Videoconferencing at UWM

An increasingly popular means of enhancing international education, at UW-Milwaukee and elsewhere, is the videoconference.  Accordingly, the Center for International Education has created this resource page for UWM faculty & staff and their prospective collaborators beyond UWM.   

• Overview of UWM Technology
• Associated UWM Staff
• Costs
• Required Information

We welcome your comments and suggestions.  

I. Overview of UWM Technology
UWM faculty, staff and students may use a wide array of instructional-support technologies.   For more information on particular technologies see:

• http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/vidconf/links.html#systems

For a comprehensive, up-to-date Resource Guide on Information & Media Technologies at UWM:

• http://www.uwm.edu/IMT/Info/ResGde03-04.pdf

On "distance education" per se, please see this page by Professor Simone Conceição:

• http://www.uwm.edu/~simonec/disted.htm

Among the most commonly employed videoconferencing approaches at UWM is Compressed Video.  This tool provides a two-way video and audio connection between conference sites, but requires that the remote conference site (i.e., the site to which UWM is connected) have compressed video equipment.  UWM uses IP-based videoconferencing. A variety of locations on campus feature this equipment.  Portable equipment may also be employed, especially if a large venue is sought. 

II. Associated UWM Staff
Formerly shared among various UWM staff and units, responsibility for managing/facilitating videoconferencing at UWM has fairly recently been consolidated, as follows: 

• Christine Marshall of UWM's I&MT division (cm@uwm.edu ; 414-229-5476) has campus responsibility for UWM videoconferencing.  
   
• Elizabeth Menacher of the School of Continuing Education (bettym@uwm.edu) has responsibility for the clerical aspects of exclusively "Distance Education" (DE) courses at UWM.
   

III. Costs
Videoconferencing may require the payment of fees to both the local (UWM) and the remote hosts of the conference. 

• Remote host site: 
   
  • A commercial, remote host of a conference (for example, the Kinko's location on 2020 K Street in Washington, DC) will assess a host fee. 
     
  • A non-commercial remote host (e.g., an international organization or university) may assess a fee for its facility and/or its technical staff.  
     
• Local host site:  UWM will assess a host fee that will vary depending on the technology required (compressed video or satellite) and the number of participating sites (if more than two sites participate in the conference, "bridging" will be required):
   
  • Compressed video teleconferencing in a dedicated UWM campus facility:  $25 per hour
  • Satellite teleconferencing:  $45 per hour
  • "Bridging" of multi-site teleconferencing:  $10 per conference site, no time limit

IV. Required Information
In order to support a UWM videoconference, the following information must be received by the appropriate UWM staff person (Christine Marshall).  This information must be accurately and promptly provided to ensure that a videoconference can be successfully implemented:  

• the UWM campus room number - UWM rooms supporting videoconferencing include:
  • Business S-250  
  • Enderis Hall 264
  • Sabin Hall Conference Room 394
     
• the date and time of the videoconference event
   
• whether any additional equipment, beyond the required compressed video equipment is needed by the UWM course instructor or UWM conference convener
   
• the title of the videoconference event
   
• the name of the remote site 

• the name and contact information of all the relevant contact persons 
  • at UWM (the course instructor)
  • at the remote site (the videoconference participant and videoconference technologist)
     
• the remote site's help/hotline telephone number -- (the technologist during the videoconference event).
   
• the TIME ZONE of the remote site
  • The World Clock Meeting Planner