Academic Technology Advisory Committee
Minutes of Meeting on February 20, 2009
Members Present
Michael Hoadley, Chat Chatterji, Blair Lord, Joshua Burk, Rigoberto Chinchilla, Kiran Padmaraju, Andrew Mertz,
Tina Veale, Linda Ghent, Mark Borzi, Diane Jackman, John Looby, John Henderson, Nackil Sung, Jeff Stowell,
Mahyar Izadi, William Higelmire, James Johnston, Robert Augustine, and Doug Lawhead.
Members Absent
Paul McCann, Zhiwei Liu, Lucy Campanis, Levi Bulgar, and Jackie Alexander.
Visitors
Britney Wells as proxy for Jackie Alexander. Other guests included Michael McBride, Don Braswell, Cheryl Clapp,
Chad Elliott, Max Swango, Greg DeYoung, Lisa Dallas, Janel Moore, Linda Moore, Toni Smith, Jim Novak, and
Connie Downey.
Approval of Minutes
Michael Hoadley opened the meeting at 2 p.m. in the TITLE Room, 1205 McAfee. He then asked for approval of
the minutes from the last ATAC meeting held on December 5, 2008. Acceptance of the minutes was unanimous.
Informational Items
1. CITRIX – Michael McBride
Michael McBride gave a demonstration/explanation of the CITRIX Server Virtualization project. He opened with
a thank you to everyone involved in the collaborative effort including ITS: Randy Ethridge, Dave Emmerich,
Mark Barrow, Adam Dodge, and Andy Hurt; Dr. Hoadley, John Henderson, and Don Braswell from CATS; Ted
Genders from Lumpkin School of Business; and Chad Price, Jerel Howell, and Brian Holzer from DC3
Solutions.
McBride reported that the project is currently in the testing phase with hopes of going live immediately after the
close of this semester. If anyone is interesting in volunteering to be a part of this test phase, they should
contact him at [email protected]. Additional information on the project can be obtained at the website:
http://www.eiu.edu/~cats/citrix
2.
Xythos – Greg DeYoung
Greg DeYoung reported that the Xythos project is moving ahead as expected and all trials so far have been
successful. The next obstacle to be faced is remodeling the Data Center in the Student Services Building
where the servers are housed. Equipment for the project is on campus and will be installed after remodeling.
There is a campus-wide power outage scheduled in March and the hope is to make the switch over at that time.
Training for the many uses of Xythos will be offered by CATS during this year’s May Institute. DeYoung stated
that CATS has already provided some very nice printed material for this joint effort. If anyone is interested in
learning more about this project, they should contact Greg DeYoung or Julie Wilson in ITS.
3. Panther Mail – Greg DeYoung
Greg DeYoung reported that a successful migration to the new Panther Mail system was accomplished during
the month of January, 2009. The last update to 10.5 will take place during the third weekend in February. The
operating system has now been converted from Mac to Linux. More information regarding training, as well as
request for early-adapter volunteers, will be available in the near future.
4. Microsoft Licensing Agreement & PC Ordering – Max Swango, Greg DeYoung, and Connie Downey
Connie Downey reported that the Microsoft Licensing Agreement is currently in the signature phase of
processing. Greg DeYoung stated that the best-case scenario would be for the contract to be completed and in
place 30-45 days from now. Max Swango stated any new computers on campus may be used until that time.
DeYoung stated that Travis Gresens and others in ITS have been working with Dell regarding imaging for the
Spring computer orders. The group has also been working with HP, but that imaging will not be available by
this spring.
Swango asked that any departments receiving direct delivery of computers please contact the HelpDesk (581HELP) when those computers arrive. He expects there will be a 48-hour timeframe for computers delivered to
his area to be “desk-ready” for delivery. That would mean they are ready for use, but may not necessarily have
everything a particular user may need loaded at that time. When computers arrive in his area, his staff contacts
individuals within 24 hours to set up an appointment for delivery.
5. Campus Computer Order – John Henderson
John Henderson thanked the academic side for all the orders they have placed through the campus ordering
endeavor. He stated that there had not been any participation from other vice-presidential areas of campus.
The current order is for approximately 125 PCs and about 70 Macs. He is still working with a few departments,
but feels there is already a good substantial order with which to negotiate pricing.
