Terry Calhoun, IT Trends Commentator
Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)
University of Michigan

What’s the Difference Between Irish and Polish Sausage?

For some reason, my mind often turns to the question, “How is it, for professional staff, different in higher education than it is in the ‘outside’ world?” Recently, a couple of friends--one in higher education and one in the corporate world--have experienced changes in their work life that contrast in such a way as to push my thoughts in that direction once again.

One, we’ll call her Ms. C, works for a huge pharmaceutical company. A short while ago it purchased another very large company. In the intervening time, her position has moved from one where she worked hands-on with people and had several direct reports. Now, she has very little hands-on interaction with people and is fast becoming a manager of outsourced contracts.

The other, we can call him Mr. C, works for a college in an IT-related role. Part of his job is one that would have been outsourced by Ms. C’s company, but remains in-house at the college. In addition to not being outsourced, when Mr. C’s department works with other departments he is able to insist that they work as equal partners in projects; his department never functions merely as an outsourced vendor for other departments but as a peer.
Read more

Campus: Second Life

At Trinity University in San Antonio, a professor is using a “metaverse,” complete with avatars, to immerse students in a first-hand experience in what makes a good virtual public space. (Wired News)
Read more

UT-Dallas Backs Off Quashing Unauthorized Wireless Nets in Dorms

The FCC supports consumers’ rights to install and operate unlicensed wireless access points, and whether universities can limit those points in various kinds of student housing is a current hot issue. (CNET News)
Read more

Multimillion-Dollar Dorm Room Security Industry Developing

Why? Because students now have so much expensive, portable, personal technology gear--so technology’s providing the solutions, too. (Wausau Daily Herald)
Read more

Security Compliance Issues Hit Help Desks Hard

St. Olaf College’s IT help desk is swamped handling network security compliance issues. But the problems are handling students disconnected from the network due to security noncompliance, as opposed to network difficulties caused by viruses and worms. A good thing. (Manitou Messenger Online)
Read more

Down, Up, and Then Down and Up Again

An unknown cause brought down the University of Michigan’s e-mail servers on September 23. There was a quick fix, then another crash, then another period of down time, and most students, faculty, and staff were out of luck for most of 24 hours. (The Michigan Daily)
Read more

Fighting Virus and Hack Attacks With a Network Analyzer

Campus networks offer a huge range of security issues due to the diversity of machines, software, and wetware (people) hooked in. A network analyzer can help. (Enterprise Networks and Servers)
Read more

UNC-Chapel Hill Studying Legal Music File Sharing Provision

Up to half a dozen vendors of such services will be collaborating in a trial study on the UNC campus later in the current semester. (dthonline.com)
Read more

Wireless Expansion at Catholic University of America

CUA is expanding its wireless network and eventually plans to have two: one private network with authentication for students, faculty, and staff, and a more public one for campus guests. (TheTower Online)
Read more

File Sharing Firewall: A Drawback to Living on Campus?

The policy in question at Emory d'es not even allow downloading from legal file sharing services. “This inconvenience for my peers and myself is just one more reason to live off campus,” one sophomore said. “All of my friends living in Highland Lake Apartments and Calibre Woods Apartments experience no musical restrictions.” (The Emory Wheel Online)
Read more

Commentary: Technology Builds Fatter, Lazier, Anti-Social America

D'es technology lessen our face-to-face social skills? D'es it make us fatter? This author believes it d'es. (Technician)
Read more

HP Public Sector Seals A Billion in Deals

HP has announced a significant number of new customers, with deals totaling more than $1 Billion in new revenue as the company continues to expand its public sector, health, and education market.
Read more