information technology support in the arts division at uc santa

Information Technology Support

in the Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz,

Current and Future State

Prepared by Scotty Brookie

Spring 2005

Version 2.2

Arts Division IT Support i

Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

II. CURRENT STATE OF SERVICES

1 Basic IT Tools and Services ............................................................... 21.1 Long-term Assigned Equipment ................................................ 21.2 Software.................................................................................... 21.3 Network .................................................................................... 21.4 Printing ..................................................................................... 21.5 Equipment for Checkout............................................................ 21.6 Backup Services ........................................................................ 3

2 Support and Training Services ........................................................... 32.1 Workstation support / Front-line support ................................... 32.2 Repair ....................................................................................... 32.3 Training .................................................................................... 32.4 Purchasing research and requisitioning...................................... 3

3 Web and Other Networked Services................................................... 33.1 Course web space...................................................................... 33.2 Departmental web services ........................................................ 43.3 Faculty web services ................................................................. 43.4 Virtual hosts .............................................................................. 43.5 File-sharing Services ................................................................. 43.6 Streaming Media Services ......................................................... 43.7 Sound Effects Server ................................................................. 53.8 System Administration .............................................................. 5

4 Classroom Support Services............................................................... 54.1 On-site Digital Media Support................................................... 54.2 In-class Tutorials....................................................................... 54.3 Support for Performance and Exhibition.................................... 6

5 Administrative Systems ..................................................................... 65.1 Curriculum and Leave Plan ....................................................... 65.2 Divisional Addresses................................................................. 6

6 Planning, Policy and Coordination Services ....................................... 66.1 Resource Planning..................................................................... 66.2 Information Technology Policy ................................................. 76.3 Coordination with other units .................................................... 7

Arts Division IT Support ii

7 Arts Division IT Facilities.................................................................. 77.1 Interdisciplinary Facilities ......................................................... 7

7.1.1 Digital Arts Facility........................................................ 77.2 Art Department Facilities .......................................................... 7

7.2.1 Photography and Printmaking Lab (“The Cave”)............ 87.2.2 Electronic Art Lab.......................................................... 87.2.3 Public Art Lab................................................................ 87.2.4 Digital Interface Facility (in development) ..................... 8

7.3 Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) MFA Program Facilities 87.3.1 Graduate Electronics Lab ............................................... 87.3.2 Project Group Space....................................................... 97.3.3 Digital Arts Facility (in development) ............................ 9

7.4 Film and Digital Media Department Facilities ........................... 97.4.1 Editing Rooms ............................................................... 97.4.2 Film and Digital Media Instructional Lab....................... 97.4.3 Digital Media Lab .......................................................... 97.4.4 Classroom Support ......................................................... 97.4.5 Equipment Checkout .....................................................10

7.5 History of Art and Visual Culture Facilities..............................107.5.1 HAVC Course Prep and Research Lab ..........................107.5.2 HAVC Classroom Support ............................................10

7.6 Music Department Facilities.....................................................107.6.1 Electronic Music Facilities ............................................107.6.2 Music Instructional Lab.................................................107.6.3 Classroom Support ........................................................107.6.4 Algorithmic Composition Lab (in development) ...........11

7.7 Theater Arts Department Facilities ...........................................117.7.1 Theater Arts Instructional Lab.......................................117.7.2 Sound Design Studio .....................................................117.7.3 Experimental Theater ....................................................117.7.4 Student Production Office .............................................117.7.5 Mainstage Theater, Second Stage Theater, Barn Theater11

8 Arts Division IT Staffing...................................................................128.1 IT Director ...............................................................................128.2 Systems and Support Manager .................................................138.3 Student IT Assistant .................................................................138.4 Web Developer ........................................................................138.5 Administrative Systems Coordinator ........................................138.6 Art Department IT Coordinator ................................................138.7 Film & Digital Media Operations Manager ..............................14

