January/February 2007

• New Email System Brings Changes
• Desire 2 Learn Coming to MTSU
• Take Steps to Protect Social Security
• LT&ITC Enjoys Productive Fall 2006
• Critical Thinking Inspires Stogner
• ITD Staff News
• Gardner Evolves Alongside Technology
• Five Easy-to-Do Computer Maintenance Tips
• MTSU Network Blocks Risky Programs
• New Footprints Interface
• ERP Update
• Scanner Upgrades Pld Testing Forms
• New Classroom Built for the Future
• Network Services Update
• Protect Sensitive Information on Cell Phones
• 2006-2007 Computing Committees

New Email System Brings Changes

An unusually large increase in email usage during fall semester 2006 prompted the Information Technology Division to unveil a new email system sooner than originally anticipated.

This new Mirapoint system went into production November 4.

The driving force behind this endeavor was to meet the growing needs of the campus for electronic communication. This system improves the response time for current users and is designed to handle expected increases in email usage in the future. Several new campus initiatives will increase dependence on emails for students and employees alike. Business needs have made email communication as ubiquitous as telephone calls.

There are several changes with this new email system that users will recognize.

One visible change to the system is the new Web interface. In the past, ITD supported two Web-based clients, Web Mail and PipelineMT. Both of the Web-based clients were replaced, so there is now just one version, whether it is accessed through PipelineMT or directly from the MTSU home page. Desktop clients remained the same with no changes required by the user to access the new system.

New Email Hints

Given that the entire campus is adjusting to a new email system, here are a few tips to help ease the transition:

• When starting the Web Mail client for the first time, you will notice your email is in reverse chronological order. In other words, the oldest email is presented first. However, you can customize the setting for your email. If you are using Web Mail or PipelineMT, go to the main page. There are options listed on the left side of the page. Choosing “Preferences” will list a number of options that can be used to personalize the email interface. The heading reads “Display Most Recent Arrival.” There are two choices – “First” and “Last.” The default setting is “Last.” To change the order and make sure the messages are listed in traditional chronological order, select “First.”

• Also in the “Preferences” window, the message count can be set. If you have a slow Internet connection, set “Message Count” to a low number, such as 10. The system load will be decreased for each Web Mail page display. If you have a fast Internet connection, a high message count will not affect system performance.

• Other options in the “Preferences” window include signatures and receipts. If you are having difficulty modifying emails to your specifications, the “Preferences” window is an excellent place to start remedying the situation.

• If you are using a Netscape 4.7 browser on a Mac OS system, garbage characters may be inserted into the body text of a message. This difficulty is caused by a limitation in Netscape Communicator on the Mac OS platform. To alleviate this problem, choose a different browser for Web Mail messaging.

• If your address book exceeds the amount of allowable contacts or groups, an error message will be sent. However, these values are configurable. Contact the ITD Help Desk at ext. 5345 to have the allowance increased.

• On the main page, there is an “Empty” link next to the “Trash” link on the left side of the page. You must hit this “Empty” link periodically because deleted emails will stay in the trash box until the trash is emptied. Emails in the trash are counted against the quota and thus have the potential to be problematic for incoming emails.

If there are further questions, please contact the ITD Help Desk at ext. 5345 or help@mtsu.edu.

Desire 2 Learn Coming to MTSU

A change is on the horizon for courses that use MTSU’s current course management system. The Tennessee Board of Regents has negotiated a new contract for the Desire 2 Learn (D2L) Learning Management System (LMS) as a replacement for WebCT. A campus LMS transition team has been appointed to make the transition as smooth as possible. More details will be forthcoming about this venture. For all the latest information on the D2L transition, visit the Web site www.mtsu.edu/d2lsupport.

Take Steps To Protect Social Security

ITD has set up a security Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~security which contains useful information and links relevant to the most recent security issues at Middle Tennessee State University.

There has been a rise in the number of cases where Social Security numbers have been lost due to theft or misplaced deliveries all across the nation. Once someone has another person’s Social Security number, the thief can use it to assume the victim’s identity or access additional information or accounts. It is therefore vital to keep this information protected. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

•Social Security numbers should only be used when absolutely necessary, not just for convenience.