6. Academic Software through TEAM PIE Grants – Jim Novak
Jim Novak, Chairman of the TEAM Grants Council, presented this year’s plan for the Planning, Implementation,
and Evaluation (PIE) grants administered through CATS. The basic model is to follow the same plan as for
hardware purchases in the past, but the focus now is to apply the funds towards software purchases in a multiyear endeavor for FY09 to FY11. As in the past, the plan includes a requirement for matching funds from the
requesting department. He shared handouts that included a detailed description of the plan, examples,
timelines, and the actual application form. [Attachment A]
7. CAVE Technology Meeting – Michael Hoadley
Michael Hoadley announced that there will be a meeting to demonstrate CAVE Technology on Wednesday,
February 25, in 3030 Physical Science Building. Anyone on campus is invited to attend. The purpose is to
determine if there is significant interest in the CAVE system to warrant EIU purchasing its own system.
8. Other
Michael Hoadley informed the committee that an effort is currently underway to compile a list of individuals who
serve as website contacts for each department on campus. Departments are responding well to this request
for information.
Hoadley also provided the committee with a new iTunes U Guide created by CATS. [Attachment B]
He also stated that an effort is being made to compile a list of individuals to serve as department contacts for
iTunes U.
Subcommittee Meetings
Coordination of Technology Resources – William Higelmire, Chair
William Higelmire submitted the attached report. [Attachment C]
Student Technology Fee – Mark Borzi, Chair
Mark Borzi submitted the attached report. [Attachment D]
The updated proposal from the Gregg Technology Center for its computer lab was presented. M/S John
Henderson/Doug Lawhead to accept the proposal. The vote was unanimous for moving forward with the upgrade.
Technology and Instructional Support – Jeff Stowell, Chair
Jeff Stowell submitted the attached report. [Attachment E]
Discussion Items
1. Planning for WebCT – Chat Chatterji
Chat Chatterji reported that EIU is approximately halfway through its current contract with BlackBoard/WebCT
and that consideration needs to be underway regarding the next contract phase. After discussion of the matter,
it was decided that a committee would be formed to continue investigating the issue including the evaluation of
other learning management systems. Those agreeing to be considered for that subcommittee were Joshua
Burk, Jeff Stowell, Kiran Padmaraju, Linda Ghent, Chat Chatterji, Janel Moore, Michael Hoadley, John
Henderson, and Britney Wells (proxy for Jackie Alexander).
2. Other
There were no other items brought forward for discussion at this time.
Next Meeting
The final ATAC meeting for this academic year will be held from 2 to 4pm in the TITLE Room (1205 McAfee) on
Friday, April 17.
Agenda items should be forwarded to Dr. Hoadley ([email protected]) by Friday, April 3.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 3:55 p.m.
Submitted by Rhonda Brotherton
Recording Secretary, CATS Administrative Aide
ATTACHMENT A TEAM PIE Grants
for FY09, FY10 & FY11
The purpose of the TEAM Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation (PIE) Grants is to provide resources
to help support technology initiatives identified in the college technology plans that relate to the academic
mission of Eastern Illinois University. As in the past, TEAM PIE funds are expected to have an impact
on addressing technology needs of the University by focusing on the department and college priorities.
When appropriate, academic departments in the colleges are urged to establish collaborative partnerships
with other campus units (eg., Admissions, Booth Library, Facilities, Graduate School, Honors College,
Human Resources, Minority Affairs, School of Continuing Education, Student Life, WEIU, etc.) and
submit a joint application. This approach promotes the TEAM concepts of cooperation and sharing
resources, minimizes duplication, and helps multiple partners share in matching costs for mutual benefit.
For FY09 to FY11, the TEAM PIE Grants program will focus on addressing some of the software needs
to support academics. As part of the justification for funding, it is essential that TEAM PIE applications
for software reflect the technology plans developed by the departments and colleges. Documentation for
integrating use of that software into courses, curricula, academic programs of study, and the overall
technology vision for the campus are key elements.
In the past, TEAM PIE applications were typically for one year at a time. But when it comes to software
support, a multiple-year proposal could be more appropriate. This would be especially true if the
continued costs can be documented (e.g., annual set fees, on-going maintenance plan to receive upgrades
on a regular basis or where a predetermined percentage exists as part of a licensing agreement). For this
round of TEAM PIE Grants, documentation for any initial and on-going costs must be provided by the
academic department at the time the application is submitted to request funding support.
Similar to the concept of “matching funds” required with previous TEAM PIE Grants, this time there
must be a monetary commitment from the academic departments, colleges, and any collaborative partners.
