APPROVED – 3.20.2008
IHETS Board of Directors
December 14, 2007 – 10:00am
IHETS Boardroom
PRESENT:
Patrick Alles, Independent Colleges of Indiana
Ron Davis, Vincennes University
James Dworkin, Purdue University
Hans Giesecke, Independent Colleges of Indiana
Bob Jefferson, Indiana State University
Gerry McCartney, Purdue University
James Moseley, Franklin College
Jeff Pittman, Ivy Tech (Chair)
Phil Repp, Ball State University
Gerry Weaver, State of Indiana
Brad Wheeler, Indiana University
Lloyd Wright, Indiana Public Broadcasting
GUEST:
Robert Rini, Rini Coran, PC
STAFF: Virginia Beyer, Alison Jensen, Bill Kramer, Bob Noe, Ed Stockey, Dennis Trinkle, Julie Wheeler
With a quorum present, Chair Pittman called the meeting to order at 10:00am. Pittman introduced Dr. Dennis Trinkle who will officially begin in the position of Executive Director on January 2, 2008. Trinkle thanked the Board for their support and stated that he will be contacting each of the members to identify a time that he can visit with them individually.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Moseley moved that the minutes from the October 30, 2007 meeting be approved. Wright seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
REVISED BYLAWS
The revised bylaws document was distributed prior to the meeting. Previously the bylaws had gone to the Executive Committee and Board for review and comments. The recommendations from those groups have been incorporated. Pittman proposed that we amend the section on meeting dates by indicating only the month of the meetings rather than actual meeting dates which will allow for more flexibility in scheduling.
The group recommended that the January retreat be moved back to February 2008. Following discussion Davis moved that the bylaws be approved with the amended meeting dates. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
MISSION STATEMENT:
The committee reviewed the draft mission statement that incorporates comments and suggestions for the Executive and Transition committees.
Wheeler stated that although the mission statement is still broad it is an improvement over where we started and believes that it accurately reflects and is consistent with the purpose of the organization and to advance the activities of the member institutions.
Kramer noted that this mission statement is consistent with the IHETS legislation.
IHETS’ mission is to advance the education, research and public service activities of its member institutions and affiliates by offering and coordinating technology and e-learning services. IHETS also provides a vital forum for interaction, collaboration, and sharing among its members and affiliates. Included in its coordinating role is oversight for the I-Light fiber optic network.
Following discussion, Moseley moved that the proposed IHETS Mission Statement be approved as written. Wright seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.
INDIANA CHANNEL UPDATE:
Wright stated that the Indiana Channel working group will have written reports for future meetings. He stated that this relates to the $4M appropriation from the last budget session to establish a program service (I-Span) to be delivered through the digital standard definition multicast channels of the eight Indiana public television stations using the I-Light fiber. Their ability to connect to that fiber required an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding, which was approved by the Governor and received about two months ago. Wright added that they established two subcommittees – one dealing with technical considers and the other is working on program service model considerations.
The technical group is attempting to define the technical needs related to the I-Light fiber and the interconnection and last mile connectivity to the eight public television stations located in Evansville, Vincennes, Indianapolis, Bloomington, Fort Wayne, Muncie, South Bend and Merrillville. He noted that they have worked closely with the I-Light staff in helping create the technical parameters and the development of a request for proposal for connecting to I-Light, equipment necessary at each of the stations.
In addition an RFI was distributed and information returned by the December 10 deadline. The RFI helps identify costs associated with last mile connectivity to the public television stations. Similarly there was also a RFI for additional equipment and each of the stations that will allow for interconnection and what’s necessary at each of the stations to connect through the master control. The information obtained from those helps define the capital budget for interconnection and equipment necessary for each of the stations to begin to have the technical capability to establish the Indiana Channel.
