November 2001 — Editorial
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Administrative Challenges
Exploding service demands for more connections, greater speed, rapid distribution of information resources and increasing availability of new technologies are continually challenging to the information technology (IT) administrator. Also, funding is still a central issue in matching information resources with financial resources and human capital. The second annual Educause survey, (found online at www.educause.edu/issues/survey2001/) conducted in February 2001, found that administrative challenges had escalated, especially in the area of campus networks. These challenges are:
- Emerging networking technologies;
- Security management; and
- Ubiquitous computing/universal access
A number of trends can be noted which are changing the roles and responsibilities of IT personnel. These include:
Growth in Collaborative Efforts and Partnerships
Industry business and government efforts to encourage the use of technology in educational institutions have increased. Many examples exist. The Alabama State Public School System is using an internal service called Teachers-Teachers.com (http://teachers-teachers.com) to search for and recruit new teachers. School systems search a database of teachers’ resumes to review certification, degrees and teaching experiences. In Minnesota, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $5.2 million for hardware and software, which includes providing about 450 computers to 209 public libraries in the state. Additionally, the foundation will provide 11 computer-training laboratories to be located throughout the state for staff development and public use. The North Dakota Information Technology Department is implementing a statewide broadband network to connect more than 200 school districts. In order to keep the government’s e-rating funding, all participating schools and libraries are required to implement URL filtering technologies on all Internet-connected computers by Oct. 28, 2001. Colleges are forming consortiums to save money on IT services, and to provide better services to students and the entire academic community. The six colleges that comprise the colleges of the Fenway Consortium are planning to build a shared network. The need for sharing information is growing. The T.L.T. Group formed by Steve Gilbert is performing excellent services to universities by providing mechanisms, such as Web sites, listserves, workshops, meetings and conferences for sharing and collaborations.
Availability of New Technologies
Manufacturers are distributing new and improved technologies for education on a continuing basis. However, educational institutions often lack the funding and manpower to develop and implement new technologies. A number of campuses have introduced wireless technology. Tulane University has connected 80 buildings and a number of common outdoor areas across three campuses to a wireless LAN, using approximately 100 access points. Wireless technology is still considered to be slower than traditional wired LANs; although in business, 52 percent of solution providers say they support, use or service wireless technology for customers, in contrast with last year’s usage at 32 percent. It is still believed wireless LAN technology has obstacles to overcome, including security risks and performance.