•Many Social Security number thefts occur because someone copied a file onto a home computer or laptop and then the computer is stolen.

•If you must transmit a Social Security number across a network or the Internet, it must be encrypted. This turns the number into a seemingly random collection of characters and only the proper recipient can decrypt it back to normal.

•Never send Social Security numbers via email. Most email is not encrypted when transmitted, and mailboxes are usually not encrypted either. A legitimate company will never ask for this information in an email.

•If you must enter a Social Security number on a Web site, first verify that the Web site is the actual one asking for the sensitive information and not a Web site which is trying to trick you. After making the confirmation, make sure there is a locked padlock in the browser and the address starts with “https.”

•Even when a Social Security number must be on a computer and is not being transmitted across a network, it needs to be encrypted. There are ways to encrypt folders on hard drives so that only the authenticated user can view the data.

•Sometimes computer viruses send out random files to random recipients. Even if the data is encrypted on the hard drive, it can still be at risk if the computer is infected.

•If someone contacts you and requests a Social Security number, do not comply If your job requires you to provide the number, always verify that you are communicating with the intended party and the party needs your Social Security number for a legitimate business need.

LT&ITC Enjoys Productive Fall 2006

The Learning, Teaching, and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC) had a productive fall semester. We hosted an open house, the First Tuesday Series on the net generation, the Showcase Series with Experiential Learning, an Annual Advisory Committee meeting, and the 2006 ShareFair.

This semester the center will host a three-part First Tuesday Series on evidence-based learning beginning the first Tuesday in February; a Showcase Series on globalization, cultural diversity, and learning by Dean Anantha Babbili on February 22; a Showcase Series featuring Dr. Karl Smith, renowned expert on multimedia and problem-based learning March 16; and a Showcase Series on experiential learning as well.

Check the LT&ITC Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~ltanditc for a complete listing of spring 2007 activities and events.

Critical Thinking Inspires Stogner

Learning is a fascinating concept. To learn most effectively, is it best to be told the answers, find the answers for yourself, or a combination of both?

Let’s illustrate a common perception of a college classroom. Students go to class and the teachers tell them the answers. Students nod their heads, take their notes, and regurgitate the teachings on their finals. But, are the students learning what they need to learn? Dr. Catherine Stogner would say no.

Stogner, an associate professor in the Department of Human Sciences at MTSU, has spearheaded an effort to get students to think critically about their classes. College is, if nothing else, an institution designed to prepare students for the rest of their lives. How do students apply what they learn in a classroom to the real world?

To help students think critically, Stogner developed an online module for critical and reflective learning. Taken in conjunction with the Experiential Learning Courses (EXL) at MTSU, the online tutorial is designed to help students to think about what they are being taught.

“Hopefully, what [the tutorial] does is raise it up a few levels into the forefront of their thinking and help them be more mindful,” Stogner said.

All students registered for EXL courses are required to take the tutorial unless otherwise exempt. It is patterned after a module created by the MTSU Internal Review Board that reviews all research on human subjects. Stogner’s version is a series of questions on both critical and reflective thinking that a student must answer 80 percent correctly in order to pass.

This online tutorial was created to give students an opportunity to fully capitalize on the EXL courses. Experiential Learning is a program that strives to provide students with opportunities for hands-on experience in their particular field of interest.

“I think students learn a lot better if they get the chance to go out and say, ‘Hmmm… I wonder if this works in the real world or I wonder if what I’m learning has any relation to what I am going to experience out in the real world,’ ” Stogner said.

The impetus for Stogner’s critical thinking online module began with a class experiment a few years ago. The class was split into halves. One half was given an intensive immersion into the fundamentals of critical and reflective thinking while the other half was told simply to do it. The success of the critical thinking portion of the class inspired Stogner to make critical thinking a core component of her teaching and her department.

“[The critical-thinking students] were much more mindful of their thinking process, and they were much more proactive about their problem solving,” she said.

Stogner, who has been with the University for 10 years, extends her critical thinking lessons to her family life, which includes a husband of 29 years, four sons, one daughter, four grandsons, and one granddaughter.

