High performance computing (HPC) service centres are a vital part of the academic infrastructure of higher education organisations. However, despite their importance for research and the necessary high capital expenditures, business research on HPC service centres is mostly missing. From a business perspective, it is important to find an answer to…

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) seeks to foster a community that produces sustainable solutions in all facets of campus life: (1) teaching; (2) research; (3) service; and (4) administrative operations. The university strives to model the three tenets of sustainability (environmental preservation, economic prosperity, and social equity for…

Discusses key planning tips prior to purchasing computer-lab furniture to help ensure the furniture is stylish yet able to deliver efficient, cost-effective technology support. Discusses one school's solutions to wire management and finding furniture that was durable, easy to maintain, and competitively priced. (GR)

This case study describes the use of a synchronous communication application (MSN Messenger) in a large academic computing environment. It draws on data from interviews, questionnaires and student marks to examine the link between use of the application and success measured through module marks. The relationship is not simple. Total abstainers and…

The threat of computer sabotage is a real concern to business teachers and others responsible for academic computer facilities. Teachers can minimize the possibility. Eight suggestions for avoiding computer viruses are given. (JOW)

This paper describes how Eastern Illinois University (EIU) has approached the problem of training faculty to use and support its computer network by creating a new faculty committee called the Computer Resource Faculty (CRF). The Educational Computing Network (ECN) at EIU currently provides e-mail, bulletin boards, BITNET connections, simulation…

Describes a Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis Approach for the selection of personal computers that combines the capabilities of Analytic Hierarchy Process and Integer Goal Programing. An example of how decision makers can use this approach to determine what kind of personal computers and how many of each type to purchase is given. (nine…

Provides an overview of the Michigan State University Instructional Software Collection, housed by the university library, and the Computing Resource Center, operated by the computer laboratory. Cooperative efforts between the two units, resources and services, collection development, electronic access to the collections, staffing, and publicizing…

The National Science Foundation will increase support for supercomputer centers at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, while leaving unclear the status of the program at Cornell University (New York) and a cooperative Carnegie-Mellon University (Pennsylvania) and University of Pittsburgh…

This article presents the University of New Hampshire's approach to ongoing training of computer users and argues that training is an investment with a large payoff. The article considers factors affecting training success; computer support; academic computing training; and administrative computing training, including developing a user services…

Discussion of the use of local and wide area networks on college campuses highlights the design and implementation of a wide area network within the division of student affairs at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Practical applications are described, and cost and benefit factors are discussed. (17 references) (LRW)

Highlights three ways a college or university can organize its technology areas to maximize comfort and save space. Examples are provided on controlling equipment sprawl through thoughtful workstation development, designing computer rooms for flexibility and effective cable management, and emulating business setups that are work-flow efficient and…

Studied use of the Internet by college students by determining sites selected on 6 of 70 computers in a college computer laboratory. The overwhelming use of the Internet in this open lab conformed to university acceptable-use policy, with almost no use of the computers to contact pornographic sites. (SLD)

Describes the evolution and progress toward a uniquely integrated library and computer services unit at Kenyon College. Discusses its focus on constituencies; merging of the divisions; benefits for students, faculty, administrative units, and the institution; meeting challenges; and generalizing from the model. (EV)

This document contains over 60 masters for creating overhead transparencies providing information on the Pennsylvania State University system and, in particular, the resources available for academic computing. The masters are presented in six categories: (1) Penn State; (2) Computer and Information Systems; (3) Center for Academic Computing; (4)…