LISC Meeting
April 12, 2021
Present: Billie Franchini, Rebecca Mugridge, Brian Heaton, Sara Zahler, Michael Young, Tyler
Norton, Michael Dzikowski, Elizabeth Ann Kelly, Lindsay Van Berkom
Presentation: The future of UAlbany’s Learning Management System (Billie Franchini)
• Blackboard contract ends in December 2022; Desire2Learn Brightspace won bidding
process—subject to completion of contract
• Outreach and information sharing in the works (presentations to Senate, Council of
Deans, Student Association, etc.)
• Key considerations for new systems: teaching, learning, support, technology, financial?
Report from the Chair (Billie Franchini)
• Open Access (OA) Policy received unanimous approval from SEC, near-unanimous
approval from University Senate
• Administrative update: It’s Billie’s end of term as Chair/Senator
Report from the Libraries (Rebecca Mugridge)
• Open Access Policy. As you know, a joint resolution in favor of the Open Access Policy
was presented to the SEC and then the full senate by LISC and UPPC, and the senate
voted in support of the resolution. Now the policy has to go before the University’s
Policy Advisory Committee, University Counsel, and the President. I’ve recommended an
effective date of later in the summer to give us time to develop the web forms,
procedures, and outreach materials needed to support the policy.
• Anna Radkowski-Lee Graduate Assistantship. The Libraries are in the process of hiring
two GAs to support scholarly communication (including the open access policy) and our
marketing and outreach efforts.
• Budget. Unless the Libraries are provided with additional funds, our budget reduction
will require that we carry out a second round of journal and database cancellations. Our
subject librarians will be in communication with their departments, schools, and
colleges as needed for input on these decisions.
• Library hours. The Libraries have had to cut back on library hours significantly this past
year due to the budget reductions. We’re hoping to be able to hire this year so that we
can expand hours again for the next academic year. We do not expect to be open until
3:00 am as in the past, but we do hope to extend our weekend and evening hours.
• IMC services and hours. The Libraries will be reviewing services and hours of the IMC
over the next few months. With further anticipated retirements, we may need to offer
fewer services and equipment; we’ll be reaching out to departments who may be
affected.
Report from ITS (Brian Heaton)
o Launched the Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee
▪ Chaired by Chris Moore
▪ Representation from across Academic Affairs including all the schools and colleges
▪ Provides a regular mechanism for the campus to provide input and
prioritization on ITS' services in Teaching and Learning
o Research Technology Services staffing
▪ Launching a search for a new manager for ITS' Research Technology Services
group.
▪ Nick Schiraldi left UA.
▪ Launching a search for a new systems administrator with high-performance
cluster computing experience; Eric Warnke left UA.
o We will also launch a Research Advisory Committee, but not until after we fill the Research
Technology Manager position.
Upcoming Meeting: None scheduled for remainder of the semester.