“[My children] are all really good critical thinkers. … We started with our children at a very young age, requiring that they think through things,” she said.

ITD Staff News

Tom Wallace has joined the Information Technology Division as its new technology projects director. His role within the division is to lead the coordination of assigned major technology initiatives and projects as well as work with IT directors, technical staff, and other campus offices to improve standards and establish the best practices.

Tom comes to MTSU after serving 16 years at Volunteer State Community College as its director of administrative computing. In addition, he has also served on various TBR system-wide committees and working groups including ERP (Banner) RFP Development, Evaluation and Banner Contract Development Committee, TETLE (Desire 2 Learn) RFP Development, and Evaluation and Contract Negotiation Committees. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Lipscomb University and a master’s degree in mathematics from Tennessee Technological University.

He lives in Lebanon with his wife, Sherrie, and his son, Adam, who is in the fifth grade. Their daughter, Emily, is a junior at Lipscomb.

Tom wants to help MTSU maintain its leading role in providing a quality educational experience for students by helping to facilitate the appropriate application of technology and IT services in all of the initiatives of the University.

Jeremy Stanley returns to the MTSU IT Help Desk as a computer laboratory technician after a six-year hiatus. He worked with Dell Computers in Lebanon, Tennessee before rejoining the ITD team.

Jeremy’s primary duties include computer customer support for all Middle Tennessee State University faculty, staff, and students. As a computer laboratory technician, Jeremy must be able to navigate through various computing problems throughout the MTSU community while still providing timely customer support. In addition to his customer service work, he also processes work orders for the technicians.

His affiliation with MTSU goes back even further. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology from the University.

Jeremy lives in Murfreesboro with his wife, Jennifer, an Evening Extended School Program (EESP) manager at MTSU, and their six-year-old daughter Kaylee Rose.

Being in his second stint with MTSU, Jeremy knows what it takes to be successful. He has made it his personal goal to provide MTSU with the best possible computing customer service.

Gardner Evolves Alongside Technology

There’s a room in the basement of the Cope Administration Building. It is known as the Operations Room. To the unobservant eye, it looks like a kaleidoscope of computers and printers. But on this technology-driven campus, it is the lifeblood of the school.

In that one room, PipelineMT links every student on campus. Financial Aid is processed. Paychecks are printed. In fact, you use something every day on the MTSU campus that is housed in that room.

With all of those functions, it takes dependable, knowledgeable workers to make sure order is maintained.

That is where operations coordinator Gary Gardner steps in.

Gardner, who has been on the job since 1981, is the nighttime supervisor of, arguably, the most important room on campus. It’s a role Gardner relishes. In fact, in his 25 years, Gardner has amassed more than 4,600 hours of sick leave, a testament to the dedication he has to his work.

“The front office is always amazed when I submit a leave form,” Gardner said. His commitment to MTSU is even more remarkable considering he takes care of his elderly mother as well.

Gardner ’s dependability is commendable, but in a role where one must keep MTSU awake when most are asleep, a deft mind is also required. Working with complex systems, Gardner relies on his years of experience.

“If we brought a new guy in right now, he’d be totally overwhelmed,” he said.

But as a seasoned employee, Gardner, 60, takes said responsibilities all in stride. “What I have essentially done in my 25 years is grow with the system. I’ve become part of the system.”

The system Gardner speaks of is constantly evolving. Gardner has been working in the technological field for more than 30 years, harking back to the days of computer punch cards. Not only has he seen a lot of changes from the past, but also he must be prepared to adapt to adjustments that lie ahead.

“I’ve learned to embrace change. The human spirit wants to get lazy and not change all the time. … What I was doing 30 days ago, 60 days, 90 days ago is different. It changes that fast,” he said.

New systems are put into place continually throughout the year. The integration of new systems into the University becomes a delicate balancing act for an operations coordinator. Gardner must make sure the new systems are running free of bugs and quirks, but at the same time he must not allow human error to interfere with what the systems have been programmed to accomplish.

“A good programmer will always keep an operator from doing his job because there is less chance of error,” he said. However, “good programs do not make an operator obsolete. These are still output-oriented systems. ... This place isn’t going anywhere for a long time.”

