The Northeast United States just experienced one of the region's worst natural disasters. Fortunately, because of the confluence of modern computing power and scientific computing methods, weather forecasting models predicted Sandy's very complicated trajectory and development with a precision that would not have been possible even a decade ago.…

When it comes to IT, there has always been an important link between data center control and client flexibility. As computing power increases, so do the potentially crippling threats to security, productivity and financial stability. This article talks about Dell's On-Demand Desktop Streaming solution which is designed to centralize complete…

North Carolina State University may never build another computer lab. Instead the university has installed racks of equipment in windowless rooms where students and professors never go. This article describes a project called the Virtual Computing Lab. Users enter it remotely from their own computers in dormitory rooms or libraries. They get all…

It used to be much easier to get paid by the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). A lot easier, that is, if you didn't work there. Saddled with an antiquated computer system and manual, repetitive data entry of time cards, officials at California's second-largest school district discovered the payroll department was mistakenly issuing $1…

As news outlets create headlines such as "A Cloud & A Prayer," "The Cloud Is the Computer," and "Leveraging Clouds to Make You More Efficient," many readers have been left with cloud confusion. Many definitions exist for cloud computing, and a uniform definition is hard to find. In its most basic form, cloud…

With classroom Internet access nearly universal in public schools and computers ubiquitous on every school and university campus, classroom furnishings have evolved to accommodate the machines so students can take full advantage of the technology. The desks, tables and other furniture that a school chooses for its computers will depend on the…

A dramatic growth in computing and communications was precipitated largely by the leadership of President David Roselle at the University of Kentucky. A new operational structure of information resource management includes not only computing (academic and administrative) and communications, instructional resources, and printing/mailing services,…

The results of a study at Virginia Tech which has a recent history of decentralized computing, are reported. The advantage of increased control in the decentralized environment was offset by the lack of experience in planning for computing at the academic and administrative operating levels. (Author/MLW)

Describes how computers are being integrated into the English department of Utah State University to support the "writing track," the production of texts, and teacher training. (PRA)

Educational institutions that wish to implement a specialized teaching laboratory often have a variety of obstacles to overcome. Some of these obstacles are related to adapting existing classroom infrastructure, building the laboratory, and meeting the demands for multiple-use classrooms to maximize the return on investment. In some cases, such as…

Computing and information technology at Arizona State University have developed within the University's large, complex decentralized culture. Delivery of central services, faculty and student computing, networking, administrative computing, and the construction of a computing and network services building are discussed. (MLW)

This article addresses the growing need for the heads of computing/communications and library organizations on college campuses to work together in a cooperative spirit and to assume leadership roles in planning for institutional information resources. The role of the chief information officer on campus is discussed. (Author/MLW)

A number of universities now require all students to have computers, charging additional tuition to cover costs of hardware, networking, and technical support. Despite frustrations of extensive computer systems and technological change, most feel the programs are worthwhile and address the limitations of campus computer labs. Laptops have become…

Preparatory to establishing a computer services program for residents, Presbyterian Homes, a multi-campus continuing care retirement community, conducted an assessment of residents' computer needs, ownership, and usage. Based on the results of the needs assessment, computer resource rooms were established at each facility, with computer hardware…

The Instructional Technology Support Center (ITSC) provides training and support for the use of instructional technology by K-12 teachers and Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) faculty. The goals of the ITSC include: training pre-service and in-service teachers in the use of instructional technology; improving MTSU teaching through expanded…