STFC: Blackboard may be replaced with blank CANVAS

A Student Technology Fee Committee meeting was held on January 12 to discuss the Special and Annual Allocation Timeline, Collegiate Link Submittal, Proposal Workshop, and edits to the Policies and Procedures.  ASUWT Senator Niko Ahkiong and ASUWT Finance Chair Morgan Favors chair the committee. The student committee members consist of D.C. Grant, Cheri Hans, Si Hak Yi, and Rai Nauman Mumtaz.

The student affairs website states, "The STFC is made up of two ASUWT Senators, students who have volunteered for the Committee and have been appointed by the ASUWT, ex-officio members, to include the Computer Services Manager of Client and Technical Services Faculty and a hired staff member. This Committee is an annual appointment that is chosen during fall quarter with replacements as needed throughout the academic year."

 The statute (RCW 28B.15.051) allowed the university to establish the fee upon the agreement of the student governments. Unlike tuition and other fees, the STF, as directed by statute is to be spent only on technology for students. State law directs that the annual expenditure plans for the fee be approved by students rather than by the Administration or Board of Regents.

Full-time students attending UW Tacoma pay a $40 technology fee per quarter ($120 annually).

At the meeting purchases were heard, and it was put forth that three computers with printers were purchased to install in the Joy building for students to use last year through the STFC, but the STFC doesn't have the funding to provide tables. Currently the equipment is just sitting, unused. There were $300 in the proposal allocated to tables. It was presumed that there was somehow a mistake made in the math. Currently the computers can't be installed because they don't have tables. The tables would also have to match the decorum of the building.

There was a proposal to install used tables, but that proposal was rejected. The tables can't be requested from the STFC because they're not considered technology and they should have been requested through SAFC instead. It was recommended that Bridget Collier of the Finance Chair be contacted. Collier is also Associate Director for Student Planning and Administration.

The Special and Annual Allocation timelines were then discussed. The Special Allocation process will be opened on Monday, January 23.

This year there's a new process for the Collegiate Link proposal that will be done online. "It's a little bit clearer, a little more streamlined to have all the data in one place," Favors said. Collegiate Link is a website that provides a platform to centralize, organize, and increase student involvement opportunities. The website is currently utilized to simplify the RSO application process and it also allows students to "submit applications/forms from anywhere at any time, creating a more efficient and convenient system," according to last year's proposal.

CollegiateLink is currently the method for which students can register their clubs and submit forms, such as requests for RSO operations funds, Use of University Facilities (UUF) requests, Food Sales requests, and Fundraising requests. The renewal for the website costs $6022.50 annually including taxes. 

There is also a proposal workshop in the works for the allocation process that will be held on Tuesday, January 31 that will tentatively be held in William Philip Hall. It will be, "an informational type meeting for people interested in seeing all the details," said Favors.

D.C. Grant, a member of the Campus Technology Committee (CTC), debriefed the STFC on the last CTC meeting. According to minutes from the October meeting, "UWT Blackboard contract coverage will continue through 2012 - 13."