UACC meeting On March 7th, 2002

 

University Apartments Residence Meeting held on March 7^th, 2002.

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The attendees were:

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Meeting minute
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The following issues have been discussed during the meeting:

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1. Cable Modems

Willis Marti from CIS(?) was there to talk about the current situation
w.r.t cable modems at the university apartments and answered several
questions from residents. Here are some of the important points from this
discussion

a. All apartments should now have cable modem service - that is the
capability to use the cable lines in the apartments to connect to the
internet through TAMU. The pilot program was conducted in a few apartment
from each type, so theoretically all apartments should be able to use the
service. There might be some specific cases where this doesn't work and
those will have to sorted out on an individual basis.

b. The resident will have to buy the cable modem. Recommended model is the
Toshiba cable modem with ethernet capability. Note that there are atleast 2
models of Toshiba cable modems and the ones with only USB connectivity are
not recommended. The cable modems can be purchased at Best Buy or at Fry's
electronics (North Houston)

c. The computer should already have an ethernet adapter to be able to use
the cable modem facility. Many older computers might not have this
capability, so a network card for ethernet will have to be purchased
separately. (There are several computers which do come with ethernet
capability built-in on the motherboard - Vinod)

d. A brief demonstration of what a cable modem looks like and how various
wires have to be connected was also given.

e. The possiblity of purchasing cable modems through the university
apartments was suggested by some residents. Main reasons was avoiding
compatibility problems and reduced price. Mr. Sodolak has agreed to look
into this.

f. Approximate price of cable modem < $150
Approxmiate price of network card (for ethernet) < $15

g. There will be a monthly service fee for this service charged to all
apartments irrespective of whether they use the service or not. This will
likely come into effect from September and will be in the range of $6 to
$10.

h. A demonstration of how to setup the cable modem will be given at the
community center at a date and time to be announced later (week after
Spring Break). Handouts with instructions will also be distributed. If
possible the demonstration will be recorded on video and copies of the tape
made available to residents for rent to use when setting up their cable
modems.

i. Brief setup instructions: Once cable modem has been installed, connect
the modem to the cable outlet in the apartment and the modem to the
computer through the ethernet cable. The computer should be configured for
DHCP. When a browser is launched it should automatically go to the CIS page
with setup instructions and how to register for the service. A Neo account
is required for registration.
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2. Child Safety Meetings

Officer Donovan (not sure if this is the correct name) was present and
talked about these meetings. Points discussed were:

a. Lack of attendance at the meetings. It was emphasized that even
residents without children can and should attend the meetings to let their
problems be known. e.g. problems of children running across parking lots
unsupervised, etc.

b. One resident suggested the possibility of having outdoor meetings around
the time when children are playing outdoors to increase attendance and make
it convenient for parents to attend.

c. Possibility of having Safety Seminars for residents where various safety
issues relevant to life at the University Apartments would be discussed,
including bike safety, child safety, etc.

d. An announcement about the upcoming CPR training class was also made.
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3. Other minor issues mentioned by residents

a. Roaches in apartments
b. Fire-alarms and pull stations in Ball Street apartments
c. Bad condition of pavement (I forget where)
d. Buying equipment for children's playground.
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The office of resident life has the liberty to “encourage” the residents to have more active and constructive roles in the UA community.

There are many ways in which you can make a difference in your community.  If you are interested in becoming involved with the UACC, please visit with Mrs. Maria Clark, the advisor of UACC, in the Programming Office or call 862-2350.

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UACC would like to thank the attendees of this meeting