimal way, both technically and pedagogically? (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Funding IT

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI07

Laurie G. Antolovic, Deputy Chief Information Officer and Finance Officer, Indiana University

The increasing use of IT in onsite and distance teaching and learning, the need for new enterprise information systems, robust campus networks, high performance networks and computing systems, the growing need to boost security, directory and middleware services, and the expectation of students, faculty and staff to have access to IT anytime anywhere add up to a relentless race between IT funding and user expectation. Participants in this session will discuss IT funding mechanisms that are compatible with the organizational structure and culture of their institutions, setting priorities for IT investments, central and distributed IT funding strategies, best practice funding mechanisms for the different areas of IT, cost management and strategies for increasing IT funding. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

H.323 Multimedia Videoconferencing: Theory and Practice

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI10

Robert S. Dixon, Chief Research Engineer, Office of the CIO, The Ohio State University

H.323 Internet Video Conferencing is now becoming widespread among colleges and universities around the world. It provides high-quality, easy-to-use and inexpensive video conferencing for collaboration, instruction and research. Please come and tell us about your experiences have been with this technology. What is the latest equipment available? How do I get started? What resources are available to help me? (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

IT Staffing Crisis: Has the Dot-Com Crash Made a Difference?

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI18

Judith Borreson Caruso, ECAR Fellow and Director of Policy and Planning, University of Wisconsin-Madison

For the past few years, demand for IT staff has exceeded supply, making it difficult for our institutions to hire these much-sought-after professionals. With the recent crash of some dot-com companies, there appear to be more skilled IT workers looking for jobs. What impact has this had on your hiring for IT positions? Have you been able to recruit staff with specialized skills such as networking and Java, or are you still experiencing a shortage in these areas? Has the changing market made a difference in retention of existing staff? Are your salaries any more competitive? If you have hired staff from failed dot-coms, what steps are you taking to ensure that they stay at your institution? Participants in this session will explore these and other aspects of recruiting and retaining the IT staff our institutions need. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Meeting IT Organization and Service Delivery Challenges

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI16

Leslie Kaufman, Director, Information Technology, Point Park University

The 2001 EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey of IT leaders across the nation found that the challenge of organizing to deliver IT services was among the top-ten list of issues. We exist in a 24/7 world but survive with limited financial and human resources. How do we structure our IT organization and service delivery to meet or exceed our customers' demands? At the infrastructure level, how can we provide ubiquitous services without ubiquitous resources? At the strategic level, how can we manage expectations without bursting bubbles? In this Current Issues roundtable discussion, we will share successes and failures and explore creative ways in which to address these ongoing challenges. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Organizational Models for Site Licensing: Libraries and IT Working Together

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI03

James G. Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, Columbia University

Rodney J. Petersen, Government Relations Officer and Director of Cybersecurity Initiative, EDUCAUSE

Colleges and universities increasingly are subject to license agreements or contracts that govern access and use of software and electronic resources. The legal landscape is also changing in the area of copyright law and with a new legal framework premised on the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) that is being introduced in various state legislatures. Licenses, whether site licenses or licenses for individual access and use (such as "shrinkwrap" and "click-through" agreements), are increasingly complex and favor the proprietors of copyrighted information. This roundtable discussion will illuminate current issues and trends, identify principles and best practices for licensing, and form an agenda for ongoing cooperation and collaboration between librarians and IT professionals involved in licensing issues. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Preserving Electronic Materials

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI13

Joanne D. Eustis, University Librarian, Case Western Reserve University

Libraries and archives, in fact universities, have been publishing digital content and transferring materials from print to digital formats for more than a decade with no assurance that a viable (affordable and technologically practical) long term preservation solution exists. In addition to issues such as technology obsolescence and digital fragility, preservation strategies must address a range of economic, legal, and organizational issues. Please join our discussion and share your responses (methods, policies, economic and staffing models) to the digital preservation challenge. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Security Management in Academe

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI08

Mark S. Bruhn, AVP, Indiana University System

Colleges and universities are becoming more aware of a need for increased network security as they increasingly become targets for hacker and denial-of-service attacks. How will your institution integrate the need for security with the academic tradition of open and free networking? Is it possible to isolate and secure the mission-critical areas of your network? What security policies are critical for your campus? What strategies can be used to increase the buy-in from leadership and the community about the importance of a secure network? How will you prepare your institution for the increased resources that will be needed to reach your security goals? Bring your experiences, solutions, and questions to this roundtable discussion. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Supporting Distant Students: Challenges and Solutions

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI12

R. Grant Crawford, Chief Information Officer, Midwestern Higher Education Compact

Creating course content for the distant student is only the beginning of the job. How do we provide academic and administrative support to students who are removed in time, or space, or both? What about access to library materials and help with solving software problems at 2:00 a.m., or the need to provide tutoring services and financial aid? Bring your issues and successes to this roundtable. At the very least you may discover that no one else has solved your problem, but you also may bring back home that one critical bit of information that pays for your conference attendance ten times over. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource

Ubiquitous Computing: Providing Universal Access

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI19

Stephen G. Landry, Chief Information Officer, Seton Hall University

Ubiquitous computing refers to policies aimed at ensuring that all students have a personal computer with access to the Internet, whether provided by the institution or through required student ownership. As ubiquitous computing becomes prevalent in higher education, colleges and universities are exploring what access and funding models make sense for them. Typical questions that arise include these: Why should we implement ubiquitous computing? Should the computers be institution owned or student owned? Should hardware and software be standardized or adhere to minimum specs? What are the infrastructure and support requirements for ubiquitous computing? How should programs be phased in? Come to this session to share your experiences and learn what others are doing to resolve these challenges. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Voice, Data, and Video Convergence: What Is Working and What Isn't?

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI11

James A. Jokl, Director of Communications & Systems, University of Virginia

The technology to converge campus data, voice, and video networks into a single unified infrastructure is rapidly becoming available. Voice over IP, video conferencing, and video streaming technologies continue to evolve rapidly and each new generation of equipment scales to serve a larger number of users and is easier to deploy. Some schools are pursuing network convergence for enhanced applications and services while others anticipate savings from combined facilities and support staff. What are the infrastructure requirements for a combined network? What technical hurdles remain? Should convergence impact your campus wireless strategy? What type of organizational and financial models work best with a converged campus network? Please come to share experiences, ask questions, and discuss future plans. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Wireless Technology: Innovative Classroom Uses

Monday, October 29, 2001
4:55 p.m. - 6:10 p.m. CI02

Paul E. Bowers, Director, Online Programs, Buena Vista University

Ken Clipperton, Managing Director, University Information Services, Buena Vista University

Wireless technology is quickly gaining a foothold on many campuses as a means to achieve mobility and true anywhere, anytime access. But how are wireless initiatives affecting not just the classroom environment and technology access, but the actual activities of teaching and learning? What kind of impact on learning does wireless technology help achieve? What interesting and innovative strategies and practices are faculty exploring or developing in wireless environments? What goals for changes in the classroom have campuses deploying wireless technology articulated? How will we know how well these goals will be achieved? Bring examples, hopes, fears, and experience from your wireless technology intiative to share as we try to bring teaching and learning in the wireless environment into sharper focus. (Attendance at roundtable sessions is limited.)

Postconference Resource