All fields that relate to computer technology have experienced a surge in the number of students. We've seen a doubling of the students who want to major in computer science every two years. For Liebeherr and other faculty at the university, those increases actually pose a challenge. I could only allow 35 students to take the course, but I had around 100 people trying to get in. There are so many positions open in the IT field, and these positions carry such promise for excellent careers with high salaries, that there is great demand from students to get into these fields.
Education drives new areas of research.
Cisco and MCI have donated equipment which would be too expensive for us to buy. Now we're using this equipment to teach courses that better prepare students for the workforce. The university has been busy preparing to expand its networking courses, including the Internet engineering course, for the fall semester. Liebeherr and his assistants developed new lab exercises using the Cisco equipment, and the university hired new networking faculty. It's all part of a continuing plan to make the university one of the nation's premiere institutions for technology education.