This is important to demonstrate ownership and commitment to use of the software. The levels of
monetary match required in order to receive TEAM PIE funding are as follows:
Total Funding Amount
Requested for Software
Up to $3,000
$3,001 to $6,000
$6,001 to $12,000
$12,001 to $24,000
Total Match Required from
Department and/or College
20% of total (maximum: $600)
30% of total (maximum: $1,800)
40% of total (maximum: $4,800)
50% of total (maximum: $12,000)
Total TEAM PIE Commitment
for Funding Software Request
80% of total (maximum: $2,400)
70% of total (maximum: $4,200)
60% of total (maximum: $7,200)
50% of total (maximum: $12,000)
TEAM will support up to $24,000 per year for one particular software request with a 50/50 match. A
department may submit more than one request for software funding support, but the chair is required to
prioritize those requests before forwarding that information to the Dean of her/his college.
Example 1: A department may have a particular software application that costs $2,000 per year to acquire
and maintain. If that department decided to apply for funding in FY09, FY10, and FY11, the total request
would be for $6,000 ($2,000 per year). In doing so, the department match would be 30% of the total
($1,800, which means $600 per year) and TEAM funding would account for $4,200 ($1,400 per year).
Example 2: If that same department wanted to only ask for $4,000 in funding to cover two fiscal years,
mathematically the commitments would be the same because it falls within the same range of funding
requested. The department match would be 30% of the total ($1,200, which again requires $600 per year)
and TEAM funding would provide 70% of the total ($2,800, which again requires $1,400 per year).
Example 3: One way to reduce the departmental commitment would be to “partner” with another unit on
campus (or possibly more than one). In both examples above, let’s say two departments decide they will
share the software on a 50/50 split. That means each department’s commitment per year would only be
$300 per year (combined for a total of $600 per year), while TEAM’s commitment remains at $1,400
annually. Of course, those departments will need to work out the arrangements of how that software will
be shared, especially if several classes need to use the software at the same time.
The good news is that there are ways already in existence at EIU to help departments share software
licenses, when allowed through the licensing agreement. Software that can be shared with others and
made accessible through the KeyServer or the CITRIX Server is strongly encouraged. Questions relative
to software compatibility for use on those servers can be directed to Michael McBride
([email protected]; 581-7632) at the Gregg Triad.
Example 4: Suppose a department wants software that costs $30,000 per year to fund and maintain and
that unit requests funding from TEAM for three fiscal years. The total amount would be $90,000, but
the TEAM PIE Grants have a set a ceiling at $24,000 per year for funding requests for any software
application. In that case, TEAM would fund a maximum of $12,000 each year ($36,000 total), but the
department would be required to provide the balance of $18,000 per year ($54,000 total for the three
years, which would obviously be more than a 50/50 match).
Finally, it is also important to point out that a department can only apply for a particular software package
one-time. For example, a department might want to submit a request for funding only in FY09 for a
software application that costs $9,000. Based upon the table above, the department would be expected to
provide a 40% match ($3,600) and TEAM would provide 60% of the funding ($5,400). If that
department decided to apply again in FY10 for that same software, the request would be denied. Under
the terms of this arrangement, it would be the department’s responsibility to maintain and upgrade that
software after the first year.
Each college will determine its own process for reviewing and prioritizing TEAM PIE applications related
to software acquisition and upgrades. Collaborative applications by departments will need to be
channeled through each unit for support and approval because of monetary implications. Departments are
encouraged to provide comments from collaborating units that further support the need and use of the
software. Before an application will be considered by the TEAM Grants Council, it will require response
to a series of additional questions. That application must also have signatures of the Department Chair,
the Dean, and the fiscal agent (which could be the chair, director, or dean) for any collaborating units.
Documentation regarding all applications for software support must be submitted by the colleges to the
CATS Office (1336 McAfee) no later than noon on Friday, March 6. Members of the TEAM Grants
Council will review and determine which proposals will be funded and an announcement will be made by
Friday, March 27. At that time, department and/or college funds must be available so software orders
can be placed.
Funding for the TEAM PIE Grants is made possible through the Center for Academic Technology
Support (CATS). The availability of TEAM PIE funds for FY09, FY10, and FY11 will be dependent
upon University funding and approval of the CATS budget through the Office of Academic Affairs. All
budgeting procedures required by the Business Office at EIU will be followed for administration of the
TEAM PIE Grants.
For more information about TEAM PIE Grants, contact Dr. Michael Hoadley ([email protected]; 5818396) at CATS or any member of the TEAM Grants Council (http://cats.eiu.edu/team/grantscouncil.php).
