Conclusions and Recommendations
Over the course of eight months, the External Committee on Telecommunications and
Higher Education has worked diligently to understand the current status of
telecommunications and computer networks
(8)
in the public system of higher education in
Rhode Island.
(9)
The committee made visits to each of the three public institutions of higher
education; one meeting of the committee was also held at the New England Institute of
Technology. As a result of the committee s familiarity with the telecommunications
capabilities of the system, data collected regarding pace-setting institutions of higher
education, and normative information about similar types of institutions, a set of long-term
goals for telecommunications in Rhode Island public higher education (see preceding
section) and a series of recommendations were formulated. These recommendations are
made by the External Committee to the Board of Governors for Higher Education for
consideration.
Since many of the suggestions require action, not only by the Board but also by the
individual institutions/agency, the recommendations put forth are of two types: those which
require action by the Board of Governors and those which the Board should ask the
institutions to implement. In addition, there were five major areas in which
recommendations were made: Priority Setting, Planning, Funding, Programs, and
Outreach.
Each of these major recommendation areas is listed below and is followed by the
recommendations of each type.
Priority Setting
Board of Governors Action
- In recognition of the potential benefits to students, faculty, staff and others, and the
resulting contributions to economic development within the state, it is recommended
that the Board of Governors identify telecommunications as a high priority issue in
its long-range planning efforts and in the development of annual plans. Further, the
Board should make sure in all of the policy and budget decisions it makes, where
it is relevant, that telecommunications is addressed.
Board Asks Institutions to Implement
Note: Since the Board of Governors priorities become institutional priorities, no
specific recommendation was made in this category.
Planning
Board of Governors Action
- Because a cooperative approach is needed, it is recommended that the Board of
Governors for Higher Education reestablish an interinstitutional telecommunications
coordinating committee. This committee should consist of representatives from the
University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, the Community College of Rhode
Island and the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education.
The intention of having an interinstitutional committee is both to bind together the
work done at the institutions in planning for telecommunications and computer
networks, and to guarantee that a compatible telecommunications infrastructure
emerges across the public system of higher education.
To reach these ends, the recommended charge to the committee should include --
a. Promote exemplary practices in telecommunications and computer networks at
the institutions/agency.
b. Ensure that planning for the public higher education system is compatible with
institutional planning.
c. Foster the fullest possible sharing of resources, including networks, equipment
and personnel, across the system, and beyond.
d. Identify emerging issues and opportunities related to telecommunications.
e. Examine how higher education networks can be integrated into any statewide
telecommunications effort.
f. Prepare an annual report for the Board of Governors assessing outcomes of
information technology across the public higher education system.
- In keeping with the high priority accorded this area, it is recommended that the
Board of Governors review all its current policies, and in the future look at all
proposed policies, to ensure that these policies promote, rather than inhibit, the
adoption and utilization of information technology.
Board Asks Institutions to Implement
- All three institutions of public higher education currently are working on developing
strategic plans in the area of telecommunications. However, it is recommended that
these internal processes for strategic planning and implementation be strengthened,
so that they will result in the accomplishment of at least the following outcomes --
a. Representation from different institutional units and consultation with affected
clients and constituents.
b. Ready access to telecommunications and computer networks for all students,
faculty and staff, and others as appropriate.
c. Definition of what is needed to keep the institutions up-to-date in new
technologies.
d. Expanded training for and support to users.
e. Facilitation of the adoption of communications standards and protocols across
institutions.
f. Identification of what all graduates should know and be able to do relative to
information technology.
- In addition to planning for telecommunications, it is recommended that the
institutions incorporate into all other planning and management procedures, a
requirement that information technology needs and opportunities be addressed.
Funding
Board of Governors Action
- In looking at the shortcomings of the telecommunications and computer networks
throughout the public system of higher education, it became abundantly clear that
current funding was insufficient to improve these areas to the extent necessary.
Consequently, it is recommended that the Board of Governors seek increased
financial support for the facilities, equipment, software and personnel necessary to
promote and maintain telecommunications and computer networks at the
institutions at a level at least comparable to peer institutions.
It is suggested that some means, such as bonds, be used to secure the funds for
capital items for the construction of the infrastructure and the replacement of dated
equipment and, further, that annual budgets contain a percentage allocation for
telecommunications operations that is at least as great as the percentage of the
budget used by peer institutions for these purposes.
