Copyright 1998 EDUCAUSE. From CAUSE/EFFECT Volume 21, Number 2, 1998, p. 2. Permission to copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, the EDUCAUSE copyright and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of EDUCAUSE. To disseminate otherwise, or to republish, requires written permission. For further information, contact Jim Roche at EDUCAUSE, 4840 Pearl East Circle, Suite 302E, Boulder, CO 80301 USA; 303-939-0308; e-mail: jroche@educause.edu
From the Editor
There are two articles in this issue that underscore the relevance and importance of the recent CAUSE and Educom consolidation. The first is a message from EDUCAUSE President Brian L. Hawkins, who outlines the direction and goals of the organization. The second is a piece on another consolidation that will have a great positive impact on everyone in information technology in higher education--I’m referring to the article by Garret Sern on the merger of FARNET and NTTF.
The importance of the Hawkins piece is that it begins to answer many of the questions that surrounded the consolidation of CAUSE and Educom. The past several months have been a time of reflection and anticipation, not just for the EDUCAUSE staff and board, but for the membership and information technology community as well. Questions have been raised about what the new organization should be; how it can best represent its constituents; which programs, products, and services are still viable, and which may no longer serve the purpose for which they were created. Issues of institutional representation, conference structure, and dues rates have also been at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts about the consolidation.
In his article, Hawkins spells out the important issues, how they’re being handled, and what members can expect from EDUCAUSE. The association has already begun looking at every facet of its structure and will continue to do so in the months ahead. The consolidation presented the organization with a terrific opportunity to evaluate its products and services. Hawkins notes where that’s being done and what members can expect down the road. As the headline says, he is “charting a course” for EDUCAUSE, determined to create and maintain an organization that will help its members cope with the rapid and unprecedented change that is so much a part of higher education today.
Sern provides us with a view of other important changes affecting the organization as he outlines the consolidation of FARNET and NTTF and what it means to members. In short, it gives the organization a strong networking policy arm. With so much happening in the policy arena these days, it is critical for EDUCAUSE to have a strong representative voice in Washington. The name for the newly formed policy group is Net@EDU. Sern gives us a brief history of the two organizations, but most importantly helps us understand the important role Net@EDU will play for EDUCAUSE.
As Sern points out, “The new policy team will concentrate on researching and communicating Internetworking and telecommunications issues and will work to develop coherent policy networking strategies that reflect membership needs.” This is another course being charted, and the article tells us why these issues are important and how Net@EDU plans to reach members with information they need. The policy group is already busy hosting and planning conferences for such issues as the very high-speed backbone network (vBNS), discrepancies in the costs of communication services, and a workshop on the next generation of networking.
I encourage you to read these articles and let us know what you think. As a membership organization, EDUCAUSE thrives on your input and involvement. There are many ways to reach us. You can use any of the standard methods of phone, fax, or e-mail, or you can take advantage of two special opportunities and talk with our executive staff and board at the EDUCOM’98 conference in Orlando in October, or the CAUSE98 conference this December in Seattle. At each conference, EDUCAUSE will have a booth in the exhibit hall where you can meet the staff and share your thoughts and ideas in a personal and informal setting. Not only does this give you the opportunity to learn more about your organization, but it gives us a chance to hear directly from you. If you can’t make it to the conference, give us a call or drop us a line at: 303-449-4430 (voice), 303-440-0461 (fax), or info@educause.edu.
James Roche, Editor