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		The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Minutes (July 30, 2003) Web Advisory Committee

Present: Dr. Ray Palmer, Kat Myers, Brian Neuenschwander, Dr. Bob Badgett, Heather Cura, Anna Maloy, Mary Yanes, Jim Barrett

The chair, Dr. Ray Palmer, opened the meeting, and received approval of the June 25 minutes.

Jim Barrett presented the webmaster's report. He said:

• Server traffic rose 48 percent in June, to 924,624 page views.
• The campus calendar software from St. Mary's University has arrived, and a test server is being prepared to adapt the calendar for Health Science Center use.
• Dr. Brian Herman has requested a web-based database of human studies, which has been under development in Computing Resources, and would receive final changes to meet his October deadline.
• The webcam has been operating, but the server that controls it has been malfunctioning. The server locked up with a firmware upgrade, and still fails to work properly after being repaired at the factory.
• 83 percent of university web sites passed accessibility validation conducted July 1. The validation involved web site front pages, and looked for Category 1 errors. Six months ago, 56 percent of the sites passed.

In old business, Dr. Palmer said Jack Park, the university's legal counsel, had responded to the committee's request in June for a legal opinion about blocking web sites with offensive content. Mr. Barrett read correspondence requested the opinion, and the counsel's response.

In his opinion, Mr. Park said the university has no obligation to intervene unless a web site itself violates the law. However, he said, if the university intervenes, "we must do so in the same manner for all similar sites that come to our attention." Mr. Park said the university would need to adopt a clear standard for acceptable content, and apply it evenly. He said the issue is "very problematic."

Heather Cura said the School of Nursing had resolved the issue that prompted the request for the legal opinion. In a message to students, a faculty member had cited an outdated URL to a web site once owned by the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. The site has since become property of an owner who displays sexually explicit photos. Ms. Cura said the students have received a corrected URL, and she considers the matter closed. Dr. Palmer asked for any further discussion. There was none.

Dr. Palmer asked if there was any new business. There was none. He then adjourned the meeting.

-- Minutes prepared by Jim Barrett
-- Approved Oct. 29, 2003