Fall 1997 Technology Fee Awards

Press here to view Spring 1997 Technology Fee Awards
Press here to view Spring 1998 Technology Fee Awards

Submitted byProject Amt RequestedAmt awarded
Wilson,Knecht,Pruess/CCEPICS Design & CS Programming Lab $102,318$95,780
Horan/CHComputer Integration of Chemistry Labs 25,0399,511
Eberhart,Van Tyne/MMEMaterials Modeling Laboratory 20,00020,000
Baldwin/CEPRComputer Visualization Lab 44,00044,000
Furtak/PHComputer-Aided Physics Learning Lab 16,27016,270
McNeil/PHLCD Projector for Meyer Lecture Hall 8,20010,000
Turner/GEGE Computer Lab Upgrade & Expansion 32,1301,100
McGrath/EGEngineering Division Computing Facility 77,49544,160
Lewis/PAStudent Athlete Computer Workstations 24,9047,500
Palmer/EGComp. Data Acquisition for Electric Machines Lab 48,1504,589
PH, MN, EG, MCS, PE5 Proposals / Various Projects 131,088Not Funded
Totals.... 529,594252,910



Summary


 A technology fee was instituted in the Fall of 1996 as a way to partially fund improved instructional technology resources for students. The revenue generated by the fee (appx. $225,000 for FY96/97) is matched annually by the institution, providing a total of appx. $450,000 available for allocation. For the Fall semester of 1997, approximately $253,000 was available for allocation.

A Technology Fee Committee, consisting of five students, five faculty, and a faculty chairperson that votes only in the event of a tie, solicits, reviews and selects proposals to fund. Proposals are submitted each semester by academic departments/programs and recognized student organizations on campus. Documents relating to technology fee guidelines and proposals are available through the technology fee web page (CSM Home Page->Academic Affairs->Technology Fee Committee) or from the Computing Center.

Fifteen proposals were submitted requesting a total of $529,594 for Fall semester, 1997. Ten were approved for full or partial funding totaling $252,910. Two of the proposals received minimal funding to address emergency situations or set up demonstration projects. Any student or faculty member wishing to read the proposals submitted through the current semester may do so weekdays between 8am and 5pm at the Computing Center by making arrangements with Marge Arnold (x3433; marnold@mines.edu).

The Computing Center, EPICS, and MCS jointly requested $102,318 to replace 30 old RS600/220 computers with Pentium II systems running NT along with server capacity and software applications and licenses. These systems will be installed in GC265 and 24 current Pentium 120 systems used for EPICS instruction in Brown Hall will be moved to GC249 to fully replace the current RS6000s used by EPICS. MCS will also use these labs for the distributed core course(s) to be offered in Computer Science. This proposal was awarded up to $95,780 to acquire all items in the proposal except disk drives for home directory space.

The Chemistry department requested $25,039 to acquire computers, hardware, and software to start a process of computer integration into the teaching of chemistry labs. The proposal was awarded up to $9,511 to purchase a portable computer, labworks chemistry systems, and Labtech Notebook software to establish a prototype or demonstration project.

The Metallurgical and Materials Engineering department requested $20,000 to help establish a materials modeling laboratory with SGI workstations. Substantial additional funds are being provided by the department to establish the laboratory. The proposal was fully funded.

The CEPR department requested $44,000 to help establish a workstation-based visualization laboratory. The department will provide significant matching funds to fully implement the laboratory. The resources will work with an SP-2 supercomputer awarded to CEPR by IBM to provide advanced computing and visualization capabilities. The proposal was fully funded.

The Physics department requested $16,270 to pay for part of the cost to establish a computer-aided physics learning laboratory. The proposal was fully funded.

The Physics department requested $8,200 to acquire a 1,000 lumen LCD projection system for the lecture hall in Meyer to help modernize traditional physics lectures. Because of concerns about security and fragility of this specific system, the committee awarded up to $10,000 including the cost of permanently mounting the projector in the room.

The Geology department requested $32,130 to upgrade and expand their computer lab in Berthoud Hall. Up to $1,100 was awarded at this time to acquire additional memory for the two servers because of frequent server problems.

The Engineering department requested $77,495 to implement Phase II of the Engineering Computing Facility which consisted of an open lab, software, and projection and scanning capabilities. Up to $44,160 was awarded at this time to purchase 16 open lab computers for BB316B. Software and projection and scanning capabilities could not be funded at this time.

Physical Athletics requested $24,904 to establish a computer lab for use by the 400+ students who participate in athletics and to acquire portable computers for use by team members when traveling to away games. The proposal was awarded up to $7,500 to acquire three portable computers, modems, and hard-sided cases for this purpose.

The Engineering department requested $48,150 to upgrade the Electric Machines Lab with computers and related equipment to support data acquisition and analysis. The committee awarded up to $4,589 at this time to establish a prototype system.