Five Easy-to-Do Computer Maintenance Tips

Desktop support technicians are frequently asked questions about why a computer is running slow or how to protect a computer from a virus. Here are a few tips for general computer maintenance:

1) You can solve a lot of issues just by restarting your computer. This lets everything reset and refresh.

2) Delete your cookies and temporary Internet files. Many computers have a “Disk Cleanup” option. Disk Cleanup looks for unnecessary files on your computer. After this function has identified the inconsequential files, you can get rid of them and compress your old files.

3) Download “Search and Destroy” from ITD’s server. Go to the Start menu, click on “Control Panel” and then “Add/Remove Programs.” Click on the button to the left called “Add new programs.”

4) A great thing to make a habit of doing is running the defrag utility. As you create and delete files, the hard drive can become fragmented with parts of a file in different places on the hard drive. The defrag tool pulls those parts together to one location. This utility takes time to run, so we suggest letting it run during the night, every few weeks or so.

5) If all else fails, reboot again.

MTSU Network Blocks Risky Programs

Webshots is a common program used to download and share pictures. Weatherbug is a program that updates the current weather.

At a glance, both of these programs seem harmless. With the exception of possibly posing as distractions from work, both programs would appear to be a satisfactory inclusion into any computer on campus.

However, these frequently used programs are not currently working on the MTSU network. These applications are being blocked from MTSU’s network because they are some type of spyware, adware, or a security risk.

Adware is software that is integrated into another program. Once the program is installed, the adware automatically downloads and displays advertisements.

Spyware is software that collects your personal information without your consent. For example, it can track what Web sites you visit and send that information to advertising companies. Google Desktop is considered spyware. Articles have been published claiming that Google Desktop copies files from your hard drive and stores them to share with other computers. You can read more www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_02.php.

Webshots and Weatherbug are both spyware/adware that can cause problems with other applications. The same is true for a lot of the screensavers you may want to download. Other spyware or adware being blocked by ITD are NewDotNet, Wild Tangent, Hotbar, and Gator just to name a few.

To prevent downloading free software, do a little research on the program. Wikipedia and Google are good places to start. Routinely run Trend Micro’s cleanup tool to check for malware (malicious software). You can do this by right clicking on the Trend Micro icon in the right lower corner. Go to Office Scan and click the broom icon to see if you have any malware, spyware, or adware. If it shows at least one, click it again until none are there.

Also, Spybot Search & Destroy is available through ITD. To add this program, first go to the Start menu and click on Control Panel; then click on Add/Remove Programs; click on Add New Programs; finally, click on Spybot Search & Destroy and hit the Add button. If you need assistance using either of these or have spyware/adware that you can’t delete from your computer, you can call the ITD Help Desk at ext. 5345 or submit a work order at www.mtsu.edu/itdworkorder.

New Footprints Interface

As some of you may have noticed, there is a new interface for submitting computer work orders. The Information Technology Division switched in December to FootPrints, a new software program for handling work orders. While the old system was functioning properly, FootPrints will expand ITD’s capabilities for reporting, tracking, and managing the ever-increasing volume of work order submissions from the growing University.

In using the online system for submitting requests, a few differences will be apparent. The initial screen asks for User ID (requestor’s email address without the “@mtsu.edu” extension) before advancing to the input screen. Once that field is complete and the “Go” button is clicked, the system automatically populates the contact information for the work order including name, email, phone, and job title based on the current “Find People” directory. Users will also find the Problem Type/Category/Symptom fields are now dynamically linked to ease the process of coding a computer issue.

Although not all fields are mandatory, filling out every field possible will increase the accuracy for assignment and reporting purposes. Once all fields are completed, the work order is submitted by clicking the “Go” button at the bottom of the screen.

Check out the new FootPrints interface at www.mtsu.edu/itdworkorder. As always, if you have questions about submitting a computer work order to ITD, the Help Desk is available for assistance at ext. 5345.

ERP Update

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) updates.

Finance

• The end of the fiscal year was a success in Banner Finance. University financial statements created from Banner data were submitted to TBR.

