31 October 2000
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The overload request for Yen-ti was processed. The overload request for Ray Verg-in is in process. The reimbursement of Ray Verg-in in regards math texts he purchased with his credit card is in process. I hope for a speedy reimbursement as the over $3000.00 charge on his credit card is generating a monthly interest payment that Ray is currently paying out of his own pocket.
The process of hiring a replacement for John Gann is on-going at this moment.
No marriages, divorces, nor births.
Work was done on the departmental five year plan.
Work was done on outlines for MS 098, MS/ED 110, MS 150, and SC 115. These outlines are circulating pending approval. Work has yet to begin on a four credit science course for teachers attending the state campuses.
The new Micron computers with ATTA-100 drives and Windows 98 were subject to sudden operating system failure. A patch from Micron provided by Noel Boylan resurrected one machine that had died and has kept two others from similar fates.
A nasty new virus that erases critical files on one's computer is making its rounds of Pohnpei. Referred to simply as MTX, infection by MTX will cause a loss of all files on your computer. MTX travels as an attachment to email. Do not open attachments from unknown sources or where the message is something like "Check this out..." or other generic invitations to open an attachment. The virus is new enough to slip past many of our older virus checkers. For further information contact Mark Deorio in Information Services.
Assistance was provided to Stanley Etse and Morgan Solomon of Bailey Olter High School in connecting a second computer to the Internet as part of the Pacific Algebra Network project.
A couple different meetings concerning IEP were held. One considered the future of the program, the other considered a compensation issue. Memos relevant to this work were issued by the appropriate authorities. My work on IEP matters has more to do with my having been around at the inception than with any expertise I might have.
Retention data was produced for the midterm accreditation report. This report could not be done on OAR equipment due to underpowered computers in OAR and had to be prepared on a computer in F105. I continue to press for replacement of the server in OAR and the replacement of one client computer with newer, more powerful equipment.
I'd like to thank everyone for the productive meetings we had in early October with Dr. Soe. I apologize if at times the conversation turned rather technical, but I feel much more confident about moving forward with Access in the near term (the next five years).
I must also apologize for my neglect of the FAO. What with the governmental software running in Access there are options available to us now that did not previously exist.
I've spoken to Gordon about securing the OAR database solely by using NT security. We both have concerns about this approach. While Dr. Soe's network is 100 PREL professionals and teachers, ours includes 800 students.
I am also concerned about our lack of internal firewall systems. I fear discovering our whole grades database on a rogue Internet site someday if we rely solely on NT security. I noted that Dr. Soe was aware of the ability to separately secure Access, but he had not apparently separately secured both Access and NT on his systems.
I was surprised to learn that we probably ought not be able to do what we are currently doing: running 88000 rows and three clients on a 32 Mb Pentium 166.
I was pleased to learn that Access 2000 will bring us some of the goodies that I thought it might.
Given the above two matters, security and woefully inadequate server hardware, I would suggest the following path forward. We upgrade the server to a true server with a SCSI (fast and wide, Ultra 3, whatever the current state of the art is in SCSI) hard drive and 256 Mb of RAM minimum, running Windows 2000, purchasing also Office 2000 Professional for the server and upgrades to Office 2000 for all the clients.
A new server, Windows 2000, and Access 2000 should provide the power and, I hope, the security, to run the database in a connected environment.
I would also like to stress the need for training for Arbel and Patricia. I've taken them as far as I can. We seem to be able to find money for hardware and software, but not for training. I am vaguely aware of trainings that usually run for a couple of weeks up in Honolulu once every couple of years. I still suggest it behooves us to send these two for such training.
I know Dr. Soe will write some wonderful stuff. I understand what he is saying about auto-rewritable code. I used to do some programming myself, actually won a national award for one of my software packages. I also know that eventually you have to go under the hood to fix things.
At present when things go wrong in the database people turn to me. If something goes wrong with code added into the database, then all I will be able to do when people come running is toss up my hands. We need to have the necessary skills in our people to the extent that this is possible.
As an educational institution we have a unique obligation to provide staff development and training opportunities to our employees - to set an example. Let's set that example and commit to training our people.
Separately I am proposing to take some time next term to work on integrating FAO with OAR, provided the VPIA and the DAP concur and approve this plan.
The department held a fascinating meeting on 16 October 2000. The following policies were enacted as a result of this conference:
For the benefit of the MS 150 students I've developed an Excel notebook that provides many of the in-class examples. Most of what I've learned using computers I've learned by reverse engineering what someone else has done before me. I share via the Internet a worksheet I developed that uses a broad variety of Microsoft Excel statistical functions: http://www.comfsm.fm/~dleeling/statistics/statistics.xls
How to jump start mathematical tutoring on the national campus:
Patricia Jack, who has her BA degree, had indicated a willingness to tutor students in mathematics. This might be realizable by having Patricia released from OAR for some number of hours each week so that she can work in the tutoring center during those hours.
The chemical fume hood in A103 remains unusable and has been unusable since we moved to this campus in 1996. The hood itself needs a part for its door, and there is no ventilation system in place for the hood.
I attended a farewell luncheon for Title III.
On Saturday, 14 October 2000, the department gathered in Nantipw, Lewetik, Nett, to welcome Relinda Abellera, her husband Jorge, and their two children Jezza Leah (J.L.) and Jonathan Ryan (J.R.) to the College family.