Department Interviews - 1996

Interview:  Paul Baktari, Mike Nuwer - Economics
     Date:  4/9/96


1. Do you have plans for special initiatives and/or projects for the 96-97 
   school year that involve technology?  -- for your students, your faculty, 
   your department?

   a. There is immediate need to upgrade computers for Lee Cliff and Ed 
      Portugal.  Jack Rezel and Florence Shu also need computer upgrades.
      Mike Nuwer has *no* desktop computer at the moment; he is using his
      computer as one of the Novell servers.

      Paul Baktari and Jack Rezelman also need additional storage capacity for
      their computers (1 Gb minimum).
    
      All faculty computers need additional memory.  The department may 
      purchase the memory they need most.

      Paul will send the Dean his list of faculty needs.

   b. Several faculty have requested projection capability for Dunn Hall.  The
      original multi-media cart for Dunn Hall is now being actively used in 
      Flagg 204.  If a "smart classroom" were established in Flagg (perhaps
      rm. 204), then the multi-media cart could be returned to Dunn.  

      The faculty would like to use of the Dunn classrooms as a dedicated
      presentation facility (using the multi-media cart) so that minimal
      set-up time would be needed to make presentations.  The facility would
      need a way to control outside light (shades for windows) and a 
      projection screen.

   c. Mike Nuwer will be teaching Economics 195, a course that will replace
      the CIS introductory course on Computer and Information Systems.  110
      students were enrolled in the CIS course this semester.  Part of the
      course requirements will involve data entry using library reference
      material.  That activity will be restricted to the library (see concerns
      over the Levitt Center move below).  The lecture part of the course will
      be in Kellas Hall and will require presentation equipment.

   d. There is a proposal being seriously considered to expand the business
      major.  It will be important to plan for appropriate resources to 
      support the instructional needs for this major if it is expanded.

   f. Several faculty are interested in purchasing a camcorder for the 
      department so that it could be used to record classroom activities and 
      special projects.  Having it available in the department, instead of 
      making arrangement to sign one out through DC/TM, would make it more 
      convienent and useful.



2. Student Computing Access Program (SCAP) proposals:

   a. Upgrade Flagg 162 (see attached proposal below this report).

   b. Projection capability for Dunn Hall (see 1b above).
      


3. What are your most important concerns and priorities for the 96-97 school 
   year?  -- for your students, your faculty, your department?

   a. Upgrading Flagg 162.

   b. Projection capability for Dunn Hall.

   c. Upgrading computers for Lee Cliff and Ed Portugal.



4. How can we improve our services and support to meet your needs? 

   a. The Dunn Novell server needs to be replaced.  It crashes frequently and
      that creates problems for PC users in the Levitt Center and student 
      centers in the residential buildings.  This is, however, not an 
      Economics Department issue.

   b. Flagg 162 has terrible network performance problems which come and go.  
      This problem has been reported numerous times and has not been resolved.
      Again, this is not an issue exclusive to the Economics Department since
      faculty from other departments use this facility as well.

   c. There needs to be support for the use of Windows 95 and for upgrades of
      computing resources.

   d. The department needs to develop and maintain an "open mind" for the
      needs of PC, as well as, Macintosh users.

   e. The Levitt Center HELPDESK does not provide adequate support for PC 
      users.  Either users are told the wrong thing or nothing at all.

   f. Some faculty are still using PATHWorks (almost exclusively for printer
      choices).

   g. If we move the Levitt Center, we will need to consider how students
      will be able to use library materials and books that must remain in the 
      Library.

   h. Some faculty do *not* like broadcast messages.  They also find the
      blinking red light irritating, especially when it is activated by
      broadcast messages or from students calling to say they won't be coming
      to class.

   i. Will students be able to access campus file servers and printers from 
      their residence rooms (viz., Novell servers and printers) in order to
      fulfill classroom assignments?

----------------------------------

Proposal to Upgrade Flagg 162 Computer Classroom

The Computer Classroom in Flagg 162 is now the oldest technological vintage 
among the computer classrooms on campus. The 486 computers have been 
operating since Spring 1994.  It seems that now it is time for an upgrade of the computers in Flagg 162.  We would like the support of the Distributed Computing Office in this regard.

Budget Request for Flagg 162

75 MHz Pentium*               1,499.00
Etherlink III Network Card      109.00
8MB EDO RAM                     290.00

Total Hardware                   1,898.00        25       47,450.00
Microsoft Windows NT               300.00        25        7,500.00
MS Office Professional             289.00        25        7,225.00
Tables                             200.00        25        5,000.00
Chairs                             100.00        25        2,500.00
                                 ----------------------------------
Total                             2,787.00                69,675.00

*Units include 8 MG RAM, 540 MB hard drive, 14" monitor, PCI Video, 4X CD- ROM.

Here are a few points to support our case:

1. The current computers can not run the operating systems currently 
   available, i.e., Windows 95 or Windows NT. 
 
2. Without Win95 or NT we can not use the current version of SPSS (Ver. 7.0).
 
3. Without Win95 or NT we can not use the newest version of Netscape with 
   embedded Java applications.
 
4. All new software is being developed for Windows 95 and, by next year, our 
   technology will be lagging behind national standards.
 
5. Students now have better computers in the resident centers to play games 
   on then we have in the classroom to teach with.