Information technology, Georgia. University System of Georgia. Board of Regents. Office of Information and Instructional Technology

News Bulletin Archive:

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

March - April 1995: Volume 6, Number 4
Contents
z From the Vice Chancellor z Technology Initiatives Making Progress z Rock Eagle Keynote Speaker Announced z Public Library Pilot Project Expanded z University System of Georgia WWW
From the Vice Chancellor
*** The OIIT has completed initial installation of the PeachNet dial-in hubs at ten University System sites. These hubs will serve as OIIT facilities for providing PeachNet Leaf dial-in accounts within the local dialing area. System institutions have been allocated six Leaf accounts at no cost; additional accounts may be purchased from the OIIT. To establish a PeachNet Leaf account, available to educational institutions or other qualified organizations, contact the PeachNet Services Coordinator at 404-423-6860 or GIST 228-6860.
*** Several months ago, the OIIT began discussions about maintaining and upgrading existing PeachNet dial-in service. To be completed by fall of 1995, the upgraded service will include faster modems at public demonstration dial-in facilities. It should be noted that institutions and other entities are responsible for dial-in service for the local campus community.
*** A project to select and acquire a full set of business systems software has been initiated. The first meeting of the executive committee-chaired by Dr. Carl Patton, President, Georgia State University-met on April 17. Additional information regarding this project will be included in the next newsletter.
*** Funding was appropriated for several new initiatives proposed by the Chancellor: science and technology labs for two-year schools-$3 million; special rehabilitation projects for science and technology classrooms and laboratories-$8 million; A Vision for One Statewide Library, providing electronic access to on-line resources throughout the state-$9.9 million; Connecting Students and Services, providing statewide remote electronic access to many student and academic services-$5.8 million; and Connecting Teachers and Technology, providing distance learning classrooms, training, and campus-based support personnel-$9.9 million. A letter describing the initiatives and identifying institutional action and responses will be mailed during April to System institutions.
*** A bill in the last legislative session was approved which will transfer $23 million from the Public Service Commission Universal Access Fund to the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Trust Fund. This money will be managed by the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Governing Board to expand and enhance distance learning and telemedicine activities throughout the state. No information is yet available regarding exactly how the Governing Board will administer the use of these funds.
*** GCATT has received a grant from the Department of Commerce to assist in planning for the next generation of the State's telecommunications network, including PeachNet. OIIT is a principal collaborator in this project. Other participants include DOAS, Georgia Tech's EDI, and commercial providers. Jerry Segers of OIIT and Keith Barnhart of GCATT are principal co-investigators.

*** The central office has received a grant from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Organization (SHEEO). This grant will assist in planning for the incorporation of technology as a specific component of the infrastructure of higher education: for example, how technology is best incorporated and reflected in the formula for University System funding. The grant will fund national consultants to assist a University System task force in assessing this subject, probably during this coming summer.
*** The six work-group chairpersons of the Ad Hoc Committee on Distance Learning and Instructional Technology will attend a May 4 meeting to present group reports and answer questions relating to the reports, which are due to the committee on April 7. The committee will continue to develop the objectives for goals in the Instructional Technology and Distance Learning Vision Statement and to further refine a System definition for distance learning and instructional technologies.
*** Information relating to activities of the Ad Hoc Committee on Distance Learning and Instructional Technology is now available through the University System of Georgia (USG) Gopher and WWW servers. Committee reports will be added as soon as possible, and information will be continually updated. Connect to the USG Gopher at gopher.peachnet.edu. Access the USG WWW at http://www.peachnet.edu.
*** The OIIT announces the creation of a new position, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Instructional Technology. The purpose of the new position will be to place a stronger focus on the expanding role of instructional technology in the System.
*** The OIIT is pleased to welcome several new staff members: 1) Business and Finance Systems has hired Ms. Annette Sale-Administrative Secretary and LaMetrice Brooks-Systems Support Specialist II; 2) Diane ChubbCoordinator, Distance Learning and Marie Lasseter-Educational Program Specialist have joined Academic Services and Distance Learning; and 3) the Vice Chancellor for Information and Instructional Technology's Office has added Ms. Lisa Ballard as Administrative Secretary.
J.B. Mathews, Vice Chancellor
[Return to Contents]
Technology Initiatives Making Progress
Several of Chancellor Portch's major budget initiatives are moving from vision to reality. Already in the implementation stage, A Vision for One Statewide Library, especially, is making great strides.
A Vision for One Statewide Library
A System-wide steering committee for A Vision for One Statewide Library has met several times and has developed an implementation plan. This innovative initiative, having been funded primarily with FY 95 lottery money, will provide for universal access to materials and information services for all students and faculty in the University System, and will establish an information infrastructure.
The information infrastructure will allow the System to acquire sharable subscriptions to electronic full-text of core academic journals. When the library project has been implemented, all University System card catalogs will be converted to computer format, and each System library will be automated.
The work-group assigned to investigate full-text database vendors and methods of delivery and access has recommended that SiteSearch be used as the database search software, full-text databases will be UMI's products and OCLC's FirstSearch, and UMI databases will be delivered from both the University of Georgia and Georgia State University.
A survey of System library directors indicated that a total of 1,594,259 items require conversion. However, only 675,000 of these records will be converted under the terms of the initiative. Priority will be given to general circulating collections and to libraries which are not automated. OCLC (Online Computerized Library Center), which does retrospective conversion worldwide, will convert library records to OCLC/MARC format, the University System standard computer format. SOLINET (Southeastern Library Network) will provide training and assistance with institutional profiling in preparation for conversion.
A recent survey indicates that six System libraries have no automation and that one System library using a microcomputer-based system must be converted-a total of seven. Research indicates that the individual library