- In his State of the State Address on January 25, 1995, Governor Lincoln Almond
suggested that there should be a technology initiative for grades K-12. It is
suggested that the Board of Governors request Governor Almond to extend this
initiative to include public higher education.
Board Asks Institutions to Implement
- Because the committee did not have a firm figure to suggest to the Board of
Governors for the amount of funding necessary to update the current
telecommunications and computer network systems, it is recommended that the
institutions, through their strategic planning processes, define their capital needs
and assign an estimated cost to these needs. These amounts, plus what is
necessary for the Office of Higher Education, would be the basis for determining the
total and for providing the justification for the capital needs request.
- Although the committee discussed a large number of possibilities for securing funds to
underwrite the cost of telecommunications and computer networking efforts, it did not
select one means over another. Instead, it is recommended that a large number of
revenue streams be considered in the search for funds. These sources should include,
but not be limited to, grants, user fees, alumni contributions, royalties, business
partnerships, and relationships with telecommunications carriers. In addition, it is
recommended that the institutions look to the possible funds that could be generated
from the reallocation of resources within the institutions. Telecommunications
resources available elsewhere in the state, either in the public or private sector, should
also be tapped, where appropriate.
- All three institutions of public higher education have special student technology and
library fees. It is recommended that all these fees be earmarked each year strictly
for the purposes they are intended and not as a replacement for, but as an addition
to, other funds.
Programs
Board of Governors Action
- Having a telecommunications infrastructure is one thing, but knowing what to do
with it is another. Therefore, it is recommended that the Board of Governors take
a strong stand to encourage the institutions to develop programs that can take
advantage of the telecommunications and computer networking capabilities, and the
future capacities that will emerge once the infrastructure is well established.
- As part of this encouragement, it is recommended that the Board of Governors
annually select and recognize award-winning projects at the public institutions of
higher education which are outstanding examples of how information technology
can be used in teaching, research, administration or public service.
- Another way in which the development of programs can be encouraged by the
Board of Governors is to ask the interinstitutional committee to cooperatively
undertake an annual demonstration project which will illustrate how
telecommunications applications can benefit the system. To help the
interinstitutional committee in its work, it is recommended that the Board of
Governors allocate funds to pay for these demonstration projects.
Board Asks Institutions to Implement
- In order to make good use of the capacities of the emerging infrastructure, it is
recommended that the institutions undertake initiatives to assist the faculty and staff
in becoming more innovative in using telecommunications in all aspects of their
work.
- As a further incentive for new faculty, it is recommended that the institutions require
an appropriate level of telecommunications competency as one of the prerequisite
skills faculty must demonstrate when being recommended for tenure.
- Because of the expected explosion in distance learning, it is recommended that the
three institutions agree collectively on what distance learning courses should be
accorded credit at Rhode Island public institutions of higher education. Such
agreements would ensure that all students taking distance learning courses, either
from a Rhode Island institution or from an institution outside the state, would be
afforded equitable treatment when attempting to transfer distance learning credits
to any of the public institutions of higher education in Rhode Island.
Outreach
Board of Governors Action
- The responsibility of public higher education to assist others who can benefit from
its telecommunications initiatives was strongly endorsed. However, such outreach
activities should not be at the expense of initiating telecommunications and
computer networking across the public higher education system. Therefore, it is
recommended that means be found to work with other educational institutions,
businesses and industries, the medical community, and non-profit organizations, so
that information, expertise, and facilities and equipment can be widely shared and
not unnecessarily duplicated.
- An issue that came up repeatedly was the need to have an initiative at the state
level to expand the availability of and access to information. It is recommended,
therefore, that the Board of Governors urge the governor and other key state
officials to develop a statewide approach to telecommunications in order to support
economic development and to increase the access by citizens to government at all
levels.
Board Asks Institutions to Implement
- Because one of the stated purposes of the public institutions of higher education is
to promote economic development, it is recommended that the institutions support
existing and future technical assistance efforts in telecommunications and computer
networking, in order to provide training, guidance and information transfer to Rhode
Island businesses and industries in need of this support.
- Since institutions of higher education have experts in telecommunications and
computer networks, it is recommended that any activities taken on the part of faculty
or staff to assist other faculty, administrators, teachers in the elementary and
secondary schools and others in the public sector to become more adept at the use
of these technologies should be encouraged. In addition, in the granting of tenure
to new faculty members, efforts such as these, should be counted as service to the
institution.
Proceed to next section
Return to Table of Contents