Present: Marcia Bjornerud, Steve Butts, Susan Dean, Pete Gilbert, Steve Hirby, Robert Lowe, Motts Thomas
Following topics were discussed:
Five issues were discussed:
It was agreed that Lawrence should declare student e-mail addresses to be "directory information" under its Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policy. Existing LU policies governing notification to students and the process by which they could withhold disclosure (tacit approval) of the information would then apply. We reminded ourselves that some of our students are minors and that this circumstance would need to be accounted for. No resolution was reached as to whether e-mail addresses should be deemed a new category of directory information (see Student Handbook, 1995-95, p. 31). The chair agreed to meet with the Registrar to discuss the issues involved.
Students would have to be notified well in advance of the launch date that e-mail addresses were being added as an item of directory information under FERPA policy, and they would have to be given the appropriate opportunity to withhold disclosure. These requirements will affect the launch date of the new service. Motts Thomas suggested that we could begin to publicize our plans in this area at the time of room pick during spring term.
The group quickly agreed that the student directory should not be available for on-line scanning; rather, student e-mail addresses should be accessed through a query facility that would look up student names matching the query value.
It was acknowledged that the timing of the launch of this new service will be controlled, first, by notification requirements under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; and, second, by the data development and software development required to support the query facility. Committee members hoped that the facility could become available on October 1, 1996. Timing is one of the issues the chair will discuss with the Registrar; Robert Lowe agreed to bring the data and software issues to Computer Services staff.
It was thought desirable to make all student-directory information available to members of the campus community via the Web, though there was recognition that technical issues might preclude this happening quickly.
It was tentatively agreed that the same inclusion rules that apply to the printed campus directory should apply to the on-line e-mail directory: A "student" for purpose of the former would also be a "student" for purposes of the latter.
The chair agreed to draft a memo to the president's staff outlining this approach and seeking approval.
The committee discussed this topic at the request of the president. The committee felt that it has a role in stimulating faculty use of the World Wide Web for pedagogy. It acknowledges the proposal that has been made to the Governance Committee to establish an instructional technology committee but notes both that the Governance Committee has not yet acted on that proposal and, even should it act affirmatively, that the new committee could not begin its work until the 1996-97 academic year.
Our committee identified several things it could appropriately do in fostering greater and more effective use of the Web in pedagogy at Lawrence:
Faculty are now discouraged from trying to use this technology because of the lack of classrooms and laboratories in which it may be used and the lack of available equipment to support it. The committee could speak to these needs, perhaps identifying opportunities and helping to establish priorities.
It takes time and skill to develop Web resources and to manage Web sites. A way needs to be found to assist faculty in developing the skills and finding the time to apply them. Can some things now being done be abandoned? If not, can the college provide additional personnel to do the additional things required to make use of the Web?
When promotion and tenure reviews do not take account of Web-related publishing or curriculum development in assessing the quality and quantity of scholarly and classroom work, faculty may be reluctant to explore these new opportunities.
Our discussion focused on finding the resources to help Dr. de Lerma publish his bibliography of black composers on the Web.
Donald Stewart shared a memo on this subject to be distributed to faculty department chairs. Robert Lowe agreed to review it for technical issues; Steve Hirby will give it a general review before distribution.
The next meeting of the committee will be held on February 28, 1996 at 3:00 p.m. in the Sampson House conference room.
Respectfully Submitted
Steve Hirby