2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 1 of 6. Fiscal Year 2002 Years Following Fiscal Year 2002 $61, $23,625.00

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1 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 1 of 6 Proposal for the Use of the FY2002 Technology Fee Submitting Organization: Anthropology and Geography Contact Person: Zhi-Yong Yin gegzyy@panther.gsu.edu Phone: Project Short Title 5-8 Word Project Title Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab 2. Total Requested Amounts Fiscal Year 2002 Years Following Fiscal Year , , Executive Summary Project Description (Three or four sentences) The proposed expansion of the instruction GIS Lab will have a university-wide impact, with more than 2,000 students currently enrolled each year in courses that will benefit from this project and an annual increase in enrollment of students. More exposure to GIS technology for non-majors in lower-division classes will enhance the image of the university as a strong regional participant in GIS and IT industries and attract more undergraduate majors and graduate students. The project requires minimal physical modification of the classrooms and effectively applies the Technology Fees to improve the learning environment for students. Additionally, it will offer a long-lasting influence on both undergraduate and graduate programs in Geography and Anthropology, and students will be better prepared for the needs of the current and future job market. 4. Project Description This project will enhance the capability to incorporate Geographic information systems (GIS) in instruction of a variety of courses. GIS is a set of software and hardware tools that allow the user to visualize, manipulate, analyze and display spatial data at any scale. It was recently estimated that up to 80% of all business data has a locational component, and the GIS market is predicted to reach 40 billion by 2006, including natural resource management, planning, marketing, epidemiology, and crime analysis. Our goal is to expose GSU students and departmental majors to this expertise. Of the geography graduates, more than two-thirds have expressed a desire to work toward GIS expertise, causing intense pressures on current resources. Expertise in GIS, cartography, and geographic visualization will benefit students from geography, sociology, political science, geology, environmental studies, business management, marketing, and policy studies. Currently there are 15 PCs, 2 printers, a color scanner, and a PC projector for use in the existing instructional lab. The University System of Georgia maintains a site license for ESRI GIS products. We are equipped with commercial GIS, digital image processing, graphics, and statistical analysis software packages. We have a substantial amount of data, including census and other socio-economic data, digital elevation data, digital satellite images and aerial photographs. We also have the faculty and staff who have expertise in GIS. 1

2 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 2 of 6 The current lab and facility in the department cannot satisfy the current demand for GIS education, including a new graduate-level GIS Certificate program in Fall of Conversion of the Anthropology/Geography graduate student office into a networked instructional lab will increase space by 40% (from 690 ft2 to 970 ft2) with minimal physical alterations. Additional hardware and software to equip the increased space is requested, as well as university membership in the national GIS education and job opportunity organization UCGIS ( 5. Relevance to Regents Guidelines The proposed project is strictly in compliance with all of the Board of Regents guidelines for the use of technology fees. With respect to the fundamental principles of the Regents Technology Fee Guidelines, this proposal is above and beyond normal levels of technology expenditures. Additionally, the project is designed purely for instructional enhancement. The proposal Guidelines that specifically and most strongly justify this proposal include: [1] Technology fee revenues should be used primarily for the direct benefit of students to assist them in meeting the educational objectives of their academic programs. [3] Technology fee revenues should be used for hardware and Network related expenditures that include support of general purpose or special purpose laboratories used by students for body productivity and more discipline related activities. [4] Technology fee revenues may be used for training of students and, to a lesser extent, staff and faculty. 6. Relevance to Strategic Plan This proposal reflects our effort in using technology to achieve academic excellence. Currently the Department provides courses in the Core curriculum in both social sciences foundation area (Geog 1101) as well as the natural science laboratory sequence (Geog 1112/1113). Several other courses are included in the Area F of the Core as well (Anth 2030 and Geog 2206). Incorporating GIS in these lower-division courses will enhance the content-delivery in instruction and the hands-on learning experience for the students, and have far-reaching impact for the entire university community. GIS is the fastest growing area of study within the discipline of geography. As stated previously, two-thirds of graduate students express an interest in specializing in geographic information systems. In Fall 2001 a new Certificate in GIS will be offered to the university community. The Department of Anthropology and Geography has therefore decided to emphasize this part of the geography curriculum. The proposed project would greatly improve the Department s goal of satisfying the strong student demand for education in GIS. 7. Impact on Students Served Courses and the number of students impacted include: Geog 1101 Introduction to Human Geography Enrollment: students/year (including summer). Geog 1112 Introduction to Weather & Climate Enrollment: students/year (including summer). Geog 1113 Introduction to landforms Enrollment: students/year (including summer). Geog 2206 Introductory Mapping and Geographic Information Science Enrollment: students/year. Anth 2030 Introduction to Archaeology Enrollment: students/year. Pers 2001/2002 Perspective/Scientific Perspective Enrollment: students/year. These are the lower-division classes that will be benefited by the new lab. Among them, Geog 1101, 1112, 1113 and Pers are part of the Core. The use of the lab includes class demonstrations using GIS hardware and software to solve real-world problems, such as urban and regional planning, demographic characterization, public health, environmental and natural resources management, and handson labs of integration and analysis of data from Internet sources. Geog 4520/6520 Quantitative Spatial Analysis 2