Arts Division IT Support iii

8.8 Digital Media Specialist ...........................................................148.9 Digital Media Support Specialist ..............................................148.10 Digital Arts and New Media Technical Coordinator .................148.11 Director of Electronic Music Studios........................................158.12 Theater Arts IT Specialist / Production Equipment Coordinator15

III. FUTURE STATE IT SUPPORT NEEDS

9 Anticipated Future Support Trends by Department ...........................169.1 Art Department ........................................................................169.2 Digital Arts and New Media.....................................................169.3 Film and Digital Media ............................................................169.4 History of Art and Visual Culture.............................................169.5 Music .......................................................................................179.6 Theater Arts .............................................................................179.7 Arts Division............................................................................179.8 Summary..................................................................................18

Arts Division IT Support 1

I. INTRODUCTION

Over the last dozen years or more, the disciplines within the Arts havebecome increasingly reliant on information technology. Whereas a decadeago, for example, the editing of video in the Film Department was largely ananalog process, it is now almost entirely digital. Similarly, much ofphotography—only recently analog—is now an IT process, as are theaterlighting, music notation, the study of images in art history and so on. Thereare countless more examples.

The Arts Division at UC Santa Cruz, and the departments within theDivision, have responded to these changes by investing considerableresources in IT equipment, software and staff. The trend toward the use oftechnology in the arts has not reached a steady state, but rather is likely tocontinue for the foreseeable future.

In this document, we describe the current state of IT support for the Arts atUC Santa Cruz, and suggest a current future state of that support.

II. CURRENT STATE OF SERVICES

The Arts Division Computing Office (also “Arts IT”) provides informationtechnology resources and support for faculty, staff and students in the arts atUCSC. Arts IT staff support Art, Film and Digital Media, History of Art andVisual Culture, Music, Theater Arts and the MFA Program in Digital Artsand New Media, as well as Shakespeare Santa Cruz, the Sesnon Gallery, andthe division administration.

Arts IT staff provide computing tools for individuals; IT support andtraining; web development, web hosting and other networked services;classroom, performance and exhibition support; administrative systemsdesign and support; specialized facilities for arts-specific work; and ITplanning and coordination.


1 Basic IT Tools and Services

1.1 Long-term Assigned EquipmentArts Computing purchases and assigns one workstation per ladder facultymember. In addition, IT staff assign either dedicated or shared computingequipment to lecturers, staff, teaching assistants and course assistants asappropriate. IT equipment is generally renewed by Arts Computing on afour-year cycle. Because of recent budget constraints, equipment renewalhas generally come to mean making available a fixed amount of funding perfaculty member that can be applied toward the purchase of IT equipment.

1.2 SoftwareArts Computing purchases and distributes basic productivity software for allfaculty and staff, as appropriate. This generally includes current operatingsystems, word processing, email, spreadsheet and database software, as wellas web browsers and virus protection. In addition, staff research and makeavailable on a shared basis more specialized kinds of software, such asPhotoshop, web and graphic design tools and the like.

As well, staff research and purchase dozens of titles of arts-specific softwarefor labs and classrooms.

1.3 NetworkArts Computing purchases from ITS network access for all faculty and staff.This service is minimum 10 Mbit switched ethernet; in some cases 100 Mbit.In addition, the office purchases network access for Arts-assigned classroomcomputers and departmental lab computers. IT staff coordinate theinstallation of, and in some cases provide, wireless network access.

1.4 PrintingArts Computing provides networked laser printing -- mostly grey-scale, butsome color -- for all faculty and staff.

1.5 Equipment for CheckoutThe Arts IT office maintains an inventory of equipment available forcheckout, including laptops, digital still cameras, digital and analogcamcorders, loaner desktop computers and so on.


1.6 Backup ServicesIT staff provide automated, redundant network-based backup to any on-campus divisional workstation on request.

2 Support and Training Services

2.1 Workstation support / Front-line supportArts IT staff offer phone, email and on-site support for all instructionalequipment, software and networking about 10 hours per day, five days perweek. Limited support is available evenings and on weekends as well. Staffgenerally don't make home visits.

