First off, a greeting to Ron.  I heard the ERA session we worked on went over well.  Wish
I could have been there for it.

FAMU supports the costs of it's network and computer services generally from state
appropriations.  The fed and other research agencies get a free ride on this.  Not the
way I'd design it, but the administration is apparently happy with the system.  That is,
I'm sure, until they get the bill for an ISP for I-2.

We haven't really discussed the situation yet, but I'll bring it up at the next
opportunity.  I think this is a hot button in the controller's offices.  Or if it isn't,
it should be.  Meanwhile, keep the listserv posted.  I'd love to see what others are
doing.  If I devise one, I'll let you know.

Greg Schmidt
FL A&M University

>
> From:                   "Splittgerber,Ron" <xxxxxx@RESEARCH.VPR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
> Subject:                Inclusion of network access costs in F&A base? Tough sell!
> To:                     xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
>
> > First, I'm assuming that this topic is not unique to our institution and so
> > am asking for a brief description of models at other universities. I'm
> > willing to make contacts with any referrals you might be willing to share.
> >
> > Until now, our university has supported the cost of network access, both
> > within the campus and outside to the internet as a central cost. The cost of
> > a port was handled much like a phone jack. Each user paid for the connection
> > through a small charge that is used to pay for wiring as well as the
> > switches and routers allowing local network and internet access. The cost of
> > connecting the university network to the internet was supported with central
> > funds. There is no parallel to 'long distance' phone charges for using the
> > internet by computer users.
> >
> > National Science Foundation grants supported a large part of the cost of
> > connecting to the internet, and now to I2, the high-speed internet. Much of
> > that development funding will no longer be available in the near future, so
> > that we are facing a commercial fee for our internet connection that will
> > rapidly escalate in the next two years. The commercial fee is based on the
> > volume of traffic to the internet, a statistic that has increased many-fold
> > every year for the last 5 years. I am assuming we are not unique in facing
> > rapidly increasing internet costs.
> >
> > Faced with a California Prop 13-like spending limitation, the university
> > will no longer support this cost centrally, and is seeking models to
> > distribute those costs to the user in a manner that will meet federal cost
> > accounting standards. So far, the fact that the cost may follow the historic
> > volume increase of many-fold each year makes it difficult to imagine how it
> > would be possible to include the costs in a stable F&A base. The
> > administration wants the costs distributed to encourage more efficient use
> > of switches, web caching etc. to slow the geometric increase in network
> > traffic through the commercial connection to the internet under the
> > assumption that charging users will encourage efficiencies.
> >
> > If any of you are willing to share how your institution allocates network
> > costs now, and how they might be handled as those costs accelerate in the
> > future, I would appreciate a brief description of the model.
> >
> > Regards,
> > /Ron
> >
> > ===========================
> > Ron Splittgerber
> > Director, Research Services
> > Colorado State University
> > Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
> > xxxxxx@Research.Colostate.Edu
> > P: 970.491.1555
> > F: 970.491.1151
> >
> >
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