EDUCATION COUNCIL
of the
NEBRASKA INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION
Friday, January 19, 2007, 9:00AM-12:00PM CST
Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Building- Board Room
1800 N. 33rd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska
Videoconferencing sites:
Connell Hall, Wayne State College, Wayne, Nebraska
Panhandle Research Station, Scottsbluff, Nebraska
MINUTES
VOTING MEMBERS/ALTERNATES PRESENT:
Mr. Dennis Baack, Alt. for Dr. Eileen Ely, Western Nebraska Community College (Scottsbluff Site)
Mr. Arnold Bateman, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Mr. Ed Hoffman, Alt. for Stan Carpenter, State College Board
Mr. Clark Chandler, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Mr. Ron Cone, Educational Service Unit 10
Ms. Eileen Ely, Western Nebraska Technical Community College
Dr. Terry Haack, Bennington Public Schools
Ms. Yvette Holly, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Mr. Jeff Johnson, Centennial Public Schools
Mr. Rich Molettiere, Omaha North High School
Mr. Joe LeDuc, Catholic Diocese of Lincoln
Mr. Chuck Lenosky, Creighton University
Mr. Dennis Linster, Wayne State College (Wayne State Site)
Dr. Ed Rastovski, Wahoo Public Schools
Mr. Bob Uhing, Educational Service Unit 1
LIAISON/ALTERNATES MEMBERS PRESENT:
Mr. Terry Dugas, Alt. for Mike Winkle, NET
Mr. Steve Henderson, Alt. for Brenda Decker, Chief Information Officer
Mike Kozak, Department of Education
MEMBERS/LIAISONS ABSENT: Dr. Jack Huck, Southeast Community College; Marshall Hill, Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education; and Linda Richards, Ralston Public School Board
CALL TO ORDER, ELECTRONIC POSTING, LOCATION OF OPEN MEETING LAW DOCUMENTS, ROLL CALL, INTRODUCTIONS
Mr. Haack called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. There were members present at the time of roll call. A quorum existed to conduct official business. The Open Meetings Law was posted in corner of the room and a copy was located on the back table. The meeting notice was posted to the NITC Web site and Public Meeting Calendar web sites on November 20, 2006. The meeting agenda was posted to the NITC Web site January 17, 2007.
On behalf of the NITC Education Council, Mr. Haack thanked NET for hosting the January 19, 2007 meeting.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA FOR THE JANUARY 19, 2007 MEETING
Mr. Bateman moved approval of the January 19, 2007 agenda. Mr. Linster seconded. Roll call vote: Bateman-Yes, Hoffman-Yes, Chandler-Yes, Cone-Yes, Haack-Yes, Baack-Yes, Johnson-Yes, LeDuc-Yes, Lenoski-Yes, Linster-Yes, Molettiere-Yes, and Rastovski-Yes. Results: Yes-12, No-0. Motion carried.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE OCTOBER 13, 2006 MEETING MINUTES
Mr. Baack moved to approve the October 13, 2006 minutes as presented. Mr. LeDuc seconded. Roll call vote: Rastovski-Yes, Molettiere-Yes, Linster-Yes, Lenoski-Yes, LeDuc-Yes, Baack-Yes, Haack-Yes, Cone-Yes, Chandler-Yes, Hoffman-Yes, Bateman-Yes, and Johnson-Yes. Results: Yes-12, No-0. Motion carried.
Mr. Holly arrived at the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
REVIEW OF 2007-09 I.T. PROJECT REVIEW PROCESS AND NITC PRIORITIZATION
Steve Henderson
Mr. Henderson provided a brief description of the portfolio management software used to rate the I.T. Project proposals. The Bienniel Budget Recommendation Report has been delivered to the Governor and Legislature. Official comments from the NITC were also included in the report. The NITC discussed the need for Projects 51-01 and 50-01 to share technologies as much as possible.
Education Council members provided the following recommendations to improve the process for next biennial funding cycle:
- Providing information on the status of submitted proposals along the process.
- Better communication to agencies on the I.T. Project proposal writing - grant process/grant application
- Share rating and scoring information with agencies to assist with writing the proposals.
It was suggested but not acted upon that the NITC Education Council meet every other month to further discuss the biennial I.T. process while it is still fresh in everyone’s memory.
