Industry Briefs
:: 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 ACUTA PRES:
Piscopo grabs ACUTA top spot.
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.