IT Staff - Vanderbilt University
School of Engineering Criterion 3.8.3
Appendices
School of Engineering IT Staff
David R. Linn
Title: Computer Systems Analyst III
Education
* Master of Science in Computer Science, Vanderbilt, 1999
* Graduate work in Electrical Engineering, Vanderbilt, no degree
* Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering (minor in Biomedical
Engineering), Vanderbilt, 1982
Continuing Education
* Various 1-5 day training courses, many with CEU credit
Related Experience
* 20 plus years (1983-present) of system management/administration
experience, Vanderbilt
* 25plus years (1978-present) of computer programming experience, Vanderbilt
William Andrew Richter, Jr. (Andy)
Title: Computer Systems Analyst III
Education
Master of Science in Computer Science, Minor: Mathematics,1986,Vanderbilt University
Bachelor of Arts, 1984, Lipscomb University Double Major: Mathematics and Computer Science
Philip Vermeulen
Title: Computer System Administrator III
Education
BSET, Electrical Engineering Technology, Minor in Computer Science.
Middle Tennessee State University, 1999
AAS, Electrical Engineering Technology Nashville State Technical Institute, 1982
Anthony J. Costi
Title: Network Technician III
Education
A.A.S. Communication Technology, Nashville State Technical Institute,, 2001
Continuing Education
Certificates
Certified Novell Administrator
Novell Network Technologies
CompTIA A+ Certified
Microsoft MCSE Networking Essentials
Micrsoft Certified Professional
3Com Certified Network Telephony Specialist
IBM Desktop/Warranty Support
Dell Dimension, Optiplex Desktops, Precision Workstations, Notebooks, PowerEdge Servers
Linda Hurst
Title: Media Center Operator
Education
Pontiac Central High School in Pontiac, Michigan, 1971
Continuing Education
Certificates
Complete MCSE program on Saturdays from fall of 1999 through spring of 2000, here at Vanderbilt.
Currently have 23 student workers in the Media Center and Print Shops and 4 student workers in the Laptop Service center.
APPENDIX 1
Help Desk Survey
Closed Tickets by Technician
from 01/10/06 to 05/01/06
Administrator, Administrator 0
Albert, Hampton 170
Costi, Tony 158
Huckabee, Matt 49
Kashdan, Lee 24
Morgan, Neal 13
Sullivan, Reid 15
VerMeulen, Phil 109
Total Tickets 538 Average Open Time 26.9 hours
Help Desk Report 8/1/06 thru 12/11/06
465 tickets closed
30 tickets open
495 total tickets
Hardware=396
Software = 51
Virus = 21
Wireless = 14
Deleted = 10
Email = 3
495
Closed Tickets by Problem Type
from 08/01/06 to 12/11/06
E-Mail Report 0
Hardware 386
Software 0
Software • Software 44
Virus 21
Wireless 14
Total Tickets 465
Response time 27.9 hours
[pic]
Open Tickets by Technician
from 01/10/06 to 05/01/06
Administrator, Administrator 0
Albert, Hampton 6
Costi, Tony 0
Huckabee, Matt 0
Kashdan, Lee 0
Morgan, Neal 0
Sullivan, Reid 0
VerMeulen, Phil 6
Total Tickets 12 Average Open Time 19.1 hours
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APPENDIX 2
Laptop Review Committee Report
Prepared for Dr. Kenneth Galloway
Dean, Vanderbilt School of Engineering
November 1, 2006
Submitted by VUSE Ad Hoc Laptop Review Committee
_____________________ ____________________
Robert J. Roselli, Chair Kenneth A. Debelak
_____________________ ____________________
Knowles A. Overholser A. B. Bonds
_____________________ ____________________
Sanjiv Gokhale Greg Walker
_____________________ ____________________
Clare McCabe Chris Rowe
_____________________
Matthew M. Huckabee
I) Purpose and Strategy
IA) Purpose
The Ad Hoc Laptop Review Committee was charged by the Dean of the School of Engineering to review the effectiveness of the School's TransIT laptop program. The current policy requires that all entering freshmen purchase the same laptop computer and software package. The Dean specifically requested that we carefully and objectively determine the extent to which our curriculum depends (or should depend) on the current program and to address the question:
"Can our curricular needs of the present and of the next five years, be met without requiring every student to purchase the same computer?"
