Contact: Elaine Warren, Edwards Campus, (913) 897-8411.
LAWRENCE - Prompted by a need for highly educated information
technology employees in greater Kansas City, the University of Kansas
has formed a task force to propose by Dec. 1 a new school of
information science and technology.
"It's our intention that this school be the information technology
link to the local economy," said KU Chancellor Robert Hemenway.
"Through it KU will coordinate the academic programming, training and
research necessary to accelerate IT workforce and economic
development in greater Kansas City."
Bob Clark, vice chancellor of the KU Edwards Campus, said: "The
business leadership of greater Kansas City has expressed an
overwhelming need to have access to a well-educated IT workforce and
the high technology research that could accelerate economic
development in the region."
Clark said Kansas City business leaders had identified several key
issues in regard to information technology:
"Our task force will consider these issues as we move forward," Clark
said. "Area employers will be consulted about the report to insure
that its recommendations respond to their needs."
KU task force members are Bob Barnhill, Center for Research; Nancy
Baym, communication studies; Jim Bingham, Information Resources; Ann
Brill, journalism; Jerry Chaffin, special education; Bob Clark
(chair), Edwards Campus; Joe Evans, electrical engineering and
computer science; Bill Fuerst, business, Susan Gauch, electrical
engineering and computer science; Jimmy Gentry, journalism; Marilu
Goodyear, information services; Scott Hinton, electrical engineering
and computer science; Don Kellogg, allied health and Health
Information Management; Sally Frost Mason, liberal arts and molecular
biology; Karen Miller, allied health and nursing; Russ Osterman,
chemical and petroleum engineering; Michael Roberts, clinical child
psychology; Howard Sypher, communication studies; and Larry Tomlin,
information systems.
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