LB 1208 IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE
Statewide Scheduling System (RFP 1683Z1). The contract was awarded to Qwest. Qwest will be working with Renovo. Discussions occurred regarding host services. It was determined that the best solution would be for the software to be hosted in the Office of the CIO. Training is occurring with K12, HE reps on the software. Final contract costs are being negotiated. Decisions will need to be made regarding the best codec solutions chosen at the local level. There is some interest for involvement from the higher education sector.
Network services and support (RFP 1752Z1). There is an intent to award the contract Qwest and Windstream. Each vendor would handle different aspects of the RFP. The Distance Education Council has spokes with Senator Raikes regarding eRate of schools that are not part of the RFP. The telcos will not release costs on bandwidth charges until they know what school districts will commit. School districts do not want to commit until they know the costs. The Office of the CIO will not be able to cost out until the 4-71’s are filed.
Codec device bid (RFP to be announced). The goal is to get the best affordable bids for schools and other agencies. The project will buy off of the State’s master purchase contract. A refreshment clause is build into the RRP.
Mr. Rastovski and Mr. Linster left the meeting.
NITC STATEWIDE TECHNOLOGY PLAN
Mr. Rolfes along with the council members reviewed existing education-related Action Items: Network Nebraska, Statewide Synchronous Video Network, Digital Education.
After discussion, the council agreed that all action items dealing with LB 1208 should maintain high status for continuation.
Mr. Hoffman left the meeting.
No new action items could be determined at this time. Members were to send Mr. Rolfes any recommendations for new action items.
Mr. Uhing and Mr.Chandler left the meeting.
NITC TECHNICAL PANEL LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM STANDARDS WORK GROUP
LB 1208 has charged the Distance Education Council has to address the issue of a Learning Management System standard. The Distance Education Council decided to seek the recommendation of ilearning.gov. It was proposed that a work group be established through the Technical Panel to make a recommendation. A Draft Charter for the work group was presented with the goal of a standard developed over the next 6 months. The process to establish a standard involves a 30-day public comment period and review and approval first by the technical then by the NITC. The next Technical Panel meeting is scheduled for February 13th. The charter can be on the agenda for review and approval.
This would not be a statewide system for K12 and higher education but rather to establish a technical standard to be utilized for purchasing. Entities would have the authority to purchase per the needs. The goals and outcomes of a management system involve the end users significantly. Discussion occurred regarding the necessity to get input from the end users. Establishing technical standards can eliminate user requirements versus determining the user requirements then developing the technical standards. Currently, there is no national standard for content or learning management.
There was agreement that the development of a standard at this time was not feasible. It was suggested to develop a guideline rather than a standard or to develop a (RFI) Request for Information from vendors. The RFI could stipulate that it has to work over Network Nebraska and lowest common standard. Standards could develop unintended technical consequences.
Mr. Bateman moved that the council establish a smaller work group consisting of technical experts and end users to discuss the issue of an applicable guidelines or possible standard. Mr. Baack seconded. Roll call vote: Bateman-Yes, Cone-Yes, Haack-Yes, Holly-Yes, Baack-Yes, Johnson-Yes, LeDuc-Yes, Lenoski-Yes, and Molettiere-Yes. Results: Yes-9, No-0. Motion carried.
It was suggested that this group could be a joint work group consisting of the Education Council and Technical Panel members.
LEGISLATION UPDATE
Mr. Rolfes distributed a summary update sheet along with copies of the bills for LB 601, LB 603, LB 656, and LB 657. The NITC web site will have I.T. related legislation information updated on a regular basis.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mr. Linster announced that Wayne State will be having a Open House for IP Video Conferencing Technology. Members will be invited.
Mr. Henderson informed the council that the Lieutenant Governor Sheehy serves on a national committee addressing eHealth issues. At the February meeting, he’ll be proposing the establishment of a separate eHealth Council to address these issues in Nebraska.
MEETING MEETING DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION AND MEETING ADJOURNMENT
For the March 16th NITC Education Council meeting members requested an update on legislation and content management. Arnold Bateman will host the March meeting at UNL.
Mr. Johnson moved to adjourn. Mr. Lenosky seconded. All were in favor. Motion carried by majority voice vote.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:52.
Meeting minutes were taken by Lori Lopez Urdiales and reviewed by Tom Rolfes of the Office of the CIO/NITC.
Meeting Minutes