Academic Senate furthers IT discussion

John Wilson

Academic Senate held its third meeting of the semester yesterday, and focused the discussion primarily on IT funding. President Bob Cosgrove and President Elect Dan Walsh voiced strong opinions on a need for more specific technology funding plans.

More precisely, funding initiatives were brought to attention by the motion of agenda item 8E-the “District-wide Technology Plan Task Force,” as mentioned in last week’s Academic Senate article.

Commenting on this, Cosgrove mentioned that the current state of IT funds’ planning, or lack thereof, may jeopardize Saddleback’s accredidation if further reviewed.

One of the main points advocated by both Cosgrove and Walsh was a disapproval of current funding standards. Simply getting funding for ongoing “maintenance” is unacceptable, according to Walsh- rather, projects should be concrete and time-specific.

“I’m tired of the spoiled child getting what they ask for,” said Walsh.

“I feel like we’re becoming a software company,” he added-commenting on the excessive ease IT programs have in attaining finances.

As stated by the Agenda item 8E reconsideration proposal, “any major technology project for consideration to be funded from Basic Aid must be included in the District-Wide Technology Plan and must clearly be a one-time project.”

In short, in the future IT programs will no longer be granted financial support for vaguely defined projects and/or remedial maintenance initiatives. Members of Academic Senate hope that higher specification standards will put the school at less risk for accredidation jeopardy.

 

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