Computers, blitzmail and the world wide web have caused pervasive changes on campus. In the 1975 issues of the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, there were several ads by Texas Instruments for calculators. They were just becoming portable enough and affordable enough to be pitched to individual buyers. We came a long way in the next decade, and since 1991 all students have been required to have personal computers. Now, much communication now takes place via blitzmail and telephones are no longer a necessity for students.
Students can communicate with their professors with great ease via blitzmail.
They can get assignments, do their research, and turn in papers with the click of a mouse. One offshoot of all this technology, is that personal interaction may be lessened. It's possible for a professor to have an ongoing relationship with a student without even knowing what he or she looks like. We also have students who are very comfortable interacting, even flirting, via computer, but socially inept or tongue tied in face to face meetings. In 1975, there were about 20 recognized student organizations.