Changes proposed to academic computing
A task force on academic computing recommends creating a committee to reconcile sometimes conflicting priorities for academic, administrative and common "backbone" computing services at Trent.

      The university technology committee, as the task force calls it, would advise the president's executive group, meet about twice a year, be a sounding board for major plans, recommend spending priorities and a rolling plan for technological improvements.

      Interim vice-president academic David Morrison created the task force last fall. Scarce resources and escalating demand for computing and communications services has increased pressure on Computing and Telecommunications Services and other service providers at Trent, said the task force in a nine-page report approved in principle by Senate April 7.

      "University and service providers alike need effective decision-making structures," said the task force.

      In the first of 11 recommendations, the task force suggests the associate dean of arts and science (Julian Blackburn College principal) be responsible for overseeing technological innovation in the classroom, the work of Trent University Academic Technological Innovation Centre (TacTIC) and for the academic computing equipment budget.

      The report defines academic computing more broadly as encompassing all aspects of computing support at Trent and defends the status quo: that a single unit continues to manage university-wide computing services. The task force does recommend changing the way computing is budgeted at Trent to three categories: academic, administrative and common services (including telecommunications).

Bookstore faces deficit, freezes textbook markup
Instead of going down, the markup on textbooks sold at Trent Bookstore will remain at 23.5 per cent next year.

      Two years ago, Senate approved a reduction of the profit margin to 22.5 per cent from 25 per cent phased in over five years. This year, that margin was 23.5 per cent and will remain there for two years because of a projected $50,000 deficit in 1997-98.

      Bookstore manager Ralph Colley said students feeling the pinch of higher tuition fees are sharing books more, buying used books or not buying texts they think they don't need.

      He said 60 per cent of the bookstore revenue comes from textbook sales.