Information Services Committee

ISC03-M1

Minutes of the sixth Meeting of the Committee held on 14 February 2003

Membership: Professor P Roberts (chair), Professor J L Alty, Professor C J Backhouse, Mr T C Baseley, Mr P S Blake, Dr J H Chandler, Professor T Kavanagh, Mr J Mutton (ab), Professor C Oppenheim, Miss K Palmer, Mr H M Pearson (ab), Dr S J Rothberg (ab), Mr J M Town (ab)

In attendance: Ms V Blackett, Mrs M Morley, Dr A M Mumford, Dr B Negus,
Mr C Spendlove

Apologies were received from Mr Mutton, Mr Pearson, Dr Rothberg, Mr Town.

1. Report of the Previous Meeting

ISC02-M3
The minutes of the fifth Meeting of the Committee held on 18 October 2002 were confirmed.

2. Matters Arising

i. Resources and Planning Processes Group
The DVC reported that no progress had been made in this area as yet. It was AGREED that no further action should be taken to convene the group at this stage.

ii. Disaster Recovery
Dr Negus reported that no progress had been made as yet in this area. A further update would be provided at the next meeting.

iii. Ownership of Computer Laboratories
Having investigated further, Computing Services and the Faculties had determined that no action was necessary.

iv. Faculty Information Technology (FITG) Terms of Reference
The terms of reference had now been agreed (see ISC03-P11).

v. FITG Servicing
The DVC reported that further discussion which the Director of Registry Service had resulted in a compromise being reached, whereby the DVC’s Office would be responsible for the preparation of the FITG agendas whilst the Secretary to ISC (currently Mr Spendlove) would take the minutes of the FITG meetings. Though still under review, no significant problems were currently being experienced with this arrangement.

vi. Support Services Faculty Information Technology Co-Ordinator (FITC)
The DVC reported that steps were being taken to identify a Support Services FITC and that an update would be provided at the next meeting of the Committee.
ACT: DVC

vii. Regulation I – Library
This matter had been dealt with by Chair’s action and changes to Regulation I had now been approved by Senate (SEN02-M7-02/144). Information Services Committee was now empowered to change the loan period from time to time without the need to amend Regulation I or refer the matter to Senate.

The paper considered at Senate also outlined the initial change to return dates, effective immediately, which would require borrowed items to be returned on the earliest of the following dates, subject to a minimum loan period of six weeks:

· Start of Semester One

· End of Semester One

· End of Semester Two

3. Data Protection Policy

ISC03-P1
The Committee received the paper from the Data Protection Advisory Group and was informed that work was underway on the Data Retention Policy. The Committee felt that good progress had been made in this area. It was AGREED that, subject to the content of Section 16 (Academic Research) being agreed with the Ethical Advisory Committee, the Data Protection Policy should be recommended to the Resources and Planning Committee.

Secretary’s note: The Ethical Advisory Committee has now approved Section 16 (subject to minor amendments – see attached) and Chair’s action taken to recommend the Data Protection Policy to Resources and Planning Committee.

4. Human Resources Information System (HRIS) Update

ISC03-P2
The Committee noted that the system would not be in place before the end of the current tax year as originally planned and that this would mean that amendments to the current payroll system would therefore be required.

Ms Blackett informed the Committee that the first parallel running of the new system had been very successful, with the monthly and weekly payrolls reconciling to within 66p and £5 respectively.

The timescale for Stage 2 (which would involve roll out of the core system to Faculties and Support Services and enhanced and web-based reporting facilities) was yet to be finalised.

5. Access to University Web Pages

ISC03-P3
The Committee noted the results of the survey. The Committee was concerned that only half of the 150 registered web providers had attended training sessions. It was AGREED that compulsory training should be RECOMMENDED to the Equal Opportunities Committee.

One member expressed concern about the difficulty that external organisations had in accessing the Ergonomics and Safety Research Institute web page. Dr Mumford agreed to investigate this on behalf of WAG.
ACT: AM

Dr Mumford advised the Committee that the Web Action Group (WAG) was to be wound down. The Committee thanked the members of the working group.

