At the first Student Technology Fee Committee meeting of the semester, members of Information Technology Services presented a funding proposal for the 2014-15 fiscal year, which may bring major changes to campus computer labs. 
Of the potential $4,342,385 in expenditures discussed, $3,342,383 would go toward ITS. The remaining million dollars is the Chancellor’s Request, an effort implemented in 2010 to continue providing technology services through budget cuts.  
Graduate Council President Thomas Rogers said budget constraints caused the University to look toward STF to make up for lack of funding. 
University Provost Stuart Bell said he is unsure if the $1 million would be available to the STF Committee to use for other purposes until the legislature passes the budget in June. 
If funding is available for STF use, the committee is considering when to allow University faculty and staff to submit individual funding proposal, with most requests being for student worker salaries and                          updating hardware, software and license agreements.
Michael Smith, assistant director of ITS, said the committee also discussed ways to preserve funds, including closing labs. He said closing the Union lab would save $60,000 in student labor costs. 
Last semester, the STF Committee conducted a survey concluding less than five percent of students use the University’s computer labs on a daily basis. 
Based on that information, ITS is also considering new approaches to the computer labs in Middleton Library, possibly eliminating the second floor lab and reducing the total number of computers in the library. 
Smith said these cuts could lower the cost of wireless nodes too. 
“It’s important that these decisions be made quickly to allow ITS to go out and get equipment installed prior to the fall semester,” said Robert Kuhn, interim vice chancellor and CFO. 
Deliberation will continue at the next STF Committee meeting, on Thursday, Feb. 20. 

“It’s important that these decisions be made quickly to allow ITS to go out and get equipment installed prior to the fall semester.”