collections in a university system environment are actually quite diverse, with a large majority of titles occurring just once in the system. Therefore, it is important for students to be able to search the collections of all libraries through on-line catalogs and a union list of holdings.
The library initiative will greatly increase and improve access to information by providing additional workstations and PeachNet access to all University System libraries and by supporting distance learning activities. Follow-on projects, such as the addition of public libraries to PeachNet, will expand that access to many more communities. Ultimately, the initiative will facilitate the Chancellor's objective for more cost-effective, shared collection development and management.
The project creates a model that can be expanded to the Department of Technical and Adult Education, Department of Education, and the Division of Public Library Services. Future projects could connect Georgia libraries-public schools, technical schools, and public libraries-to PeachNet and the Internet.
Connecting Students and Services
The initiative Connecting Students and Services will make it possible for students to acquire accurate information related to required college prep courses, determine transferability of college credit, acquire basic college admissions information, and explore career opportunities.
A more efficient method for admitting students to a System institution will improve student transition from high school to college. An increase in transfer articulation agreements and more direct access to current information on these agreements will improve student transition from one institution to another within the University System or from vocational-technical institutes to University System units.
Increased student access to advisors and advisors' access to relevant student information will improve student movement through academic programs into promising entry-level jobs. A compatible student information and advisement system will provide for comparable data collection, thus improving the System's capability for tracking student transitions from high school and/or technical institutes to college, through college, and from college to the work environment.
A base-line level automated telephone registration system, with additional line installation and training will also be funded through the initiative. The funding will also partially cover the acquisition and implementation of computerized advising and transfer information, improve network access for advisement faculty and staff, provide e-mail and PeachNet access and training for faculty and students, initiate electronic "networking" to link minority students with mentors, and provide access to the Georgia Career Information System through PeachNet.
Connecting Teachers and Technology
This initiative will target instructional technology and distance learning through the following six objectives:
z increasing the number of academic programs that use learning technology; z increasing the number of academic programs delivered by distance education, especially to isolated areas of
Georgia; z expanding the use of distance education to support the missions of all post-secondary institutions; z increasing the number of faculty and staff specialists who can use and deliver distance education; z ascertaining the most cost-effective and appropriate uses of learning technology; and z pioneering newer uses of the technology, e.g., medical diagnosis, especially to rural areas.
Specific activities to augment this initiative are likely to include offering workshops for University System faculty and staff; allotting time for faculty to evaluate alternative delivery systems and develop program materials for new courses at all levels; and establishing expert support staff on every campus. In order to provide instructional technology equipment for approximately fifty classrooms, $5 million was included in the Governor's budget request.
FutureNet
FutureNet, another technology initiative in the latest budget requests, will provide data, voice, and video connectivity to all educational, business, and residential buildings by upgrading Georgia Tech's telecommunications infrastructure.
Some of the goals constituting FutureNet are as follows:

z to enable the development and distribution of video educational material and the production of interactive video sessions for both education and research;
z to provide classrooms equipped for computer-aided presentations and access to information resources that incorporate visualization, simulation, analysis, and decision support;
z to provide data, voice, and video services by upgrading building wiring; and z to provide the capability for the design, execution, observation, and control of scientific and engineering
experiments in the laboratory and from remote locations across the state.
Georgia Tech will serve as a model and test site, and the Georgia Tech Office of Information Technology (OIT) will manage the implementation of FutureNet. The OIT is working closely with the Georgia Center for Advanced Telecommunications Technology to develop design specifications for the infrastructure.
Stewardship of the State's Assets: Special Rehabilitation Projects
A final target of the Chancellor's technology-related budget initiatives is the University System's laboratory facilities, many of which are outdated-improper venting and safety design-and do not meet safety standards. Spatially inefficient, the current four million square feet of facilities are not conducive to a safe and effective learning environment; furthermore, the space cannot accommodate distance learning equipment.
The initiative Stewardship of the State's Assets: Special Rehabilitation Projects will remedy these problems and will focus on increasing efficiency in the instructional process by providing students in the University System with a safe, positive, and state-of-the-art learning environment; preserving the integrity of and preventing possible irreparable damage to facilities; reducing operational costs through upgrades and renovations to existing facilities; and providing appropriate facilities for the implementation of distance learning technologies.
[Return to Contents]
Rock Eagle Keynote Speaker Announced
Dr. Richard A. Skinner, appointed president of Clayton State College in January, 1994, will present the keynote address at the University System Annual Computing Conference, October 25-27, 1995.
Prior to returning to Georgia, Dr. Skinner-born in Savannah and a political science graduate of Georgia Southern University-was Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Lander University and served as Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at Old Dominion University. He has held faculty posts at Lander and at Old Dominion.
He began his administrative career serendipitously as director of a facility he proposed, which subsequently became known as the Computer-based Laboratory for Instruction and Analysis at Old Dominion and has continued to seek the advancement of information technology and services at Clayton State.
Dr. Skinner chaired a group comprised of presidents selected by Chancellor Portch to develop major budgetary initiatives for the University System aimed at capitalizing on the emergence of instruction and information technologies. He currently chairs the Steering Committee for the statewide library initiative.
Dr. Skinner continues to confuse bytes with bites and persists in thinking that Nintendo is an obscure Romance language. His love affair with technology stems from the conviction that mastering a notebook PC will make it possible for him to one day open a child-proof bottle.
He holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Government and International Studies from the University of South Carolina.
[Return to Contents]
Public Library Pilot Project Expanded
by Beth Brigdon, OIIT

The collaboration between the OIIT and the Division of Public Library Services (DPLS), a division of the Department of Education, ignited a pilot project to deploy access to PeachNet into the public libraries around the state. Because of the success and popularity of the project Expanding the Vision: Statewide Access through PeachNet, DPLS approached the legislature to provide funding to increase the number of such installations. Funding to install PeachNet connections in all remaining regional library systems in the state has been realized.
The long term goal of connecting every branch library in each county is still a target of DPLS; however, the current funding level provides PeachNet connections to the fifty-four public library systems in Georgia. This appropriation will provide each system with a 56Kb connection and four PPP-capable dial-in lines, and will allow the division to offer centrally the traditional "Internet-style" services of e-mail and information servers, such as Gopher, Web, and FTP.
In its budget proposal, DPLS noted that the future of libraries is clearly linked to the ability of each public library system to use the Internet to access information and share resources.
[Return to Contents]
University System of Georgia WWW
by Brad Bacon, OIIT
The OIIT announces the creation of the University System of Georgia World Wide Web (WWW) Server. The WWW, an Internet protocol, offers users a truly multimedia environment-replete with text, graphics, audio files, and video files-for navigating information on the Internet.
Located at http://www.peachnet.edu, the University System of Georgia (USG) WWW Server offers links to a wealth of information pertaining to the System, as well as to other state and national resources. Designed to facilitate ease of browsing, the server features coordinating graphics and simple, straightforward bulleted lists which create visual and organizational consistency.
The "Home Page," the first page a user sees upon entering the USG Web space, links to the following locations: The Board of Regents, the OIIT, USG Institutions, USG Resources, State Information, and Other Resources. Choosing any of these links will take the user to a page with more focused choices, narrowing a search.
The Board of Regents page includes links to organizational charts, the Chancellor's Strategic Planning Policy Directives, A Vision for the University System of Georgia, and other documents from the Office of the Chancellor. Also included are links to various committees, Board of Regents documents, such as the Degrees and Majors Approved, and the Board's publication, Information Digest, in electronic format.
Organizational charts, a personnel directory, and OIIT Policies and Procedures are available on the OIIT page, along with extensive information regarding OIIT support services, including academic administration systems, Oracle, and personal computing. A researcher can link to information on OIIT Licensed Products, Distance Learning Courses in Georgia, the OIIT Training Center schedule, and even an electronic version of Information Technology, complete with images and links to outside locations.
Top | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998
OIIT News Bulletin Archive | OIIT Publications
Last modified: January 18, 2003