2.2 RepairStaff troubleshoot and repair malfunctioning equipment, and coordinateexternal repair if necessary.

2.3 TrainingIT staff provide individual and group training on systems and applicationsfor faculty and staff.

2.4 Purchasing research and requisitioningArts IT staff regularly research, requisition and receive IT and digital mediaequipment for faculty.

3 Web and Other Networked ServicesThe Arts IT Office offers a variety of web services in support of instructionand research.

3.1 Course web spaceSpace on Divisional web servers for course web sites is available for allfaculty. This is typically used when ITS-provided space is insufficient forone of several reasons. Such reasons might include the need for carefullycontrolled CGI access, streaming space, disk space in excess of ITS quotas,


or the need for a course to persist over several quarters. Such space is alsoavailable for special student projects.

3.2 Departmental web servicesArts IT staff design, serve and coordinate maintenance of the official websites for the Division and its departments, programs and administrative units. Instructionalelements include program descriptions, resources for students, showcases ofstudent and faculty work, course listings, and so on.

3.3 Faculty web servicesArts Computing provides design and space for, and coordinates maintenanceof, faculty professional web sites. In addition, staff have developed tools andtemplates that faculty can use to create and update their own web sites, whilemaintaining a coordinated divisional design.

3.4 Virtual hostsOn request, staff will arrange for and host virtual hosts (web sites that appearto be separate servers with distinct hostnames) for instructional or researchuse. An example from Theater Arts is http://telematica.ucsc.edu/ —part of acourse in distance dance over Internet 2. As another example, the studentfilm magazine Eyecandy also maintains a virtual host site athttp://eyecandy.ucsc.edu/ .

3.5 File-sharing ServicesArts Computing provides centralized, secure, backed-up shared-file spacefor courses, individuals and groups.

3.6 Streaming Media ServicesArts Computing maintains multiple QuickTime streaming servers. Thestreaming servers provide samples of student movies; there are examples athttp://film.ucsc.edu/showcase. The server also periodically hosts livestreaming performances and rehearsals from the Theater Arts Department.

In addition to video streams, the streaming servers also provide musicstudents with required-listening music for classes. Classes includingAmerican Popular Music, Jazz, African Music, Electronic Music, Music of


the Beatles, and others use this service to access course-required music in asecure and legal fashion.

3.7 Sound Effects ServerThe Film and Theater Departments share the administration and use of aprofessional sound-effects database. Student access to the database is viathe web. Software to access the sounds remotely was written by the IT staffof both departments.

3.8 System AdministrationIn addition to administering divisional and departmental servers (file, web,software, backup, streaming media, database), Arts IT also provides systemadministration of faculty machines used for instruction, upon request.System administration for research machines is the responsibility of theindividual faculty member.

4 Classroom Support ServicesThere are several department classrooms and performance spaces with ITand projection equipment, and well as streaming media capturing equipment.Instruction on and maintenance of this equipment is provided by departmentstaff. Details of some of these spaces are provided below in the Facilitiessection.

4.1 On-site Digital Media SupportThe Digital Media Support Specialist, Zach Davis, works part-time in Film& Digital Media Department facilities and part-time in the InstructionalComputing facilities. He provides in-class instruction, formal in-lab shortcourses on DV editing, and one-on-one consulting. This is a shared position,funded 50% by the F/DM Dept., 30% by Arts IT and 20% by InstructionalComputing. As such, these services are available to all Arts faculty andstudents, as well as to other non-Arts faculty and students.

4.2 In-class TutorialsIn addition to the Digital Media Support Specialist, other divisional anddepartmental staff give in-class or small-group instruction to students onhardware, software, digital media peripherals and procedures.


4.3 Support for Performance and ExhibitionDivisional and department staff provide support for instructional events suchas the Art Department's Open Studios, Film and Digital Media screeningsand digital media events, and performances in the Music and Theaterdepartments. This support can range from a couple of hours to planning andexecution over multiple quarters.