Application Form for Software Acquisition and/or Upgrades
through the TEAM PIE Grants
Part A: To be completed by faculty member requesting software
Name:
______________________________________________________
Email: ________________________ Phone: ________________
Department:
______________________________________________________
Title of Software (include version):
______________________________________
Platform:
____ Windows
____ Mac
Number of Licenses
Requested:
____ Windows
____ Mac
New Purchase
or Upgrade:
____ New Purchase
____ Upgrade
____ Both
____ No
____ Not Sure
Maintenance Program
for Software Upgrades: ____ Yes
___
Both
Attach documentation which provides a description of the software and estimated costs
What courses in your department would use this software as part of the curriculum?
(attach additional sheet, if necessary)
Course/Class
(eg., ENG 2205)
Number of Sections
Offered Each Year
Number of Students
in Each Section
In which computer lab(s) would this software be primarily used?
Part B: To be completed by department chair
Name:
______________________________________________________
Email: ________________________ Phone: ________________
College:
____ CAH
____ LCBAS
____ CEPS
____ COS
How does this software fit into your departmental and college technology plans?
(attach additional sheet, if necessary)
Would your department be willing to share use of this software
through the KeyServer or CITRIX Server (if possible)?
No
____ Yes
____
Indicate any department(s) or unit(s) on campus that you have identified to collaborate
with on submitting this request and attach any comments relative to their need and
support for the software:
Funding Period(s) for Software Request:
FY11
(check all that apply)
____ FY09
____ FY10
Rank this software proposal in terms of your departmental needs and priorities:
________
(Note: 1 would be the highest ranking; if you submit more than one request,
each application must have a different ranking in terms of priority)
Part C:
____
To be completed and signed by department chair, dean, and representative for any
collaborating department/unit(s)
Estimated Total Cost for Software during Funding Period(s):
(attach documentation from vendor or website that shows cost)
$ ___________
Amount of Match from Department and/or College:
$ ___________
Amount of Match from Collaborating Unit(s):
(if no collaborators, then indicate “0” in the space provided)
$ ___________
Amount Requested from TEAM PIE Grant:
$ ___________
____ Final ranking by Dean of college
(Note: 1 would be the highest ranking for all applications in the college;
other applications would be ranked lower, in descending order of priority)
Signing this form indicates there is a financial commitment being made by the department,
college, and any identified collaborating department/unit(s) during the fiscal years indicated
above.
_______________________________________________________
Signature of Academic Department Chair
_________________
Date
__________________________________________________________ _________________
Signature of Dean from College
Date
__________________________________________________________ _________________
Signature(s) of Fiscal Agent from Collaborating Department/Unit(s)
Date
(if no collaborators, then leave blank)
A final list of prioritized software requests must be submitted by the colleges
to the CATS Office
by noon on Friday, March 6.
Paperwork must include copies of the applications (with attached documentation)
submitted by the academic departments in order to be considered for funding.
All paperwork must be signed
by the department chair, dean, and the fiscal agent for any collaborators
or it will not be reviewed by the TEAM Grants Council.
Questions should be directed to Dr. Michael Hoadley ([email protected]; 581-8396) at CATS
or any member of the TEAM Grants Council (http://cats.eiu.edu/team/grantscouncil.php).
ATTACHMENT B
hat is iTunes U?
_
iTunes U is short for iTunes University. Organizations and
institution s like EIU can use iTunes U to store audio and video
resources, as well as make them available for download and
distribution. ITunes U currently has over 100,000 educational
audio and video files available .
As an iTunes U site, EIU has two options for allowi ng the
viewing of media through its public and private accounts. Private
accounts pertain to classrooms, where in order to view the media.
students would have to use their username and password to
login. All other accounts would be identified as public accounts,
which means the information is readily available to the general
public to search, view, subsc ribe to, and download .
In order to access the resources, a person must use the iTunes
media player, which is available for both MAC and PC via free
download from Apple 's website. The iTunes player plays the
media on your computer, but it is also a stand-alone player
which does not require the video to be viewed in a web-browser
window like Flash videos.
In August of 2008 , a State of illinois law went into effect
whic h deals with accessibility and technology Issues for state
institutions such as EIU. One section requires media used for
public consumption to be captioned . This includes media that
will be presented to a large audience , either on- or off-campus.
Examples would include academic presentations and events,
marketing/advert ising media, and other such media. Media for
instruction would not necessa rily require captioning unless there
is a student in the class who required it.
