Industry Briefs

• 09/25/06

:: NEWS

A STUDY IN ADVERTISING. E-textbook publisher Freeload Press has enlisted Campus Media Group, a youth media and marketing company, to sell targeted ads in its college e-textbooks. Students can download the e-books for free in exchange for viewing ads while they study.

WIRELESS SURGE. To accommodate the influx of students and parents on move-in day at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale—and the campus reliance on wireless communication—Verizon Wireless placed a temporary mobile cell site on the campus and upgraded the permanent area cell sites that provide network service to the school and vicinity. Network capacity was enhanced by more than 50 percent.

TEXTING ON CAMPUS. Students at Seton Hall University (NJ) have a new way to keep track of class announcements, assignments, schedule changes, campus events, and other school information—via text message, thanks to deltaTXT (a mobile communication system from clearTXT), installed by the school this summer. And at Penn State, a web-based notification system from e2Campus now sends instant (SMS) text messages of news and emergency information to students’ cell phones and mobile devices.

:: M&A, ETC.

OPEN SOURCE RELATIONSHIP. Unicon, a provider of open source-based technologies and services for the online campus, has extended its multiyear partnership with the Cisco Learning Institute (CLI), a nonprofit public benefit corporation that promotes the effective, appropriate use of technology to advance learning. Unicon will help CLI provide help desk, network operation, and software platform support activities for its partners.

AOL EXPANDS IM SERVICES. AOL has acquired Userplane, a community networking software developer that markets easy-to-use, web-based chat and IM tools that can be deployed quickly and integrated into a variety of web services. Userplane has licensed its chat technology to more than 100,000 websites and online communities such as MySpace.com. With the acquisition, AOL aims to expand and extend the reach and relevance of its IM franchise.

:: PEOPLE

NEW CAMPUS MANAGEMENT EXECS. Campus Management, provider of administrative software for higher ed, has announced the promotion of Ferda Kavak to VP/customer support, and the appointment of Hank Bowman as VP of sales.

CHANGES AT BLACKBAUD. Blackbaud, provider of software and related services for nonprofit organizations, has announced changes in executive leadership. Germaine Ward, VP of products, and Tony Powell, VP of professional services and enterprise sales, will pursue opportunities elsewhere. Ward’s responsibilities will be assumed by Lou Attanasi, VP of strategic technologies; Powell’s duties will transfer to Charles Cumbaa, VP of products and services, and Christopher Todd, VP of sales.

NEW ACUTA PRESIDENT. Carmine Piscopo, telecom manager at Providence College (RI), is the new president (2006-2007) of the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education.

GOLDMAN TO CRESTRON. Control and automation systems vendor Crestron has named Michael Goldman regional director, consultant & educational market development. Goldman comes to Crestron from AV systems integrator Univisions Crimson Group, formerly Crimson Tech.