1B) Strategy
Our approach was to gather as much information about the effectiveness of the program as possible by reviewing the use of laptops in our courses, developing and conducting student and faculty surveys, and organizing student focus groups. We added a student member to our committee. We also gathered information about the computer requirements of our peer institutions and other institutions that are recognized for innovative uses of laptops.
II) Recommendations
The Laptop Review Committee unanimously recommends that the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering should continue to require that all undergraduates have a laptop computer. A significant number of courses make good use of student computers in the classroom and in the laboratory, while many others require the use of computers for homework assignments. Results from both faculty and student surveys indicate that personal computers are important to our educational mission, and laptops are overwhelmingly favored over desktops by students.
Our curricular needs can be met without requiring every student to purchase the same laptop computer. However, the committee believes that abandonment of the TransIT program would be a serious mistake. A program in which all students must bring their own laptop that meets the School's standards over a four year period would be virtually unworkable and unenforceable. The committee reviewed four potential models for implementing the VUSE laptop computer program, and recommends two: Model (1) Continue with the current program which requires that all students purchase the same laptop computer through the TransIT program, and Model (2) Offer the TransIT laptop to all students, but allow students to opt out of the program if they already own a qualified laptop computer or wish to purchase a different laptop, as long as it meets a minimum set of requirements. The committee, by a vote of 6 to 1, prefers that VUSE adopt Model (2) over Model (1). In both options, the committee recommends changes to the TransIT program that hopefully will improve the program. Both cases are discussed below in more detail along with the advantages and disadvantages of each, and suggested improvements to the TransIT program.
IIA) Model (1) with Suggested Improvements.
A survey conducted by the committee indicates that students are reasonably satisfied with the current TransIT program. The computers selected by the IT group have adequately met the student's needs. Students indicated that the most popular features of the program are the four year warranty and the availability of service within the School. However, there was a perception that the computers were overpriced and there were many complaints relating to service, including rudeness of the staff, limited operating hours, and time required for repair.
In response to these student comments, the committee provides several recommendations which we believe will improve the TransIT program.
• Planning. We recommend that the IT group review computing needs each year for all of the engineering programs and recommend a minimum set of technical specifications and software packages judged to be adequate for laptop use during a student's four years of residence at Vanderbilt.
• Purchase. We recommend that the IT group select a computer and software that meets those specifications with quality, durability and economy in mind. The cost of the computer should continue to include a full 4 year warranty with on-site service. The price of computers is dropping, but the cost of the TransIT program has not gone down. The price of the TransIT program should be dictated by the cost of the computer, rather than the current policy of first setting a price, and then selecting computer features to match the stated price. Finally, there is a misconception shared by a large fraction of our students that the cost of their laptop computer is $2850, rather than the actual cost of $1685 plus tax. The committee recommends that the computer cost be completely separated from the technical fee and software costs, and that an itemized receipt be provided to the students and to their parents.
• Service. The committee further recommends a reorganization of the TransIT service structure. The current service model is underfunded and understaffed. None of the technicians are dedicated full time to the program. They report not only to the IT Director, but to a departmental supervisor as well. Two full time technicians are justified by the 150 student service requests per month. Adequate staffing and reorganization should go a long way towards countering student complaints about TransIT service. Student help should be retained, but student helpers cannot be expected to work during heavy repair periods which often occur during midterm and final examination periods. The committee has also learned that some of the most qualified potential student workers are lost to other repair facilities on campus, such as the Owen School, where they are compensated at a higher hourly rate.
• Computing Facilities. Some faculty are currently asking students to run specialized software packages, such as Pro E, which run very slowly and sometimes unpredictably on the student laptops. These faculty members encourage the TransIT program to purchase more powerful machines to improve performance. The committee does not believe the specialized needs of a few courses should dictate the technical specifications of the TransIT program. This would unnecessarily drive the cost up for most students who will probably never need that capability. Instead, specialized software and/or hardware should be made available at either a departmental or a school-wide computing facility. In some cases this facility could consist of a server licensed to run specialized software. The goal would be for students to connect their laptops via a wireless connection as clients, and run specialized software on the server. Most departments currently have such a facility, but not all. Some software cannot be run in the server-client mode, and terminals or multiple computers are necessary.