5 Administrative SystemsThe Arts Division has numerous local administrative systems that are vital toits operation. These have been created and maintained by an AdministrativeSystems Specialist. However, this position is currently vacant, with theexpectation that maintenance of these systems—or ones providing the samefunctionality—will shortly be provided by the central IT organization. Twoof these systems are:

5.1 Curriculum and Leave PlanThe Curriculum and Leave Plan allows the Assistant Dean and theDepartment Administrator Managers to plan the curriculum and the worktime of faculty. It contains numerous analytical, budgeting and reportingfunctions.

5.2 Divisional AddressesThe divisional Address book holds contact information for all divisionalfaculty and staff. This database is managed by the Dean’s Assistant and canbe accessed by staff and faculty. The Dean’s Assistant producesorganizational charts from the data in the address book. There are twoversions available online: Administrative and Academic.

6 Planning, Policy and Coordination Services

6.1 Resource PlanningThe IT director is responsible for effective distribution of computingresources throughout the division. Resource planning is done in consultationwith the dean, assistant dean and department chairs.


6.2 Information Technology PolicyArts IT staff work with their peers in the Computer Coordinators Group andthrough representation at the campus Information Technology Committee(ITC) to formulate and implement effective and appropriate computingpolicy.

6.3 Coordination with other unitsThe Arts IT Office coordinates with other units -- especially InstructionalComputing, Network Services, Media Services and the computing units ofother academic divisions -- to provide various support services forinstruction. As well, staff coordinate with other campus IT staff generally,on matters of general campus concern such as hardware and softwarestandards, security, bulk licensing, and so on.

7 Arts Division IT FacilitiesEach department in the Arts Division offers at least one IT-related facility;some departments have several. Facilities for each department, and oneinterdisciplinary facility, are described below.

7.1 Interdisciplinary Facilities7.1.1 Digital Arts FacilityThe Digital Arts Facility, a new building with about 24,000 assignablesquare feet, is in development. Site selection and preliminary drawings arecomplete. This facility will serve faculty and students from mostdepartments in the Arts Division. Plans are available athttp://arts.ucsc.edu/dean/; navigate to Planning. The building is due forcompletion in 2007. Its uses by each department are detailed in theappropriate department section.

7.2 Art Department FacilitiesThe Art Department provides three instructional computing lab facilities,one oriented toward photography and printmaking (“The Cave”), one towardelectronic art, and one oriented toward public art. The labs are maintained bythe Art Department IT Coordinator. Equipment, software and networking are


provided through a combination of department, division, donor and grantfunding.

All Art Department labs are available to qualified students 24 hours a day,seven days a week.

7.2.1 Photography and Printmaking Lab (“The Cave”)The Cave includes numerous large-format printers—Epson 7600, 7000,4000 (2), 2200, 1280 (2)—for printing with archival papers and inks. Mostprinters have continuous inking systems to reduce ink costs. The lab alsocontains flatbed and slide scanners, color calibration devices, equipment forcreating printing plates, and so on.

7.2.2 Electronic Art LabThe Electronic Art lab is a free-form space for building computer-assistedart installations. It features specialized hardware and software for creatinginteractive works, such as support for robotics and installation control.

7.2.3 Public Art LabThe Public Art Lab provides support for large-scale public works, includingsignage, image enlarging and projection equipment.

7.2.4 Digital Interface Facility (in development)This facility, part of the planned Digital Arts building, will provideequipment and software to work in the interface between wet-chemical anddigital photography. It will also provide mural production facilities.

7.3 Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) MFA Program FacilitiesThe DANM Masters of Fine Arts program currently provides two labspaces. The planned Digital Arts facility will greatly increase DANMprogram space.

7.3.1 Graduate Electronics LabThe DANM electronics lab is oriented toward graduate-level merging ofelectronics and art-making. It includes microprocessor development tools,basic electronic tools such as soldering stations, oscilloscopes, voltmetersand power supplies. Soon to arrive are laser-cutting and etching facilities;motion capture facilities for dance; and equipment to create “socialinformation spaces” using handheld, networked devices.


