Weber State University’s (WSU) Report on the Use of the 1995-96 Higher Education Technology Initiative Funding, documents dramatic progress that has already been achieved. With the funds appropriated for 1996-97, WSU will continue to enhance educational opportunities for students in keeping with Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) goals and objectives. As stated in the USHE Technology and Distance Education Initiative Long-Range Plan,

The Utah System of Higher Education accepts the challenge to develop and implement a new instructional paradigm that will provide increased access to quality degree and applied technology training programs utilizing advanced educational technologies, on-demand library services and learning modules, electronic texts, and learner-friendly information highways.

WSU accepts this challenge also. As described in the current Weber State University Information Technology Plan, in 1996-97 we will proceed as indicated within the framework of the following USHE goals:

A.    Access. Providing leadership in responding to the needs of the citizens in our region is a key goal of WSU. WSU is also committed to delivery of high quality education when and where it is needed.

1. Network Connectivity (6-38334 - $175,356; institutional match = $701,424). Providing the required network infrastructure to support technology-enhanced and delivered education is a core component of the HETI. Per USHE Information Technology Support Committee (ITSC) guidelines, WSU has completed a preliminary networking plan that is divided into three phases. Work is progressing on Phase I projects and priority projects in Phase II have been identified. The institutional investment to-date in the implementation of the WSU Network Plan is in excess of $2.5 million. In 1996-97 WSU will spend approximately $250,000 more in institutional funds toward implementation of the plan. This will include efforts at achieving minimal compliance with ITSC networking standards.
   
2. Electronic Information Resources and Services. WSU will be one of the first USHE institutions to provide library services to students through the new Utah Academic Libraries Association (UALC) advanced library system. Implementation of the new "Horizon" Library System at WSU is proceeding on schedule and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the 1996-97 academic year. WSU has made a significant commitment of 1996-97 institutional resources in support of this project.
   
3. Student Support Systems and Services (6-38335 - $146,481; institutional match = $585,924). According to the USHE Technology & Distance Education Long Range Plan, "In order to achieve the goals of access, excellence and accountability, student support systems and services must be accessible to students regardless of time and location. Equally important, the quality of the services should be comparable to the services provided to students on each campus."
   
   A detailed plan for the expenditure of these funds at WSU is under development. The general components of the 1996-97 WSU Information Technology Plan addressed by this part of the initiative include temporary programming support for critical changes required in the Student Information System, expansion of uniform World Wide Web access to student admissions, registration and course data, and critical hardware and software upgrades. In addition, a new ID/Debit Card (the WSU "Wildcard") is being implemented in keeping with industry standards so that it will be in place when a coordinated system-wide ID/Debit Card is attempted. WSU will expend approximately $650,000 in institutional funds in this category in 1996-97.
   
4. Institutional Infrastructure. WSU is committed to enhancing and maintaining the University’s technological and personnel infrastructure to support the development of technology-enhanced education, improve the quality of instruction in general, and to allow students to take full advantage of technology-facilitated distance education programs.

Ongoing support (6-38336 - $111,500). The initiative provides $111,500 to WSU which is earmarked for ongoing support of HETI programs already in place. In 1996-97 WSU proposes to use $25,000 of this funding for emergency and general maintenance of the video conferencing facilities and multimedia classrooms created with funding from the previous two years.

Approximately $25,000 will be used to expand the ISDN video conferencing network created with 1995-96 HETI funds. Part of this amount will be used to lease the Primary Rate Interface (PRI) line required to enable the University to make off-campus ISDN video conferencing calls.

An additional $20,000 will be use to maintain and upgrade WSU’s multimedia production and World Wide Web publishing capabilities. This will pay for the hardware and software upgrades required to keep these services current.

The balance of the funding in this category, approximately $41,500, will be used to renovate the WSU TV production studio (used to support distance education) and relocate and upgrade our video production services (used to support both on-campus and off-campus programs). The improvements will benefit not only the faculty and staff who rely on these services, but also the students who use the TV studio while taking courses in TV production.

One-time funding. The one-time funds in this category will provide valuable assistance in acquiring needed equipment and software. Unfortunately, WSU is facing additional budget reductions in the next two years which will make the provision of needed additional technical support staff extremely difficult.

Electronic Classrooms (6-38331 - $100,000; institutional match = $400,000). WSU proposes to use this funding to purchase one classroom projection system, either fixed or portable, for each of the University's seven colleges. If possible, a similar system will be purchased to support classes taught in the Student Union. This will supplement the network of multimedia/video conferencing classrooms created with previous years' HETI funding, and will further encourage and facilitate classroom use of instructional technology.

Hardware, Software & Networking (6-38332 - $297,700; institutional match = $1,190,800). The funds in this category will be expended in keeping with WSU’s unique dual-role in Utah undergraduate higher education (substantial two-year and four-year/four-year+ programs). To insure all students who choose WSU have access to technology-enhanced and delivered programs will require substantial improvements in the technological infrastructure for both on-campus and off-campus educational delivery.

In accordance with USHE guidelines, $65,900 of the funds in this category will be designated as partial support of the 1996-97 Science Technology Initiative. Dean Ronald Galli’s memorandum of February 20, 1996, identified $305,232 in specific science technology needs. To meet institutional match guidelines, an additional $263,600 will need to be identified from other sources.

Because of the magnitude of WSU’s network access needs, the bulk of the remaining $231,800 will be combined with the networking funds received in category A.1. above to further the implementation of the WSU Network Plan. It is estimated that full implementation of the plan will require approximately $1.5 million in addition to the HETI funds.

B.    Excellence. WSU is committed to the integration of advanced information technologies into instruction to enhance the quality of education and to effectively prepare students for a knowledge-based economy. As stated in the USHE Technology & Distance Education Long Range Plan:

There is demonstrable evidence of the positive impact of technology on instruction. It is equally important to recognize that it is not the quality of the technology, but the quality of the teaching and the appropriate technology. The challenges posed by technologies receive significant attention and involve access by both faculty and students, in an environment that is rapidly changing. Less attention has been given to the cultural challenges which requires support for faculty exploring new teaching strategies and technologies. In addition, incentives must be provided to faculty willing to embark on this exploration. Finally, cultural change is more often evolutionary than revolutionary . . .

1. Faculty Development (6-38330 - $80,000; institutional match = $622,400). WSU proposes to use approximately half of this funding, $80,000, in support of the ongoing effort to assist faculty in the creation of an Internet-based service called WSU Online. In keeping with one of the primary HETI goals, WSU Online will make WSU courses and degree programs, together with related services like Academic Advising and Financial Aid, available by means of the Internet. The proposal for WSU Online was reviewed and approved by the WSU President's Council, Deans' Council, and Faculty Senate Executive Committee, and has broad-based support. The proposed funding will cover faculty programming, artwork, Internet services, and other costs, as well as course development grants for faculty who agree to teach WSU Online courses.
   
2. Faculty Development (6-38330 - $75,600).  We propose to use $13,000 of the funding in this category for student assistants to staff the Communication Technology Laboratory that was created with last year's HETI funding. This laboratory provides the necessary hardware, software and technological training to enable faculty to use current communication technologies in their classes.  The remaining funding, approximately $62,600, will be used for course development grants and faculty development projects planned in coordination with the WSU Teaching and Learning Forum, and Teaching, Learning & Technology Roundtable (TLTR).