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February 6, 1991

 

                                  MINUTES

                            Computer Committee

                   Fourth Floor Burruss Hall Board Room

                             February 6, 1991

                                   3 PM

 

 

     PRESENT:     Don Allison, Joseph Cochran, John Cosgriff,

                  David Goodyear, Bea Mahan (for Katherine Johnston),

                  Fred Medley, Harlan Miller, Mary Miller, Terry Rakes,

                  K. B. Rojiani, Richard Sorensen, Jay Stoeckel,

                  John Hoerneman (for Ernest Stout), J. R. Webster,

                  Jeff Wilcke, Mike Williams

 

     ABSENT:      Darrell Bosch, John Burton, Bob Heterick,

                  Joan McClain-Kark, Gerry McLaughlin

 

     VISITOR(S):  Barbara Robinson, Bill Sanders (Computing Center)

                  Ed Fox (Computing Center/Computer Science)

 

 

        AGENDA ITEM 1:  MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 9, 1991 MEETING

 

        Motion made, seconded and passed to approve the minutes of the

        January meeting.

 

        AGENDA ITEM 2:  COMPUTING CENTER ANNOUNCEMENTS (WILLIAMS)

 

        PROFS has been enhanced to allow for E-mail addresses that are

        longer than 8 characters.  This will provide proper handling of

        Internet addresses, making network mail through PROFS more man-

        ageable.

 

        The Center has acquired a site license for a TCP/IP package for

        MS-DOS machines.  It is a comprehensive package that includes

        support for SLIP (Serial Line Internet Protocol), which allows

        communication over the internet via a microcomputer's serial

        line.

 

        AGENDA ITEM 3:  STATUS OF VISION STATEMENT DRAFT (MILLER)

 

        A subcommittee has been formed to prepare a draft of a planning

        document which will be distributed to the Computer Committee be-

        fore the March meeting.

 

        AGENDA ITEM 4:  VTCOSY (COCHRAN)

 

        VTCoSy is an electronic bulletin board which has been supported

        by Communications Resources and is used primarily by VPI&SU stu-

        dents. CR is no longer able to underwrite the service, but Stu-

        dent Affairs has indicated some interest in funding it and has

        requested a detailed proposal.

 

        A motion was made, seconded and passed that the Computer Commit-

        tee supports the preservation of VTCoSy or a similar service.

 

        AGENDA ITEM 5:  ETHICAL USE OF COMPUTERS AND NETWORKS (WILLIAMS)

 

        A draft policy on electronic access was distributed to the com-

        mittee.  Its development was motivated partially by an audit re-

        commendation that the Center publish such a policy to insure that

        the University community understands its responsibilities in

        safeguarding computer and network access privileges.  Dissem-

        ination of this information is also appropriate in light of ex-

        panding services and wider use.  Increasing connectivity incurs a

        responsibility to the network community to discourage abuse.

        The Communications Resources Committee has commissioned a task

        force to develop a statement on ethical and appropriate use of

        computer systems.  The Computer Committee was asked to partic-

        ipate.  While it is counterproductive to set limits as computing

        and network capabilities dramatically expand, it is desirable to

        describe appropriate behavior and responsibilities for the envi-

        ronment.  Facilitation of prosecution of abuse should not be the

        goal, but rather to educate.

 

        AGENDA ITEM 6:  ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA

 

        SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

 

        1.  Computer Capacity and Planning Subcommittee (Allison)

 

            Development of the survey is proceeding and distribution to

            key computer users on campus is expected within a week.

 

        2.  Personal Computer Subcommittee (Sorenson)

 

            The subcommittee has developed an internal position with re-

            gard to the bookstore's policy on computer pricing.  It pro-

            poses that

 

            o   a fee of 0.25% on computer purchases be established as a

                source of funding for acquisition of site licenses,

 

            o   the service charge for bundled packages recommended or

                required by colleges be reduced to 4%,

 

            o   other computer sales bear a service charge of 7%, and

 

            o   sundry computer items such as paper or cables be charged

                a 10% markup.

 

            The proposal has been forwarded to the bookstore management

            and is under review.  It is hoped that this dialog will pro-

            mote a better relationship between the bookstore and depart-

            mental patrons and that a uniform pricing policy will replace

            the independent negotiation that currently occurs.

 

 

 

 

        The next meeting will be held on March 6 at 3 p.m. in Burruss

        400.

 

        Meeting adjourned at 3:57 p.m.

 

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