The IT Governance review board for instructional technologies.

Supporting Innovation

About ETAC

The Educational Technology Advisory Council (ETAC) is the advisory body to IT Directors on educational technology system recommendations and changes, unless said changes are determined to be critical decisions that require review by the IT Gov Committee and CIO. For critical votes, a quorum of ETAC members must be present. All other votes will be taken by members who are present.

Approved brightspace integrations Ed Tech updates IT Gov IT TLS

Upcoming Topics

Brightspace integrations will be reviewed by the council and topics will be added. See you in September.

Major Meeting Updates / Outcomes

  • Final Meeting of 2025: Concluded discussions for the year.
  • New Member Recruitment: Current members will be contacted regarding continuation with ETAC next year.
  • Brightspace Auto 0 Revisit: Decision made to not enable automatic zero grading.
  • Proctoring Tool Update: Collaboration with ITS, URI Online, and the Provost’s office is in procurement to pilot a proctoring tool for Fall 2025.
  • Esports Lab: Installation of 5 new PCs is underway; old PCs will be repurposed for faculty workstations.
  • Tech Day: Scheduled for August 21; focuses on utilizing existing, free URI educational technology tools.
  • Brightspace Change Proposal: Approved by JCODL and will be reviewed by other committees and Faculty Senate in Fall.
  • LTI Updates: TLS plans to enable Pressbooks and Caduceus in May; McGraw Hill and Top Hat LTI 1.1 integrations will be disabled on May 16.
  • May Changes: New Quiz Evaluation Experience enabled.
  • New Content Experience: Several faculty will test it over summer with plans for opt-in use by September.
  • AI Forums: AI Big Data/AI in Industry Forums are being uploaded to YouTube.

Council Administration

Meeting Notes

October 23 ETAC Notes || December 23 ETAC Notes. || February 24 ETAC Notes || March 24 ETAC Notes
April 24 ETAC Notes || September 24 ETAC Notes || October 24 ETAC Notes || November 24 ETAC Notes
February 25 ETAC Notes || March 25 ETAC Notes || April 25 ETAC Notes

ETAC Chair (23-25): Jim McGwin (Business, Adjunct Professor)

Members (Italicized are non-voting members)

  • Coyne, Robert, Physics, Associate Teaching Professor
  • Eaton, Nancy, Mathematics, Professor
  • Fariello, Gabriele, IT, CIO
  • Gray, Kevin, IT TLS, Project Leader & Brightspace System Administrator
  • Harper, Allison, Kinesiology, Teaching Professor
  • Hervé, Jean-Yves, Computer Science, Associate Professor
  • Kogut, Stephen, Pharmacy, Professor
  • Larson, Sarah, Nutrition & Food Sciences, Associate Teaching Professor
  • Lavan, Christopher, ATL, Associate Vice Provost
  • Lester, Ian, Pharmacy, Manager of Technology Services
  • McGough, Ellen, Physical Therapy, Professor
  • Peno, Kathy, Education, Professor
  • Portman-Daley, Joannah, ATL, Associate Director of Online Education and Instructional Technology
  • Rogers, Michelle, IT TLS, Director of IT Teaching and Learning Services
  • Ramsdell, Paige, Disability Services, Assistant Dean
  • Sharpes-Smith, Heather, Executive Director, URI Online
  • Vaandering, Alicia, Library, Assistant Professor
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