Student Technology Fee Advisory Committee

The FACS Student Technology Fee (STF) Advisory Committee (AC) serves as a College-wide advisory group chartered for the purpose of advancing information technology governance and providing coordination in the area of technology funding and facilities planning.

The FACS STF Advisory Committee will contribute to a transparent, open process at the College level for receiving and responding to requests for technology related funds. The principal roles of the Committee are to provide a broadly representative College-level advisory body for the allocation of STF funds and serve as an advisory group for student-centric classroom and space planning investment from non-STF sources.

The main focus is on expenditures made using funds allocated by or through the Office of the Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT).

The Committee is advisory to the Dean.

Guiding Policy and Principles

The Committee will adhere to Board of Regents (BOR) policies and procedures and all applicable UGA Vice President for Information Technology (VPIT) instructions and STF Charter.

The focus of student technology fees should be on:

  • Technology related to either academic outcomes or instructional objectives;
  • Software licenses, so that students have easy access to technological tools needed in their chosen disciplines;
  • Ensuring that computer labs used by students are adequately equipped;
  • Providing training for students in the use of computing and networking resources, when needed;
  • Leveraging with other funds to yield greater resources for students; and
  • Providing staffing only when it will clearly add documented value for students.

STF AC Goals stress:

  • Enhancement of teaching and learning through access to technology, technology support, and cultivation of digital literacy;
  • A broadly representative advisory process and transparency in STF allocation;
  • Support for student-centered infrastructure and for teaching innovation; and
  • Forecasting space needs and planning for the College.

Responsibilities of the STF AC

Develop mechanisms for annually reviewing each April the expenditure of Student Technology Fee funds across the College and making priority order recommendations to the Dean.

Develop mechanisms for annually reviewing and responding to Supplemental, one-year and immediate needs for expenditures of STF across the College and make priority order recommendations to the Dean.

The College STF AC is required to document a three-year plan, updated annually, describing the use and impact of STF funds.

It is the responsibility of the Committee to review the three-year plans of the college and to communicate its advice to the Dean.

The College will provide representation to appear before the University STF Committee at least once every three years to present the College’s plan, report on outcomes, and respond to questions and receive comments by members of the Committee. It is the responsibility of the Committee Chair to develop a schedule of three-year plan reports to the Dean and the University STF Committee.

The College STF Advisory Committee will develop the process for receiving, scrutinizing, and rank ordering requests. A request form is provided on the web, along with annual updates of the STF allocations each year.

The Committee Chair will provide the Dean a written report semi-annually containing a prioritized list of projects for funding, whether from the STF and implications for funding from other sources made available, college or university Classroom Enhancement, Major Repair and Rehabilitation (MRR), or external grants.

Those reports are due to the Dean mid-September and by April 15 every year.

The Committee Chair, aided by the BFO, will provide a written budget update semi-annually based on current year planned and actual expenditures to the Dean by January and August every year. Carryforward of unspent funds with justification are submitted by BFO to the VPIT, copied to the Dean and STF AC Chair.

The Dean will review in a timely manner and provide input on priority order and validate which projects are viable.

No STF projects will be submitted to University STF which repurpose any classrooms, computers labs, or offices or obligate purchasing of furniture or remodeling without expressed prior approval of the Dean. The Dean will review with the College Facilities Manger impacts on space planning.

With Dean’s approval of priority order projects list, cost estimates are gathered by OTIS, and, based on allocated funds from the VPIT, the College requests to VPIT are determined. When University STF funding is insufficient, the Dean will consider alternate sources. Following Dean’s approval of ranked priorities and funding allocation for annual and update to three-year plan, the Chair will submit to VPIT by deadlines.

Membership of the Committee will include an appropriate Representative: academic leadership, faculty, technology leadership, and students. FACS students will comprise no less than 25% of the Committee’s voting membership.

The FACS STF Advisory Committee Membership

  • Faculty, a representative and one alternate must be confirmed by departments at the beginning of each Academic Year.
    • NUTR
    • HDFS
    • FHCE
    • TMI
    • IHDD
  • The student membership will represent and reflect the overall composition of FACS’s diverse student body. Graduate and undergraduate representation
  • Director or Assistant Director of the Student Success and Advising Center and classroom scheduler
  • Instructional Technology Systems Professional, Office of Technology and Instructional Services (OTIS)
  • Office of Budget and Finance (BFO) – ex officio
  • Director, Office of Technology and Instructional Services (OTIS) – ex officio

Terms of service for faculty and staff members are for three years, staggered among members, and renewable. Terms of service for student members are one year and are renewable.

The Associate Dean for Academic Programs serves as Chair. The Director of OTIS serve as ex officio member and resource as does the representative of the BFO. Both must be present at semi-annual meetings.

Meetings and Voting

The Committee will meet at least two times annually. The Associate Dean as Chair is responsible for establishing meeting, locations and preparation and communication of written agendas and minutes including names of attendees, copying the Dean, Director of OTIS and Facilities Manager.

A simple majority of the overall membership represents a quorum for voting purposes. If a quorum is not present, the Committee may meet to hear updates, 3-year plan, reports, and convene discussion, but no votes may be taken. Votes may be conducted by email or other electronic means at the discretion of the Chair of full membership following meetings. A Quorum is necessary for vote by electronic means.

  • If unable to attend meetings, faculty members are to be replaced by Alternate or his or her Unit/Department Head. All Units will have faculty member in attendance or the consequence of Unit proposals not being considered.
  • If unable to attend meetings, student members are encouraged to send a student proxy in their place with advance email notification to the Chair or written notification delivered at the meeting.

Members

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