Wright added that the programming continues to be a challenge to define. The service subcommittee holds weekly meetings and has been meeting with each of the constituents associated with state government. That includes the four caucuses of the legislature as well as the executive and judicial branches of government trying to define what this services will be. They are imagining comprehensive coverage of the Indiana legislature, committee meetings and hearings. Much of it will be the audio and video streaming that we have done but expanding beyond that with more hours and more comprehensive coverage of discussion related to the legislative branch and identifying ways that we can distribute information from the executive branch and the supreme court. They are also developing an operation budget to compliment the capital budget and have developed a draft agreement that they hope will work with each branch of government that they will forge agreements with.
The planning groups had hoped that by January 2008 that we would have a pilot up and running but are now setting sites on having it up and running by the budget session in 2009. They hope by the second quarter of 2008 to be able to demonstrate the capability of the technology and develop the program service model. Finally they hope that the information that comes back from the RFI’s to define the capital budget will be enough for the state budget agency to consider how we might access some of the $4M appropriation so that we can move forward in putting the technology in place to establish the service.
EBS LICENSES STATUS REPORT:
Trinkle introduced Robert Rini and asked him to walk us through the current state of the EBS negotiations with Sprint. Rini reported that at the last meeting we still had about 12 issues that were being negotiated on the contracts and they have now reduced those down to about four and have come close to a compromise on three of those.
The last issue arose in the last turn of the document which they felt was significant enough to resist the change at that point. In short, Sprint/Nextel wanted to require us to meet an FCC deadline for substantial service which involves utilizing the airtime capacity to fulfill the educational mission by May 2011. They had agreed to take that obligation on and if they failed to meet the substantial service test by May 2010, we would have the right to go ahead and do it ourselves or have the right to terminate the agreement and partner with someone else that would help us meet that. They tried to change that to include that they could require us to meet that substantial service test, eliminating our right to terminate and do that in any way they decided which might include returning to some form of video transmissions. Everyone felt that would be a hard sell to educators who have moved on to some other form of broadband connections to enhance their educational missions.
In a conference call yesterday to attempt to resolve that last issue, Sprint had put another refinement which puts $167K per channel group (18 channel groups involved) on the table by 2010 as reimbursement for our costs to meet the substantial service test that we would lose the right to terminate.
We have now countered with 3 options:
- preserve our right to terminate in 2010 if they fail to provide the substantial service
- allow us to utilize their unused airtime, at our expense, to build a broadband system serving the campuses. Then at the point when they build their own broadband system they would reimburse us for those expenses and transition us to their broadband system
- they give us $167K per channel group and we would be required to cooperate with them to utilize whatever technologies they decide to use.
We are awaiting their response.
Wheeler inquired as to whether we expect any ramifications due to Sprint’s current internal leadership issues. Rini replied that we were disturbed by this change being introduced at the last turn of the draft and but it is unclear whether this is related to their commitment. He added that it seems that we have reached a compromise and it is imperative that we to finish up this year or this deal may not be so attractive next year.
Kramer added that at the last meeting the Board authorized the Executive Committee to approve the lease agreement and pursue these negotiations and approve the lease on their behalf so that we can move it on to the universities (Vincennes, Ball State and Indiana University) that are current owners of record for these licenses, for signatures. The Board authorized the Executive Committee to continue moving forward to approve the leases and acquiring the appropriate signatures.
After all the signatures have been obtained we will then need to develop a management and financial plan on how to manage these EBS licenses. Kramer noted that this will require significant work to ensure that we meet the substantial service requirement and have a plan worked out for how we are going to fulfill the 80 hours per channel group (across 18 licenses).
Rini added that the Clearwire agreement has been wrapped up. We are still working to settle the bankruptcy issue in Fort Wayne and working towards a quick settlement.