When it comes to podcasting, the accessibility rules still apply.
Podcasts for private accounts (such as course accou nts for
the classroo m) would not necessarily require captioned media,
unless there is a student with a disability in the class who
requires it. Podcasts for public accounts would require all the
media within the account to be captioned .
CATS currently offers captioning services for the campus , but
to a limited degree because it is labor intensive. The process
involves transcr ibing a video and then synching the transcrip tion
to the video. CATS curren tly provides transcription for videos
which are 10 minutes or less. Videos which are longer than
10 minutes require the client to provide the transcription.
After CATS has a transcript and the media , the staff can then
timecode-synch the transcr iption to the media and upload it to
the iTunes U account.
~re the benefits for using iTunes U @ EIU?
itunes U is free to EIU.
iTunes U is a giant mediastorage/reservoir.
o iTunes U for EIU has a feature to searchfor media withinthe
iTunes U Store.
o The mediacan be played on iTunes Player, which is cross-platform
and a free download(www.apple.com).
o iTunes Player is a stand-alone player, which means the media does
not have to be viewedwithin a web-browser.
o The mediais downloadableand distributable.
o
The media can be downloaded and viewedon your computeror a
mobile device such as a laptop, iPod or iPhone.
o With private iTunes U accounts at EIU, there is a certain level of
autonomy, especially if you are a faculty memberwho wants to
use podcasts for the classroom. In essence, you can do the media
creation, uploading & distribution on your ONn once you
leam the steps.
o
o
As a general rule of thumb, before using any media that is
copyrighted, you should make sure that you have reviewed
the copy right law under Fair Use, the Teach Act and the
Digital Millineum Copyright Act. There are guidelines for how
much copyrighted material you can include in a presentation .
However, if you are wanting to show an entire copyrighted media
using iTunes U, you are really not able to do so because those
podcasts would be easily downloadable and distributable. If you
need to show a video in your online classroom , please contact
the CATS office for furthe r information.
are my iTunes U contacts at C~
Ju lie Luckett
CATS
581-84 49
[email protected]
Pete Grant
Antoine Thomas
CATS
581-8397
arthom as@eiu .edu
CATS
58 1-8398
pag ran l@eiu .eo u
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ATTACHMENT C To:
Michael Hoadley
From:
William Higelmire
Date:
February 18, 2009
Subject:
ATAC Coordination of Technology Resources Subcommittee activities
and report
The Coordination of technology Resources Subcommittee met on a regular basis during
the spring term and will continue to do so. The regular meeting time was at 1:00pm on
Mondays. During the semester the subcommittee discussed the following:
1.
Discussed the development of educational videos for KeyServer and Citrix usage by
faculty and staff that are to be demoed on April 17th.
2.
Reviewed the status of the Web Printing option. Currently, the Library and Gregg
Triad are print stations. We will continue to collect data to determine if other sites
are needed. An informational item was placed in the university newsletter regarding
the option
3.
Discussed the status of the Microsoft contract. The contract has been approved and
we are awaiting the final word from purchasing to announce the details to the entire
campus.
4.
The committee welcomed Joshua Birk who replaces Newton Key during the Spring
2009 semester.
5.
Discussed the TEAM PIE grants new initiative that focuses on the software needs to
support academics.
ATTACHMENT D Memorandum
Department of Communication Studies
Mark Borzi
Phone: 581.2016
[email protected]
Fax: 581.5718
TO:
Michael Hoadley
From:
Mark Borzi
DATE:
April 16, 2009
RE:
ATAC student technology fee subcommittee activities and report
The Student Technology Fee Subcommittee met on a regular basis during the Fall term
and will continue the Spring Semester. The regular meeting time was 11:00 am on
Thursdays. During the semester the subcommittee discussed the following.
1.
Continued the process of reviewing the ATAC labs for this year. One lab is
under review, Gregg Triad. The subcommittee received materials from lab
personnel and met with them on February 12th. Representatives from the lab
made a proposal that makes the lab more accessible and usable for students at
a considerable cost savings over the previous round of funding. The Student
Technology Fee Subcommittee approved the proposed revisions and continued
funding of the lab.
2.
Reviewed the status of the technology enhanced classroom installations and
replacements. With the completion of the Fine Arts Center the campus is at
100%.
4.
