Buffy Brinkley

The Baton Rouge Community College Strategic Plan for 2023-2028 outlines a roadmap focused on four key pillars: Student Success, Employee Success, Financial & Operational Sustainability, and Quality Communication. The plan aims to ensure students are highly skilled and prepared for high-demand employment, cultivate a supportive and engaging environment for employees, achieve financial stability through innovative investments and diversified revenue streams, and foster transparent and effective communication with all stakeholders. The overarching mission is to position the college as the preferred provider of talent for the global marketplace, providing excellent value to students, partners, and the community.

The meeting primarily focused on the Student Technology Fee Committee (STC) budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026, which was discussed in detail regarding line items and multi-year agreements. Approvals were sought and granted for several technology acquisitions, including the STC budget itself, two Dell All-in-One computers (AIOs) for the new Disability Services area, three Dell AIOs for the Sonography program in the new Nursing building, eighteen Dell AIOs for the nursing station area in the new Nursing building, various data drops for cabling, emergency phones, and security cameras in the nursing building, and sixty 10' data cables for the Nursing testing lab.

The meeting addressed open issues, of which there were none, and new business items concerning technology upgrades. Key discussions involved the request to replace four Mac computers, displays, and keyboards for the film and media department's Mac lab, utilizing grant funds for 18 units and requesting assistance for the remaining four. The committee also discussed the purchase of twenty Dell AIO PCs for classroom A/V renovations in the LA building to bring its standard up to parity with other campus locations like the Cypress building. Votes were taken and approved for both technology purchases.

The meeting addressed several new business items requiring funding approval. Key discussions included the purchase of 30 Absolute Tracking licenses for newly acquired STEM Macbooks, the purchase of 30 JAMF licenses for remote administration of the same Macbooks, and the acquisition of 20 Mac Studio locks to secure the new hardware. The committee also discussed the purchase of the Quill language application for the Liberal Arts department for a two-year period, and the required vote on a 3% raise for IT staff whose salaries are funded by the STC. Other topics involved service issues, such as the inability of students to print IDs on site, persistent email and WiFi login problems (attributed partly to the Acadian site's construction materials), and discussions regarding expanding the availability of loaner Chromebooks and potentially transitioning to digital ID cards, possibly including student balance information.

The committee discussed new business items related to technology funding requests. These included a request for tablets with rugged cases for automotive training classes at ATC to assist students with troubleshooting and schematic guides. The committee also reviewed and voted on funding for 12 Dell AIO PCs for the Acadian Library and 50 Chromebooks for student use in the new nursing building's student conference room, ensuring the technology mirrors existing setups in that building. Procedural information regarding future funds requests, including required documentation and submission deadlines, was also reviewed.