An Overview of UMSTC
By Dr. Ken Tenore
In the large system such as USM we usually take for granted the behind-the-scenes infrastructure and activities that provide the backbone of all those services we depend on to fulfill the myriad roles of a university in education, research, and service. One such element that supports the system-wide telecommunications activities across the USM is the University System of Maryland Telecommunications Council (USMTC).
USMTC, initiated by action of the Chancellor in 1993, was established both to oversee the telecommunications connective infrastructure and to help plan for the future needs and aspirations of the USM family of institutions.
The Council itself is composed of a member from each of the USM institutions and also includes representatives of "user groups" from the faculty, library services, and computer services. The Council receives funds from all the USM institutions prorated on their state general funds budget. The Council is responsible for overseeing UMATS - The University of Maryland Academic Telecommunications System - that provides the telecommunications infrastructure and support for system-wide services such as: the internet, the interactive video network (IVN), and interlibrary services (LIMS). The Council carries out these responsibilities by contracting with a host service site within the University system to provide the technical expertise and "hands-on know how" to provide effective and cost efficient services to the whole USM family.
The present host site contracted by the Council for support of UMATS services is the UM Systems Administration under the capable direction of Richard Rose. Richard is Director of Telecommunications Systems and Operations at Systems Operations. Richard was instrumental in introducing IVN as a key component of distance telecommunications in the USM. Most recently, in response to needs dictated by nationwide changes in internet service availability to universities, the USMTC has stepped forward to help assure that the USM will continue to have top quality and cost efficient internet services. The challenge of the changing needs of the USM for expanded internet capabilities was met by the concerted hard work of Mike Petry for College Park with Richard for UMATS configuring an expanded internet linkage presently being implemented across the USM System.
Besides oversight of UMATS, the Council hopes to provide leadership in planning for continued quality of telecommunications among the USM institutions in an ever-changing and rapidly developing technological arena. A technical committee of experts in computer/telecommunications technology from across the USM family is elected by the Council to give technical advice not only on our present telecommunications services, but also to look into the future to identify future technologies that will constantly move the USM toward a cost efficient, quality telecommunications.
The USMTC has been effective "behind-the-scenes" in providing cross system telecommunications services that support internet, IVN, LIMS, but realizes the need to "communicate UMATS." The Council has created this web site to provide information on a variety of services that UMATS supplies to its USM customers. We hope not only to make these services known, but also easily accessed, to the broad range of our university users – students, faculty, staff, and administrators. We also hope to share information on developing technologies and allow email feedback from USM users about how we might improve USM telecommunications.
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