7.3.2 Project Group SpaceThe DANM program provides one large, reconfigurable space that will beassigned to project groups as needed.

7.3.3 Digital Arts Facility (in development)The new Digital Arts Facility, noted above, will provide several criticalspaces for the DANM program, all of them IT-intensive. The largest is aMedia Lab that is 40’ x 40’ and 25 feet high with a separate control booth.The building will also contain a 20’ x 20’ lab for research in reflective art;small research spaces and large demonstration spaces for 36 graduatestudents; equipment checkout, maintenance and storage facilities; facultystudios and a workshop. Total space in the building for DANM will beabout 10,000 square feet.

7.4 Film and Digital Media Department FacilitiesThe Film and Digital Media Department provides a number of facilities, allof which are maintained by department staff, and many of which areavailable 24 hour a day, seven days a week.

7.4.1 Editing RoomsThe Film and Digital Media Department provides six editing rooms withspecialized equipment and software for nonlinear video editing.

7.4.2 Film and Digital Media Instructional LabThe department maintains one high-end digital media lab, equipped withApple Dual G5 stations with current state of the art video, sound, and filmediting software.

7.4.3 Digital Media LabAn additional digital media lab is in the planning stages.

7.4.4 Classroom SupportThere are several department classrooms with IT and media projectionequipment, including a 90-seat theater/classroom, two media-equippedseminar rooms, a surround sound screening room, two production classroomspaces, and a large general production studio equipped with a green screen.Instruction on and maintenance of these facilities is provided by thedepartment.


7.4.5 Equipment CheckoutThe Department maintains an extensive inventory of equipment forfilmmaking, which is available for checkout by students. In addition, thedepartment contracted for the coding and maintenance of a web-enableddatabase for reserving and tracking the checkout of this equipment. Theequipment itself is maintained by department staff.

7.5 History of Art and Visual Culture Facilities7.5.1 HAVC Course Prep and Research LabThe History of Art and Visual Culture Department provides one smallcomputing lab to faculty for course preparation as well as research. Slidescanning, flatbed scanning and CD-creation equipment are available.Equipment, software and networking were provided through a combinationof department, division and grant funding. The lab is maintained by ArtsComputing.

7.5.2 HAVC Classroom SupportThere is one department classroom, Porter D248, with IT and specializedprojection equipment. Instruction on and maintenance of this equipment areprovided by Arts Computing.

7.6 Music Department Facilities7.6.1 Electronic Music FacilitiesThe Electronic Music Facilities are a suite of studios, workshops, recordingfacilities and classrooms for electronic music instruction and production.They incorporate a wide variety of sound and IT equipment. Facilities andequipment are maintained by the Director of Electronic Music Studios.

7.6.2 Music Instructional LabThe Music Department and Instructional Computing provide oneinstructional computing lab with specialized equipment for music notationand MIDI. Equipment is maintained by IC staff.

7.6.3 Classroom SupportThere are several department classrooms and performance spaces with ITand projection equipment. Instruction on and maintenance of this equipmentis provided by both department and Arts IT staff.


7.6.4 Algorithmic Composition Lab (in development)This lab, part of the planned Digital Arts Facility, will be an IT-intensivespace for the study and production of computer-aided/computer-generatedmusic composition.

7.7 Theater Arts Department FacilitiesThe Theater Arts Department provides two adjoining IT lab facilities, asmaller student production facility, one large, advanced IT-enabled theaterspace, and three additional theater spaces with IT capabilities. Equipmentand software are provided through a combination of department, division,building startup and grant funding. Facilities are maintained bydepartmental staff

7.7.1 Theater Arts Instructional LabThis is an eleven-seat lab oriented toward classes in sound, scenic andlighting design, and video for theater.

