Chapter 5
Technology planning and governance

Dakota Wesleyan University has several committees or functions that relate to technology support, planning, and governance. These are the avenues through which faculty, staff, and students can voice their opinions, concerns, and suggestions related to campus technology, as well as become involved in campus discussions and decision-making regarding technology.

Computer Advisory Committee
The Computer Advisory Committee (CAC), with representatives of each of the university's major administrative divisions, serves as an advisory body to the Chief Information Officer, Kevin Kenkel, and Mike Marx, Manager of Information Systems. The CAC meets periodically to discuss policies, procedures, new initiatives, and other matters related to information technology.

Committee members serve as the conduit through which issues of concern or interest among division members can be brought to the committee. Don't hesitate to contact your division representative about matters that you feel should be addressed by the CAC. Computer Advisory Committee members for 2004-05 are:

• Lori Essig, University Relations
• Amanda Petefish-Schrag, Academic Affairs
• Jack Mortenson, Academic Affairs
• Russell Pierce, Institutional Advancement
• Jody Brower, Admissions
• Marlene Warnke, Campus Life
• Lori Gray, Human Resources
• Kevin Kenkel, Chief Information Officer (chair)
• Mike Marx, Information Systems
• Mike Albright, Title III grant

Each Vice President appoints one or more representatives to the CAC, as appropriate. Persons interested in serving on the committee should contact their respective VPs.

Instructional Technology Committee
The Instructional Technology Committee (ITC), with representatives from each of the university's academic divisions, serves as an advisory body to the Chief Information Officer and the Title III Instructional Technology Specialist, related to academic applications of information technology at Dakota Wesleyan. The ITC plays a particularly important advisory role for the Title III grant's Activity 2 - Strengthening Academic Programs by Incorporating Instructional Technology. The committee also serves as the steering committee for the Teaching and Learning with Technology Roundtable.

As with the CAC, ITC members serve as the conduit through which issues of concern or interest among division members related to academic technologies can be brought to the committee. Don't hesitate to contact your division representative about matters that you feel should be addressed by the ITC. Instructional Technology Committee members for 2004-05 are:

• Don Watt, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean (ex-officio)
• Lori Bork, Nursing
• Rebecca Feaster, Education
• Anne Kelly, Psychology
• Jack Mortenson, Computers and Technology
• Diane Sandhoff, Nursing
• Rocky VonEye, Mathematics (ex-officio as Project Director, Title III grant)
• Kevin Kenkel, Chief Information Officer (ex-officio)
• Mike Albright, Title III Instructional Technology Specialist (chair) (ex-officio)
• Mike Marx, Manager, Information Systems (ex-officio)

Members of the ITC are appointed by the Dean upon the recommendations of the Faculty Relations Committee. Persons interested in serving on the committee should indicate that preference when the FRC solicits volunteers for serving on committees for the following academic year.

Teaching and Learning with Technology Roundtable
A Teaching and Learning with Technology Roundtable (TLTR) is an informal group of people, representing diverse parts of the university, who meet regularly to discuss the improvement of teaching and learning with technology. TLTR's typically serve as an advisory body to the chief academic officer and other academic leaders about programs, policies, and resource allocations related to academic technology. Such is the case at DWU, with our campus Roundtable being organized to advise the Dean and the Chief Information Officer.

A TLTR is not intended to be an official governance body, an exclusive group, or a forum for complaints about specific technology problems (e.g., gripe sessions), unless addressed within the context of broader campus issues. The TLTR concept originated with Steve Gilbert, President of the TLT Group (see http://www.tltgroup.org/programs/TLTR/home.htm). Roundtables exist at more than 400 colleges and universities around the country.

What does a TLT Roundtable do? Here are some typical activities:

• Discuss the educational impact of technological and pedagogical change, and use the resulting information to improve teaching and learning with technology.
• Guide the university's leadership in making policies and resource allocation decisions related to learning and technology.
• Gain acceptance for the improvement of teaching and learning with technology as an integral part of scholarly work.
• Shape internal grant programs in which faculty members receive stipends, released time, or equipment to support instructional innovation with technology.
• Provide input to the technology planning process.

All interested members of the university community are encouraged to participate. Please watch for announcements regarding TLTR meetings. For more information, contact Mike Albright, Title III Instructional Technology Specialist, at x2638 or mialbrig@dwu.edu.

The current meeting schedule, topic descriptions, and other information about the TLTR may be found in the Roundtable's section of this web site.

Previous | Contents | Next