3 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 3 of 6 Geog 4518/6518 Digital Cartography Geog 4526/6526 Automated Cartographic Production Geog 4530/6530 Introduction to Remote Sensing Geog 4532/6532 Geographic Information Systems Geog 4534/6534 Advanced Geographic Information Systems Geog 4536/6536 Internet GIS and Visualization These are the geotechnology courses, forming the core of the geography undergraduate and graduate programs. In each semester, we offer 2-3 courses from this list. At the current time, the enrollment is limited by the classroom size (22 seats) and we are running unmet demands for both undergraduate and graduate components. We anticipate an even greater demand with the implementation of the GIS Certificate Program. The expansion of the classroom will solve the problem. Current enrollment: 130 students/year (including summer). Potential increases in enrollment: 40-50/year. Geog 4640/6640 Geomorphology Geog 4650/6650 Applied Hydrology Both have lab assignments designed to use GIS technology to perform terrain/drainage analysis. At this moment, we have to teach the labs in two shifts and in many cases have conflicts with other courses that use the same classroom. Current enrollment: students/year. Anth 4440/6440 Epidemiology and Anthropology Anth 4620/6620 Quantitative Methods in Anthropology These new courses will deal with issues of large spatial datasets in anthropology. GIS and mapping will be helpful in analysis and visualization of results. Estimated enrollment: students/year. Geog 8030 Seminar in Cartography Geog 8035 Seminar in GIS Geog 8050 Seminar in Environmental Issues Students in these graduate-only classes use GIS technology for projects. Current enrollment: students/year. 8. Justification of Funding Requirements for Fiscal Year 2002 Object of Expense Itemized Descriptions Quantity Extended Total Staff Salaries Fringe Benefits Student Salaries GRA for assisting lab manager 1 8, Equipment (Note: Use standard Windows workstation with 19 monitor 15 34, dollar amounts and replacement Networked printer 1 2, thresholds from sections 11/12, or Computer tables 8 1, provide explanation in sections Computer chairs 15 1, /12) Software Maintenance or Contractual Services Supplies Construction Services (Requires review of Planning & Facilities) Network Connections and Network connections and wiring 11, Infrastructure Costs (Requires review of UCCS) 3

4 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 4 of 6 Other Expenses (explain) Initiation of UCGIS membership* 3, TOTAL 61, *UCGIS, is a consortium of universities with significant GIS activities, which offers a variety of benefits, including access to developing technical standards and resources in teaching, job opportunities and contacts for students, and participating in publications and conferences. 9. Consequences of Partial Funding If the proposal were funded at 75% of the total request of 61,170, the project would still be viable. The most important component of the project is the conversion of the Anthropology/Geography graduate student office into a networked instructional lab giving the program the space to expand in response to demand. Because the Department of Anthropology and Geography already has 15 computers and the tables and chairs necessary for instructional purposes, the number of proposed computers and furnishings can be reduced. The remaining funds would be used to acquire as many student workstations as possible, obtain a printer and the required furniture, and to fund a GRA. Items that would be cut from the budget would include the UCGIS membership at 3,000, five computers at 11,500, two tables at 280, and five chairs at 450. A lower quality printer would be acquired for less than 1,938, a difference from the original request of 62. These reductions in the budget total 15,292 which is 25% of the original 61,170. The purchased items would then total 45,878 or 75% of the original total. If the funding were reduced by 50% of the total request of 61,170 to 30,585, the project would still be viable. As stated previously, the most important component of this proposal is the conversion of the office space to an instructional lab, the number of proposed computers can be reduced and possibly funded from other sources. Items cut from the budget would include the UCGIS membership at 3,000, eleven computers at 25,300, six tables at 840, and eleven chairs at 990. A lower quality printer would be acquired for less than 1,545, a difference from the original request of 455. The purchased items would then total 30,585, or 50% of the original total. 10. Justification of Funding Requirements for Fiscal Years Following FY 2002 Object of Expense Staff Salaries Itemized Descriptions Quantity Extended Total Fringe Benefits Student Salaries GRA Per year 8, Windows Workstations - 15 PCs with 4 years of lifetime (15*2,300/4) Per year 8, Equipment (Note: Use standard dollar amounts and replacement thresholds from sections 11/12, or provide explanation in sections 11/12) Software Site license and software updates* Per year 2, Maintenance or Contractual Services Supplies Paper and printer ink cartridges Per year 1, Construction Services (Requires review of Planning & Facilities) 4