7.7.2 Sound Design StudioAdjacent to the main instructional lab is a small, high-end sound designstudio. The studio contains two workstations optimized for creating soundfor theater.

7.7.3 Experimental TheaterThe Experimental Theater has a variety of state-of-the-art digital theaterequipment, and is regularly used to create performances that are webcast. Itis the location of upcoming collaborative dance pieces to be performedinteractively with dancers from New York University over Internet 2.

7.7.4 Student Production OfficeThe Student Production Office is a five-workstation facility used by studentsinvolved in theatrical productions, typically those students working at thedesign and management levels of production. Typical activities includestage management, scenic design and lighting design.

7.7.5 Mainstage Theater, Second Stage Theater, Barn TheaterEach of these facilities hosts productions which have varying levels of ITinvolvement. Examples include video and other media design elements,lighting and sound production, supertitles and so on. In addition, the BarnTheater is a student-coordinated production facility which will shortly houseseveral networked workstations for on-site stage management, scenic design


and lighting design. The Barn is remote from the rest of the TheaterDepartment, and the networking and workstations are critical for itsoperation.

8 Arts Division IT StaffingArt Division IT staffing currently stands at 7.025 FTE hard-funded, 0.5 FTEsoft-funded, and 0.75 FTE student employees (also soft-funded). Oneposition, the Administrative Systems Specialist, is currently unfilled andlikely to remain so. One position, the DANM Technical Specialist, is new;recruiting will begin shortly. This will bring the hard-funded staff FTE levelto 7.85.

It is important to note that, without exception, all IT staff in the ArtsDivision have a background in the arts. Most are currently practicingmusicians, filmmakers, artists, or theater personnel. It is difficult, if notimpossible, to perform these jobs without such a background.

Following are brief descriptions of all current Arts divisional anddepartmental positions with a significant IT component, along with theircurrent incumbent, and their FTE allocation. For clarification, somedepartmental positions have more detailed descriptions.

8.1 IT DirectorScotty Brookie, 1.0 FTE. Represents Dean, division and departments incampus policy matters relating to IT. Coordinates with other campus unitsproviding IT services. Responsible for divisional and departmental ITresource planning. Coordinates special instructional projects, plans ITaspects of faculty startup, and assists faculty in grant writing. Administersstreaming media and course web servers.

Directly supervises: Systems and Support Manager, Web Developer,Administrative Systems Coordinator, Art Dept. IT Coordinator, Digital Artsand New Media IT Technical Coordinator, Theater Arts IT Specialist.Indirectly supervises Digital Video Specialist. Reports to Assistant Dean.


8.2 Systems and Support ManagerDung Wong, 1.0 FTE. Serves all Division faculty and staff. Providessystems administration; IT planning, coordination and project leadership;workstation support management and systems development for the entireArts Division. Coordinates workstation support, repair, one-on-one training,backup services, equipment checkout.

Administers file, web, database and software servers. Is familiar with allspecialized departmental facilities, and provides mentoring andsupplemental support for those facilities as appropriate.

Supervises Student IT Assistant. Reports to IT Director.

8.3 Student IT AssistantIn recruitment. 0.5 FTE. Assists with workstation support, front-linesupport, repair and training. Reports to Systems and Support Manager.

8.4 Web DeveloperMatthew Widener, 0.5 FTE. Responsible for design and maintenance of theentire divisional web presence, including sites for all departments, programsand galleries, and faculty professional sites. Responsible for maintaining aweb presence appropriate to an art school, with appropriate aesthetics andtechnologies. Reports to IT Director.

8.5 Administrative Systems CoordinatorPosition currently vacant; probably will not be filled. 1.0 FTE. Creates andmaintains divisional and departmental administrative systems, including, butnot limited to, Curriculum and Leave Planning, Time and Attendance,Divisional Document Management, Divisional Address Book/ContactSystem, Shakespeare Santa Cruz Volunteers, Theater Arts Casual Labor.Coordinates with campus enterprise systems. Trains staff on systems.Reports to IT Director.