• Transfer Students and non-Engineering Students. The committee recommends that all transfer students consult with the IT Director concerning their computing needs. If the student already owns a laptop with the minimum VUSE specifications, it is left to the discretion of the IT Director to decide if the student can use it in place of a TransIT machine. If not, the student will be asked to participate in the TransIT program. Non-VUSE students who register in engineering courses that require the use of laptops are responsible for providing their own laptop computer. This computer does not need to be an official TransIT machine, but must be able to perform all functions required in the course in which they are enrolled. A limited number of loaner computers will be available through the IT Director for those students who do not own a laptop.
IIB) Model (2), the 'Opt Out' Model
According to our faculty survey, faculty members are not concerned if students have identical laptops in their classes. They indicated that students should be able to purchase their own laptop computers, as long as they are capable of running all the necessary software. Similarly, our student survey suggests that if given a choice, many students would prefer to purchase their own computer to specifications set by the School of Engineering. In some cases students already owned a perfectly qualified laptop computer before entering Vanderbilt, but were required to purchase the company machine. The TransIT laptop is usually the only computer students bring to Vanderbilt, and consequently students would like it to be capable of some non-academic computing tasks such as playing video games, or perhaps they would like to purchase a computer with a faster processor, larger capacity disk drive, faster DVD drive, larger screen, or a graphics tablet with high resolution graphics. It is more economical for students to purchase a machine with these options than it is to modify a TransIT computer with the standard minimum configuration. We therefore recommend that a second laptop purchasing option be considered by VUSE, which provides some flexibility in the choice of a student laptop computer.
• We recommend that students be given the option to purchase the TransIT laptop described above in Section IIA or to bring their own laptop, as long as it meets the minimum specifications set by the School of Engineering.
• Students who bring their own computer will be required to purchase the entire TransIT software package.
• Students who opt out of the TransIT computer program must also opt out of VUSE onsite service.
• Students who opt out of the TransIT program will not have the cost of the TransIT computer plus tax appear on their student accounts bill.
Students at Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati are given a similar option, and this year only 12 of 328 students actually brought their own computer. We estimate a larger fraction of engineering students will choose this option. Perhaps 15% - 30% of our students might select the 'opt out' option. The committee has considered the advantages and disadvantages of the two plans:
|Issue |Current TransIT Model |'Opt out' Model |
|Student Satisfaction |Students are reasonably satisfied with their |Selecting this option should increase overall |
| |current laptop computer, but indicated that they |student satisfaction with the laptop program, |
| |would prefer to have had the option to bring |since it caters to both students who know little |
| |their own. |about the correct computer to bring and those who |
| | |know exactly what computer they need. |
|Service |Onsite service for all laptop computers is |This program could reduce the burden on the IT |
| |appreciated by the students, but is currently a |staff by as much as 30% after four years, but |
| |burden on the IT staff, who are responsible for |places the responsibility for those who 'opt out' |
| |servicing over 1200 student computers. |to find service elsewhere on or off campus. |
| | | |
|Computer Discount |We currently receive a discount of about 30% from|With fewer machines ordered, the discount would be|
| |the manufacturer. |slightly less. |
|Date for Decision |This doesn't apply for the current program. |Freshmen must decide by the next to last week in |
| | |June if they are to opt out of the TransIT |
| | |program. They must sign and return a form to opt |
| | |out of the program. By default, the TransIT |
| | |computer will be provided unless this form is |
| | |returned. Computers will be ordered during the |
| | |last week of July. |
|Student Accounts |All students will be charged for a laptop |All students will be charged for software and lab |
| |computer, software and lab fee. |fee. "Opt out" freshmen will not be charged by |
| | |Student Accounts for the laptop+tax. This will |
| | |reduce the 'sticker shock' for those selecting |
| | |this option. The list of 'opt out' students will |
| | |be submitted to Student Accounts by the end of |
| | |June. |
|Financial Aid |The cost of attendance will include the cost of |Same. The cost of attendance will include the cost|
| |the computer, software and lab fee. |of the TransIT computer (not the actual cost of |
| | |the student computer), software, and lab fee. |
III) Other Models Considered by the Committee
We considered two other models, and unanimously agreed that they should not be recommended for consideration by VUSE at this time:
• Model 3. Every student is responsible for bringing and servicing their own laptop computer. In an ideal world, this would address many of the issues students raise with the current TransIT program. But in reality it would generate many new and probably unresolvable problems. For instance, what do you do when a student shows up without a computer? Not allow him/her to register? With Model 2 students who do not fill out the 'opt out' form would receive a TransIT computer and be billed for it. Computers will break and some students will not be able to repair them or replace them. Faculty would stop using them in the classroom because some students wouldn't have them and others would have computers that did not meet specifications.
