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LAWRENCE -- More than 50 new computers for student computer labs and increased bandwidth for Internet usage are among the most immediate improvements to student computing services at the University of Kansas.
Marilu Goodyear, vice provost for information services at KU, said the improvements, which will continue throughout the school year, were made possible through the student technology fee.
The student technology fee increased by $4 per credit hour this academic year, raising an additional $2.4 million to improve technology services across campus. The $2.4 million is part of an overall $8.6 million for academic enhancements generated by tuition rates approved by the Kansas Board of Regents in June. Tuition increased about $600 per year for resident undergraduates and $864 for nonresident undergraduates under the new tuition structure.
"These improvements will help KU provide more effective and efficient access to resources and services, supported by a more robust technological infrastructure," Goodyear said.
KU's first move is to replace 54 old computers with new models in student computer labs across campus.
Jerree Catlin, associate director of Academic Computing Services, said the new computers will be installed by mid-September, when they have been properly set up with security and restoration features.
Catlin said the new funding for lab upgrades also will enable ACS to manage the Fraser Hall computer lab previously run by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This will provide for all students access to three general labs: the Budig Hall lab, the Herb Harris lab in the Kansas Union and the Fraser Hall lab.
The funding also will allow KU to increase bandwidth for the support of Internet usage on campus.
John Louis, director of Networking and Telecommunication Services at KU, said the increase in bandwidth would support the growing demand for both Internet and Internet 2 research across campus.
For each of the past four years, KU's use of the Internet has doubled, Louis said, making the need for the improvement to the infrastructure long overdue.
Last year at this time, KU used 30 millions of bits per second (mb/s) of Internet and 40 mb/s of Internet 2. This year, those figures have jumped to 70 mb/s of Internet and 80 mb/s of Internet 2, Louis said.
Finally, the first round of improvements will include the creation of a full-time student technology coordinator position. The coordinator will act as a liaison between students and administrators to determine the types of services and technologies students want. The coordinator, who will work out of the Kansas Union, also will answer technology-related questions and demonstrate the latest services and products, such as the newest models of personal digital assistants, commonly known as PDAs.
Among the next round of improvements are:
• The first steps toward installing a student portal by the end of September. The student portal will organize Web content and services according to students' personal preferences. To view a prototype of the student portal, visit http://www.ku.edu/portal.
• The initial work on the Digital Library by late September, which will include a new federated search capability that will enable users to search across multiple databases with a single inquiry. In addition to improving access to library materials and databases, the Digital Library will help transform KU-generated research into a resource available all over the world, improving KU's contribution to scholarly knowledge, which in turn will contribute a great deal to KU's profile, Goodyear said.
• Upgrades in the Blackboard software in the fall. Instructors use Blackboard to support online class assignments and discussions.
• Online enrollment, which should be completed by March in time for fall 2003 enrollment.
More details about these improvements will be made available as the projects develop.
Administrators are working with a student advisory committee appointed by Jonathan Ng, Leawood senior and student body president. They also have consulted with Catherine Bell, Coffeyville junior and student member of the Planning and Resources Committee to help determine the content and services of the student portal.
Goodyear said the improvements to technology services would not only benefit students but also enhance the overall quality of education at KU.
"How the university deals with the realities of today's evolving information technology environment has an enormous impact on the quality and value of the educational services offered and the competitiveness of the institution and its students," Goodyear said. "Through the introduction of these enhanced services, KU is seeking to improve the effectiveness of the educational experience it offers."
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