8.6 Art Department IT CoordinatorKevin Hoffman (until 9/06, then Peter Harris), 0.62 FTE. Provides ITplanning and support for the instructional, exhibition and research functionsof the Art Department. Responsible for all specialized facilities in Art, aswell as general IT support.


Supervises student staff, assists with instruction, and supports exhibitions.Reports to IT Director.

8.7 Film & Digital Media Operations ManagerPeter Hazard, 1.0 FTE. Film and Digital Media. Administers the operatingbudget, facilities, tutoring assignments, equipment assignments, andtechnical aspects of the Film and Digital Media department. Responsible forthe development, implementation and execution of policy for space, budget,equipment and technical services.

Supervises F/DM career staff employees, including Digital MediaSpecialists. Reports to Chair.

8.8 Digital Media SpecialistBrian Moffet, 1.0 FTE. Film and Digital Media. Provides softwaredevelopment, systems administration, and specialized support for instructionand research in digital media. Reports to Film and Digital Media OperationsManager.

8.9 Digital Media Support SpecialistZach Davis, 0.83 FTE. (50% Film and Digital Media / 30% Arts Division /20% Instructional Computing). Provides computing and digital media studiosupport; oversees lab and studio facilities and student staff, assists withinstruction, and supports courses. Interfaces video, audio, film, andcomputer technologies; establishes and documents operating procedures ofnon-linear editing systems and supplementary equipment; trains students,staff, and visiting faculty. Reports to Operations Manager, dotted line to ITDirector.

8.10 Digital Arts and New Media Technical CoordinatorLyle Troxell, 1.0 FTE. Responsible for all specialized facilities, equipmentand IT services for the DANM program. Provides interdisciplinary facultyresearch support, instructional support, and technical support for graduatestudent project groups. Oversees Graduate Art Electronics Lab and providesweb and application development support.

Supervises DANM Technical Specialist (in recruitment). Reports to ITDirector, dotted line to Chair. Some specific duties include:


8.11 Director of Electronic Music StudiosPeter Elsea, 0.5 FTE Technician, 0.5 FTE Lecturer. Responsible for themaintenance, operation, and development of facilities for the electronicmusic program, the maintenance and development of facilities for the MusicDepartment recording services, and maintenance and development ofconcert hall and music classroom audio systems. Reports to Chair.

8.12 Theater Arts IT Specialist / Production Equipment CoordinatorEric Mack, 0.75 FTE Production Equipment Coordinator / 0.25 FTE TheaterIT Specialist. As IT Specialist, provides IT support for the instruction,performance and research. Oversees the Theater Arts Computer Lab andsupports permanently installed and temporary computer systems in TheaterArts performance spaces and other facilities. Supports Shakespeare SantaCruz during its season. Reports to IT Director. As Production EquipmentCoordinator, supervises Lab Assistant I, student employees and Theater 50students. Coordinates inventory, repair/maintenance, installation andremoval of sound, lighting, audio, and video equipment for all Theater Arts-sponsored productions and classes. Reports to Technical Director.

III. FUTURE STATE IT SUPPORT NEEDS

As noted at the beginning of this document, technology plays anincreasingly large role in the arts everywhere, no less at UC Santa Cruz.Digital technology creates new fields of inquiry andperformance—algorithmic composition and networked, interactive dance,for example. Digital technology brings into reach capabilities that beforewere prohibitively expensive—video compositing and special effects, forexample. And digital technology expands the range of previously common,and even ancient, practices, such as printmaking, photography and lightingfor theater.

These trends are all present in the Arts at UC Santa Cruz, and we expectthese developments to continue. Some specific support levels and needs aredetailed below.


9 Anticipated Future Support Trends by Department

9.1 Art DepartmentThe Art Department projects significant growth in the areas of electronic artand public art especially. New faculty hires in these areas have come onboard this year, placing additional demands on facilities and staff. Digitalprintmaking and photography are nearly oversubscribed already. IT staffinglevels in the Art Department are acknowledged by all to be alreadyinadequate. In addition, planning should begin in 2006 for the digitalinterface facility in Digital Arts building, and that facility will need new,permanent staffing—at least an incremental FTE—when it comes on line in2007.

