But at the same time, some long-standing doctoral programs were threatened when the Ohio Board of Regents sought to reduce the cost of graduate education in the state. Some of the most significant growth in the 1990s was not in buildings or academic programs, but in technology. The university joined OhioLINK, a statewide library network, in 1994. The network allows UT students to access and borrow books from all other member institutions throughout the state and utilize a wide-array of research services. Computer labs and hook-ups in dormitories and offices provide Internet access to many students and most faculty.
Technological improvements allow students to register for classes and check their grades by phone.
The university established a homepage on the World Wide Web. Such innovations are certain to continue throughout the decade. But despite strategic planning and important improvements in physical spaces and technology, many challenges remain. State support for higher education must compete with other government demands like prisons and primary and secondary education. An improving economy in northwest Ohio and the growth of other institutions of higher learning in the area has produced competition for a declining pool of students.