McNeese State University

Prohibited Purchases under the Student Technology Assessment:
(These are items which may not, under any circumstances, be purchased through the Student Technology Assessment funds).

Equipment and supplies not accessible for general student use, especially purchase of administrative equipment.
General office supplies and furniture.
Personnel recruiting expenses.
Travel (including vehicle rental).

The outlook of the student body in the use of the technology assessment is to enhance student life and learning by implementing three focus areas:

Student Computing Laboratories
Network Access and Electronic Services
Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support

Focus areas are simply guidelines to follow in developing a technological atmosphere on campus. As new technologies are realized, it is understood that these focus areas will evolve to meet the needs of the students.

Focus Area 1 - Student Computing Laboratories Upgrade on at least a three-year recurring basis to state-of-the-art hardware and equipment in all open-access laboratories.
Add an additional open-access computing lab in the pool hall room of the Old Ranch.
This computing lab is to open for extended operating hours or 24-hours daily.
Possibly add additional open-access laboratories (e.g. in the dormitory area).
Provide computer equipment in open-access laboratories in compliance with the American Disabilities Act.
Expand general and technical staffing in all open-access laboratories with a possible 24-hourlab.
Provide and maintain the latest versions of campus-wide standard software for open-access labs and for departmental labs.
Provide virus protection for both open-access and departmental labs.
Provide the latest operating systems for open-access and departmental labs.
Provide connectivity software for both open-access and departmental labs.
Develop a plan (e.g. on a prioritized rotating semester basis) for subsidizing, supporting and servicing departmental labs with hardware and software upgrades.
Colleges requesting equipment will submit annual proposals to the dean of Information and Technology for specific improvements to the college. Student initiative and/or participation in the proposal process is required.

Focus Area 2 - Network Access and Electronic Services Provide all full-time students with free Internet access.
Improve remote access to the network services from off campus and dormitory rooms by adding and upgrading modems and phone lines.
Completing of the basic fiber optic backbone for networking the campus academic buildings including the student union, dormitories, and the library.
Development of a campus wide Intranet to provide custom student services via the network and web including on-line student registration, financial aid applications, and campus-area vendor services.
Integration of the campus-wide network and the telephone system including upgrading of telephone services to include call waiting, caller-ID, voice-mail, and fax.
Provide central management and operation of servers and clusters for the campus-wide network.
Implement software solutions to provide the campus with increased automated support capabilities.

Focus Area 3 - Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support Enhance and update computer-assisted instruction for all open labs especially in core areas of study.
Assist colleges and departments in developing learning studios for computer-based classrooms. Studios could include technological capabilities such as shared document revision- "whiteboard" interaction- desktop teleconferencing; and video and e-mail communication.
Enhance classroom presentations with additional multi-media equipment, and data visualization tools.
Promote distance learning with the latest video-conferencing equipment.
Provide students with on-line access to library resources, and library databases.
Support audio, video, multimedia and courseware development production, and deployment.
Develop technology-supported programs for student-faculty interaction, student study group work; student leadership development; and mentoring programs.

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