Senate Agenda, June 23, 2000 - EXHIBIT V, Appendix 3

SENATE COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

AND SERVICES (SCITS)

ANNUAL REPORT 1999-2000

SCITS met five times during the period July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000. The principal items of business during the year are summarized below.

  1. The Subcommittee on Information Security (SUIS), whose mandate and structure were approved by Senate in June, 1999, was established with a view to developing an effective, integrated, and comprehensive strategy for information security for the University.

    The main focus of the committee during the past year has been the assessment of information security on campus. This is intended to be the first step in the process to establish improved information security guidelines and standards. The objective was to evaluate the current state of security of UWO's computing and communication systems and to determine the security implications for UWO's present and future operations and academic mission.

    The assessment took the form of a questionnaire that covers both general and specific security issues relating to maintaining a secure environment within a unit. The questionnaire was mailed to nineteen selected departments at the end of March. As part of the assessment, SUIS members have completed interviews with most of selected departments, using the questionnaire as a guideline. Currently, the process of consolidating the individual assessments is underway. SUIS will report on the assessment to SCITS in the fall, detailing emerging priorities, preliminary recommendations, and additional required elements of the planning process.

  2. The Subcommittee on the World Wide Web (SUWWW) has submitted policy recommendations concerning (1) the UWO home page, and (2) official web sites at Western.

    (1) UWO Home Page. SUWWW was first formed in 1996 in order to develop guidelines for the fundamental structures of Western's home page. An extensive report concerning UWO Home Page Structure and Responsibilities was given to Senate in March, 1997 (S.97-72). Over this past year, SUWWW has, with reference to this past report, developed policy which provides a clearer focus for the UWO home page, including a listing of the primary categories which will appear on the main page.

    (2) Official Web Sites. Drawing upon earlier planning guidelines, SUWWW has developed policy which identifies units at Western which can post official web sites and details the responsibilities which attend to such a posting. Procedures whereby official sites are to be identified (including identification of individuals who have operational responsibility for the ongoing maintenance of the online content). The goal has been to ensure accurate and reliable access to information on official UWO web pages, to maximize access to this information, and to minimize restrictions on information content providers. SUWWW has also compiled a list of current official web sites.

    SUWWW has also recommended changes to its terms of reference and composition. The revised terms of reference are more specific with regard to the Subcommittee's actual work, particularly in monitoring Western's home page and immediate links from the home page. Changes in committee membership will permit incumbents to continue beyond the two-year term, thus providing SUWWW with a more desirable experience base. As well, the Web Editor of the Department of Communications and Public Affairs has been added as an ex officio member, since that Department is responsible for maintaining Western's home page.

  3. SCITS received reports on the following.

  4. SCITS has been informed that the UWO Telephone Directory cannot be published in its current form for the upcoming year. The database application used to produce the printed phone book resided on the VAX, which was taken out of service in December, 1999. It is expected that data for a new directory will be available from new telemanagement software and/or from an online central directory (based on LDAP standards) which is currently being developed by ITS. However, neither of these sources will be operational in time to produce a printed phone book in its current form for 2000-2001.

    SCITS has struck an ad hoc Subcommittee to work with ITS and the Department of Communications and Public Affairs on the UWO directory. The committee is reviewing several options, including the use of a printed phone book with a revised format for the upcoming year. It is expected that ITS and Communications and Public Affairs will announce a plan of action in the near future.

Robert Wood
Chair, SCITS