BLACK FIBER UPDATE:
The black fiber update was distributed and reports that 17 higher education institutions have connected to I-Light. As soon as construction has been completed between Carlisle and Vincennes, Vincennes University and the University of Southern Indiana will be connected. The contract for the build from Carlisle to Vincennes has been awarded to Zayo (formerly Indiana Fiber Networks), and is expected to be completed by February 15, 2008. Similarly, as soon as construction is completed in Gary, IU Northwest will be connected as well. In 2008, the goal is to grow from 17 connections to 45. Based on previous actions of the Technical Operations and Applications Committee and the Board, reimbursement of the cost of the Carlisle to Evansville network expansion will be made to I-Light once new revenue from the EBS leases is received.
Currently, I-Light is preparing to release an RFP to connect Phase 1 schools to the network. The RFP should be released by December 7, 2007, and the planned response due date is January 11, 2008. The responses will be shared promptly shared with the budget agency in order to secure a release of funding for that project phase.
The capital planning and circuit support task force met this past week to consider how the circuit support (subsidy) levels for 07/08 might scale into 08/09. Based upon the current black fiber implementation schedule the circuit support levels for 08/09 could remain the same as is 07/08, assuming a static circuit support budget.
Wheeler reported that they continue to work with Zayo (former IFW) as they need them. He added that they have seen some tendency on their part that they prefer to bid on big jobs, whereas IFW had been willing to bid on any job of interest. They are looking at approaches to help encourage them to participate where they have assets that we have interest in.
OTHER BUSINESS:
Pittman reported that as part of the new bylaws, we need to identify a new Governance Committee. The first step is to identify nominations for officers as defined by the bylaws. Pittman asked for volunteers for the Governance Committee. Hearing none, Pittman stated that he will appoint members to the committee.
Pittman added that with the new bylaws it is inherent with the way the Executive Committee is described that we continue with the standing committees (TechOps and IPSE Group). The Board was in agreement to continue the committees.
With this being Bill Kramer’s final Board meeting Pittman expressed his gratitude for Kramer’s many contributions and read the following resolution:
Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System
Board of Directors Resolution
December 14, 2007
The following Resolution is presented in recognition of service to the Indiana Higher Education Telecommunication System (IHETS) and the citizens of the State of Indiana;
WHEREAS Dr. William Kramer graciously agreed to come out of retirement on August 2006 to serve as the Interim Director of IHETS during a critical transitional period, and
WHEREAS William Kramer has been a tireless advocate for the work of the consortium, increasing recognition and visibility for IHETS, and
WHEREAS Dr. Kramer provided effective oversight and leadership of IHETS staff during this time period, and,
WHEREAS Dr. Kramer worked to secure the IHETS appropriation for operating expenditures, as well as I-Light and the Indiana Channel funding, from the Indiana General Assembly and related Executive Branch Offices for the 2007/08 biennium, and
WHEREAS through a careful analysis of existing services, Dr. Kramer provided invaluable advice and counsel to the IHETS Board regarding the continuation of current services and the identification of future services for the IHETS organization, and
WHEREAS through an examination of its operating appropriation, EBS license fee revenue and other fee revenue, established a fiscally responsible budget for the organization within a difficult and challenging budget climate, and
WHEREAS in operating in the best interest of the IHETS, its member institutions and the State of Indiana, provided stability by reorganizing the consortium and staff to create an efficient and effective organization, and
WHEREAS Dr. Kramer assisted the Board Chair and other Board members to conduct a search for the new IHETS director, and
WHEREAS through Dr. Kramer’s understanding and knowledge of the IHETS organization, its member institutions, the Indiana General Assembly, the Executive Branch, and other related State governmental entities, effectively guided IHETS during this transitional period, and has poised the organization for future success:NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That the entire IHETS Board of Directors wishes to acknowledge its appreciation and gratitude for all of Dr. Kramer’s hard work and accomplishments in guiding IHETS through this challenging transitional period, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the IHETS Board of Directors extends to William Kramer hearty good wishes in all future endeavors.
_________________________________
Jeff Pittman, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
Chair, IHETS Board of Directors
On behalf of Public Broadcasting, Wright echoed the sentiments.
With no further business the meeting adjourned at 11:15 am.