• Model 4. Students lease their laptop and replace it after two years. With this model, students would receive new, less powerful computers in their freshman and junior years, thus leaving Vanderbilt with a two year old computer. The cost would be $311 - $367 per semester, totaling about 30% higher over the four years. Students rejected this option as being too expensive. Mount St. Joseph has already tried and abandoned this approach because it was too expensive.
IV) Summary of Student Survey Results
An impressive number of students (585) responded to our laptop survey, and nearly half of them provided specific comments and recommendations to the committee. Complete results, including all comments, will be submitted to the Dean's office as a spreadsheet. Bar graphs summarizing the results of the eleven questions are shown in Appendix A, along with a summary of the most frequent student comments. In summary:
• Students are reasonably satisfied with the TransIT laptop computers.
• Students are reasonably satisfied that TransIT issues a specific laptop computer.
• Students are satisfied with the computer warranty and service.
• Students agree that their laptops have been effectively integrated into the curriculum.
• Students strongly agree that their laptop is appropriate for handling their homework assignments.
• Students strongly agree that a laptop computer is preferred over a desktop computer.
• Students are somewhat divided on whether they would have preferred to have purchased their own computer: 29% strongly agreed, 19% agreed, 24% were neutral, 21% disagreed, and 7% strongly disagreed.
• Of those students who would prefer to buy their own laptop, 60% said they were not comfortable finding their own service.
• If students are allowed to bring their own computers, 85% would like the option to pay a fee to have the School service their computers.
• Students do not favor a 2 year lease/replacement program.
• Student responses on all of the above issues were uniform across all majors.
• There are minor differences in some of the responses between classes. Seniors are less satisfied with the TransIT computer, service and warranty issues than freshmen, and seniors are less likely to be satisfied with the course-related use of their laptops than underclassmen.
• Students identified many courses in which they used their laptops, including 13 BME courses, 12 ChE courses, 7 CE courses, 16 CS/CompE courses, 18 EECE courses, 9 MT/ENGM courses, 6 ES courses, 6 MSE courses, 7 ME courses and 17 non-engineering courses.
• The most common student complaint was that their laptop was overpriced for the quality and performance. However, many of these complaints listed the cost of the computer as $2850, reflecting a misconception or miscommunication of the computer cost.
• Several students complained that their computer was not powerful enough, usually in relation to running specialized software like ProE.
• Several students were satisfied with their laptop, but would have liked the option to upgrade features when it was first purchased. Some seem to be under the impression that upgrades cannot be performed on their machines after they receive them. Better communication is needed.
• The most prominent complaint concerning service was that the IT staff was rude. We believe that this could be reduced significantly if the TransIT service structure is reorganized as suggested in Section IIA.
V) Summary of Faculty Survey Results
The committee polled faculty on the use of laptops and 63 faculty members participated in the survey. Two thirds of the respondents took time to provide comments to the committee. The full survey will be provided as a spreadsheet to the Dean's office. Bar graphs summarizing the results of the five questions are shown in Appendix B, along with a summary of the most frequent faculty comments. In summary:
• Faculty agree that students do not need an identical laptop to carry out their class assignments.
• Faculty are in significant agreement that students should be required to have a laptop computer.
• Faculty are divided on the question of whether all students should have identical computers. The median response is neutral, but with more disagreeing than agreeing.