Met with representatives from the Student Success Center on the status of the
three classrooms and conference room that are to be included in the renovation
of 9th Street Hall. The classrooms meet the criteria established by the committee
and it was recommended that they be equipped. The conference room does not
meet the criteria established by the committee and it was not funded. The
committee advised the SSC representatives to meet with others on campus to
determine if used equipment would be available for use in the conference room.
5.
The Student Technology Fee Subcommittee recommends an increase of $31.25
per term in the technology fee effective Fall 2010.
A.
The current fee of $57.44 per semester is sufficient to maintain the
technology currently which includes the technology enhanced classrooms,
the ATAC labs on campus, Citrix, and the Keyserver.
B.
The subcommittee is recommending an increase in the fee of $25 per
term to cover software expenses on campus. This fee would be used to
extend the current Microsoft license agreement to all students, provide for
the annual expenses of WebCT, and provide a pool of funds to purchase
licenses for software used campus-wide (e.g. Adobe Creative Suite 4) and
department specific applications (e.g. Final Cut Pro Studio, Adobe
Audition, CAD, GIS software, Graphic Design and art packages).
C.
The subcommittee is recommends an increase in the fee of $6.25 per
term to cover the expenses associated with converting classrooms to
laptop friendly rooms. The fee would generate sufficient revenue to fund
the conversion of approximately ten classrooms per year.
D.
The rationale for this proposal
1.
Software
a.
Growing importance of technology in particular software in
delivery of curriculum. This increase will provide students
with software they need in a state-of-the-art education and to
successfully compete in the job market after graduation.
b.
This increase would directly impact students since the
software would be for student use both in and outside the
classroom.
c.
The University does not have funds available through normal
funding mechanisms (operating and equipment funds) to
purchase needed software.
d.
A survey of students in one academic department indicated
that students would prefer that the University provide the
technology to students rather than have the student
purchase it.
2.
Classroom Conversion
a.
Current configuration of most classrooms on campus are not
conducive to the use of laptops in the classroom. Table arm
desks do not have adequate workspace nor sufficient
surface area to provide a safe platform for laptops.
b.
This increase would provide the resources to enhance the
student experience and would impact students directly in the
classroom.
c.
A number of departments have either adopted or a
considering the adoption of a laptop requirement.
Converting rooms to meet this change is not within university
budgets.
d.
The proposal would provide tables and/or power to individual
workstations and upgrade wireless access in redesigned
classrooms to better support the use of laptops.
6.
The student technology fee Subcommittee recommends that an
appropriate body be charged with creating a standard profile or profiles of
software for campus. That this software in effect become the standard
profile for computers in the University and would be the primary list from
which funding decisions would be made.
7.
The Student Technology Fee Subcommittee continued discussions related
to the regional lab concept. The subcommittee began to more fully
discuss the potential to create “regional” labs which would be located in
various campus locations and be available for multiple departments to
use. This concept would remove individual “departmental” ownership from
lab space.
ATTACHMENT E
Memorandum
To:
Dr. Michael Hoadley
From:
Jeff Stowell
Date:
4/16/2009
Re:
ATISS Report
Wiki software for EIU faculty, staff, and students
The Academic Technology Instructional Support Subcommittee has met regularly over the course of
the 2008-2009 academic year to discuss the availability and standardization of wiki software at EIU.
“A wiki is a page or collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone who accesses it to contribute
or modify content, using a simplified markup language. Wikis are often used to create collaborative
websites and to power community websites.” (Wikipedia.com).
Our subcommittee evaluated the most common features of different wikis that would enable us to
determine the specific wiki software that would best meet the needs of EIU. The most important
considerations in our decision were cost, ease of use (WYSIWYG editor), accessibility, and pagelevel access control. As a result of our discussion, we have the following recommendations regarding
the use of wikis at EIU.
We realize that certain departments on campus are currently using wiki software that may already be
suitable for their needs. We are also aware that certain server software, such as Mac OS X server,
contains wiki software. However, for the majority of EIU faculty and staff that are entry level wiki
users, we recommend
1) PBwiki be the first choice for wiki software used in courses, departments, or other academic
groups on campus. PBwiki provides hosting for “turnkey” wikis that are easy to create, edit, and
navigate. Depending on the level of access control required (wiki-wide control versus page-level
control) and the amount of server space needed, the wikis are either free or require a low-cost
subscription.
2) CATS and ITS work together to provide awareness, training, and support on how to use PBwiki
in an academic setting to promote collaboration and sharing of information.
Respectfully,
Jeffrey R. Stowell, ATISS Chair
1