• Processes for the year-end close were adjusted as needed for Banner. These processes will be reviewed to determine what worked, what didn’t work, and what changes are needed for next year. The year-end close schedule will be updated for a smoother close in upcoming years.

• Nonstudent Receivables continue to be migrated over to the Banner Nonstudent Finance module with good progress.

• The new e-Procurement system (SciQuest Software’s Higher Markets) is scheduled to go live in April or May 2007.

Human Resources

• Employee Self–service, accessed through PipelineMT’s RaiderNet tab, went live in November 2006.

• Another milestone was met with Faculty Rank and Tenure tables populated within Banner.

• Windstar Training was held in October 2006. Windstar Tax Navigator software is a package which helps determine the tax status on foreign employees and properly process their pay.

Advancement

• Advancement continues to fine-tune its processes and add more converted data after going live in July 2006. Acknowledgements and Receipts, Finance Feed, and Self-service Banner (SSB) are some of the topics this team has been working on.

Student

• The first full Mock Registration was conducted in November 2006 in preparation to go live in March/April 2007 in time for the fall 2007 semester priority registration.

• General Student, Degree, Academic History, Transfer Articulation Rule, and Transfer Academic History tables were converted in this phase of the project.

• The International Programs and Services office has been working on Banner integration with fsaAtlas, a package for managing international student information and SEVIS reporting. FsaAtlas data integration and functional training was held at the MTSU Training Center in October 2006.

Financial Aid

• Financial Aid is scheduled to go live in January/February 2007.

• SIS Plus to Banner conversion and testing continues.

• Training sessions covering Return of Title IV Funds, FISAP, Short-term Credit, Award History, and Self-service were held in November 2006.

• Tech Readiness/Conversion Consulting was held in October/November 2006.

Miscellaneous

• Banner Oracle was upgraded to version 10g.

Scanner Upgrades Old Testing Forms

ITD has upgraded the computers and software for the scanners used in survey processing and test scoring. We have been reprogramming the new systems to process the same forms as on the old systems.

Those who have used these services in the past should see no changes to the process. For test scoring, we accept the two forms sold in Phillips Bookstore. Please make sure, however, not to mix forms for the same test and provide us with a bubble sheet you have marked with correct answers to be used as the key. Also, note that the half-sheet form has no place to bubble in the student’s name, so please make sure that a unique number (not SSN, by MTSU policy) is bubbled in for the ID on each form. For surveys we accept the same two forms sold at Phillips Bookstore as well as any other NCS form. If a new form is used, please provide a few blank forms beforehand so that we can program the scanner to read the new form. The same is true if there are any changes to a form’s layout or content.

These scanning services are available in the basement of the Cope Administration Building and at ITD Academic and Instructional Technology Services in the ROTC Annex.

New Classroom Built for the Future

The Cingular Wireless Advanced Classroom Technology Laboratory (ACT) located in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building is a laboratory in which faculty is provided an opportunity to teach to different learning styles and to promote active, collaborative, and problem-based learning. Originally, the ACT laboratory was built as a student study room with computers in library-style study carrels. It became apparent not long after the building opened that students were not using the room as it had been envisioned. Students preferred studying in informal groups and were more likely to be found in the hallways grouped around a laptop computer. Lucinda Lea, vice president for Information Technology and CIO, was called by the dean of the college, Dr. Phil Mathis, to assess appropriate technologies and capabilities for the room to enhance student learning and determine the best possible options. The decision was made to redesign the room.

The idea of reconfiguring the room into a computer lab was discussed, but rejected since there was a 24-hour lab nearby. It was decided the room would become a next-generation master classroom. A consultant was brought in (the Sextant Group) to help a team of personnel from PolyVision, Technical Innovations, and MTSU’s offices of Academic Affairs, Campus Construction and Renovation, the Information Technology Division, and the Honors College determine what a next generation master classroom might contain. After plans were made, the computers and furniture from the original room configuration were moved to another area of the Honors Building so that they could continue to provide computer and Internet capabilities for students.

