ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FACULTY COMPUTER COMMITTEE

DATE: May 8, 1984
TOs Faculty Senate
FROM: James M. Joyce, Chair

Membership:

Ex officio: Vice Chancellor Volpe (represented by Susan McDaniel)
Vice Chancellor Lanier (represented by Douglas Wilms as
of March 9, 1984)
Student (Carole Wilson)
Director of CIS Wester (represented by Don Dunlap until
February 15, 1984)
Chair of the Faculty Jim Smith

Otto Henry, Music 1985
James Hix, Chemistry 1985
Jim Joyce, Physics 1984
Richard Kerns, Business 1984
Jim Wirth, Mathematics 1985
Robert Dough, Science Education 1986
Jean Huryn, Soc., Anth., & Econ. 1986
Kathleen Kolasa, Home Economics 1986
Michael McLeod, Business 1984

Committee meetings (members absent):

September 27, 1983 Lanier, Wilson, Wirth, Henry

November 1, 1983 Lanier, Wilson, Henry

December 6, 1983 McDaniel, Lanier, Wilson,
Smith, Kolasa, Henry

February 15, 1984 Lanier, Wilson, Kolasa,
Wirth, Henry

February 29, 1984 McDaniel, Lanier, Wilson,
Smith, Dough, Kolasa, Henry

March 28, 1984 Wilson, Smith, Hix, Kolasa,
Henry

Reports to Faculty Senate:

None

Instructions from Faculty Senate:

None

Committee organization, subcommittees, activities:

The Faculty Computer Committee functions as a body to make
recommendations concerning academic computing to (1) the Faculty Senate,

(2) Computing and Information Systems, and (3) the Information Systems
Advisory Committee.

 
In December, the Chair appointed a subcommittee for academic computer
planning charged with short and long-range planning.

Committee accomplishments and recommendations:

The FCC and its Planning Subcommittee advised CIS on the expenditure of
the approximately $50,000 of change budget support for academic
computing. These funds went for the purchase of two time-sharing micro
systems for an Austin lab, two personal computer systems for Academic
Computing (CIS), and approximately 20 terminals.

The FCC advised the Search Committee for CIS Director and participated
in interviews of the top candidates. Joyce served on this search
committee.

The FCC welcomed Jim Yucha in the newly created position, Manager of
Academic Computing, and invited him to participate at FCC meetings.

The FCC recommended to CIS that available space in the Speight
Building be set up as a faculty user room.

In addition to the recommendation of equipment above, the FCC's other
major equipment approval was the reequipment of the School of Business
micro lab with IBM-compatible personal computers.

Senate resolutions orginating with the committee:

None

Business to be carried over to next year:

Academic computer planning must continue.

Committee evaluation:

A. Structure - the structure of the committee is adequate and
functional.

Duties - the duties of the committee are clear and adequate.

Functions — the creation of an unit in CIS for academic computing
has and should continue to alleviate the need for purely
administrative work by the committee.

Personnel - the personnel of the committee are generally adequate.
There is, however, a spread in the members' computer knowledge and
familiarity with the computing situation on campus. It is suggested
that a handbook of committee procedures be developed. An

orientation program for new members would also be most helpful.
One member of the committee missed every meeting.

Suggestions for improving committee effectiveness:

See X.D.