Industry Briefs

:: NEWS

SELF-SERVE DATA

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (PA) has chosen Jenzabar’s enterprise software, Jenzabar EX and Internet Campus Solution, for two primary components of the school’s administrative infrastructure. With the Jenzabar setup, Harrisburg students, faculty, and staff will have direct access to applications and data through a secure single sign-on Web portal—helping reduce the burden on IT staff and streamline administrative workflow.

SAVE ON SECURITY

Information security company Cybertrust is providing its identity management products to Educause Identity Management Services Program (IMSP) participants at a 20 percent discount. Cybertrust’s identity management solutions allow institutions to secure users, application code, Web servers, and other devices with a digital identity chained to a public root.

OPTIMIZING FOR ULTRA-MOBILE

DyKnow, the interactive education technology provider, has been selected as one of 10 independent software vendors (ISVs) to participate in Microsoft’s Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) ISV Early Adoption Program. The program is designed to help ISVs optimize their software to support the UMPC. Formerly code-named “Origami,” UMPCs are a new category of small, lightweight mobile computing devices that will provide full Windows functionality, with an enhanced touch screen, pen, and keyboard input. During the next few months, DyKnow will fine-tune its Vision and Monitor software (applications with pen input device capabilities that allow teachers to distribute presentation notes directly to students’ PCs, as well as control students’ desktops to ensure their accountability), specifically for the UMPC’s operating system.

:: M&A, ETC.

POWERFUL PAIRING

Dell has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire high-performance PC company Alienware. Following the acquisition, Alienware will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary and will maintain its own brand, product development, marketing, sales, technical support, and other operations.

HEALTHY DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Hershey Systems has acquired MedPro Software, bringing Hershey’s enterprise content management solutions, Singularity and DocBox XE, to a new arena— student healthcare centers. The integration of the two companies’ operations, networks, and client services organizations will provide MedPro clients with a secure, HIPAA-compliant solution to manage all student healthcare documentation.

John Loiacono

New Adobe SVP: Loiacono to head
Creative Solutions business unit.

:: PEOPLE

NEW CDIGIX EXEC

Anthony Ravani has been named senior VP of Technology and Operations at Cdigix, the provider of secure, legal digital entertainment and educational media for the college market. A 20-year industry veteran, Ravani comes to Cdigix from senior management positions at Microsoft and Exxon-Mobil.

ADOBE NAMES SVP OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Adobe Systems has appointed John Loiacono as senior VP, Creative Solutions, responsible for development, delivery, and marketing of the company’s entire creative software portfolio. Loiacono was formerly executive VP of Software at Sun Microsystems.

CAMPUS MANAGEMENT EXPANDS MANAGEMENT

ERP software developer Campus Management has announced the promotion of Patric Edmondson to VP of Development, and the appointment of Bennett Klein as director of Marketing.

Featured

  • Businessman using laptop analyzing data and growth graph chart

    AI Budgets in Education Show No Sign of Decline

    The vast majority of education organizations (98%) expect their AI infrastructure budgets to either increase or hold steady over the next year, according to a recent report from cloud storage provider Wasabi.

  • silhouette of business person facing wall of data

    Why AI Strategy Belongs in the President's Office

    Institutions that are succeeding with AI share one thing in common, and it is not a better committee, a larger budget, or a more sophisticated technology stack. It is a president who never handed off the steering wheel.

  • Interface buttons of Generative AI tool

    Report: No Foolproof Method Exists for Detecting AI-Generated Media

    Microsoft has released a new research report warning that no single technology can reliably distinguish AI-generated content from authentic media, and that deepening reliance on any one method risks misleading the public.

  • Student classroom scene with diverse learners attentively engaging in lecture, using laptops

    The AI Literacy Gap No One Expected

    While Gen Z may be advanced at generating quick outputs or using free LLMs for surface-level tasks, they need to develop critical thinking, communication, and analysis skills.