In planning the technologies that would go into the new next-generation classroom, the consultant and MTSU staff chose technologies according to their possible pedagogical applications. According to an article in MTSU’s Honors Alternative newsletter, this would be a room where faculty and students could experiment with new instructional technologies and methodologies before introducing to the rest of the campus community. Also, in the same newsletter, Watson Harris, MTSU’s director of Academic Technology Planning and Projects, lists the goals for the new classroom:

• increasing the marketable skills of students

• encouraging student-to-student collaboration

• accommodating various student learning styles

• providing opportunities for new pedagogical approaches and

• recording class discussions and preserving course material

The main technology components installed in the ACT are the Walk and Talk teacher station, the Thunder digital projection display and collaboration product, four LCD projectors, projection walls, 16 tablet PCs, four plasma screens, and class recording equipment. A summary of each component is listed below. A Crestron control panel controls most of the computer-related equipment. The room also has wireless and hard-wired networking, a storage closet for recording equipment and tablet PC charging, and wall controls for adjusting lighting and window shades.

The Walk and Talk

Teacher Station

(Annotation on presentations, videotapes and DVDs, pull-up plasma screens)

The Walk and Talk Teacher Station brings tablet PC functionality to the teacher station. The station allows instructors to input information and control certain functions using a pen, a remote control (change slides, mouse functions, pen functions with practice), and the station’s tablet PC. Teachers can use the pen to create annotations over PowerPoint slides, among other things. Annotations can be saved for later reference. The Walk and Talk Teacher Station can display media from videotapes, DVDs, and the classroom document camera.

The Thunder System

(Electronic flip chart, annotate on DVD and scanned images)

The Thunder system behaves much like an electronic flip chart. You can draw on the screen with Thunder’s electronic pen or use your finger. Pages that you create on the screen can then be posted on the walls of the classroom. Six pages can be displayed when the screen is in portrait mode and three pages when it is in landscape mode. Each page you create is auto-numbered and can be displayed, edited, saved, and retrieved. Pages are saved in PDF format. Faculty can send these PDF files to students or post them on a Web site for retrieval by students. Images from the classroom scanner or DVD player (no audio) can be displayed on a Thunder page, and faculty and students can use the pen to make annotations on the imported media.

Another benefit of the room is that it allows the Walk and Talk and Thunder Systems to be used together.

Plasma Screens and 16 Tablet PCs

Teachers can group their students around the four plasma screens in the room to work on problems, case studies, etc. One of the students can hook up his/her tablet PC to the plasma display to facilitate group collaboration. The instructor can display any of the plasma screens through either the Walk and Talk central projector or the Thunder projectors.

Record Class Sessions

A camera and recording equipment installed in the room allows instructors to record class sessions for self-study or for creating podcasts for students to use in their review sessions.

Network Services Update

Network Services has been busy with various projects around campus recently. Here’s a rundown of some of the updates this group has recently completed.

• Connected the Heritage Center and Foundation House with DSL access, which will allow both off-campus facilities to access the Internet and MTSU networked resources.

• Replaced network equipment serving BAS318, BASLAB, KOM252, KOM351, LRC Computer Lab, and half of Walker Library. This new equipment will allow faster link speeds (100 Mbps), a faster building uplink (1 Gbps as opposed to 100 Mbps), and more security options for preventing the spread of viruses and worms and preventing network denial of service attacks.

• New access points for wireless connectivity have been added throughout campus, increasing coverage and reducing weak signal areas.

Protect Sensitive Information on Cell Phones

Is the information on your cellular telephone secure? As wireless technology continues to evolve, the common cellular telephone is beginning to become a data warehouse. Users rely on a phone’s ability to store address book information, and many are now dependent on their phones to provide calendar, email, and document access. Because of the information phones now contain, it is important for users to be more diligent about what happens to their cellular telephones when they are discarded.

There are some excellent resources available to users via the Internet which give step-by-step instructions on how to erase sensitive information from surplus cellular telephone equipment. One such resource can be found at www.wirelessrecycling.com/home/data_eraser/default.asp. Users are directed to select manufacturer and model number from a menu, which will then display instructions on erasing data specific to the phone. On most phones, the manufacturer and model number can be found by removing the battery from the phone and then viewing the manufacturer’s label printed within the battery compartment.