• Most faculty agree or strongly agree that the School of Engineering require that students purchase a laptop computer.
• Most faculty agree or strongly agree that students should be able to purchase their own computer, as long as it is capable of running all necessary software.
• If students purchased different computers, some faculty expressed concerns about how student laptops would be serviced.
VI) Laptop Use at Peer Institutions and Engineering Schools with Laptop Requirements.
Duke
Students at Duke are not required to have laptop computers. They can purchase Dell, Apple and IBM laptops at the Duke Computer store with 4 year warrantees. They have a service repair center that will service all these computers under warrantee for no charge, or $60/labor+parts if they are not under warranty.
Rice
Rice does not require a laptop. They offer a set of generic specifications and several recommendations. They do not have specific deals with vendors, but urge students to pursue academic discounts. They provide a list of computer repair stores and a map of where they are located.
Washington University
WU does not require a laptop. They provide generic specifications and recommend purchasing an extended warranty. WU has deals with Dell and Gateway and recommend Apple's online store.
Northwestern
NU does not require a laptop. They provide generic specifications and free software or software at a significant discount.
Carnegie-Mellon
CM does not require a laptop. They provide several recommendations for computer models that are sold through their Bookstore. Software is purchased via agreements. They have a Computer Maintenance Group for repair services (8 technicians).
Yale
Yale does not require laptop. They provide generic specifications and specific recommendations. They have deals with Apple and Dell. They recommend Dell for fast on-site warranty service. Computing Assistants (work-study students) provide software assistance and some hardware diagnosis. Some software is downloaded for free, some is purchased locally.
Columbia
Columbia does not require a laptop. They provide generic specifications, and have deals with Apple, Dell and other vendors.
The following engineering schools have laptop requirements.
Clemson University
College of Engineering & Science
Clemson, SC 29634
Milwaukee School of Engineering
1025 N. Broadway Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202-3109
Polytechnic University
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th St.
Troy, NY 12180
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Terre Haute, IN 47803
University of Cincinnati
College of Engineering
Cincinnati, Ohio
eng.uc.edu/resources/college/collegecomputing/soc/soc2001
University of Florida
College of Engineering
Gainesville, FL 32611
eng.ufl.edu/computerrequirements.htm
University of North Dakota
Aerospace Studies
Grand Forks, ND 58202
College of Engineering
University of Oklahoma
Norman, OK 73019
University of Texas
School of Engineering
Austin, TX 78712
Virginia Polytechnic
School of Engineering
Blacksburgh, VA
Several schools, Rensselear and Rose-Hulman operate their laptop program as we do, Model 1. Other schools, Texas and Clemson allow students a choice of machine, but only from a single vendor, Dell or IBM (Lenovo). Other schools set a specification and provide links to several vendors like Dell, IBM, or Gateway for students to purchase their machines. A number of other institutions, Princeton, Northwestern, Washington University, and Duke have no requirement but make a recommendation that the student have a laptop that meet a minimum set of specifications .
VII) Relevant Laptop Initiatives at Other Institutions.
There are many laptop programs and variations of laptop programs at other institutions. One web site had over 75 institutions varying from small liberal arts schools like Mount St. Joseph to large state schools like the University of North Carolina. Many schools use a model like ours, where the institution purchases a single machine and the students are billed. Others like Wake Forest and Villanova use a two year lease program whereby student machines are refreshed every two years. In our analysis, the lease programs are more expensive and have logistical problems with the return and disposal of the leased machines. Virginia Tech has gone a step beyond laptops and is now distributing tablet PC's which allow students to take handwritten notes directly into their machines.
Appendix A
Vanderbilt School of Engineering
Student Survey on Laptop use
September, 2006
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APPENDIX 3
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APPENDIX 4
Faculty/Staff Computer Service Survey
Score on a basis of 1=unsatisfactory, 10=excellent
1. Did the technician respond in a timely fashion to your request for service?
2. Did the technician solve your problem?
3. Was the technician courteous?
4. If you had any further questions, did the technician answer them?
5. If the technician could not solve you problem on the first call, was there a timely follow-up which eventually solved the problem?
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