We assume we will have electricity in our offices, classrooms and residence halls. It should be the same way with the campus network. Gandel said the university has already invested a substantial amount of money for technology. Connecting all faculty and staff to the campus network with e-mail and Internet access is a top priority for Gandel. He said a major networking initiative is underway on the Athens campus that will result in every faculty and staff office, every lab and every classroom connected to the network.
All students have the opportunity to receive an e-mail account.
Reid said 25 percent of part-time faculty offices and 75 percent of campus computer labs also are hooked to the network. Among new technology projects on the Athens campus, the newly formed, campus-wide Information Resources Council is expected to act quickly in the area of classroom technology improvements, Gandel said. The installation of large-screen video projectors, VCRs and monitors are part of the project. Also, the university plans to upgrade the network links between the Athens campus and each of the regional campuses with funding from Regional Higher Education. Currently, the network links are seriously overloaded.