Hi Andy,
I'm no spokesperson for JISC but: JISC programmes are usually _funding_
programmes, and usually for development not service. I would be less
concerned if JISC was simply bringing to an end a specific funding
programme but retained (and improved where necessary) sufficient
support, whether provided directly by JISC or by the UK Federation
itself (e.g. continued liaison with service providers; training;
communications and awareness raising; and also provision of funding to
fill priority gaps, which itself could be via a different JISC funding
programme -- in fact isn't that what the meeting you were at was all
about?). I would be very concerned if, for example, from 1 August there
was no one speaking on behalf of the Federation to publishers and other
service providers, and communicating progress etc.
I don't see anything at
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/themes/access_management/federation.aspx
which suggests the JISC support activities for the Federation are
closing with immediate effect but yes, the funding programme for AM
Transition at
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/programmes/programme_am_transition.aspx
is due to end on 31 July 2008 (hence, presumably, the purpose of a
meeting to discuss what should be prioritised in any follow-on programme
-- sorry not to have been able to attend).
The question, I guess, is the extent to which the funding programme and
the support are intrinsically linked, or whether JISC support activities
for FAM will effectively be spun out as an ongoing JISC service.
Mike
Andy Swiffin wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I'm currently in Brum at the JISC Shibb 2 installfest - yesterday was
> the 'Federated Access: Future Directions Day' which was a very
> interesting event. But, the most disturbing news, which I hadn't
> realised before is that as from immediate effect the JISC
> High-heid-juns are closing down the Access Management programme!
> There are a number of us here who think this is premature. Ok, yes,
> we've got FAM launched in the UK, but it seems to me like taking a 3
> day old baby and saying "there you are, you're born now, off you go a
> make a living" and shoving it out the hospital doors. Things are
> still very much in their infancy, some have managed to get a start
> but there are many who are only just getting up steam to get started
> - pulling the plug now is going to leave many sites in the lurch with
> no "official" support or direction. At this stage in the transition
> from Athens to FAM we really don't need to be left high and dry.
>
> If you feel like we do then we need to start making a fuss, my
> suggestion is have a word with your directors and ask them to pass
> this to UCISA to put pressure on JISC - we need to keep the
> programme going at least another two years to give people a chance to
> transition properly. And the whole access management thing is a
> load bigger than just the transition from Athens - many prominent
> analysts are going on about "Identity" being the new "most important
> thing", to just ignore it all now makes no sense whatsoever.
>
> It's not too late if we make a fuss now.
>
> Regards Andy Swiffin (what me, rock the boat? surely not!)
>
>
>
>
> The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish charity, No:
> SC015096
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