Campus + Industry
What's Happening In Technology Sectors
MOREHEAD STATE’S contactless campus card system
allows students to manage everything from vending
machine puchases to laundry payment.
:: NEWS
EXPANDING OPENCOURSEWARE.
The University of Massachusetts-
Boston is expanding its OpenCourseWare offerings, to help increase the retention rate
of students who enter the university as
freshmen from Boston public schools.
Funded by a $60,000 grant from the
Boston Foundation, the project will
publish the archives of 12 additional
courses required by undergraduate students
to earn a bachelor’s degree, as
well as develop workshops to be attended
by Boston high school teachers. The
teachers will be trained on how to use
OpenCourseWare resources and given
strategies on using and integrating them
into high school classrooms, so that students
are better prepared when they
enter UMass-Boston.
CONTACTLESS PURCHASING.
Morehead State University (KY) has upgraded its campus card
system with a large-scale implementation
of iClass contactless card
readers from HID Global. More
than 220 iClass readers across campus
are managing purchases and
privileges for access control, dining
services, snack/beverage vending,
copying and printing, laundry payment,
and more. Beyond improving
convenience for students and staff,
the contactless readers are also revenue
drivers: Since the iClass readers
manage purchases campuswide,
it’s now easier for students to spend
and manage funds via the school’s
EagleCard campus card. EagleCardbased
vending sales have increased
nearly 10 percent since the system was
implemented.
CAMPUSWIDE WIFI. The University
of South Carolina has selected
AT&T to provide high-speed wireless
broadband in more than 160 buildings
across the campus, as well as for outdoor
spaces. The campuswide WiFi
service will provide public internet
access for more than 30,000 students,
faculty, staff, and guests, and also will
carry the university’s intranet traffic.
AT&T’s WiFi Services will provide
round-the-clock network monitoring
and a complete turnkey managed WiFi
network service, including site survey,
design, installation, repair, maintenance,
and warranty of equipment.
VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE. This
summer, Texas Tech University hosted
a virtual open house, held at CollegeWeekLive.
The event included live video presentations
from Texas Tech admissions,
financial aid, and housing representatives,
as well as a virtual booth where
college-bound high school students
could browse information and text chat
live with campus administrators and
current students. Additional booths featured
details on campus housing and
dining, where virtual tours of residence
halls provided prospective students with
a glimpse into campus life. The sevenhour
open house event attracted nearly
500 visitors.
CONNECTING ON FACEBOOK.
Partnering with customized Facebook
application provider Varsity Outreach,
Tulane University (LA), St. Norbert
College (WI), and Pace Law School (NY) have launched Facebook communities
where prospective and admitted
students can build connections with
each other, with current students, and
with admissions staff. Via the schools’
Facebook applications, prospective students
can find peers who live nearby,
intend to pursue the same major, or
share common interests. What’s more,
the schools’ admissions offices can provide
tailored information to prospective
students and invite admitted students to
network within a dedicated, invitationonly
area.
:: PEOPLE
CCC CIO. Darrell
McMillon has been
appointed CIO at Camden
County College (NJ).
McMillon most recently
served as a CIO with SunGard Higher
Education Managed Services.
UMASSONLINE CEO.
The University of Massachusetts has named
Ken Udas as CEO of its
online learning consortium,
UMassOnline. Udas previously
served as executive director of the
Penn State World Campus.
PREMIER PREZ.
Premier Mounts has
brought in Lee Dodson
to lead the company as
president. The 25-year
veteran of the pro A/V industry most
recently served as vice president of
marketing at Extron Electronics.
