News 11-27-2001 -- Campus Technology

News 11-27-2001

11/27/01

And The Last Minute Award G'es To ....

YOU, if you've waited until now to register for the Syllabus fall2001 conference, which opens on Thursday, November 29, in Danvers, Mass. (just north of Boston).

Online registration ends today, Tuesday, November 27, at 8PM EST. Beat the deadline and register now at <http://www.syllabus.com>. On-site registration will begin Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST at the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in Danvers. Walk-ins are welcome.

Syllabus fall2001 promises to be a lively event brimming with opportunities for information exchange and networking. Note that some space is still available for the intensive full-day and half-day sessions presented on key technology topics during the Post-Conference on Saturday and Sunday, December 1-2. Topics range from Web Publishing and Web Page Design to Marketing OnlinePrograms. Reserve your seat now before onlineregistration closes.

Bookstore Operator to Offer Adobe e-Book Guides

College store operator Follett Higher Education Group said it would start offering study guides and other course material in Adobe as well as Microsoft eBook formats. The company's website, efollett.com, opened earlier this year with eBook titles in Microsoft Reader format. Last week it said it would now add thousands of titles in Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader format as well. Higher education publishers participating in the launch with eBook study guides include Thomson Learning Higher Education Group, Wiley Higher Education, Houghton Mifflin College Division and Bedford, Freeman and Worth Publishers. Follett is also working with OverDrive, Inc. to support course material conversion into eBook formats.

For more information, visit: <http://www.efollet.com>.

Nobel Laureates: Internet Vital to Future of Education

Education was a top concern of Nobel laureates surveyed about their beliefs on the future role of the Internet. In the survey of 71 laureates, 92 percent said inadequate educational opportunities and illiteracy are major problems facing mankind; 87 percent believe the Internet will have a positive effect on improving education; 93 percent said the Internet will provide greater access to libraries and information worldwide; and 74 percent believe the Internet will give students greater learning opportunities through virtual classrooms by year 2020. "The results ... are particularly interesting because most of the laureates surveyed did not grow up using computers or the Internet," said Mary McIntosh, vice president of Princeton Survey Research Associates, which conducted the study for Cisco Systems Inc.

For more information, visit: <http://www.cisco.com/nobel>.

Louisville Installs Advanced Smart Card Platform

The University of Louisville has issued students an advanced smart card equipped with Java and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) security technology. The new card system, provided by Tallahassee-based Cybermark Inc., will allow students to store electronic currency for ATM-type transactions, use the card with their meal plan, check out books in the library, and gain access to various buildings around campus. The university will also use the platform to verify student digital identities, check student status at multiple campus locations, as well as host web-based student government elections. The card is the first to be provided by CyberMark under a partnerhsip with card maker SchlumbergerSema.

Boston U. Partners with IT Training Firm

TrainingTrack, a Boston University venture that distributes training services through various regional providers, said it will provide project management training through Conseva, a Kansas City, Mo.-based IT training company. TrainingTrack is composed of training companies and schools that market Boston University's IT training and management programs. The latest deal calls for Conseva to provide daytime and evening project management training in the Kansas City region starting in January. The venture is capitalizing on the $250 billion annual market for application development which it says is often wasted because of project management failure.

For more information, visit: <http://www.trainingtrack.com>.

Palm to Distribute eBooks from HarperCollins

Palm, Inc. said it reached an agreement to distribute the HarperCollins PerfectBound line of eBooks through Palm Digital Media, its line of eBooks for handheld computers. PerfectBound's eBook list includes a variety of popular fiction and non-fiction. David Steinberger, president of corporate strategy for HarperCollins, said Palm technology "lets us offer readers the editorial and technological special features that are exclusive to PerfectBound eBook editions, while also protecting our authors' copyrights." Palm also has distribution agreements with top trade publishers Random House, Simon & Schuster, St. Martin's Press and Time Warner Trade Books.

For more information, visit: <http://www.palm.com/ebooks>.

U. Arizona Turns Up OC-3 Internet Services

The University of Arizona, after suffering a computer glitch that knocked much of its Intenet service off line, has upgraded to a DS-3 dedicated Internet service, sufficient bandwidth to send approximately 30,000 emails simultaneously. The service provider, Time Warner Telecom Inc., was able to turn-up the network within 72 hours of the general failure, according to Time Warner Telecom Tucson general manager Bill Bryant, who estimated the industry standard for optical-network installation is 45 to 60 days.

For more information, visit: <http://www.arizona.edu>.

FHWA Grants $1M for Transportation, Tech Research

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established $1 million in cost-sharing cooperative agreements with Minority Institutions of Higher Education (MIHEs) to conduct transportation research and technology activities. The program allows MIHEs to compete with one another for cooperative, cost-sharing agreements in order to foster MIHE research and prepare faculty and students at the institutions to participate in the competitive research arena. "The cooperative agreements announced today reflect our ongoing commitment to more fully utilize the tremendous resources at our nation's renowned minority institutions to help us fulfill our research goals," said FHWA Administrator Mary E. Peters.

For more information, visit: <http://wwwcf.fhwa.dot.gov>.

At Britannica, Print Makes A Comeback

After publishing soley on the Internet and CD-ROM for almost a decade, Encyclopaedia Britannica has just issued a revised printing of the venerable 32-volume encyclopedia for the first time in four years. Editor Dale Hoiberg said the reason for the new set is that demand for the books is strong. "Computers are great, but many people still love the feel of paper and ink between two covers," he said. "Books aren't as fast as the Internet, but they provide pleasures and benefits that no other medium can." But despite the affection for books, digital encyclopedias do have their advantages -- like cost. Britannica's CD-ROMs and DVDs range in price from $39.95 to $69.95. In contrast, the new print edition will retail for $1,295.

For more information, visit: <http://www.britiannica.com>.

U. Michigan Solar Car Places Third in World Challenge

Traveling 1,870 miles across the Australian Outback in 34 hours and 17 minutes, the University of Michigan College of Engineering's M-Pulse solar car won a third-place finish in the World Solar Challenge. With an average speed of 52.4 miles per hour, M-Pulse was the fastest American car in the race, beating out 34 other competitors from around the world. "The solar car race project is a microcosm of the auto industry," said Ken Kohrs, co-faculty advisor to the team. "It combines business issues, technology issues, leadership, marketing, finance, logistics and engineering." The first-place team, Alpha Centauri from the Netherlands, drove its car NUNA to the finish line in 32 hours, 39 minutes - a World Solar Challenge record. For more information visit: <http:www.engin.umich.edu>.

Don't Miss This Event from 101communications

Syllabus fall2001 "Next Steps: Moving Forward with Campus IT"
November 29-December 2
Danvers, MA
Online registration available: <<http://www.syllabus.com>>

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