Once the data has been erased, your cellular telephone can be safely discarded. Most cellular telephone companies provide a recycling program. In addition, there are a host of other recycling programs throughout the community and online, including Secure the Call Foundation. This foundation takes donated cellular phones and reprograms them to be used as free 911 emergency phones, which are then distributed to domestic violence shelters, senior centers, and any other agency with an immediate need for emergency access. Most recycling programs only need the phone and battery. Chargers and other accessories are not needed. For additional information on cellular telephone recycling, contact your wireless telephone provider or visit www.donatemycellphone.org.

2006-2007 Computing Committees

The campus computing committees are charged to focus on University computing resources. The structure includes a computer executive committee, an instructional technology committee, an administrative computing committee, and an instructional technologies development committee.

The committees work with input from all areas of campus and make recommendations to the president and appropriate vice presidents.

Computer Executive Committee

This committee is charged with formulating a long-range information systems plan and developing a plan to integrate the use of technology throughout the University.

Kaylene Gebert, Chair, Executive Vice President and Provost

Lucinda Lea, Vice Chair,Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

John Cothern, Senior Vice President, Business and Finance

Tony Johnston, President, Faculty Senate

Mike Boyle, Academic Dean

Dennis Papini, Academic Chair

Ann Maples-Vaught, Administrative Department Head

David Hays, Administrative Computing Committee Chair

Rebecca Fischer, Instructional Technology Committee Chair

Jay Cash, SGA President

Instructional Technology Committee

This committee is instructed to make recommendations to the president for the allocation of student technology access fee (TAF) funds.

William Beckett, Mass Communication, Journalism

Scott Boyd, Liberal Arts, Art

Willis Means, Education and Behavioral Sciences, Elementary and Special Education

Rong Luo, Basic and Applied Sciences, Mathematical Sciences

Gerry Scheffelmaier, Business, Business Communication and Entrepreneurship

Anantha Babbili, Academic Dean

Deborah Newman, Academic Chair

David Robinson, Manager, Library Automation

Mike Gower, Administrator, Business and Finance

Lucinda Lea, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Deb Sells, Administrator, Student Affairs

Amy Burks, Administrator, Student Affairs

Carlos Coronel, Computer Lab Director/Faculty

Tony Johnston, President, Faculty Senate

Rebecca Fischer, Chair, Past President, Faculty Senate

Watson Harris, Director of Academic Technology, ex officio

Jay Cash, Student, SGA President

Casey Barrett, Student

Administrative Computing Committee

The role of this committee is to develop new ideas for the use of technology in administrative applications; advise administrative users on technology needs; and advise administrative users on hardware, software, and services.

Joe Hugh, Business and Finance

Betsy Williams, Development and University Relations

Bill Badley, Academic Affairs, Academic Enrichment

Lucinda Lea, Information Technology

David Hays, Chair, President’s Office

Sherian Huddleston, Student Affairs

Mike Gower, Business and Finance

Lisa Rogers, ITD, Administrative Information Systems Services, ex officio

Greg Schaffer, ITD, Network Services, ex officio

Jay Cash, Student

Instructional Technologies Development Committee

This committee makes grant and fellowship award recommendations to the vice president for IT and& CIO for projects related to innovative and effective integration of technology into teaching and learning. The committee selects the MTSU Outstanding Achievement in Instructional Technology Award recipients. The awards are given to faculty members who show excellence in creating technology-based teaching materials and successfully integrating instructional technology in the classroom.

Ray Wong, Mass Communication, Journalism

Sisavanh Houghton, Liberal Arts, Art

Andrew Owusu, Committee Chair, Health and Human Performance

Nicole Welch, Basic and Applied Sciences, Biology

Jackie Gilbert, BusinessManagement and Marketing

Jun Da, Liberal Arts, Foreign Language and Literatures

David Gore, Basic and Applied Sciences, Engineering Technology and Industrial Sciences

Annette Williams, Academic Enrichment

Pamela Knox, Graduate Studies

Brenda Kerr, ITD