9.2 Digital Arts and New MediaThe Digital Arts and New Media program will continue rapidly to grow.The program will reach its full size, a cohort of 36 MFA students, in the fallof 2005. The opening of the Digital Arts facility in 2007 will significantlyincrease the demand for equipment and staffing. A Computer ResourceSpecialist II position is defined in the DANM budget and is about to berecruited; it is hoped, but not certain, that staffing at this level will beadequate. Current equipment replacement funding levels for the programmay become problematic in three to four years.

9.3 Film and Digital MediaAlthough staffing and facilities for Film and Digital Media are currentlysufficient, the department anticipates new graduate programs by 2007,including 10 MFA and 13 Ph.D. students. This will put additional demandson staffing, facilities and equipment. Further, Film and Digital Media as adiscipline always requires the most up-to-date and powerful IT equipment,and equipment replacement cycles need to be short. Here again, equipmentreplacement is likely to be an issue in two to three years.

9.4 History of Art and Visual CultureThe HAVC Department is supported entirely by divisional IT staff.Currently, this is a reasonable approach, as the technical demands of thedepartment are at a manageable level. The advent of planned new facilitiesat a refurbished McHenry Library, and/or the addition of a digital imagearchive, as discussed in the department’s build-out plan, however, couldcreate a need for either dedicated departmental staffing or an incrementalincrease in divisional staffing.


9.5 MusicThe effectiveness and dedication of the Electronic Music Studios directormeans that many activities, spaces and faculty in the Music Department aresupported by a single person, with support from divisional IT staff.However, the new Doctor of Musical Arts program—with its emphasis inalgorithmic, computer-assisted composition—is now enrolling its firstcohort of students. In addition, the Digital Arts building will incorporate alab focusing on algorithmic composition, an IT-intensive activity. Thesedevelopments will create the need for increased IT staffing in Music.

9.6 Theater ArtsNew faculty hires in Theater are driving a significant increase in technicalactivity, especially in the areas of set and lighting design anddistance/interactive networked theater. A 0.25 FTE position, the currentstaffing level, is not appropriate for a department at this level of technicalactivity.

9.7 Arts DivisionCurrent Division staffing is tight, but adequate. The Systems and SupportManager, a long-time staff member, is remarkable in his ability to support anentire division with only his own labor and that of a half-time student. Farfrom generic workstation support, he provides both standard supportservices and discipline-specific support services across all of the Artsdisciplines. The student assistant position is soft-funded, but is essential.

We hope that the small administrative systems function will soon be in placein ITS. The divisional administrative systems position is currently vacant,and it does not seem prudent to recruit for such a position, given theredundancy of many of the local systems across campus.

Equipment replacement funds, provided to all faculty and staff by theDivision, remain constant as faculty numbers increase, which means fewerequipment dollars per faculty member and staff member. For some faculty(and staff) the trend toward more powerful and less expensive equipmentmitigates the decreasing funding; for others it does not.

The programmatic need for ever more network connectivity means that moreof the divisional IT budget goes toward networking, leaving less money for


equipment replacement, software—both general productivity and specializedinstructional, casual staffing needs, and development activities. A newnetwork funding model is sorely needed to mitigate this trend.

9.8 SummaryEvery area of the Arts Division already relies heavily on discipline-specificIT support. Currently, IT facilities and services are reasonably robust andwell integrated into instructional and research programs. Support has grownorganically over the last dozen or so years, but with careful attention to theneed to use resources wisely.

At the same time, every area in Arts anticipates growth over the next fewyears in the need for IT services. These needs are driven by continuedprogrammatic growth, and by trends that continue to incorporate a widevariety of information technologies into arts endeavors.

information technology support in the arts division at uc santa

Documents