5 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 5 of 6 Network Connections and Infrastructure Costs (Requires review of UCCS) Other Expenses (explain) Annual membership for UCGIS** 1, Training of technical staff*** Per year 2, TOTAL 23, *This includes updates to ERDAS Imagine every three years and maintenance of site licenses of other software packages such as Macromedia Freehand and Flash, Avenza MapPublisher, VistaPro, Golden Software MapViewer and Surfer, Micrografx Designer, and Adobe Photoshop. **UCGIS, is a consortium of universities with significant GIS activities, which offers a variety of benefits, including access to developing technical standards and resources in teaching, job opportunities and contacts for students, and participating in publications and conferences. ***GIS technology is constantly evolving. Training of technical staff is required to keep up with the changing software and hardware. 11. Accountability of Funds Requests do not deviate from standard amounts. 12. Standard Replacement Thresholds The proposal for fiscal year 2002 does not include any requests for the replacement of equipment due to obsolescence or inadequacy. 13. Prerequisite, Non-Technology Fee, Funding This proposal is not dependent upon any non-technology fee prerequisite funding 14. Matching Funds At this time, there is no additional funding committed to the proposed project. However, the Department of Anthropology and Geography has submitted a Quality Improvement Funds proposal to purchase additional workstations for the cartography/gis instructional lab. If granted, funds received from this proposal would be available in June Additionally, the Department is planning to submit a lab improvement proposal to the National Science Foundation in June If approved, both funding sources would more effectively leverage the technology fee funding. 15. Staffing and Other Support Availability The only new support required for the proposed instructional lab expansion is a graduate research assistant to help the existing lab manager maintain the increased network of computers. Current faculty and staff who will either teach or maintain the instructional lab include the following: Dr. Jeremy Crampton: Cartographer with specialties in geographic visualization, Internet mapping, and GIS. Instructor of Geog 4522/6522, Geog 4524/6524, Geog 4528/6528, and Geog Ms. Elaine Hallisey Hendrix: Academic professional (GIS) with specialties in GIS and cartography. Instructor of Geog 4532/6532 and Geog 4534/6534. Dr. John Kantner: Archaeologist with specialties in complex societies, American Southwest, Internetbased instructional technology, and 3-D modeling. Instructor of Anth

6 2.1.9 Expansion of Instructional GIS Lab Page 6 of 6 Dr. Paul Knapp: Physical geographer with specialties in biogeography, meteorology and climatology. Instructor of Geog Mr. Jeffrey McMichael: Instructional lab manager with specialties in networking and system administration, graphic design, and cartography. Instructor of Geog 4526/6526. Dr. Susan McCombie: Medical anthropologist with specialties in epidemiology, public health and biocultural anthropology. Instructor of Anth 4440/6440 and Anth 4620/6620. Dr. Susan Walcutt: Urban geographer with specialties in urbanization, location analysis, and high-tech industries. Instructor of Geog Dr. Dona Stewart: Urban geographer with specialties in Third World urbanization, Middle East studies, and applications of GIS and remote sensing in urban studies. Instructor of Geog Dr. Zhi-Yong Yin: Physical geographer with specialties in water resources, remote sensing, and GIS applications in environmental studies. Instructor of Geog 1113, Geog 4530/6530, Geog 4640/6640, Geog 4650/6650, and Geog Space Availability The space to be used for the proposed networked instructional laboratory currently houses the Department of Anthropology and Geography graduate student office on the third floor of Sparks Hall. The graduate office, which is presently underutilized, will be moved to the smaller space that is currently the cartography/gis instructional lab. 17. Impact on Facilities The proposed project should not result in any impact on the University s facilities infrastructure. 18. Impact on Computing/Network Infrastructure The department maintains its own web server and data servers. We offer network storage for student projects and faculty research. The project will not put significant strain on the University computing/network infrastructure. 19. Review and Acknowledgements Attach electronic notes or documentation showing that the following units or administrators have reviewed or acknowledged this proposal: Dean or functional unit endorsement Matching funds commitment from appropriate fiscal officer University Computing and Communications Services review or acknowledgement Planning and Facilities review or acknowledgement 6