Campuses have different, inconsistent, deadlines established, before which they will not confirm the booking. For instance, UAMS will not confirm the scheduling of a class for the fall semester before April 15. This handicaps faculty trying to plan and market a distance education course. This also was agreed to be a policy issue. Standards - Several systems within the state do not conform to the standards set forth in the State Plan.
Standards establish how two codecs communicate or 'talk to each other'.
Accepted standards have evolved during the last two years to the point where we can move the network into conformity. By upgrading existing video equipment to meet standards and establishing a policy to require support of the standards on the purchase of new equipment, setup of sites will be greatly simplified. The technology roundtable recommends that the UA System support the efforts of DIS to build a statewide backbone. The technology roundtable recommends that the policy group address the issues of campus to campus scheduling and charge-backs. The technology roundtable recommends that the UA System convert to the standards as put forth in the State Plan, upgrading equipment that does not currently conform and purchasing only new equipment that meets standards.