Administration

Investigated the structure of the templates and code blocks provided in the Cascade CMS. Had a very difficult time figuring out how to modify the scope of changes, particularly how to modify elements that appear in all pages in only one section (e.g. adding an element to the secondary navigation bar). Also failed to figure out how to modify the templates to allow placement of blocks I'd created. Presumably, there's some way of writing a template which is dependent on the template provided by the central Sytems guys.

Judy went through the list of features for content-editors and then the two of us reviewed her findings before I sent them on to the committee through the Sharepoint site. If we upload an image and the create a link to that image, we couldn't figure out how to overwrite the image. When we uploaded, the system generated a new file name. Worse, when we deleted the original file, the link to it was also deleted. Of course, when we then renamed the new file to the original name, the link was not magically rewritten.

AR requested more detail on cost of virtual server. Talked with Greg and looked at previous arrangements. Turns out that in addition to the cost of the hardware, there is the cost of the VMWare licence each year and the cost of sys-admin maintenance. We can reduce the VMWare licence cost from $1000/year to 0 by not allowing any administrative or commercial material on the server. We can negotiate the amount and frequency of payments to sys-admins starting from $1500/year (i.e. we could probably work out a better overall cost if we paid one lump sum). I don't know what the dean's priorities are, so just laid out the options and gave him recommendations 'all other things being equal'.

Met with AR and RS on virtual server and how it fits into larger plans. Asked to provide information to justify expenditure. Confirmed some information with Greg and prepared a document and sent VirtualServer.doc to AR with a paragraph summarizing the benefits for stakeholders a list of the technical pros and cons a discussion with context and details Also asked to prepare statement of how HCMC might fit in to larger plan. Timeline on that not immediate, so will prepare over next week or two after discussion with Greg, Martin, Judy.

Dean reports that only major construction will only be happening in the A wing. New windows will only be happening in the A wing. New sprinklers in all the wings, most of the trunk lines will be in hallways.

Staff (with HCMC specifically in mind) has been added as recognized partners in academic research projects for inclusion in the guidelines for evaluating non-traditional research appendix to the academic review policy.

Dean proposes splitting the "Chairs and Directors" committee into two: a Chairs committee and a Directors committee - not specified which, if either, a representative of the HCMC would attend.

Discussion of variability of directions given to the Review, Promotion, Tenure committee from departments and implications of that for academics submitting for promotion or tenure.

Got Judy an account on the Cascade CMS test install. Went through the login process with Judy and introduced her to the web application and asked her to try to do things in that environment that she had been doing on the dept sites she's been working on and to report back to me.

University is updating all their cards, so I took old card over to purchasing, where it was destroyed, and they issued me a new card. Same terms of use - which aren't very helpful for us as they make it very difficult to buy software, licences or hardware, which is about all we use it to buy.

Met to discuss two project applications: one approved, one approved with minimal conditions.
Also talked about implications of attempting to revitalize an Academic Director position (administrative, financial, academic) and considered comparable positions in things like Social Justice, Social Justice, Technology and Society, Religion and Society, Indigenous Studies. Also question raised about relationship of HCMC with Academic Director to Ray's proposed DH research center particularly in regard to teaching

Monday Packed up and labelled furniture, boxes of supplies, computers etc. for moving. Moved other equipment of value into server room and storage room. Bundled remaining stuff under tables for protection.

Tuesday Movers arrived and noted that our desks are too big to fit into elevator, so we had an hour to relabel small tables to move and large tables to stay etc. Actual move went OK, by end of day had all full-time people setup and connected to network and one bookable station ready. Got rest of bookable stations set up over next day or two.

First meeting of Web Communication Coordinating Council - people responsible for preparing websites for departments, faculties, service offices etc. of university to get user-based input on services, features etc. needed. Will meet quarterly. Next meeting will likely be on the CMS that's been selected and plans for its deployment and initial (and subsequent) feature set.

Met with JL of History and ML of library on proposed project on Canadian Legal Bibliography. Reviewed Zotero as likely input infrastructure and considered a couple of output options. Concluded that immediately ML has burden of work to do, and that HCMC involvement at the moment is likely a few hours of consulting.

RD is applying to a new funding agency with the MITACS (text mining to see the transmission of vocabulary from technical documents to popular documents in certain scientific fields) and requested use of a modified version of the letter of support Ray and I wrote previously. Worked that out with Ray.
RD also listed a grad student appointment for this project. I made a few comments on relevant skills, but said that Ray would probably be better placed to comment and to find appropriate student.

Took two written submissions (one from JSR and another from PD&JL), formatted them into the fields expected by the committee. Asked for and got a couple of clarifications and further details from proponents and then submitted all the paperwork to the committee for consideration

Reviewed two applications for Liddell award, made notes and discussed with Martin the next day. We focussed on use of technology to achieve academic objectives and technical qualities, assuming the rest of the panel would focus more on the quality of the content. I was unable to attend full meeting, so Martin represented both of us.

Went over summary paragraph of Judy's Job Evaluation (JJE) with her a couple of times and discussed how to highlight changes.
Read through Greg's, made a couple of suggestions on clarifications and discussed with him
Sent email to Blair in dean's office asking how to proceed.

Talked to helpdesk guys in B047 on April 1. They're now done and have left a pile of derelict equipment in the room and sent a request to the surplus people to come and get it. They're now done with the room. DS confirmed. All that's left is to change the key on the lock. Emailed AR to let him know the space is clear.

Yesterday was teardown, today was move and rebuild in our new location. Things went reasonably well, but we still have four computers to put back together in the RA room. Posting the hours so that we keep track of how much disruption this has caused.