Technology Happenings in Higher Education
:: NEWS
CONTENT AND COMMUNITY. American University (DC) has revamped its website to create a community-focused site where constituents can convene to create and share university-driven and user-driven web content. Built using PaperThin’s CommonSpot web content management system, the site includes features such as: AUpedia, a wiki-style informational tool; AU Profiles, student profile and faculty listing pages with photos, articles, success stories, and other information; AU Newswire, displaying university news in real time; a virtual tour of the campus; and a multimedia page with videos and podcasts.
A 177-FOOT LED TICKER is bringing news headlines, stock quotes, and campus messages to Temple U’s Alter Hall student lounge.
TEMPLE TICKER. The longest elliptical ticker installed at a business school, a 177-foot LED ticker is now displaying news headlines, stock quotes, and campus messages at Temple University’s (PA) Fox School of Business. The device from Rise Display, which uses eight-color LED technology, is installed in the student lounge in the school’s recently built Alter Hall, and can be viewed from classrooms as well as from the street. The ticker’s web-based interface enables the university to manage updates from any device with internet access.
SERVING ADULT LEARNERS. American community colleges are expanding programs and services specifically aimed at students age 50 and older, according to new research from the American Association of Community Colleges. Out of 204 community colleges surveyed, 84 percent said that they offer programs for age 50-plus students. Seventy percent of those colleges offering enrichment courses for older learners said that they plan to expand their offerings. Read more here.
INFOCOMM 09 OPENS. Professional audiovisual trade show InfoComm 2009 is coming to Orlando, FL, this month, June 14-19. More than 30,000 commercial AV professionals, technology managers, chief information officers, and procurement personnel from 80-plus countries are expected to visit more than 850 exhibitors showcasing technologies in display and projection, lighting and staging, digital signage, collaborative conferencing, networking, digital content creation, and more. For more on the new products that can be seen at the show, don’t miss our InfoComm Floor Shopper.
:: M & A
ORACLE TO BUY SUN. In a move that will have significant ramifications on software development, open source, and enterprise data centers, Oracle has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Sun Microsystems. The deal is slated to close this summer. Read more here.
INFOCUS MERGER. InFocus has announced it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with Image Holdings, a private company controlled by John Hui, entrepreneur and co-founder of eMachines. The merger will result in InFocus becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Image Holdings.
:: PEOPLE
NEW ACUTA PREZ. Harvey Buchanan, director of the Office of Telecommunications and Networking Services at Florida State University, has been named president of the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA) for 2009-2010. Buchanan has been an ACUTA member since 1992, and has served on numerous committees within the organization.
TOSHIBA-ABS EXEC. Toshiba America Business Solutions has appointed Masahiro Yamada as chairman and CEO. Most recently, Yamada served as deputy general manager to the Document Systems Business Group at Toshiba TEC Japan.