6. Computer Hacking

ISC03-P4
The Committee received the paper from Dr Chandler and considered the requirement for a dedicated IT security post. It was AGREED that, in principle, ISC would support such a bid and recommend it to Resources and Planning Committee. It was noted that ISC support would not necessarily mean that a bid would be successful, since all budget bids would be prioritised by Resources and Planning Committee. It was AGREED that Dr Negus and the Deans would prepare a proposal to be incorporated into the Computing Services budget bid.
ACT: BN/Deans

7. Report from Media Services

ISC03-P5
The Committee received the paper from Dr Mumford. Clarification was received as follows:

Wallchart was a room bookings system not a room timetabling system. The main benefit over a paper based system was the automatic avoidance of double booking.

Imagebank was not core funded and was intended to operate on a cost recovery basis. There had been significant opposition to cost recovery. The Committee asked Dr Mumford to pass on its thanks to Media Services staff for the generally high quality of service received for both core funded and cost recovery activities.

The Committee expressed some concern that the facility was not easily located on the web. It was AGREED that Imagebank should be accessible through the Media Services homepage.
ACT: AM

8. Report from Library

ISC03-P6: ISC03-P7
The Committee received the report from Mrs Morley. There was some concern about the need for students to queue to use an open access PC. Mrs Morley advised the Committee that anecdotal evidence suggested that demand was relatively constant throughout the day rather than being concentrated in any particular period and that when queues were apparent Library staff did police workstations to ensure that they were being utilised for academic work.

9. Report from Corporate Information Services

ISC03-P8
The committee received the report from Ms Blackett. Key areas in addition to HRIS were:

9.1 Student Information System
There was ongoing debate in the University about strategy in this area (bought-in v. in-house development). A meeting with all key players was to take place 18 February 2003 to determine the University’s vision and to identify shortfalls of the current system. The DVC confirmed that following this meeting, a firm decision would be taken on the future student information system strategy and that this would be reported to the next meeting of the Committee.
ACT: DVC

9.2 Web-Based Facilities
Work was underway on providing more information held in corporate systems to staff and students via the web.

9.3 Upgrade of In-House Systems
Since the in-house Finance system was now expected to be in place for at least 3-5 more years, a major upgrade would be required. In addition, the Student Information System would require a major upgrade. Both of these upgrades would commence in the next year.

10. Report from Computing Services

ISC03-P9
The Committee received the report from Dr Negus. Key areas were thought to be:

10.1 Back-up Robot
The Committee was pleased to hear that this had been relocated and the unacceptable risk to the University removed accordingly.

10.2 Records Management and Email – JISC Project Bid
The paper, although received and considered by FITG, had not been circulated to ISC members until shortly before the meeting. Members were asked to read through the paper which would be discussed further at the next meeting of the Committee. Dr Negus confirmed that the University was bidding against an existing identified need in the sector.

The Committee expressed general unease at the current potential for the loss of email records which formed a significant part of the University’s information system, but which were not subject to the same safeguards as other corporate systems and welcomed any improvements in this area as a matter of principle. £10,000 was thought to be very good value for money for this project.

11. Computing Services Budget Priorities 2003-4

ISC03-P10
The Committee received the paper from Dr Negus. The paper had been considered at FITG, resulting in the upgrade of the status of Macintosh support to “Essential”. It was AGREED that essential Macintosh support should taken to mean:

“that support which is necessary to allow Macintosh computers to be used for teaching and research”.

Any Macintosh support over and above this would continue to be classified as “Desirable”. Computing Services was working with Faculties to determine exactly what level of Macintosh support was necessary.
ACT: BN/FITCs

12. Faculty Information Technology Group

ISC03-P11; ISC03-P12
The minutes of the meetings held on 12 November 2002 ands 4 February 2003 were received and noted.

13. Media Services Annual Report

ISC03-P13
The annual report of the Director of Media Services was received and noted.

14. Corporate Information Services Annual Report

ISC03-P14
The annual report of the Director of Corporate Information Services was received and noted.

15. Library User Committee

ISC03-P15
The minutes of the meeting held on 16 October 2002 were received and noted.

16. CIS User Group

ISC03-P16
The minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2002 were received and noted.

17. Media Services User Group

ISC03-P17
The minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2003 were received and noted.

18. Other Business

Some members expressed an interest in holding a special meeting of the Committee to consider the DISS budget bids for 2003-4. As the deadline for submission of bids was close, it was AGREED that a special meeting should be convened in early March if possible.

Secretary’s note: It has proved impossible to find a suitable time to convene a special meeting. Review of the ISC Terms of Reference relating to DISS budgets will be included on the next ordinary meeting agenda.

19. Date of Next Meeting

Friday 23 May 2003, 09:30 Council Chamber.