4. Data and Data Access Standards/User Authentication: Mardecia Bell

• Committee members met last Wednesday (July 8) and discussed specific questions about the PeopleSoft implementation and how they were going to obtain data. Mardecia spoke with project leaders about these issues. A question and answer page for the PeopleSoft Web site has been moved to production. This page will address such issues as how will campus users obtain extracts and will existing systems be maintained. This page will be updated as implementation proceeds. A copy of the PeopleSoft Web page's URL was distributed. The address is http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/peopleproject. Mardecia also said that workstation requirements are listed on the PeopleSoft Web site and that testing has been performed on the MacIntosh and the Unix environments to see if they were compatible to the PeopleSoft environment. The results as they become available will be published on the Web site. The site currently does not address training issues.

5. User Authentication: Mardecia Bell

• No report given.

6. Communication: Sam Averitt

• Expressed gratitude to Network and Client Services and Administrative Computing Services for getting all recent issues resolved with minimum disruption to campus community. Averitt said he intends this fall semester to get network infrastructure and services on schedule. He also said he intends to have Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services by Aug. 1.
• Pete Evans proposed that the group look at a network security policy as well as the implications of firewalls appearing on campus and a need to adopt a policy dealing with firewalls.
• Steve Keto said such a (security) policy could be recommended to Provost Philip Stiles and to George Worsley and a small group could be established to look into the issue.
• Mike O'Kane commented that opportunity exists for the committee to achieve new standards and for the committee to take on more of a role of establishing some of those policies.
• Sam Averitt said the password issue is a problem. Some machines have been broken into, compromising other machines around them. Some in the same group have been compromised repeatedly. This is an appropriate and timely issue that have been put before the committee, he said.
• Steve said an ad hoc committee could start with the Data Ownership Policy. Those who volunteered for the committee included Pete Evans, Mike O'Kane, Sam Averitt, Mardecia Bell, Gwen Hazlehurst, Laurie Filstrup and Tom Miller.

• Gwen said the Windows NT steering committee's top topics include directory services and applications delivery via single format. Some future presentations include ZenWorks, key service packages, and processing and requesting information from across campus.

8.  PeopleSoft: Ron Melbourne

• Mike O'Kane raised a question as to whether campus users can test the PeopleSoft system in their daily work. Steve said the HR system could be advanced to people at the college level in the form of stress testing, but it would be approximately 12 months before Purchasing is fully implemented and the products are not ready for stress testing. Steve said PeopleSoft Financials, Human Resources and Student Administration systems and other PeopleSoft products would be available at the 1998 FIS Expo to be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 9 in the Talley Student Center. He asked the committee to encourage others to come.

9.  Other

• Mike O'Kane proposed the use of computing standards for offices across campus. Standards would be set for e-mail, word processing and calendars. A discussion ensued that included questions about constant upgrades and training as well as various uses of programs by campus employees. Steve said users maybe willing to change for administrative purposes but not for research purposes. Several individuals agreed to look into the issue. Those included Mardecia Bell, Dan Steen, Tom Miller, Betsy Mebane, Gwen Hazlehurst, Bill Padgett, Robin Pasquarello, Pete Evans and Mike O'Kane. The group will address the committee in the future with an ad hoc report.

• Carl Malstrom said that there was no report on the General Administration Study on the UNC system's network infrastructure other than the general brief that the system may get about half of the funding it has requested. This information is listed in either the House or the Senate version of the budget.