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7/11/2005

IN THE NEVER-ENDING EFFORT to better serve students, faculty, and staff via technology, some college and university campuses take the kind of initiative—even out-and-out risk— that results in advances previously thought impossible, or at least, far down the pike.
The institutions we highlight here have pursued their technology challenges with the kind of doggedness that should serve as a model to other institutions wondering just how far they can push their own envelope. Whether it’s to advance foreign language learning through the use of digital technology; attract new students from previously untapped regions via superb Web portal services and customization; or improve the management, tracking, and security of chemical materials on the campus, the colleges and universities in this special feature have taken the initiative and followed through with people, process, and technology each step of the way. Most critical to the success of these initiatives are the vision and leadership of particular campus administrators, faculty, and staff. Equally important, in many cases, was the campus/vendor partnership forged to support the challenge and see it through. For those readers facing their own similar challenges, we say: Use these stories for inspiration, guidance, and even to make contact.

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In May in San Francisco, experts from leading universities, libraries, and research institutions around the world met as part of an ongoing effort to address a pressing issue: archiving the world's history, right up to today.
The Quilt, a coalition of 28 regional network organizations, has added XO Communications Services to its authorized vendor list. The Quilt represents 200 universities and thousands of other educational institutions across the United States. With this new relationship, Quilt members can purchase XO's high-speed IP transit and network transport services at competitive rates.
At the NECC 2008 conference in Texas this week, Wimba launched a new version of Wimba Classroom, the virtual classroom component of the company's Collaboration Suite. The new 5.2 release expands options for classroom capture and adds a variety of other functional and ease of use features.
The lure of automating workflow online so human intervention is minimized is continually reinforced in the minds of higher education administrators by examples of automated campus systems such as financials, student information systems, and other enterprise systems. But what's good for management is not always good for learning.
Cognos, which IBM acquired in January, has released an update to its business intelligence software that will run on the Linux operating system on IBM System z mainframes. IBM Cognos 8 BI was being developed by the two companies prior to the acquisition, but assimilation of Cognos into IBM accelerated development.
Facebook is a way to greet a colleague as if she or he is on your own campus: a wave at a distance, a hello at the corner burrito place, a honk as you both leave the campus parking lot. Informal collegiality has been extended over the miles.